[VAL] 1971 exterior (entry) door handle

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Mark White,

Karl's experience is a familiar one. For $500, I'd search by phone or 
email and ask around until I found someone who knew how to do that job. 
You already have email access to at least 1,000 Airstream owners (this 
list and the Airstream list) and that's only the tip of the iceberg if 
you decided to search seriously.

It's like Thomas A. Edison once said: "Opportunity is missed by most 
people because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work."

Those of us who have led or have been a member of a WBCCI caravan know 
it's a common occurrence for the Caravan Mechanic to fix locks during 
the caravan. Seasoned Caravan Mechanics who started out in the 1960-70s 
have this skill and others not commonly available at RV dealerships.

At the very minimum, contact Oasis RV in Tuscon (either by phone 
800.658.5863 or email - jpershing@oasisrv.com)  just to be sure that 
what you need isn't sitting in one of those cardboard boxes underneath 
the front counter. Been there, done that and saved a bundle.

Third suggestion:

[a] - After you're squared away, your lock is fixed and it works again, 
add "find a spare lock" to your "perpetual to-do list." That's the list 
you carry in your wallet everywhere you go on the continent. Check it 
each time you walk into a current or ex-Airstream dealership's parts 
department.

[b] - Also, learn which dealerships have been in the Airstream business 
the longest and include a visit to them when next you travel in their 
state. Make a new friend and get their email address.

[c] - Dealerships are not created equal. Some are actively restoring 
old Airstreams because they have workers with old time skills. 
Likewise, there are specialty shops where vintage Airstreams are 
commonly repaired as part of their major business, i.e. P&S in Ohio.

The name of the game for all of us on this list is spare parts. Any 
time I'm in an RV dealership and notice a particular part that's 
exactly the same as one that's working well in my old Airstream, I buy 
it. True, some of those parts will never be used by me, but none of 
them will diminish in value. All I need do is look on eBay to verify 
that.

And who knows, I may be on another caravan and my obsolete part can 
save the day for someone. Or - someone may save my bacon with their 
obsolete part. Bartering works both ways. All of us are in this 
together.

Terry