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Post by Teachndad on Dec 12, 2020 21:52:55 GMT -8
Hi and Welcome.
Gonna try to help on this one. Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Have the seller send you a picture of the title and the license plate and also the VIN on the trailer. Check to see if they all match. You should verify this before you drive that far. I assume you are going to look at this trailer and then decide if you want to buy it, haggle a little and make a deal. BTW, they never look as good in person as they do in pictures.
You need to make sure that the tires are in good shape since you are driving the interstate. They should be no older than 5 years old, max. If they are, expect to buy new tires. Scope the area for tire shops and if necessary order them ahead. Some tire shops don't carry trailer tires and they have to be ordered. Ask the seller when was the last time the bearings were cleaned and lubed? If not, then they should be cleaned and lubed before you set out. How heavy is it? I only ask because you want to make sure your vehicle can tow it. Forgive me, but you sound inexperienced, so I want to make sure you have a draw bar with a proper sized hitch ball on it as well as the connector for the lights from the trailer. 7 pin or 4 pin. You need to find this out from the seller. Nothing like going to tow a trailer and you have a 7 pin on your vehicle and a 4 pin on the trailer. Ooooops. That's a problem. In this instance, you can buy an adapter. BTW, do the tail and running lights work on the trailer?
IF it has a current title and the VIN and the plate match the registration, and you make the deal, seller signs over the registration and you are good to go. Get to Arizona DMV within 10 days to transfer the registration to your name. You shouldn't have anything to do with Utah DMV unless it's listed on the registration. Check with your insurance for coverage beforehand. A really good resourse for questions like this is to go to your AAA if you are a member. BTW, I have AAA membership and I added the trailer to my tow plan I have with them.
Finally, if you can get any pix from the seller of this trailer, post them here so we can see. Maybe we can spot some things for you to be cautious about. Just an idea.
I know I threw a lot of questions and info at you, but its better to ask these questions now so you can be prepared.
Good luck and please report back.
Rod
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Dec 13, 2020 4:05:16 GMT -8
Great advice Rod.
i’ll add a few things about purchases in my home state. Technically when you buy a camper here you go to DMV together and get a temp plate. It’s also serves as official record that the camper was purchased in case something unexpected goes wrong later. Normally most people don’t do it. They pay for the camper, drive home and register it. Most campers are covered for liability under the tow vehicle insurance but not collision. You should check with your insurance company to confirm that. If it’s true for you, and you feeling lucky, you can pick up the camper and drive home. But if you’re in an accident you’ll pay for damage to the camper. Getting accurate camper insurance is a little more involved than expected. You’ll find threads concerning that here. Often times it requires an appraisal and a specialty insurance company to get fair value covered on a vintage camper.
I would ask if the title is in their name. You’d be surprised how many times it isn’t in the sellers name. And is Rob mentioned above, if you want an opinion on the camper before you purchase it post pictures and some very experienced members will be happy to offer you advice.
Good luck enjoy your camper.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Dec 13, 2020 18:11:19 GMT -8
A few things to consider.
People often paint the interiors to hide rot or some signs of water damage.
Bring an ice pack get underneath the camper and poke around to see if there’s any soft wood. Especially along the walls.
Poke around under the windows inside.
Ask to see pictures of the interior before it was painted.
The big question with most campers is the price. The camper may be a huge bargain at $100. Or a lousy deal at $10,000. So it’s hard to tell you whether it’s worth buying without knowing the price. A late 60s toaster is not worth as much as a late 50s ham. Something to keep in mind.
Others may have additional things to check.
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Post by vikx on Dec 13, 2020 19:12:33 GMT -8
I think this trailer has been decorated but structural repairs have not been addressed. The new floor will hide soft spots and paint can hide water stains. I would want to see photos before it was painted. There looks to be some sag at the front, not bad, but there's rot there. (the loose metal is a tell tale sign) The original furnace is not operable (exhaust still there) or has been removed. The catalytic Wave 6 is an add on. They are nice heaters tho. This trailer also has a compression water system. If the seller has done no work on the plumbing, it can be quite a spendy fix. The tank may be bad, lines leaky and no water at the sink. Most folks replace the compression system with a new tank, on demand pump and all new lines. There is a water heater in the right rear corner; does it work? If I remember correctly, this is not the original space for that heater. Also, a compression system could ruin the heater if pressure is too low. To replace the heater is around $400. Take a look at the roof. Dips and peeling coatings are a big red flag. If a person has been on the roof, it could be badly compromised. If there are gaps at the edge trim and awning rail, all will need to be removed and reputtied IF the wood behind is sound. Finally, none of the windows or door appear to have been reputtied. Here is my Land Commander build: 67landcommander.shutterfly.com/ Check out the rot in the earlier photos. Most Aristocrats of this age have it. I think 3500 is high for this camper. |
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Dec 14, 2020 11:05:41 GMT -8
You are in the best place in the world to find a really cool "rebuildable" vintage trailer. My 1948 Spartan came out of a life sitting in "very hot" Gila Bend, AZ. You need to hook up with some local area Vintage Trailer people to get good referral's. That's how I got my Spartan several years ago. Many good highly desirable vintage trailers are currently still sitting on Indian Reservations in Arizona.
I'd pass on driving to Utah to pick up a questionable toaster era trailer. Be patient, you will find a great project. The best rebuildable's are 1950's. They have the cool collectable canned ham shapes, but have larger, and more windows than the typical 1940's trailers. Find any canned ham trailer that has 1 1/2" thick walls, this rules out the over priced early Shasta's. Make sure you buy a trailer with good hardware which is expensive. The Frame, Wood Framing, and Interior Plywood are all replaceable items, and are not that expensive to find and replace. The skin is usually not savable, and it is expensive.
John
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azshastanut
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Post by azshastanut on Dec 14, 2020 14:25:08 GMT -8
If needed have gotten a one way permit when picking up a trailer. You can get one on line in Arizona for as I recall the total sum of $1.00. All you need is the name of the trailer, the VIN, a credit card, and a printer to print out the permit. I have pulled trailers from California and New Mexico using this method. The permits are good for 5 days usually. Go to AZ.Gov and search for MVD. All you do is print it off, fill in the appropriate info and tape it to the inside of the back window of the trailer. I personally don't think an Aristocrat that is in this state of repair/ dis-repair and is painted inside is worth what they are asking. There are much better trailers out there, but you ha
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Post by Teachndad on Dec 14, 2020 16:36:56 GMT -8
Hi Friends, Just want to say a few things. As others have said, the painting on the interior is usually a red flag that water damaged paneling could be covered over. Early photos are a must. I was looking at the floor and the seams between the floor pieces are not closed. It's a little thing, but might tell you how well any repairs were done. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why all that time was spent to remove the paint on the outside. On the rear right corner, it almost looks like someone took some silver spraypaint to cover some darker panel, but I can't tell. The setting on the flicker account through which the photos was posted is private, so we can't go in and magnify the photos to look for imperfections. Bummer. Like John said, I think it's a long way to go for this trailer, but road trips with your kid can build good memories. At the very least, you will come away with some son and dad time and gain some knowledge on trailers. Each one I saw before I bought my Westerner always taught me something new. I looked at a few and each time getting my hopes up that it was the one. But, once I got there and saw things first hand, I bailed. It's easy to get excited on your first one. I also recommend going to look at trailers that might be out of your price range just to compare. Whatever you choose, we will be here for you to share your story and your trailer even if it ends up being another one - or even this one.  Cheers, Rod |
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Dec 15, 2020 8:34:07 GMT -8
Christi, It's very obvious that you are new around here. If you have read very much on VTT, you would have figured out this place has been run for years very efficiently by "The Cat Lady", and she has already given you her best detailed advice, and that was, to pass on this one.
There's no reason why a girly girl cannot restore a trailer. If you just want something that you can currently camp in, BUY A LATE MODEL trailer. You can purchase a two or three year old (with the new vehicle depreciation taken off) trailer cheap, and it will be light to tow and have all of the modern amenities. Then take your time, find the vintage trailer that meets your needs, purchase it, rebuild it (usually a year or more of time), sell the late model for what you paid for it, and enjoy the newly rebuilt vintage trailer.
One of my Vintage Trailer friends from Southern California, just did exactly this. They drove over to the Phoenix area, and purchased a LIKE NEW almost never used, two owner, 2017 tandem axle, small camper trailer with a slide out. They love it, and will use it while they finish the restoration on their current 1950 model trailer.
Just an opinion,
John
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