Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-26-2016, 12:30 PM   #1
2 Rivet Member
 
noremark's Avatar
 
1992 32' Excella
Elma , Washington
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 26
Images: 12
Blog Entries: 3
To Customize or Restore Original?

I see many people customize there units. I am undecided. My first plan was to keep my 1992 32 Excella as original as possible.

I am planning on re-carpeting wall to wall floors and then purchasing fabric to reupholster the used jackknife sofa and two chairs along with the valances. I have watched a Youtube video of a reupholstery job on a a rv. I have access to commercial sewing machine. I believe I can do a good job with both.

http://www.rvfabric.com

Just curious, any thoughts, what about the value of the unit? Is it worth more if not customized?

Also thinking about documenting the progress. Any advice on do's an dont's
__________________
If you don't have the time to do it right the first time where you gona find the time to do it a second time.
noremark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 02:34 PM   #2
2 Rivet Member
 
Paul and Tam's Avatar
 
1988 34.5' Airstream 345
Ham Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 60
My opinion - More original = better resale valuable.

That said, customization to fit your use of the unit is valuable to you. If you're keeping it for a while then the customization will be worth the effort and $ even though the potential resale value may be diminished. That resale value has no real meaning until the time you are selling. For now the usability is what is important. If it makes you happy, then do it.
Paul and Tam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 03:52 PM   #3
4 Rivet Member
 
samb's Avatar
 
1961 22' Safari
Union , Oregon
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 477
Images: 11
My question-------------

Are you the "caretaker" of the trailer for some unknown future owner or is this the trailer you want to use and enjoy?

Sam
samb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2016, 04:23 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
cameront120's Avatar
 
1972 25' Tradewind
North Vancouver , British Columbia
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,421
Images: 23
Unless your flipping the trailer to try and make a profit, refurbish the trailer to suit your needs, not for the needs of some imaginary purchaser 10 years down the road.
__________________
Cameron & the Labradors, Kai & Samm
North Vancouver, BC
Live! Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Mame Dennis
cameront120 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 10:13 AM   #5
59' Globester
 
twolanehwy's Avatar
 
1959 18' "Footer"
1957 26' Overlander
Three Rivers , California
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 248
I agree that you need to make YOU happy (and your wife of course).
I am restoring a 59' 18 footer and it will look original outside for the most part.
Inside I will fill the space to suite my desires. All modern and "Quality" amenities because thats what I LIKE!

IMO the original stuff was sheite, cheap. Also layout didn't do a thing for me. This model even had a heater IN the middle of the floor...sooo stupid as everything falls in and you're always tripping on it.
twolanehwy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 10:48 AM   #6
3 Rivet Member
 
1972 27' Overlander
Woodburn , Oregon
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 131
Only you can answer this question , just what do you and your family want ? If you want something then go for it , life is to short to worry about the small stuff.
shineybullet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 10:58 AM   #7
Tom T
 
Tom_T's Avatar
 
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Orange , California
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,023
As of now, your 1992 isn't considered a vintage trailer (yet), since they tend to look at the 1970's & sometimes early 1980's as vintage. Eventually it may be.

Even within the vintage ones, there are both resto-original & resto-mod, so you see both.

However, any trailer or vehicle overly modified to an individual's tastes which are not with a wider appeal, will limit your trailer's attractiveness to other potential buyers in the future .... & stuff may happen where you want or need to sell it. Likewise, your own tastes may change. It's the same with a home - too uniquely personalized will limit the potential market of folks interested in it.

So what a lot of folks in the vintage trailer & classic car scene do is to do mods which can be relatively easily undone & put back as original, but that requires saving & storing the original parts, or risk difficulty finding them later & paying high prices for the parts.

Another strategy which never seems to hurt, is to upgrade & update the water, waste, electrical, LP, etc. systems, tanks, etc. which are mostly hidden, & to conceal the modern parts which are seen as much as possible.

We're in the process of doing the latter - finding & backdating to the original period-correct galley stove (4-burner with oven), hood & sink, after a prior owner who did a resto-mod to the galley of our 1960 Avion T20 with "modern" stainless steel sink, SS 2-burner cooktop, SS microwave & new fridge with SS faceplate, because the original appliances were trashed from years sitting in a NM field.

It looks good & is done in mostly a period-correct look, but they almost lost our sale to another more correct Avion, which turned out to have had interior heater fire damage, & we negotiated a lower price, than what we would've paid if it were still a correct resto.

While I understand why they did it - & it was to their tastes - if it were me, then I would've tried to find & restore with the original types of fridge/etc. (fridge is not such a big deal if the faceplate were done in the proper color).

And to make the resto-mod changes worse in our Avion's case, we found out a year & a half after we bought it, that it was in fact the #2 T20 off the line (the POs did not know that), which is generally another strong reason to keep something original - early or last few made.

That said, we did add a 15" flat screen TV/DVD in the place where the original optional TV shelf would've been located - so that is our concession to modernity!

Ultimately, it's your trailer, your time & dime - so you need to make you & other family members happy! .... then if some of those choices are unusual, either make them easily reversible, or else live with the consequences.

Good Luck!
Tom
///////
__________________
Tom T
Orange CA
1960 Avion T20, #2 made, Hensley Cub, TV tbd- looking for 08-22 Cayenne S, EH, etc
1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia CamperGL (Orig Owner) + 1970 Eriba Puck
Tom_T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 11:29 AM   #8
2 Rivet Member
 
1992 35' Airstream 350
Frisco, CO/Scottsdale, AZ , Denver, CO
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 49
We have been dragging our 1992 motor home our of the 90s decor ever since we bought it in 2004.
Not a design period to be immortalized for future buyers. I'm sure when you sell it, they buyers will be greatful.
Hal-Gin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 12:36 PM   #9
3 Rivet Member
 
adobehome's Avatar
 
1962 19' Globetrotter
New River , Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 136
Images: 1
I once asked that very same question, at the Vintage Restoration Rally of Jim Polk. Jim is the most respected appraiser of vintage cars, planes and trailers/rvs. He said that if one were to find a prime condition vintage trailer that has been sitting in someone's barn for 40 years... well that would be the most valuable. However, a good quality remodel on the right vintage trailer is highly valuable and very sought after. I chose to do the later on my '62 Globetroter since I was going to use it for camping and long distance travel. I wanted more interior trailer real-estate for a comfy bed than a large bathroom and wanted to eliminate the black tank for composting toilet, anyway. I wanted to cut down on weight and never used the oven in my former trailer, so replaced stove with cooktop. Etc. Etc. See Uwe's website. He remodels to fit needs of client. So, basically, what is your purpose? As mentioned by others above, do whatever pleases you for your needs & don't worry about future potential buyers.
adobehome is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 01:00 PM   #10
Dazed and Confused
 
Isuzusweet's Avatar
 
Currently Looking...
1983 31' Airstream310
Hillsburgh , Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,805
My take on this is very simple......If a new product, system, or method is lighter, better and safer than OEM; use it.

For example, why would you ever use the OEM plywood or OSB subfloor material when there's Coosa board. Lighter than OEM and doesn't rot or mildew.

If someone comes back at me stating that my subfloor lowers the resale value in their eyes; then move along my friend and go buy that rotting, musty, damp smelling OEM unit over there, and pay more for it.
__________________
Per Mare, Per Terram and may all your campaigns be successful.

“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.” "Harry S Truman"
Isuzusweet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 04:57 PM   #11
Rivet Master
 
drboyd's Avatar
 
1978 25' Tradewind
Metro Phoenix , Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,524
My '78 would have been essentially impossible to restore to original, with all the broken tambour scroll tracks, and the broken slash falling apart other stuff. Plus, it was nasty dark photo-wood anyway.

IMHO, a well done remodel will be much more pleasant for you and more attractive to whoever gets it next.
__________________
"Between what matters and what seems to matter, how should the world we know judge wisely?" - E.C. Bentley, Trent's Last Case
drboyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 07:08 PM   #12
3 Rivet Member
 
danjoe91's Avatar
 
1985 32' Excella
Valley Village , California
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 146
Images: 16
We remodeled ours trying to stay as close to Airstream recognizable as possible. ( We made our '85 Excella look like a 2013 International Serenity). We did this because we thought we had to for integrity and resale. Now we wish we gutted it and did what we wanted in the first place. Which is what we are about to do. Any body and everybody will think we are crazy, but we want to keep our rare double door trailer, and want to be excited about it. We wished we had taken out the sofa and put in Euro recliners, and put in smooth front cabinets, among other things. If you plan on keeping your trailer for awhile, do what ever makes you happy - the first time!
danjoe91 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 11:48 AM   #13
Tom T
 
Tom_T's Avatar
 
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Orange , California
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,023
Quote:
Originally Posted by Isuzusweet View Post
My take on this is very simple......If a new product, system, or method is lighter, better and safer than OEM; use it.

For example, why would you ever use the OEM plywood or OSB subfloor material when there's Coosa board. Lighter than OEM and doesn't rot or mildew.

If someone comes back at me stating that my subfloor lowers the resale value in their eyes; then move along my friend and go buy that rotting, musty, damp smelling OEM unit over there, and pay more for it.
I agree on the newer components & systems when the originals need replacement or have functional problems, as well as when they're damaged beyond repair.

Also, you can change fabrics, counters, finishes, etc. in them to something that still looks good & "looks right" - without being "as original" - BUT if you pick bright psychadelic orange/purple/etc. crazy patterns to relive your 1960's days, don't expect everyone else to love that!


However, our original marine grade Birch cabinetry & subfloor in our 1960 Avion was still in excellent condition 56+ years later!
.... but then Avion always advertised as "Better than an Airstream!"

Cheers & Good Luck with your Resto!
Tom
///////
__________________
Tom T
Orange CA
1960 Avion T20, #2 made, Hensley Cub, TV tbd- looking for 08-22 Cayenne S, EH, etc
1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia CamperGL (Orig Owner) + 1970 Eriba Puck
Tom_T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 01:44 PM   #14
PKI
Rivet Master
 
PKI's Avatar
 
Currently Looking...
Walnut Creek , California
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,952
If you are restorer, then get to work. If you purchased the trailer to flip, clean it, fix what's broke, and sell it. If you bought it to use, fix it, use it, and trade it for one you can love. If you love it, make the trailer what it should have been when it left the factory, use it, and let your heirs sell it. Pat

PS - Kudos to the skilled crafts-people who can turn these coaches into functional art.
PKI is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Airstream Overlander 26' ready to customize or restore. No Reserve Auction!!! eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 04-07-2012 07:40 PM
Airstream Overlander 26' ready to customize or restore. No Reserve Auction!!! eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 03-21-2012 08:10 PM
Airstream Overlander 26' ready to customize or restore. No Reserve Auction!!! eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 03-16-2012 06:10 PM
Airstream Overlander 26' ready to customize or restore. No Reserve Auction!!! eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 03-16-2012 06:00 PM
Airstream Overlander 26' ready to customize or restore. No Reserve Auction!!! eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 03-06-2012 06:50 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.