Re: [VAC] '63 Sovereign

[terry tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Phyllis, 

If that floor plan turns you on, then by all means, begin the quest. You
know there will be things wrong with any 30 year old Airstream. What you
might not know is all of them are fixable, either by you or by someone you
pay to do it. 

After you buy it, you are going to put money into restoring anyway, so plan
on it right from the start. Most of us put more than a $1,000 into repairs
or restoration work the first year alone. That first year helps us find out
what else needs to be done. Then, we're ready to start spending $20 bills in
earnest. Some of us have spent a lot more than that, as you will soon
realize. In my opinion, money isn't the key issue.

In my opinion, the key issue is having an Airstream that excites your
enthusiasm, provides a challenge to your energy and ability for learning
restoration skills, and fills your heart with anticipation for adventures
yet to come. 

What I would caution you against doing is buying an Airstream that is in
very good shape in every way, BUT IS NOT THE FLOOR PLAN YOU WANT.

As for tail droop, that's readily fixable at the factory or at certain
Airstream dealerships. Once done, you're good to go anywhere on the
continent with that Airstream. If you want to read about a full timer family
with a 1960s Airstream, join the Vintage Airstream Club and read about them
in the current issue.

While you are climbing the learning curve and orienting yourself to the
massive amount of detail on restoring these rigs, spend time in the archive
websites. There are several of them and it takes a bit of time to digest
this stuff. Unless you stumble across your Airstream with the exact floor
plan soon, you'll have the time to do this.

Spend at least an hour a day doing this, and in two months, try to limit
yourself to less than two hours a day. It can be addictive, so don't let it
interfere with eating regular meals or with your daily exercise program.
<grin>

As you go along, keep an open mind and try not to draw conclusions quickly.
Often, there many good and valid, but different answers to one question.
There are 275 of us in this group, so there is always someone who will reply
to your inquiries. 

Good luck in your search,
Terry