Chris,
If this trailer is the Airstream you want to look out the house window
and be proud of after many years of work and at least ten thousand in
total investment, not including labor, then you should buy it. I do not
see the value in it at it's asking price or after restoration. To be
frank, it is a bit of a wreak. If it were offered at five hundred
dollars it would still be difficult to realize the value in the end. I
was ready to pay much more for a restorable Airstream and only by some
really dumb luck found a much less expensive unit in really good
condition. By good condition by my definition meaning very good exterior
and solid cabinets and interior in general. The first thousand I spend
was on the new furnace and water heater. No problem, they were
questionable and this was going to be a completely servicable unit when
complete. How about the refrigerator? Wow, with a cleaning and a fifty
dollar service charge it makes ice! Only problem is that it is too large
and heavy for it's area and my needs. New one is eight hundred. Oh I
almost forgot, first thing I did before driving it up to Maine was
replace the bearing, brakes, seals, magnets, tires and lights in my
brothers driveway in a snewty neighborhood in Delaware.( they had the
biggest smiles on their faces as I pulled away) My point is, after
buying my trailer and outfiting it for road service and replacing the
primary utilities it is still not up to that amount of your asking
price. I have a long way to go before my Safari is ready for safari, but
I'm getting to the fun stuff. New floor covering soon after months of
trying to locate a tiny little leak that was not there a month before.
This summer was spent mostly under and inside replacing a cross section
of the plywood floor that was bad from the two connecting leaks between
the door and galley streetside. While you are there you have to do what
must be done. Completely clean out the former creatures decorating
ideas. Not good! I did enjoy prepping the rusty parts of the frame and
priming and painting it. I like the idea of knowing everything is good,
clean, strong and ready to go. Had I put down the new flooring it would
not be happy time to have discovered that leak afterwards. I am looking
forward for the new upholstery (foam, fabrics and labor about fifteen
hundred installed), and have also decided to convert the front sofa/bed
to a dinette area. That will probably be another five hundred $. I am
doing this because my siren calls me. Her former beauty was much more
obivious and seemed much more in reach to be able to return to her
formal self. Okay, maybe she told a few little lies and hid some of her
former baggage in the beginning of our relationship. But with lots of
hard work and much of my former forture we are working towards what
could be a new beginning together.
But to be brutally frank, Chris, I think this old tradewind is really an
illwind, and you should carefully pull it back to it's owner's house. If
you can, describe the look on their faces when they see it coming back
up the driveway. Not too happy I think, and the price will drop pretty
fast. Hopefully you can get out of the driveway faster.
Gary Campbell
62' Safari
Portland, Maine