Little Green Airstream
The green renovation of a vintage travel trailer
Working in Manhattan as a residential construction project manager, one of the things my bosses clued me into was that the further along you get in a renovation – creating pristine, finished surfaces – everything else around your work starts to look a little rougher. Such was the case with my Airstream’s vintage wheels. I’d already put a lot of work into the systems and interior, but once...
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Once my contractors and I had established an initial scope of work, we then ordered or otherwise salvaged parts that would be used in the renovation process. It was important for me to help establish a sequence for completing the scope of work. So I provided the following list, in order of importance: Chassis Welding Floor Rot Prime & Paint Sandblasting Deadbolt Lock Install Electrical Install new converter...
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Once I’d found fabric and an upholsterer to make the new cushions for my vintage Airstream, I needed to place an order for the cushion filling. The original cushions had been stuffed with polyurethane foam, which was still a relatively new material in 1969, the year my trailer was manufactured. Polyurethane foam was (and is) inexpensive to produce. When it hit the market in the late ’50’s, it...
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Understanding the costs to renovate a vintage Airstream and figuring out the sequence of work can be very daunting. Initially, I didn’t have those concerns at all – it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of picking up your trailer on eBay or Craigslist and figuring that with a little clean up, you’ll be ready to start your adventures. I suppose that’s true to some extent....
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