13' Terry 1971 Trailer - Should I?

I went to see a 13' Terry 1971 Camper Trailer today and they will not take less than $1100 for it.  I initially posted that this was a Viking but I think I may have confused this with another trailer I was reading about.  Not sure.

It seems to be in very good condition but I am not dealing with the owner because he has been ill and moved out of state so I am dealing with a neighbor who is selling it for the family and just doesn't know much about it.  There are some small things that need repair such as a few broken exterior light covers.  I do not know what works but it does seem that all has really been well maintained and all cabinets, doors, windows are functioning and there is no sign of water damage, leaks, poor workmanship.  It has 2 exterior propane tanks and a battery. It weighs approximately 2,800 lb.  It has a stabilizer bar.  The keys do not seem to be working very well so I may need to have it all re-keyed.

I have some pictures if that helps at all.  I had decided to wait on getting a trailer until the end of the summer but this did seem to be a very good deal.  I will be traveling all of this summer with the kids so it may end up saving me a great deal of money and energy if we do not have to tent camp all over the world and back.

Here is a set of pics of one that looks almost exactly like the one I am looking at except the outside of mine has been better maintained.
http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/Travel-Trailers/1971/Terry-Terry/199221/

Gari

as you know water damage can be bad. If I remember right you are pretty handy and would be able to do the little things that will need doing (almost every day) I may also be a bad person to advise you as my "new" camper is a 1977. (bought last year) It replaced a 1974. (bought 3 years before that) the 74 was bad bad water damage the 77 not so much but the 30 something particle board has just about gone to powder. there is no glue left in it. I just pulled the closet apart to rebuild and was afraid the side would go to dust before I could get them into the shop to use as a template.

on a trailer there is a bit less to go wrong but of course you MUST check tire date code- that is a given. and then of course before heading out on the trip repack the bearings or replace as needed. and of course check the frame for damage or rust.

does it have a bathroom? holding tanks?
I can not remember what you have for a truck but seem to remember that 2800lbs would be towable by it.
I say go for it. as you say a tad bit easier then setting up a tent (in the rain)

thx gtsport!

couple of questions:

1. there is rust all over the frame BUT it looks like it is due to maybe salt on the roads and is not extensive at all nor does it cover particular areas of damage.  i can see no damage at all underneath.  however, should this light coating of rust be a concern?  I will be primarily along the west coast where rust just does not seem to be the devil it is on the east coast.

2.  how much does it cost to have bearings repacked and where do i go for such a thing where the cost is reasonable?  can a general mechanic do this?  if so, i have a friend who has his own shop who might give me a good deal on this.

3.  i am willing to try to fix anything - however, i would say i an not all that handy as i have a 50/50 success rate once I put any tool in my hand.  funny how other things come so easy to me but NOT the effective use of tools.

4.  i have a V8 5.7 liter Tundra so the tow should not be a problem though I would like to get an idea of how bad my mpg will go down.  Right now I get about 14.8 in town but this town is Albuquerque so there is not as much stop and go for me as there would be in a big city like LA.

5.  it does have a bathroom but the person showing me the trailer could not get the keys to work so I did not see the holding tanks.  however there was a nifty portable one in the camper itself that actually goes in the back of your truck so you can dump when needed without having to move the entire trailer.  Not sure how to actually use this but seems like a good idea and it is clean but used which says a great deal about the previous owners to me!

I appreciate any and all input here!

sb/gari

p.s. How can I check for water damage?  I opened all cabinets and closest so look for discoloration or recent paint and see none, nor on the ceiling.  However, I cannot get on the roof as there is no ladder.  Is a ladder something I will want to get for this should I purchase it?  There are no units on the top of the camper so I am thinking I would only maybe need to look up there a couple of times a year just for general maintenance.

g

Besides all the good suggestions that 1275gtsport made, I would want to check out the operation of the refrigerator and the water heater. Both appliances can be expensive to repair/replace if they have issues.

There really is no way to be sure the trailer hasn't leaked other than what you have done. Signs of spotting on ceiling or walls, rust attributed to leaks along the bottom edge etc. Sometimes if there are exterior storage compartments a leak will show itself inside, although finding one there doesn't automatically mean a roof leak.

If this is one of the Apache hard sides, those things have a cult following and command high prices.  Bearing repack is easy to do.  Maybe 10 dollars in parts.  Most everything else except water damage is easily fixed.

Pic 1 of outside front

Pic 2 of galley

Pic 3 of cabinets

(i also have a few more of the outside and inside if that is helpful)

The fridge and stove were in great shape and the fridge runs on electric or propane.

There is a battery and 2 propane tanks plus I have an extra one as well.

These are great pics almost identical to the trailer I am looking at:

http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/Travel-Trailers/1971/Terry-Terry/199221/

The local CampingWorld says they will do a 46 point inspection for me but it will cost $229.  Is that worth doing?

I was also told with the VIN number, I can order a manual online.  Anyone know if this is true?

Do I have to insure the trailer and if so, is it through my auto insurance?

Gari

$1100 sounds a bit high in my neck of the woods.  BUT, check it out good.  Soft spots in the floor are a good indication of water damage.  Any staining on walls, ceiling, or floor/carpet could also be a sign.  Check the operation of all the appliances before signing the dotted line.  Check the propane tanks to make sure they are OPD tanks and if the battery is in acceptable condition.  Otherwise, added cost to you to get it trip worthy.

The question of keys not working well in the locks makes me curious.  Especially on the older models.  I would get the VIN off of the manufacturer plate on the outside of the RV and check with local law enforcement and DMV.  Just to make sure it's not stolen and has a clear title.  You never know.  It could be nothing more than the locks needing a shot of lock lube.  But if I were buying it at that price, what is a phone call going to cost you to make sure a bad decision isn't made if it is reported stolen?  Just a thought.
If donn is correct, I may not be far off base.

Good luck and I hope it works out well for you.

In checking for water damage, I'd check for the firmness of the exterior walls, the first thing water will do is get behind the siding and damage the wood underneath.  Check the roof for the same.  Look at how it is caulked at all the seams, has the caulking been maintained?  I'd check all areas that have siding.  You mentioned road salt, that can quickly eat away that old siding if it is not cared for properly. 

Love the green.
in the pic of the front outside I can see that the "trim" is clean and tight. to me that says there is no water damage at the front seams. if they looked like they are pulled away on not straight it usually means water has gotten in and rotted the wood.

the rust if just a surface thing should be OK you might want to have it undercoated or just crawl under with a spray can of paint and paint it so it won't get worse. Yes over here on the east coast everything rusts.

Not a bad idea to check on the stolen thing.
there is no guarantee that the fridge that fired up and worked well today won't give up the ghost tomorrow.
the stove really has no moving parts (well except for the oven thermostat) and should just work.
the furnace (if it has one) may or may not be save to use.
around here with everything rusting the furnace is one of the first to go. the heat exchanger should be looked at. mostly to make sure there are no holes.

wheel bearing pack is easy stuff and as you I get my buddy with the bearing packer to come over and do it for me (I open the beer for him)
the toilet is plastic and could fail or could work for 30 more years, I see plenty of folks on here asking what should we replace our 5 year old toilet with?
water pumps are not that expensive (about 100 bucks here in the great white north)

IF I was going to get camping world to do an inspection for me I would want to be able to follow the tech around and see what he does. you see to me the 1100 for the trailer is an OK price but the 229 for an inspection is kind of high. (after all it is a sales tool for CW)

BTW That is not a cult trailer it is just a trailer.

Also no ASKING price is completely firm. IF the party that has it wants to get rid of it bad enough then they will come down. and if you are standing there with a fist full of green backs it comes down faster. the line I like the most was one used on me to get the firm asking price down was "I don't see any body else standing here waiting to buy it" I dropped 3k off my asking price for the cash I could see. I had over 7k in the rig and it was just asking for more money everyday to fix something else.

And Bodi if EVERYTHING fails in the trailer it is STILL easier to set up in the rain then a tent!!

If YOU are comfortable with the deal and don't feel pressured to get this before its gone then it most likely will be fine. don't go buy it because I said it was OK and don't pass on the deal if someone else says it is a bad thing. do what you feel is the right thing for you. and it WILL be.

As mentioned before:  "Check the tires".  They are probably very old.

Marsha~

Hi Marsha,

How much would it cost to replace the tires approximately?  It only has the one axle.  Thinking that might be a good thing to not worry about while we are traveling if at all possible.

Gari

I have no idea how much they would cost.  You should get the tires size then call around for some quotes.  I'm betting this trailer has sat around for quite some time, so the tires are probably rotten and may shred to pieces when you pull it to your first destination. 

We have an article in the library on how to read DOT codes which will tell you when they were manufactured.  Anything over 6 years old should be replaced.

FWIW, when I was pulling a horse trailer the cost of the tires ran about $70- $80 a tire.  I always put on quality brands, I didn't want to be off the side of the road with a flat and three horses.

Marsha~

Thank you Marsha!  This is very helpful

Also check the dates on the LP gas tanks.  Anything over 12 years old will have to be re-certified or replaced prior to it being filled.  Also, if the tanks have the old style valve, they'll have to be replaced also.  This can be a bit pricey depending on the style tank.

Greg

Also, plan on buying 3 tires unless one of the current tires is not in too bad shape - you'll need a spare.

Thank you and will take a look on the tires.

I did get the VIN number but I am having a hard time running it.  So far no records found.  I have been trying the free sites like dmv.org and edmunds but to no avail.  Maybe the seller typed it in wrong?  It is only 10 characters/numbers long.  Is that right?  May be due to the age of the camper since it is 31 years old.

Tips and suggestions welcomed!