Is this one too hard to get going for me ?

[birol]

I am trying to talk with the seller to let it go to me at a BIN price.

Is it too difficult to get it fixed and all ? AM I in over my head with this one ?


 http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2476789724

[MommaMia]

I am trying to talk with the seller to let it go to me at a BIN price.

Is it too difficult to get it fixed and all ? AM I in over my head with this one ?


 http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2476789724

I vote too much work needed.

[Gone-Camping]

The canvas is rough, but there's not all that much canvas on it. It's got hard sides that look like they are all right, and it appears to have hard top's over the bunk ends. So the only canvas is the 3 sided bunk-end walls. Buying new canvas for this trailer shouldn't be too expensive as it doesnt use a lot of it. Now, do you know anyone with a HD sewing machine? I had a friend with a machine and he patched mine up (on the old 1974 Starcraft) for the cost of some material. Actually, even a regular sewing machine might work, this stuff isn't much thicker than a pair of jeans.
 
Is it too much...only you can answer that. Looks like the corners of the main roof are looking rough, but has it seeped into the wood and created rot or not? Does the roof even have wood? If the rest of it is mechanically sound, then the canvas could be patched or replaced cheaper than most other pop-up's. Looks like a few patches on two different sections, but even most of the canvas looks like it's still servicable.
 
If push comes to shove, you can always throw a tarp over it when expecting rain, or even convert the old moat into some kind of replacement canvas (ok, maybe a little farfetched there, not not impossible either)...
 
If the mattress are bad or smelly, you can just toss them out and use air mattress or find some foam replacements, both are inexpensive. The interior otherwise seems like it's in pretty good shape.
 
All in all, hard to say from looking at pictures, and would need a closer inspection for wood rot, but from what I see it shouldn't be an overwhelming job.
 
What shape are the tires in, cracked & rotted? Probably a good bet, they are not real expensive to replace either, but when you have NO MONEY everything get's expensive!!! You won't find one much cheaper, and you could just plug away at fixing it up....

[Diplomat]

Birol, this one has 'fixer upper' all over it.  It looks to be in decent shape given its age but it would take a good going over to decide if you are really up to the task.  Cliff hit most of my concerns.  If you really wanted to go all out I suspect it would cost $2500-3000 to get it up to speed.  Then again you might get by on a few hundred to start with a a little at a time over the next few years.  It didn't age overnight and you don't need to make it new again in one day either.

Make sure that you have a dissinterested 3d party look at it with you and listen to their input.  Keep your emotion in check.  You have been looking long and hard for the right Pop Up and no one wants to see you buy into a nightmare.  

I love these old Apaches!  This thing could look super and provide many more years of service given the right owner.

[Gone-Camping]

Do we have anyone in the Detroit area that could take a look at this for you???

[PopupSgt]

I've got a propane regulator that you can have if you purchase the camper :U

[NightOwl]

Birol, HOW MUCH DOES THIS SUCKER  REALLY REALLY WEIGH?

This is the FIRST question you must ask  for EVERY popup you will ever want to consider.

My idea of hell would be for you to get something and find you are STUCK WITH IT because you cannot  SAFELY  tow it!

BTW, most hardisdes  weigh more than  those with all canvas.  so keep that in mind.

And unless you are truly Freddy Fixer-Upper, be very careful what you buy.  You are better off witih NO Camper than one you pay your last cent for and cannot fix and use!  

If you can be patient, there WILL be a camper found for you  for a reasonable amount of money which does not need $$$$$$$$$$$$ in repairs and which is light enough for your Windstar to tow!

And please think of this.  ALMOST any camper which is a bit funky and is for sale on e-Bay is THERE because the seller could not find anyone local to buy it after they saw it in the flesh!

Listen to me, Brother Birol, I am OLD (and sometimes wise) and I have been around the track a few times:  

:S  Campers are like lovers--you have to WAIT UNTIL THE RIGHT ONE COMES ALONG!!!!:S

[NightOwl]

:W  Birol, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THIS THING  FURTHER  UNTIL YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS.

some of those old Apaches were built like tanks and  that might mean more weight than you can tow.

[MommaMia]

:W  Birol, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THIS THING  FURTHER  UNTIL YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS.

some of those old Apaches were built like tanks and  that might mean more weight than you can tow.

Holy Smokes... I just checked out weights on 2 Apache hard sides I have run across recently.... 2000 and 2500 lbs!  That's a lot of camper!!!!! I

[birol]

Okee dokee, I don't think I will go for it ......I was thinking that it would be a piece of cake to get it in good shape, looks like it will be more like a pita.


Back to the cat waiting to attack its pray mode !