Re: [VAC] a/c for a Trade Wind

["Vanessa Dillon" <VIDELL@xxxxxxxxxx>]

When I bought my '56 AS and everyone thought I was crazy because I preffered
it to the new SOB trailer I had,  It wasn't until I had it a few days that I
noticed that the front and rear had a droop, including a sagging hitch.  It
had an old Box shapped A/C on the roof, not a evaprative cooler and Bill
maybe you can help me here, but do you think the weight of that artifact on
my roof could have caused it?  I had to get a spring shackel replased on one
of my axles and the guy who did it told me that the chanel chassis was made
out of little more than sheet metal, maybe why my coach is so light. Have
any others of you on the list owning a fifties model trailer noticed a dip
in the chassis and thus body?  It makes me wonder if my trailer went on the
'59 African caravan when Wally said that axles were breaking like match
sticks and decided to go to the dura torque  suspension/axle. I've since
taken it down to Mexico and noticed no further deterioration in the sag.
Classic AS Restorations has told me that they would love to do a ground up
frame off restoration including custom building a new chassis.  They told me
I have a very rare model that is well worth investing in, Because it has a
slanted wheel well cut out slanting from front  aand slopping down to the
rear of the dual axles to back.   The bedrom area it has a continuous wall
of windows on both sides of the twin beds., from the curbside it looks like
solid windows from the rear dome to the front. How ever the cost would be
around $15,000, They sell restored fifties Airstreams to the Hollywood
insiders for guesthouses and such for up to $40,000.  I realize that it
would be a good investment but unless I have an Aunt Concertina lurking
around somewhere with money to burn it's not going to happen soon.  Do any
of you guys have any suggestions on how to straighten, stabalize or prevent
my chassis from any futher sagging?