Post by Atomic Addiction on Apr 4, 2010 8:20:04 GMT -5
Beginners Guide To Buying A Vintage Trailer
I want to start by saying that this is not the end all be all to buying a vintage trailer. This is simply a guide based on my experiences and other's experiences. I will not limit this to vintage Shasta trailers. I would never sell a vintage Shasta to someone that really wants a vintage Avion. They will just not be happy. So you want to buy a vintage trailer? Let me be a bit of a buzz kill first and foremost...
While they may be "cute" or "fun" they are real work. Yes a restored vintage trailer may be something that you lust after based on pictures you have seen on the internet. The polished aluminum, the crayon Formica colors. the deeply shellacked amber colored wood. They may have made the perfect place setting at the dinette or chosen the perfect curtain fabric but those things are fluff. You can not put in a stitch of new fabric or worry about finding the perfect dishes until you have bought and restored or renovated that vintage trailer. This is all a labor of love. Where does one start when buying their first vintage trailer? Research...
STEP 1: Selecting The Right Vintage Trailer...
How do I do that? Find out what vintage trailers are out there. No, you don't have to memorize all of the makes and models. Just get a feel for what is out there. See, the key here is not to jump at the first trailer you find. You will probably will not be happy. I myself probably did about a year worth of research before we even started to seriously look for one. Even then it was 6 months worth of looking. I'm not saying that you HAVE to wait as long as I did but it is a big purchase. It probably won't be the biggest purchase you make, monetarily speaking, but it isn't something you want sitting in your drive way if you have buyer's remorse. To avoid that, educate yourself.
-The Make and Model...
Like I said before, I won't push a Shasta on anyone. It is something I enjoy but someone else may not. The goal here is to make your purchase as painless as possible. What is out there when talking about vintage trailers? Just about everything. You could simply type in "vintage trailer" in Google just to see what comes up. There are probably hundreds of brands and models.
Canned ham type of trailer (like Shastas) will be the most plentiful. These are usually the easiest for the home restorer to work on. They don’t require bucked rivets or "frame off" restorations in most cases. Meaning you don't have to separate the entire trailer to fix (although some do) certain issues. Many have rotted panels, framing, or leaks. The skin, framing, and interior can be patched fairly easily with simple wood and metal working knowledge.
Something like an Airstream on the other hand will probably have floor rot, frame issues, and broken axles. You will need to educate yourself about panel replacements, "C"channels, bulk heads, and belly pans. Every single brand ALL have problems that are specific to that brand. You have to figure out what you like and dislike about each brand and go from there. You will know when you find the right brand.
-The Size...
Are you the kind of person that is comfortable with your spouse in your tiny trailer? Will a Shasta Compact work for you or do you need a 30 foot Airstream? Do you have 3 kids and a dog that will be camping with you? If so, you are going to want to step it up in your choice of trailer. Some larger families actually have the kids tent camp along side the family trailer to get around owning a smaller trailer. You have to find one that fits your family's size and comfort level. Remember for every square foot bigger that trailer is that means that it takes that much more time, material, and money to restore. How far are you traveling with your trailer consistently? Are you a weekend camper or wanting to go across country? These are all factors that need to be addressed when looking for a vintage model.
Also factoring in the vehicle you plan on using to tow the trailer is important. You should always find out the towing capacity of vehicle to narrow down the size of the trailer that you will be able to pull safely when fully loaded.
-The Condition...
You have to ask yourself what you want the end product to be. Do you want a trailer that looked like it just rolled off the factory floor or do you want a trailer modified to your style and needs regardless of the originality? Maybe something in between?
Now would be a good time to talk about the difference of a "RESTORATION" vs. "RENOVATION"...
Restoration: What is it? Trying to get it back to the way it was when it was new is probably the easiest answer. There are all levels of restoration. It really depends on how anal you are. If your goal is a restoration you may want to pick a trailer accordingly. A gutted or cut up trailer is not a good candidate. Either is a trailer with a painted interior. Sure it COULD be made to look original with the amber shellacked panels but why start with something so far from the end goal? Stay away from trailers with extensive damage or Previous Owner (PO) "repairs". There are plenty of trailers that better lend themselves to a restoration. Having all the original feature such as boomerang cabinet pulls, original lighting, appliances, and pristine flooring and laminate counter tops is also a plus when finding a trailer for restoration. When these are missing or damage it makes a restoration harder. Trying to bring back a trailer from the dead isn't preferable if the desired end result is perfection.
Renovation: This would be taking a trailer and changing it into something that better suits the owner's needs. Maybe you want the original outside but don't give two hoots about the interior. Maybe you don’t really care about any of the original features. This would be your deal. Like restoration, there are many facets of renovation. You can go as wild or game changing with the modifications as you please. You can add or subtract seating or cabinets or totally modify the existing. You can add hidden features or make it suit a specific need like a vending trailer. The options are out there. If you can think of it has probably been done. A good rule of thumb is to select a trailer that is gutted or needs repairs that would compromise a unmolested trailer best suited for a restoration. No sense taking something that could use a few repairs or slight modification to be a great restored trailer and gut it for a mobile office. There are many trailers that time has not been so gentle on that would be great trailers for renovations. The sky is the limit.
Of course most owners fall in between these two extremes and want a trailer that may look original but have a few modifications to improve comfort or convince. It is up to that owner as to what category they fall into.
The third option is buying a already professionally restored or renovated trailer. Some also buy trailers with the intent to do no work themselves and have a shop do it all right after it has been purchased.
-The Features You Want...
I have often heard someone say that they would need a toilet in their vintage trailer. Some say they want a shower. Many can't live without the comforts of home. A original vintage trailer may not be your cup of tea. Many do not understand what goes into owning one of these fully loaded trailers. Adding systems will increase the amount of systems that could fail. Owning vintage is not like owning a modern motor home. Vintage trailers are not as comfortable or fool proof as newer trailers. If you want a toilet you must deal with a black water tank and its contents. More importantly you must be willing to deal with a broken black water tank valve, leaking water lines, cracked shower pan or broken water heater. These things can make life interesting. Familiarize yourself with the systems of vintage trailers and how they work. you willing to deal with the less than user friendly aspects of some of the vintage systems.
-Your Abilities To Fix, Restore, and Repair...
Every vintage trailer has leaks, has damage, broken equipment, or just plain wore out. What you are able to do yourself? The best way to gauge what skills you need in a restoration or renovation I would look at other trailers on the web. What skills do you bring to the table? If I am a great painter but do not have any wood working tools or skill that may change the trailer I would buy. If there are things that you are able to do on your own then the cost will go down. Farming out restoration jobs and the price will soar. Never buy a trailer over your head. You will most likely become frustrated and lose interest in the project. What are your abilities regarding repair? Problems will spring up while owning a trailer even a restored one. Things break when they are 40 years old. It will happen. Are you the type of person to bring out the tool box or run to the repair shop? These are things you should be looking at when sifting through the number of trailers out there for sale. More restoration issues will be covered at greater length in the Beginners' Guide To Restoration.
-Ultimately Your Research Will Pay Off...
Once you have looked into all of the above factors it will become clear what is best for you. I myself read A LOT of blogs and forums to find what I what I was getting myself into. Not just Shasta sites. I read many websites for all brands, sizes, and years of trailer. I had a pretty good idea of what was possible when buying and restoring a trailer. I didn't know everything but sure had a good jumping off point.
You do not need to be an expert on each subject but find out a bit about all of the major systems of the style of trailer you have narrowed down your search to. Look at the sections here on the VSTF. There are many sections broken up to help folks find information in a organized manner. Electrical, water systems, running gear, windows...the list goes on and on. Once you have looked at the sections head over to a forum like Airforums.com. You will see some of the things Airstream owners deal with that Shasta owners don't and vice versa.
Taking time to see what owner's experiences are before jumping into owning a vintage trailer will make the experience more enjoyable.
I want to start by saying that this is not the end all be all to buying a vintage trailer. This is simply a guide based on my experiences and other's experiences. I will not limit this to vintage Shasta trailers. I would never sell a vintage Shasta to someone that really wants a vintage Avion. They will just not be happy. So you want to buy a vintage trailer? Let me be a bit of a buzz kill first and foremost...
While they may be "cute" or "fun" they are real work. Yes a restored vintage trailer may be something that you lust after based on pictures you have seen on the internet. The polished aluminum, the crayon Formica colors. the deeply shellacked amber colored wood. They may have made the perfect place setting at the dinette or chosen the perfect curtain fabric but those things are fluff. You can not put in a stitch of new fabric or worry about finding the perfect dishes until you have bought and restored or renovated that vintage trailer. This is all a labor of love. Where does one start when buying their first vintage trailer? Research...
STEP 1: Selecting The Right Vintage Trailer...
How do I do that? Find out what vintage trailers are out there. No, you don't have to memorize all of the makes and models. Just get a feel for what is out there. See, the key here is not to jump at the first trailer you find. You will probably will not be happy. I myself probably did about a year worth of research before we even started to seriously look for one. Even then it was 6 months worth of looking. I'm not saying that you HAVE to wait as long as I did but it is a big purchase. It probably won't be the biggest purchase you make, monetarily speaking, but it isn't something you want sitting in your drive way if you have buyer's remorse. To avoid that, educate yourself.
-The Make and Model...
Like I said before, I won't push a Shasta on anyone. It is something I enjoy but someone else may not. The goal here is to make your purchase as painless as possible. What is out there when talking about vintage trailers? Just about everything. You could simply type in "vintage trailer" in Google just to see what comes up. There are probably hundreds of brands and models.
Canned ham type of trailer (like Shastas) will be the most plentiful. These are usually the easiest for the home restorer to work on. They don’t require bucked rivets or "frame off" restorations in most cases. Meaning you don't have to separate the entire trailer to fix (although some do) certain issues. Many have rotted panels, framing, or leaks. The skin, framing, and interior can be patched fairly easily with simple wood and metal working knowledge.
Something like an Airstream on the other hand will probably have floor rot, frame issues, and broken axles. You will need to educate yourself about panel replacements, "C"channels, bulk heads, and belly pans. Every single brand ALL have problems that are specific to that brand. You have to figure out what you like and dislike about each brand and go from there. You will know when you find the right brand.
-The Size...
Are you the kind of person that is comfortable with your spouse in your tiny trailer? Will a Shasta Compact work for you or do you need a 30 foot Airstream? Do you have 3 kids and a dog that will be camping with you? If so, you are going to want to step it up in your choice of trailer. Some larger families actually have the kids tent camp along side the family trailer to get around owning a smaller trailer. You have to find one that fits your family's size and comfort level. Remember for every square foot bigger that trailer is that means that it takes that much more time, material, and money to restore. How far are you traveling with your trailer consistently? Are you a weekend camper or wanting to go across country? These are all factors that need to be addressed when looking for a vintage model.
Also factoring in the vehicle you plan on using to tow the trailer is important. You should always find out the towing capacity of vehicle to narrow down the size of the trailer that you will be able to pull safely when fully loaded.
-The Condition...
You have to ask yourself what you want the end product to be. Do you want a trailer that looked like it just rolled off the factory floor or do you want a trailer modified to your style and needs regardless of the originality? Maybe something in between?
Now would be a good time to talk about the difference of a "RESTORATION" vs. "RENOVATION"...
Restoration: What is it? Trying to get it back to the way it was when it was new is probably the easiest answer. There are all levels of restoration. It really depends on how anal you are. If your goal is a restoration you may want to pick a trailer accordingly. A gutted or cut up trailer is not a good candidate. Either is a trailer with a painted interior. Sure it COULD be made to look original with the amber shellacked panels but why start with something so far from the end goal? Stay away from trailers with extensive damage or Previous Owner (PO) "repairs". There are plenty of trailers that better lend themselves to a restoration. Having all the original feature such as boomerang cabinet pulls, original lighting, appliances, and pristine flooring and laminate counter tops is also a plus when finding a trailer for restoration. When these are missing or damage it makes a restoration harder. Trying to bring back a trailer from the dead isn't preferable if the desired end result is perfection.
Renovation: This would be taking a trailer and changing it into something that better suits the owner's needs. Maybe you want the original outside but don't give two hoots about the interior. Maybe you don’t really care about any of the original features. This would be your deal. Like restoration, there are many facets of renovation. You can go as wild or game changing with the modifications as you please. You can add or subtract seating or cabinets or totally modify the existing. You can add hidden features or make it suit a specific need like a vending trailer. The options are out there. If you can think of it has probably been done. A good rule of thumb is to select a trailer that is gutted or needs repairs that would compromise a unmolested trailer best suited for a restoration. No sense taking something that could use a few repairs or slight modification to be a great restored trailer and gut it for a mobile office. There are many trailers that time has not been so gentle on that would be great trailers for renovations. The sky is the limit.
Of course most owners fall in between these two extremes and want a trailer that may look original but have a few modifications to improve comfort or convince. It is up to that owner as to what category they fall into.
The third option is buying a already professionally restored or renovated trailer. Some also buy trailers with the intent to do no work themselves and have a shop do it all right after it has been purchased.
-The Features You Want...
I have often heard someone say that they would need a toilet in their vintage trailer. Some say they want a shower. Many can't live without the comforts of home. A original vintage trailer may not be your cup of tea. Many do not understand what goes into owning one of these fully loaded trailers. Adding systems will increase the amount of systems that could fail. Owning vintage is not like owning a modern motor home. Vintage trailers are not as comfortable or fool proof as newer trailers. If you want a toilet you must deal with a black water tank and its contents. More importantly you must be willing to deal with a broken black water tank valve, leaking water lines, cracked shower pan or broken water heater. These things can make life interesting. Familiarize yourself with the systems of vintage trailers and how they work. you willing to deal with the less than user friendly aspects of some of the vintage systems.
-Your Abilities To Fix, Restore, and Repair...
Every vintage trailer has leaks, has damage, broken equipment, or just plain wore out. What you are able to do yourself? The best way to gauge what skills you need in a restoration or renovation I would look at other trailers on the web. What skills do you bring to the table? If I am a great painter but do not have any wood working tools or skill that may change the trailer I would buy. If there are things that you are able to do on your own then the cost will go down. Farming out restoration jobs and the price will soar. Never buy a trailer over your head. You will most likely become frustrated and lose interest in the project. What are your abilities regarding repair? Problems will spring up while owning a trailer even a restored one. Things break when they are 40 years old. It will happen. Are you the type of person to bring out the tool box or run to the repair shop? These are things you should be looking at when sifting through the number of trailers out there for sale. More restoration issues will be covered at greater length in the Beginners' Guide To Restoration.
-Ultimately Your Research Will Pay Off...
Once you have looked into all of the above factors it will become clear what is best for you. I myself read A LOT of blogs and forums to find what I what I was getting myself into. Not just Shasta sites. I read many websites for all brands, sizes, and years of trailer. I had a pretty good idea of what was possible when buying and restoring a trailer. I didn't know everything but sure had a good jumping off point.
You do not need to be an expert on each subject but find out a bit about all of the major systems of the style of trailer you have narrowed down your search to. Look at the sections here on the VSTF. There are many sections broken up to help folks find information in a organized manner. Electrical, water systems, running gear, windows...the list goes on and on. Once you have looked at the sections head over to a forum like Airforums.com. You will see some of the things Airstream owners deal with that Shasta owners don't and vice versa.
Taking time to see what owner's experiences are before jumping into owning a vintage trailer will make the experience more enjoyable.