Hi Caroline,
Welcome to the forums. I think the first thing you need to do is establish a general dollar amount you want to spend at this time. You’ll probably exceed it, but ya got to start somewhere.
Several times you mentioned replacing items. That’s fine, and it is certainly the easiest way to go. But ovens, cooktops, and refrigerators for RVs are
expensive. Check prices at Campingworld.com and you will see. Although it will take considerably more time, you may want to clean up everything as well as possible, and replace them later if you so desire. I did not replace any of my major appliances even though my Overlander had sat for 23 years before I got it. But I am fortunate in that I am comfortable working on gas appliances. Most people on this forum are not, and will advise you to replace any faulty appliances.
Blow-by-blow:
Air conditioner: The rats may have chewed on the wiring, but since your Airstream sat in covered storage, there is a good chance the major components are okay. RV air conditioners are usually R-22 units, which means the same person who works on your home A/C can work on your Airstream’s A/C. You may have trouble finding someone who wants to hang off a ladder to do it, but check around. Get him to determine if the compressor still works. If it does, ask him for an estimate on returning the unit to nominal operation, and compare his estimate to the cost of a new one.
Refrigerator: Excellent chance it still works – mine did. If it is a true RV unit, it should run on either gas or 120 vac electricity. It is perhaps the most expensive aspect of your Airstream (~$1100
).
LPG Tanks: They look fine, but there’s a good chance they do not have the new style OPD valves. They will work fine without them, but it is illegal to refill tanks without the new valves
. Do a forum search on “OPD valve” to gain more insight.
Hitch coupler: Looks rusty, but sound. Of more importance is the condition of the metal box-beams that run from it to the Airstream itself. Wirebrush or sandblast all the metal parts before deciding if anything more than a coat of paint is in order
.
Cooktop: Although presently an eyesore, I would be greatly surprised if it did not work. Clean it up with a Brillo pad, and decide if the pitted areas bother you enough to replace it at this time (mine did not).
You also have a
furnace, a
water heater, and a
gas regulator. My furnace was okay, but the regulator was not. Again, most people will advise you to replace them. Your call.
As far as the smell goes, there’s a good chance that it can be eliminated by installing new carpeting (I could not tell what kind of floor covering you have). Pull out the carpeting first, let your project air out for a time, and see if the smell is still bad enough to replace the insulation. If nothing else, pulling out the carpet allows you to locate & correct any bad places in the floor. Unfortunately, you will probably some
.
Again, start with a rough goal of how much money you want to spend
right now, check prices, and go from there.
Good luck,
Tom