New Deal for Wheels of Steel

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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Removing a Vintage Airstream Belly Pan

Probably the most famous element of the Airstream’s construction is the riveted aluminum paneling, originally inspired by aircraft design. Airstream’s motto, “live riveted,”  equates these little fasteners with the trailer brand and the lifestyle of their owners. I’d learned through the Vintage Airstream Podcast and Airstream Life magazine that there are three different types of rivets that are typically used in Airstream construction, the most prominent of which...

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Spring Cleaning

Over this beautiful Memorial Day weekend, I took advantage of the opportunity to spend time with the Trade Wind to get better acquainted with her and develop my game plan for the renovation. My goals for this weekend were: To lubricate door / window hardware and rusted screws To take measurements in order to draw floor plans To take more detailed inventory of any broken or missing parts...

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