Hi All
I've been reading all the past posts and look forward hearing from others. I just bought my first SS and will be picking it up next week. It's in a RV storage space near Fresno where it's been all locked up since 1991. When the current owners wife died he never used it again and his son listed it recentely and I got it for $2100. A fair price I think as it only need a good cleaning inside and out. I'm sure it will need new tires and bearing packing but do you think it's safe to drive it from Fresno to the San Fernando Valley? About 4 hours.
As far as I know it has all the bells and whistels (sp?)and all the paperwork and manuals.
I own 2 vintage travel trailer, a 54 12 footer and a 58 Fireball 17 footer.
I'd like to post some pictures of the SS when I get it home. They sold it lock, stock and barrel with all it pots, pans and linens so it should be fun cleaning it out and taking it on it's first outing. Is there ever any Silver Streak Rallys?
Thanks All
David I

By Craig on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 12:02 am:

Hi David,

Congratulations! I'd say you stole that SS for $2100!

How big a truck will you tow it home with? Silver Streaks are light for their size, and mine (30-footer) at least tows very well. Still, the Grapevine can be nerve-wracking. Personally, I'd want at least a strong 3/4-ton truck, an equalizing hitch and the electric brakes hooked up. An anti-sway device might provide some real peace of mind coming down the Five Mile with the big rigs. I'll admit, though, I'm definitely a woose when it comes to towing.

I look forward to your pictures.

Craig

By David Izenman on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 12:18 am:

Thanks Craig
I have a 1999 F150 with the Triton V8. Do you think that will be big enough to tow it? I also just had the Trailer break gizmo installed for my other trailer which has trailer breaks.
I could always borrow a buddys 3/4 ton truck if worse comes to work. I'd love to see a pic or two of your rig
Thanks
David

By Tom Patterson on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 - 05:58 am:

Your F-150 should do just fine. I wouldn't worry about the anti-sway device, but definitely you want an equilizer hitch. You didn't say just how long the trailer is, or the weight, but this will affect the towing. Somewhere along the line you might want to take the trailer to a local scale and find out what the weight of it is. Tongue weight would be good to know too.

By Craig on Thursday, February 13, 2003 - 09:14 pm:

Tom, did you delete my second reply to David? Or did it not "take" for some reason?

By david Izenman on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 09:16 am:

Well...the Silver Streak is home in Studio City. It turns out it's a 30' and not a 33'. It's called a Contintal 'Saturn'. What's the significance of a Saturn? It had been locked up for over 12 years and and was really dirty. Smeels like a dirty littler box. The last owners had pets that they rarly let out,if you know what I mean, and thy also never opened the windows when they smoked there 3 packs a day. What's a good cleaner for the cabinets an the ceiling? Oxy Clean and or Murphys Oil Soap might work, I think.
I had to drive from Coarsegold to Fresno (35 miles) on some OLD tires and no trailer breaks. Whoever told me about Buds in Fresno, thank you. These guys were great. I had new batterys installed, four wheel bearing re-packed and the breaks working. They also checked out all the lights and the air conditioner (which works great~!) And man does that central Vac system work great. For some reason they added a heater to the front and back of the trailer. Why they did this I don't know as it does have a forced air system. The old owned kept all the records of the Streak and I have the orignal yellow Owners Manual.
Will post pictures soon. BTW..It has solar power on the roof that works great.
David

By Tom Patterson on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 02:31 pm:

Craig,

I don't know anything about your second message to David.

By Craig on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 11:12 pm:

Thanks, Tom. I wrote a lengthy reply to David and it disappeared into the ether.

Hi David,

Glad you got it home okay. How did it tow?

Sounds like maybe you have the same Streak I do; mine is also a 30-foot Saturn Supreme. Is yours the rear bedroom model? Mine is. I haven't been able to learn the significance of the names.

The previous owner may have installed an auxiliary heater because the forced-air furnace requires 12 volts to work. Some of the smaller propane furnaces without blowers will work without electricity of any kind.

My trailer was also owned by a heavy smoker. And it had dog hair throughout. Disgusting! It reeked. We scrubbed the ceiling with Fantastik, bleach and detergent in water, even cleanser. Nothing worked. The ceiling stayed much browner and darker than the areas inside the cabinets that had been protected from the smoke. We finally painted the ceiling with a semi-gloss latex in an off-white. It came out GREAT! The original cloth texture came through, and it looks like new. It took two coats to get complete coverage. The first coat was a lighter white in "satin" finish. It was too white—too sterile and dull looking—so we bought a darker and glossier off-white for the second coat and were thrilled with how it came out.

I took out the kitchen cabinets, sink, counter, stove/oven and furnace(about 1,000,000 screws;-)), and mopped everything with bleach water to disinfect it all and kill the doggie odor.

I put a new light gray FRP surround to the left and behind the kitchen sink, and new gray switches and outlets. Now I'm preparing to build a new countertop with a gray laminate. I'm going to make it about 18" longer than the original to accomodate a small microwave.

I'm glad I took out the counter/cabinet and furnace, as I found water (rain) had been leaking in around the furnace exhaust. The floor was damp, rot had started in the paneling and the bottom of the furnace had started rusting. Also, the holes where the gas and water pipes go through the floor needed caulking. I caught it just in time.

While I had the wall off, I insulated around the back of the shower stall with fiberglass R-11 to cut bathroom noise to the front. Also, I had to replace the furnace blower motor for $118, and dismantle clean and lubricate the oven exhaust blower which was frozen by cooking grease residue. Yechh!

I painted the plywood flooring with automobile antifreeze to arrest any rot that may have started. Next I'll Fix-All the floor and install new vinyl flooring. Lots of work, but it'll be worth it.

Let us know how yours goes.

Craig

By david Izenman on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 11:43 pm:

Great information Craig. I hope to see some pics of your ongoing restoration. My SS has the rear bathroom. The toilet is on a raised platform. Are all SS trailers like this? I'm not sure if I want to replace the cabinets with vintage birch or a maple. I'll have to give it some thought. They are not worth saving. I have a wonderful book on streamline trains from the 40s and 50s. I'd love to have the interior of my trailer look like the observation car of a moderne train. It only takes money!
David
Have otheres removed the cabinet that is over the sofa to give it a larger look? Also, How can I find out if my trailer is really a '71? I think it could be a 69 or 70

By David I on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 07:41 pm:

Well..so far I've cleaned everything!!! I'm having the ceiling painted as there was a lot of smoking stain. I took off all the hinges and pulls and re did them myself. I bought a grinder and put a wire wheel on and buffed them all out. It gives them a nice satin finish. Then I spray them with polyurithane. I used alot of different cleaners on the wood panaling and ended up using Howards Restorafinish. It came out pretty good. The sofa chair and upholstered walls in the bedroom are being done in a 40s Ralph Lauren Brown Herringbone fabric and the curtins are also a bit vintage although new from Diamond in L.A.
The two tone marmolioum floor will be layed next week as will the new stainless steel kitchen counters and its surrond.
I hope to post some pics soon.
I'm sure I'll have it ready by Craigs Rally in New Port come this spring. Will there be any other SS owners there?
David