Interior End cap options for 68 GT (First Thread!)

[Kingofbanff]

The backstory is I found a 1968 Globetrotter that nobody had been inside in ten years. I don't camp but I thought it sad that such a beautiful piece of Americana never got used. So I bought it for our new office. An office within the office building! Now it will get used daily by a bunch of twenty somethings who already think its totally cool.

I've had the outside buffed to a mirror shine. Now its time to go inside. I gave all the fixtures to a guy who restores Airstreams so I was happy they got reused.

I'm going to put reclaimed wood floors in and nice shiny .032 aluminum in the "easy parts" in the middle. The end caps are the question mark.

I've searched these forums for a specific thread on end caps as well as Yahooing it.

I'm seeing three options: future polish the original, aluminum or wood.

Any other cool ideas out there?

Thanks in advance!

[Kingofbanff]

Forgot to attach a pic in OP

[Belegedhel]

Vinyl wrap-- there are all kinds of cool patterns used on cars.

Good luck!


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[Kingofbanff]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

Vinyl wrap-- there are all kinds of cool patterns used on cars.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

I searched here and online for images of this treatment but couldn't find any. Do you know of anyone on this forum who has done it?

Thanks

[Belegedhel]

Well, here is a thread where a guy installed new vinyl, but it looks like it is all on the flat walls:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f311...s-97332-4.html

Here is another thread where the members had installed a vinyl-like stuff that looks like brushed stainless (I don't think it is stretchy like a vinyl wrap, though).

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f39/...ls-132467.html

I had seriously considered installing the automotive vinyl on my plastic end caps and making them match the other things like window frames. The plastic endcaps in a 70's era trailer have a lot of contours and hard turns, and I thought it may be hard to get the wrap to go on right and not turn into a complete mess. I figured that a professional installer might have a better chance, but eventually convinced myself that the probability of failure was great enough that it didn't warrant further investigation, but now I kind of regret not trying it. They make some prety cool patterns, though--some examples:

14 Colors DIY 3D Carbon Fiber Vinyl Car Truck Wrap Sheet Film Sticker Decal Roll | eBay

Good luck!

[dbj216]

Hi King.... The 68 Globetrotter is a neat trailer. 68 is the last year of the older body style. The look of the trailer changed a bunch in 69.

Airstreamers have done some novel things at the end caps. I believe your trailer came with a fiberglass end cap at the rear, and maybe a thermo formed ABS plastic end cap in the front. It least that is what is on my 66 Trade Wind.

First, I believe Colin Hyde Trailer Restorations may have an interior end cap aluminum kit where he has figured out the shape and curves for an aluminum conversion of the end caps. Some folks like the aluminum look inside their trailers.

Several Airstreamers have fabricated wood paneling for the end caps. That looks really neat also. See Timeless Travel Trailers webpage for a look at what they have done.

Many folks simply paint the end caps. Airstream may have used that fancy Zolotone paint originally.

So there are lots of options as you develop your decorating plans for your "office in an office".

David