1967 Airstream Restoration

[Grossy]

Hello,

This is the 1st post of many to come.

My 1967 Trade Wind is a train wreck. It has been parked in the Tucson Arizona Desert for the last 15 years. Everything inside has to go, including the floor, the tanks, plumbing, etc.

It will be shell on restoration, I will most likely have to drop the pan, I do not expect to have remove the interior shell walls.

I will add a grey water tank, replace the AC unit, all new appliances.

[Grossy]

Day 1,
April 23, 2022
Hours Worked: 6
Total Restoration Hours: 6

Spent the day cleaning out the storage shed, aka the interior of the Airstream.
Removed half the carpeting.

[Hittenstiehl]

Yes but it's a beautiful train wreck at that. 60's Tradewinds are highly popular and a twin bed model to boot!

Looks like you have lots of nice interior bits. Take lots of photos and label things before you take it apart. Before you toss anything (but the super gross stuff) spend some time here on the classifieds and see what kinds of vintage things people need.

Your windows are special (only 3 years that style) and the parts are not that easy to find.

Get it water tight, tow worthy and road safe and you can camp in a lovely shell while the process ensues.

Vintage trailer supply
Vintage trailer gaskets
The VAP podcast
The VAC (intra club of WBCCI/ACI) website for newsletters

Looking forward to your progress.

[Grossy]

Day 2,
April 24, 2022
Hours Worked: 6
Total Restoration Hours: 12


Opened the bathroom window, the window fell out.

About halfway through this day, the idea of selling the Airstream and buying a school bus to make a Skoolie kept popping into my head.

Removed the refrigerator, pantry, and beds, all the carpeting, swept up the current occupant's mess, which was piling up like snow drifts in the corners.

Felt better after most of the interior was gone. Another trip to the dump.

[Grossy]

Where the Refrigerator and Pantry use to be.

[Hittenstiehl]

And you're off to the races.... and looking good.

Being on our 4th 60's vintage it looks so familiar.

[Bubba L]

You’re making good progress. Taking a lot of pictures is a great way to help your memory on where thing are located. Looking at your pictures reminds me of when we renovated our 66. Keep us posted.

[Dingo Girl]

welcome to the forums! 67 is a fine year
you mentioned you will not be pulling the interior walls. if you are replacing the floor you will have to pull them to gain access to the "c" channel. the floor goes under this. pulling the wall panels is pretty easy.
good luck! ask lots of questions & take lots of pictures & label everything that will go back in.
above all have fun doing it!

[dbj216]

Late sixties Trade Winds rock! I renovated a 66 Trade Wind, but not to the extent you are doing. Many people keep old key pieces as templates for making new ones. Bulkhead walls for example. Just a thought.

Very glad you started a project thread. I like giving worthless free advice. Kinda like an old geezer leaning on the fence watching a construction project.

David

[TouringDan]

Welcome to Airforums.

The 67 Tradewind is a very desirable model. It is the perfect size for 2-4 people and has lots of storage.

You may only need to replace sections of your floor that are rotted. This is what I did on our Tradewind. You may want to look at my Thread- Dan’s 66 Tradewind Improvements.

Stick with the Tradewind rather than a school bus. A trailer is very simple compared to a school bus and is much easier to maintain. Ours tows very easily and we love it.

Dan

[Grossy]

Day 3,
April 30, 2022
Hours Worked: 4
Total Restoration Hours: 16

More disassembly, and cleaning.
Very hot, did not get done as much as I wanted.

[Grossy]

Day 4,
May 1, 2022
Hours Worked: 7
Total Restoration Hours: 23

Air Conditioning, so much better!
Got a whole lot done. The trailer is cleaned out. Pictures to follow.

[Grossy]

The Kitchen cabinet was removed exposing the furnace.

[Grossy]

The bathroom wall comes down.

[Grossy]

The tub is gone.
The rivets inside the hamper was not cool. And also one hidden screw, that was most likely put there by me, 37 years ago.

[Hittenstiehl]

"that was most likely put there by me, 37 years ago"

Ah, it appears you are quite familiar with this revisited love.

[Grossy]

The most unnecessarily complicated plumbing I have ever seen.
I know plumbing, I built a micro-brewery in my garage. This is nuts.

[Grossy]

The original water heater I presume?
Still in its original cardboard packaging (aka insulation).

[Grossy]

Hittenstiehl, yes my father and I did a partial restore in 1985. My folks then traveled all over north America in the Airstream. My folks passed away 15 years ago, and I inherited the trailer.

I have had lots conversations with the previous owners the last few days. Previous owners being my dad, and myself from 1985.

My dad being the cheapest man on earth, so a lot of the conversations are like, "what... what on earth, you used another flat head screw"

My dad had a big Charles Chips Cookie can full of miscellaneous nuts, bolts and screws because he refused to throw any of them away. He would then reach in and pull out whatever he could find and then use it.

(that Charles Chips Cookie can is in my garage now).

[Grossy]

Im ok with basic electrical, I can hook up a home outlet a receptacle, I wired up thermostat controllers for my brewery, lighting and pumps .

But this is going to need a lot of research.