Tom, you've captured the essence of my present dilemma, with a nice
counterpoint from Trike. I've got a '49 Clipper with a completely rotted
floor, and will require a completely new truck/frame. It is a factory (Los
Angeles) custom job, in that it had a porcelain/steel bathtub at the rear,
which was completely original. The Coleman stove and Marvel 'fridge are in
good working order. The original water heater must have exploded at some
point, because the floor surrounding its location is gone, and charred
around the edges. It had a later addition above-floor blackwater tank (the
toilet was never installed), and a later addition sears glass-lined
watertank with a 12 volt pressurizing pump. No holding tanks... water from
the bath, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink drained directly to the ground...
The comprehensive photo documentation i'd made before gutting it was
destroyed by an email-vectored 'worm', so i have only a few photos of the
original interior. I did carefully remove all the woodwork, cabinetry, and
appliances, with an eye toward replacing/duplicating them, in the interests
of 'historical preservation'...
But I keep asking myself, What would Wally do? Given that one of his many
maxims was 'Never Leave Well Enough Alone', I suspect that he would bring to
bear his not inconsiderable ingenuity to incorporate as much innovation to
the project as he could muster...
So, at present, I'm inclined to proceed with a 'refurbish' rather than a
'restoration'... to restore the exterior to mint condition, with a high
polish, retaining the 'pipe-frame' hitch, and all visible parts to original
appearance...
But the interior - I think Wally would approve whatever modifications made
the trailer more comfortable and efficient, and enjoyable for the owner...
my $.02...
Tuna
wbcci #8862, VAC
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of VACList <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 7:45 PM
Subject: [VAC] Re: Airstream Roadshow '48 Weewind
> Here, here!
> I have been trying gently to spread the word to fellow VAC members. I
feel
> that it is fine to remodel or even remuddle models that are in plentiful
supply
> for our personal enjoyment and use. In fact, that is the driving force
behind
> the VAC "movement". However, there is a point where we have a
> responsibility not to rip out the interior and radically modify the
exterior of
> our rarer models. One of a kind items need conservation, not restoration
and
> rehab that destroys their history. Anyone finding something unique and
> special, needs to carefully consider what they will do with a larger
> responsibility in mind.
> If we found the only remaining model of an early car we'd get the
picture
> because there is an already established market and club resources. Even
early
> car enthusiasts are starting to seek out and spend enormous sums for cars
that
> have been fairly well cared for, but not ever restored and, as the English
say
> "tarted up."
> Trust me, I am not a purist nor a fanatic - I enjoy and was heartily
amused
> by the overdone Spartan with the lava lamps and black velvet Elvis in
leopard
> skin frame. I'd just make a plea to any of us who finds a really rare and
> original model to go slowly and not do anything irreversible to it. Even
the
> more plentiful models will be winnowed down by attrition and remodeling so
that
> fewer and fewer will be original.
> It would be good for the club and for future Airstreamers if we all
keep a
> log in our babies that has photos and descriptions of the process and what
we
> did to the trailers. Save original fabrics and pass samples on to me,
make
> sure the archives get photocopies of documents. Send in your Vac
Newsletter
> data sheets so we can clear up questions that we all hear every week on
this
> list.
> "What color was the paint?" "What was the original window here?"
"Where
> was this made?" "What year?" "What did the curtains look like?" "Did this
> model have a black tank?" "Where was the couch?" "Bunk beds?" "Hot
water?"
> "Boondocking?"
> A significant amount of the energy (aside from the countless
> man/woman-hours lavished on restoration and mechanical fixes) of members
is
> made in an effort the build and maintain a body of knowledge about our
little
> bit of aluminum addiction. To that end I make a plea to be careful with
our
> rarest examples and, reinforce that plea with one for enlightened self
> interest.....................remember that Highboy and think about that
> Bughatti that is worth $2.5 million untouched as opposed to the redone one
> worth a mere $350 thousand dollars. O.K., I'll shut up now.
> Tom Walden
>
> M Rylyk wrote:
>
> > Remember when that guy brought a Chippledale highboy
> > in for an Antique Roadshow TV show appraisal. The
> > piece was worth $175,000. However, since the guy had
> > "cleaned it up and refinished it" it was only worth
> > $15,000. To get a collector price for an Airstream
> > you need to have it in near original condition. The
> > '48 Wee Wind on E-bay would have brought more money in
> > "as-is" original condition.
> > A collector would not even consider an item so
> > extensively altered.
> >
> > > FYI, the '48 Airstream for sale on eBay ended with a
> > > top bid of $8620, a far cry from
> > > the $17,500 reserve price.
> > > Rich
> > > Denver, CO
> > >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
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>
>
>
>
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