Little Green Airstream
The green renovation of a vintage travel trailer
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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When you purchase a vintage Airstream, you ideally expect to have the title signed over to your name and to complete a bill of sale. However, in some places (like my home state of NY), you don’t technically need a title for a vehicle that was manufactured before 1970, and my trailer fits the bill. On the other hand, if I later decide to register or otherwise transfer...
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I had already purchased some of the materials I needed for the Airstream’s seat cushions. I’d also asked my vendor to set aside some ivory-colored curtain material I liked, although I was later disappointed to learn that there wasn’t enough of it to do the job. I’d taken a calculated risk buying materials before checking with the upholsterer; if he needed more than I’d bought, I’d have to...
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Back home in New York, I started working on the next steps to fabricate my new, eco-friendly trailer cushions. First, because I have two Airstreams – a ’69 Trade Wind and a Safari for parts – I’d ended up with two sets of 47-year-old cushions and only needed one, to give to the upholsterer for use as templates. Since the second set of cushions were by now moldy,...
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