Trailer condition rating
Rich Luhr (of Airstream Life) presented a nice classification system for vintage trailer projects in his Tour of America blog. After seeing Rosie’s insides a little more closely yesterday, I’ve been thinking about where she falls in his system. I think she could be easily classified in the refurbishment category:
“Body is lightly to moderately damaged, but 30-70% of the major components need replacement. Floor rot is present. This is the most common vintage project trailer I see, ideal for the “makeover” type of refurbishment, where the interior modified with modern parts and/or new floorplan.”
When I was looking for a trailer, I wanted to find one that was in bad enough shape that I didn’t have to feel guilty for not doing a true restoration. In that way, I could make it more to my tastes and functional to my needs as a 21st century techie and hopefully find ways to keep its vintage character. In retrospect, I could have bought one in a little better shape and still remained guilt-free 😉
[Fall in Ellis Hollow]
November 13th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Follow up: Rich also did a nice job of writing up categories of already restored trailers, my favorite category name (worst condition) is the “Polished Turd”. I hope mine doesn’t fall into that category when I’m done. I’ll be ok if its in the amateur range, as long as she’s still respectable.
March 30th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Ohhh…I wish I had more time. I love the pic of the Airstream in the snow – the one that I have started off in Vermont, and my brother shipped it several over a month ago now. He of course had forgotten to winterize it last winter (he is a dentist, and bartered it for a whole bunch of crowns) and so I know have it at the shop, where they just called me and said ‘it’s leaking like a sieve’ – every pipe is leaking! Anyway…I need to get it up and going since I plan to live it in a year while I am building a house. An Airstream adventure it will be! I need to now go and take a look at some of your past posts – perhaps I will learn a much needed thing or two!