dadstoy
Not a Newbie
Posts:35
Registered Users
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| 12/25/2007 2:18 PM |
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Hi Everyone and Merry Christmas. Dad passed away 2 months ago and now his toy is mine. It is an '82 Airstream 280 Classic motorhome (gas). I think it is in pretty good shape, Dad always worked on something to keep it all up. I've been on many trips in this motorhome over the last 20yrs with Mom and Dad and it is so strange to be sitting in it right now with both of them gone. BTW, I'm on a short Christmas trip with motorhome and sitting right now at Coos Bay, Oregon; it is cloudy, rainy and might snow tomorrow!. I'm glad the furnice works!
I have lots and lots and lots of questions. Hopefully there are some great folks out there that can help and hopefully I don't ask too many for you! In working through the estate issues, I need to find out how much the motorhome is worth. This has not been easy; can't find too many listed on Internet. The Airstream dealer in Eugene Or offered $5000 cash on the spot; I think that was a little too low! Well, I have lots of question but I will post them in the appropriate forum catagories.
Well, its time to do a little cleaning and tinkering! I found this site by hearing Steven on theVAP podcast!
Dean |
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Airstream345
Site Host
Classic Master
Posts:1136
Administrators
Louisville, KY
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| 12/25/2007 3:09 PM |
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Dean,
Welcome to the site and Merry Christmas. Sorry to hear about your Dad. It sounds like it would have fit right in around here. The 280 is a great coach. You can get a good idea of true "value" (not trade in value) by looking at the listings on eBay and sites like this one, www.airstreammotorhomes.com and www.airforums.com. They seem to come in somewhere in the low to high teens based on condition and age.
Ask those questions. Keeping these older coaches on the road is what this site is all about. |
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Steven Webster
1986 Airstream Classic 345
Host, ThisOldRV.com |
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bfrank
Newbie
Posts:1
Registered Users
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| 12/25/2007 5:13 PM |
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| Just registered on this site and Wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Looks as if there are a lot of Airstreamers here as well. I have an oldie myself a 79 24 ft class A excella and I just finished installing a remaned 454 headers and an 700r-4 overdrive tranny. I have been on 2 trips with it since I got her back together and I did all the work by myself and I think I may never try that again! A lot of work for an ol guy with no help, not to mention a small fortune. I could have bought a sob for what I have in the referb but somehow I just couldn't let her die like that. I hope this site is more devoted to actual repair of things and maintenance than the forums site nothing against asforums but it seems to be more of a social site than repair maybe that's just my take any way I belong to both and really haven't posted much on forums but have read a lot and there is some great advice and how to's there you just have to dig em out sometimes. It is certainly a challenge to keep a 28 plus year old coach on the road and functioning. I think I have been bumper to bumper on this one and still have a lot to go to get it where I would like. I hope I can keep using it for a long time to come! |
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Airstream345
Site Host
Classic Master
Posts:1136
Administrators
Louisville, KY
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| 12/25/2007 8:13 PM |
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bfrank,
Welcome. We're happy to have you here. Yes, we're focused on keeping these old beauties on the road with as much DIY focus as possible. Thanks for joining and welcome. I'm sure most (all) of us will face an engine R&R in the future so your experience in this area will be greatly appreicated.
Oh, and Merry Christmas! |
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Steven Webster
1986 Airstream Classic 345
Host, ThisOldRV.com |
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oregontech
Not a Newbie
Posts:28
Registered Users
Southern Oregon
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| 12/26/2007 9:00 AM |
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| Sorry to hear of your loss Dadstoy. I am sure your father would be pleased to know you are taking care of his coach. Coos Bay huh? Am in Medford for a about another week then relocatong to Washington for a job. |
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new-to-rving
Not a Newbie
Posts:24
Registered Users
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| 01/01/2008 1:46 PM |
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| have been surfing around and even adding my big mouth thoughts on a few things in your forums, found you by accident from irv2.com and found that after posting in forums on rv.net, have same name in all. other than capt dan, i think, have not seen any other coachmen class a's, but like to see i'm not the only one nuts enough to add an rv to my project list. my wife colleen thinks i've lost it sometimes, if anyone has found info sites on vintage coachmens please email me, mine is a 1985 coachmen president 33, p30 chevy 454 v8 400 trans 4wheel disc 19.5 rims and 15500 gvw. with 20,000 miles on it. |
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COOPERHAWK
Moderator
Expert
Posts:818
Administrators
East Central Minnesota
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| 01/01/2008 2:10 PM |
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| Heck, your Coachman is set up just like my Airstream 345. Probably lots of manuals will work for both. I think you're home!!! |
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1985 Airstream 345 Turbo-Diesel
VFW,Legion, NRA
FAA Air Traffic Control Supervisor (Retired)
http://www.cooperhawk.net
mailto:jimcooper@cooperhawk.net
"People are okay in ones and twos. After that number they tend to choose up sides and wear arm bands and berets." |
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capt.dan
Classic Camper
Posts:126
Registered Users
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| 01/01/2008 5:41 PM |
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| Welcome to the forum there New to rving, Yep, I am a die-hard Coachmen fan but like all the classics Like Cooperhawk said the manuals for chassis are pretty much with all models with the same chassis. If you ever find a Coachmen Classic site Let me know I did join the Coachmen Caravan club and they love my oldie. |
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new-to-rving
Not a Newbie
Posts:24
Registered Users
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| 01/01/2008 9:37 PM |
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guys the chassis is not the question, i work on them all the time, its what i do for a living, its all the junk on top of the frame i would like info on, like who at coachmen throught wiring these things with scotch locks was a good idea? what adhesive to use when replacing damaged ply wood, what were the different lay outs and options, the chassis is easy, heck i work at a dealer with a 30ton lift and am the guy who rebuilds the trannys, axles and engine when they go bang. also diagnose the drivabilty and wiring issues. but after working on this thing i have to think what was coachmen thinking! some of the things they did was bass ackwards.
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new-to-rving
Not a Newbie
Posts:24
Registered Users
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| 01/01/2008 10:00 PM |
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 thank for the replies, i wonder when you guys were repairing your roofs and walls and tracing mystic wires that seem to go nowhere, did you just stop say WHAT the, i did and thats why when working inside the 2 things i 1st got working was the a/c and the frig for the beer , not to mention all the " wiring improvements" former owners made. WOW! |
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