Little Green Airstream
The green renovation of a vintage travel trailer
The original Armstrong air conditioner that was installed on my ’69 Airstream came with a plastic shroud (cover) to protect the unit from the elements. Over time, the plastic degrades, and the shroud needs replacement. In a case like this, where the company is no longer in business, finding parts can present a challenge. On top of that, when parts are not universal and need to conform to...
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I returned to North Carolina for a third time to help my family with a project, and was excited that by the end of my two week stay, my new Airstream cushions would finally be finished! I knew that before I made arrangements for their final pickup, I needed to touch base with the upholsterer to check on progress, review final pricing, and make a progress payment to...
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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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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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