Rally ‘round the Airstreams

Airstream owners are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

We found that out at our very first Airstream event, the Florida State Rally in Sarasota, Fla. Feb. 15-17.

We had our guard up because our initial encounter with Airstream folks wasn’t the most pleasant experience. Right after we bought our 1960 Overlander, we started calling various dealerships and folks selling parts on Craig’s List. They were very dismissive, and one even said that most people who buy vintage Airstreams end up giving up on the restoration and selling their trailers. They had their doubts about us and would barely give us the time of day. 

So needless to say, there was some trepidation about attending our first rally, a Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI) event. WBCCI is the official Airstream owner’s club, with a rich history that dates back to the early 1950s. Wally Byam, the founder of Airstream, Inc, formed the club and hosted rallies and caravans around the world. 

We woke up at 4 a.m. Friday morning and left from Stuart to get to the rally in time for an 8 a.m. seminar on polishing. We arrived right on time, got our registration packets and badges, and headed over to the continental breakfast. 

As we crossed the threshold, it was quite evident that we were the youngest people in the room by a good 20 years, give or take one or two people. All eyes were on us as we got our coffee and breakfast. There was plenty of staring, but equally as many smiles and kind greetings. 

Again, more curious looks as we entered the polishing seminar. The older gentleman who told Justin, “You’re too young to be here,” at the breakfast must’ve been joking because a few minutes later, he sat down next to us and pulled an iPad out of his backpack. Pretty fly for an old white guy. 

The turning point was when Justin asked a question during the seminar and the facilitator asked what year our trailer was. When he replied, “A 1960 Overlander,” everyone raised their eyebrows. They were impressed, or at least surprised. 

All of our questions were answered and after the seminar, a gentleman named John who was brimming with vintage Airstream knowledge greeted us. We exchanged stories about our trailers and got each other’s contact info. 

It’s so nice to meet others who have- or are going through the same restoration processes. There isn’t exactly a wealth of knowledge available on restoring Airstreams. It’s out there, but you have to hunt for it. It’s nice to relate to someone face-to-face about the intricacies of vintage trailering. 

Throughout the weekend, we met lots of incredibly nice people, some who owned vintage trailers and others with newer models. We strolled through the RV show and toured the newest Airstream models, which averaged between $75,000-80,000 (yikes!); checked out the trade show, and attended a few more seminars. We were like sponges soaking in all the information. 

We were also invited to a couple Happy Hour gatherings for the various WBCCI chapters in Florida. It felt like a reverse rush for a fraternity or sorority – we were being courted! Trailer courted, I guess you could say.

Our favorite part of the rally was the vintage Airstream open house. It was so neat to see all the different trailers and how each one reflected its owners' personality. 

We asked lots of questions and took pictures of interior layouts and holding tank configurations. Yeah... that's what we get excited about these days, lol. Everyone was eager to hear about our Overlander and share their vintage Airstream knowledge.

On the last day of the rally, we eagerly awaited the flea market. We were hoping to find some parts for Riva, but there wasn’t much of a selection for vintage items. As I was walking out the door, I discovered some vintage taillights and an indoor propane lamp that I snagged for $20 total. I couldn’t leave without something for my aluminum princess! 

I must add, no trip to Sarasota would be complete without a trip to the beach to see the sunset on the Gulf of Mexico. We also visited Sarasota Architectural Salvage - a very cool place with lots of great junk.

We drove home Sunday afternoon, thrilled with what we learned and the new friends we made, but eager to return to our pups and our own beds. We vowed that the Riveted Roost would certainly be attending next year’s Sarasota rally, appropriately deemed “AlumaFlamingo.” We can’t wait to bring our dogs and aluminum abode with us next time.

View more photos from our trip to Sarasota on our Flickr page. Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost or find us on Facebook.

Strip Tease

{By Kelly}

Our first order of business was to take inventory of what needed to be replaced on our 1960 Land Yacht. Here's what we came up with during our initial inspection of the Airstream:

• Vents (1 would be replaced with a rooftop A/C unit, 2 with vents)
• The window A/C unit needed to come out and be replaced with aluminum sheeting
• Several windows were cracked
• All screens would need to be replaced
• The full-size pink porcelain toilet would need a lighter, road-worthy replacement
• The existing flooring needed to be removed so we could examine the plywood sub-floor
• Exterior and interior lights/fixtures needed to be replaced
• Fix or replace entrance step
• Refrigerator would need to be replaced (wasn't original anyway)
• Holding tanks were non-existent, as the camper had been hooked up to a septic system of some sort - new fresh, gray and black water tanks will need to be installed

Drawers and doors: BEFORE, in shades of mint and light blue

It appeared that the front vent had leaked, so Justin fashioned a makeshift vent to keep water out until a new vent could be installed. 

Numerous repairs would need to be made, as well as an electrical, propane and plumbing assessment.

We started with a task we knew we could tackle. Justin removed all the drawers, cabinet doors and hardware so we could strip the paint. It was obvious that there were many thick layers and sanding simply wouldn't suffice.

The chemical stripping process revealed that the wooden cabinetry had been painted at least three shades in the past 52 years: first pink, then turquoise, and then a mint green or light blue most recently. It appears from my research that the original cabinets in the 1960 Airstreams were unpainted and just had a coat of varnish.

Justin, the [paint] stripper

Some cabinet doors were in poor shape due to insect invasion and others had been replaced for unknown reasons. We decided that we would need to paint all the cabinets and install new facings in a few areas to achieve a uniform appearance.

After stripping the doors and drawers, we sanded the remaining paint away. Justin filled in holes with wood putty, repaired any damaged veneer, and replaced the faces of a few drawers that were beyond repair. 

I taped off the edges to prepare them for a fresh coat of paint, but alas, it was all just a tease. Now they sit in our carport, as Justin discovered several other issues that needed to be addressed before we can even begin to think about painting and reinstalling the cabinet doors and drawers. [SIGH]

As you can see from some of the photos, above, we still needed to move the Airstream out of our driveway. AND she needed a name...

The stripping process revealed several layers of paint, first pink, then turquoise, and finally a mint or light blue shade.

Drawers and doors: AFTER and ready for paint

Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost or find us on Facebook.

Trailer for sale (or rent)

Wanderlust... curbside

{By Kelly}

It was love at first sight.

Interior with pink appliances and sinks

I first spotted this sterling princess in Sebastian, Florida en route to my parent's house. I immediately asked my husband, Justin, to make a U-turn so we could go back and inspect. He was willing but wary.

The first thing that caught my eye was her obvious vintage heritage and relatively good condition. Inside, her pink appliances (minus the fridge) and sinks shouted retro chic. Her cabinetry and interior had been painted and a wall-shaker A/C unit (yikes!) was installed below the window next to a dinette/sleeper setup - the most striking modifications.

The serial number led us to believe that she is a 1960 26-foot Land Yacht Overlander, born in Santa Fe Springs, California.

I knew in an instant that I had to show this beauty to my mother. We had discussed going Dutch on an Airstream camper just a few months prior. I wasn't actively looking, but somehow, this aluminum beauty found us.

Dinette

As I had hoped, Mom fell in love too, and the darling seller, Delores, helped seal the deal. Justin and my father were shaking their heads at the acquisition, leery of the amount of work it would take to help this Land Yacht find her sea legs again. She had been parked for quite some time.

The next day, she was ours. Yes, we committed the cardinal sin... we bought the first Airstream we looked at. I can see you shaking your heads at me through cyber space.

After an emergency trip to Wal-Mart (double yikes!) for a smaller ball hitch, she was on the road. We drove her 15 miles south to my in-law's house in Vero Beach (without incident), the first leg of her journey with us.

After the rose-colored glasses came off, we began to realize that we had our work cut out for ourselves. But we're "Do-It-Yourselfers" with a few major projects under our belts (a 1974 home, 1972 and 1969 Boston Whaler, 1967 Chevelle Malibu).

We welcomed the challenge...

Streetside