READ BEFORE BIDDING: If you are new to eBay or have under 10 feedback and would like to place a bid on this Airstream, please contact Nathan at
and let him know before placing your bid. Any bids placed by accounts with under 10 feedback will be removed if correspondence is not received within an hour of placing the bid. Thank you for your understanding---Up for auction at no reserve is a vintage, single-axle 1965 17 foot Airstream Caravel with an amazingly dent free shell and partially gutted interior. The Caravel model is known for its small size and ability to get into National Parks that larger Airstreams can't. The 17 foot Caravel was only built from 1964 to 1968, and accompanied the Bambi II (which was also 17 feet long) as Airstream's smallest production trailer during these years.With a total length of only 17 feet, this Airstream would be great for camping in national parks as it is below the length requirements. Due to its very light weight of 2,250 pounds, practically any vehicle with a towing package can pull it comfortably. You might even be able to tow it with a bike. For example, I had no trouble lifting the tongue by hand and pulling it around our lot.The most important aspect of a vintage Airstream is the quality of the aluminum shell. This particular 17 footer has a nearly dent free exterior, which is exceedingly rare. There is a minor scrape on the rear entry side quarter panel, which is hardly noticeable but visible in pictures. Also some subtle indentations on the panel directly above the front tongue. And some very minor denting on the front upper quarter panels near the entry door, which again is hardly noticeable. Other than that, there is really nothing noteworthy that I noticed. The clear coat is flaking and peeling in many areas due to sun exposure, so we would suggest completely stripping the clear coat off, which would leave the original preserved aluminum. At this point you could polish the camper or leave it as is. We can strip and polish the camper for you for an additional $4,900.The former owner of this particular 17-footer had begun the restoration process. He started by removing the front interior end cap, as well as the original AC unit from the roof. He re-sealed the interior of the front end cap paneling with a high quality sealant on the inside, and it is ready for the front end to be re-assembled. All of the original interior is present and can be included if you want it, or we can discard it for you. We would suggest keeping the original interior and using it for templates during your restoration. We also provide restoration services for $100 an hour. We can do a light restoration to make the trailer campable, or a full restoration. Feel free to inquire for a proposed restoration plan. We will also include with the trailer a restoration checklist and proposal free of charge, which should assist in your restoration process whether you do it yourself or work with us on your restoration.We've included a diagram of the original layout of the camper. This particular camper featured a futon on the far side, and a collapsible dinette up front that converted into an additional sleeping area which could accommodate up to four campers (although it is most comfortable for two adults, or one adult and two children). The kitchenette featured a small sink and stove with an oven, with a small refrigerator under the countertop. The rear bathroom is still in place, and features a shower pan, toilet and small bathroom sink. Small wardrobe closets are right outside of the bathroom.The mid section of the camper was removed during the early stages of restoration, and all the parts are still there. The front subfloor has been removed due to sub floor rot, exposing the frame, which appears to be in really good condition overall with minimal rust which can be easily repaired before installing a new subfloor.Additionally, the original windows are tightly sealed, and all of the original seals are still intact. The camper will need a new tongue jack, which we can install for $150. The tow lights worked for us but were dim, so the tow light plug could also use replacement. The camper will also need new tires to get it home if towed. We can assist with replacing the tires for $500.In conclusion most of the hard work of gutting the trailer for restoration has been done and it is ready to be finished to your specifications. I am in love with this Caravel, and I truly wish we could keep it, restore it, and put it on display in our museum, but we are forced to sell it due to unexpected expenses. Our loss is your gain!We do also have this trailer listed for sale locally and we reserve the right to end the auction early in the event that it sells. We are asking $21,400 or best offer for this camper. In the past we have sold unrestored vintage Caravels in a range of $14,300 to $28,500. The one we sold for $14,300 had many small hail dents and did not have the original interior at all. The one we sold for $28,500 was in nice original shape and ready to camp in, but still unrestored. Therefore, I believe that our asking price of $21,400 is reasonable considering the shape of the exterior shell and the fact that it will need at least a minimal restoration to be campable again. Feel free to call Nathan at (260)
and make an offer. We do also offer restoration as a service and would be happy to work with you to restore this gem. Our shop rate is $100 an hour.Clean and clear title in hand. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required within 24 hours of auction end, via eBay. We try to be as descriptive as possible in the listing but we're glad to answer any questions or show the trailer, which is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The trailer is in AS IS condition - you can call Nathan at (260)
with any questions. FULL PAYMENT IS DUE VIA WIRE TRANSFER OR CASHIER'S CHECK WITHIN 7 DAYS OF AUCTION END.-------Berning Trailer Sales is your home for vintage Airstreams. We are a 4th generation family owned business, founded in 1953. We sold the very first Airstream out of the Ohio Airstream Factory. Since then, we have sold thousands of new and used Airstreams, and now focus on vintage trailers.DELIVERY NOTICE: In order to better serve our customers, we are offering free delivery of this unit up to 75 miles from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Additional miles will be charged at $3.00 a mile (round trip). We are also offering up to 3 months of free storage in the event that you want to purchase this unit and store it for a while. If you need to store it for more than 3 months, we charge $50 a month.PLEASE NOTE: We do also have several other unlisted vintage Airstreams in inventory. Feel free to inquire about them via text or call at .