We recently made a trip to the Tampa area to obtain parts
for our 1960 Airstream Overlander.
We met our new friends, Jean and Suzie, at the Florida State
Rally in Sarasota in mid-February. Jean had offered us the Dometic refrigerator
that he had removed from his 1966 Overlander. We left Stuart at 5:30 a.m. and
met up with them in Largo, excited to learn they also had a ceiling vent frame
with lifts and a screen they no longer needed. Thank you, Jean and Suzie – your
Overlander has saved our Riveted Roost with this generous “organ donation.”
We also had an appointment with Frank Bates, owner of Bates
RV in Dover - Frank is another contact we made at the Florida State Rally. He’s
planning an art installment made from totaled Airstreams and he offered us the
opportunity to see if we could salvage any parts from a 1980’s model.
While we didn’t find much that would jive with our 60’s
trailer, Justin was able to remove the breaker box and wiring from the closet
in the rear bathroom. Ours was missing since the last owner hooked up directly
to shore power. We were pleased to find a grounded, three wire set up, since
ours was only two wire originally – and not very safe! We also purchased some
Acryl-R sealant and an applicator to keep Riva’s seams sealed and her interior
dry.
While at Bates RV, we had to get a closer look at the
infamous Airstream Ranch that we passed on our way in. Inspired by the Cadillac
Ranch in Texas, Frank Bates engineered the Airstream Ranch in 2007 to pay
homage to Airstream’s 75th anniversary.
While some Airstream devotees see the buried trailers as a
sacrilege, it is intended to be a work of art and tribute to the iconic
aluminum trailer. Mostly salvaged from junkyards or beyond repair, the
Airstreams are buried 6 to 8 feet deep at a 20-degree angle and the models
range from 1957 to 1994 and 16 to 34 feet in length.
The eight precarious trailers are visible from I-4 between
Plant City and Tampa, near exit 14 in Dover. Stop by Bates RV and they can give
you instructions to safely view the Airstream Ranch. I actually thought the
cows in front of the Airstreams were real at first glance, but they turned out
to be wooden cutouts, ha ha!
Our trip was short and sweet, as we both had to get back to
Stuart for 7 p.m. engagements. It felt good to find some of the key items we
need to get Riva functioning and travel-worthy. Next on the list: tires, new
windows and plumbing!
Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost or find us on Facebook.
