It's got to be a disease.

[alaska gasser]

I have been actively trying to sell my two Thames Panels and the wife's Anglia for about a year so I can roll some cash and cut down on projects. I decided that 6 projects between the 4 of us and myself being the only bodyman / builder is way too many.

My wife and I have also come to the conclusion that tenting isn't as fun as it used to be, so a camp trailer is in order. So...if we are going to get one, I decided it should be an Airstream, Avion or a similar style aluminum trailer to flow with the extended cab once it hits the road. We have checked out 15 Airsteams that I have been able to find locally. Most are sinking into the ground and the owners are unwilling to sell them. One I checked on was recently purchased by the individual to be used as a doghouse and NO! It is not for sale!

Now that being said, I located this the other day and it's kind of ugly, but it "talks" to me. It has been in the same spot since 1970, is sunk almost to the belly pan and needs a complete ground up. 75% of the wood inside is gone as the trailer has obviously not been waterproof for many years. What's left of the wood is cool looking though. I need another project like I need another hole in the head. Also, the good wife wants to have something ready to rock and roll come spring and MUCH prefers the Airstream look!!!











You guessed it, the old couple doesn't believe they want to sell it, but will at least think about it.

I think part of why I'm drawn to it is it is different, like the truck will be. Can't you just see it all polished up and cruising low? There has got to be a cure for this automotive disease that causes myself and others to drag more relics home when there isn't time for the ones already there.

[MARTINSR]

I would personally RUN, run away from that thing as fast as I could before I thought about it too much. That is a TON of work, basically building it from scratch. I would RUN!

Brian

[_Ogre]

Agreed. A ton of money and work that will slow down all other projects

[G&R's57GMC]

Run ! Run away !

I bought a '69 Airstream that appeared to be in ready to camp condition . Well its been 2 years and I'm still putting it back together.

All new systems, appliances and bathroom. Not to mention replacing the last 4 feet of the floor that was hidden behind the bath tub and toilet.

Also Axle's, brakes, wheels and tires.

The photos were what it looked like when we brought it home.

I'll be lucky to finish this project for $ 25K and more like $30K if I polish or paint it.

If your serious about going ahead check out http://www.airforums.com and http://www.sputnikgoes.com

Good luck on you adventure of building an Airstream it will take 3 times longer and cost way more then you think .

[G&R's57GMC]

This is where I'm at on this project

[Russell Ashley]

I like the look of that one and think it would be totally cool restored and hooked to your truck, but I agree with the others here, leave it alone.
One thing I noticed about it is how far back the single axle is. Looks like it would create a ton of tongue weight.

[MARTINSR]

I just watched this cool little trailer leave out of my driveway two weeks ago.



This was as simple a trailer as you could ever imagine, it was designed by a friggin genius and had less components in it's entire trailer than a foot or two of that old aluminum one, LITERALLY. If I cook my trailer completely apart every nut and bolt and what have you that would come off and laid them out on the driveway and counted them that trailer you are looking at would have that many in LITERALLY a few feet tops! NO KIDDING! My trailer was basically two pieces of fiberglass like a two hot tubs glued together. No inner structure, no braces, no nothing, just two big fiberglass bowls glued together. Here is one I found on the net.



It is the simplest design of all time, if you want a trailer get one of these.

Anyway, I tell you about the design because I just spent many weeks working my butt off and about $500 to get it sale ready. My wife reupholstered it. (Bless her heart, never did anything like that before and did a damn good job if you ask me) She also made new curtains.











I had to change the broken tank.



Change all the tubing and faucet/pump. Install a few new lights, Clean the walls, OMG that was something. This brand has a foam with vinyl attached to it as installation glued to the inside of the fiberglass. Yes the walls are only about a half inch thick installation and all. This vinyl gets sticky, I read it all over the forums on these trailers. You can use anything you want, OMG I tried EVERYTHING and it was still sticky. I had to SCRUB the whole inside then replace all the seam tape.



I spent weeks busting my butt on this thing. And it was a "working" trailer without a single structural problem. The Fridge worked, the stove worked, the heater worked, just the water system and cleaning and sprucing is all I did and I busted my butt for weeks and it's only 13 feet long. It was made NEW in the '76 and been stored on a concrete driveway behind the house. And in fact used to store stuff like parts and boxes I was selling on ebay. It was in PERFECT FLAWLESS CONDITION compared to that aluminum one in the woods and it kicked my butt and cost me $500 and I didn't even get into the tires or bearings or anything, the guy towed it right to a tire shop for that.

This was a perfect little trailer compared to that aluminum one. That thing would take COMPLETE rebuilding, you might as well make one from scratch.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

My point is, I thought this was going to be ONE weekend (ended up being about 5) and a few dollars cleaning stuff. I had NO IDEA it would be so much work to get it up to par.

Brian

[OrrieG]

We are thinking about getting a 50-60 canned ham too. But thinking real hard after running into a number of people that find "restorable" ones then sink 15K+ into them.

[meter swinger]

I have an older trailer. The more I mess with it the more I like hotels. I guess its comprable to the old adage about boats. The two happiest days of ownership is the day you bought it and the day you sold it.

[58CameoAZ]

Wow, a friend of mine just bought some property here in Payson Az and he had the exact
Trailor on his property! it was all Original and Complete with all the interior intact, an elderly couple had been living in it on the property and it looked like the day it was new inside
My friend did sell it for 8k and he said the lady who bought it had another one just like it
and she was putting both on her property!
By the way, i cant remember the name of the trailer but isn't it an Avion?
wish i had pictures to show how clean the thing was!
Allen

[MARTINSR]

I spent 13 years of my life with a shop next to a camper repair shop. If there is one thing I can tell you there IS rot in those old trailers. Not "could be" not "probably is" there IS rot, how much, that is the question.

Every seam you see on those bodies, every one of those seams is a potential leak, think about that. Water goes in and rots out the wood and you don't even know it. If it's all aluminum, there are a few, with aluminum structures too, that's a different story. But if it has wood in it, it IS rotted.

Brian

[G&R's57GMC]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

We are thinking about getting a 50-60 canned ham too. But thinking real hard after running into a number of people that find "restorable" ones then sink 15K+ into them.

OrrieG For that kind of money check out http://www.riversidervs.net

Nothing like a new old style rig with all the modern conveniences with instant gratification

[alaska gasser]

The jury is still out, but I don't want to pay a lot to get one and then have to put a ton more $ into it after that point. At least my time is free....sort of.

[NEWFISHER]

I say get one. Get two or three. I just sold our Burro but am keeping our 60 Avion for a minute or two and am looking at a Cayo motivator and an Avion camper. Wife says I have to sell our current Silverado camper and our 57 field n stream. Yep its an addiction.

[eagleuh1]

I love my 68 airstream, leaks and all. Original AC works great. Replaced fridge with new house style. Replaced all plumbing. Kept original hot water heater, works good. Electrical inspected and replaced 2 outlets and voltage converter. Also replaced all tires and both axles. It payed for itself as I lived in it for 6 months in a state park 1 mile from work while working out of state in Mississippi. Looks cool going down the road behind the 68 too. I like that trailer design as well. Would look cool restored. I say go for it if you have the time and desire to restore. Jim
http://s894.photobucket.com/user/eag...l?sort=2&o=181

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

OrrieG For that kind of money check out http://www.riversidervs.net

Nothing like a new old style rig with all the modern conveniences with instant gratification

Thanks for the link, I emailed them to see if there is local representative and to get some pricing information. Patrick

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by alaska gasser

At least my time is free....sort of.

and limited

[alaska gasser]

Well..... reality won out. I do not need another serious ground up project, so we bought a '69 Airstream instead. It needs some floor work, etc., but is in great shape over all.

Jackie said it has to be polished and I told her that was a must, but somewhere down the road.









Jackie has already ripped out the carpet and started on updating the interior since these photos were taken. She is going to do a hot rod theme similar to what she did in the shop bathoom.









It actually has a bathtub.

We didn't want to go longer than 24 feet since part of the reason for getting it was for the extended cab to pull to rod runs. However, for the price, quality and work it needs, it was by far the best deal around. This is a Sovereign and is about 31 feet long. Like Jackie says though, you can never have enough room.

I was going to put air shocks on the extended cab, but now I'm wondering if I should go with air bags instead due to the size of it. Any thoughts?

[tmoble]

wow, RWL tires. must be a hot rod trailer.

[55dude]

my 1946 kit teardrop will satisfy my "trailer restoration" itch! i have been around some 30' airstream overhauls and they are spendy! buying new tires is a given when your doing a restoration since they have actual shelf life but the axels go bad and that will send you into the red deep never to recover even doing ALL your own work! amazing how that FREE trailer....! hated seeing them get junked but thats really where most of them belong and i dig vintage trailers!

[FarmerSid]

That's a cool silver bullet!

[G&R's57GMC]

Congrats on your Airstream !

Check out http://www.airforums.com there is a wealth of info there on restoration. Also check out http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com

From the looks of it your axles are done. Time for replacements. Mine cost $745 each with self adjusting brakes + $24 for mounting bolts + $115 for four shocks. Truck freight was Spendy .

Have fun with your build

[G&R's57GMC]

I was just at Alumafandango in Canyonville, OR. earlier this month with my fiberglass Airstream (13' Casita ) and had to take a pic with a 34' Airstream. Enjoy.

[mr48chev]

I drive by the dealer who has this new but looks period correct canned ham style trailer on their lot. http://www.canopycountry.com/default...=xNewInventory

The bigger one
http://www.canopycountry.com/default...=xNewInventory

Either would look great rolling down the road behind one of our trucks.