What to change, what to leave?

[LezlieG]

Hello all! Well, it was a great week with my daughter and grandson here, but now it's time to get back to working on the Airstream ('69 Overlander)!
I did a little cleaning this morning (and if you haven't discovered Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser, that thing is amazing!). This brought up a few questions for all of you:
1. Before I get into a butt-kicking contest with my husband, should I keep the rails for the curtains or not? They are really cumbersome, and wrap all the way around the front window (g00d), including the walls (bad), as well as the side window. I think it really closes in the trailer. And do I need shades as well as curtains??
2. While cleaning I noticed that the plastic frames around the two small windows on either side of the big front window are yellowed and cracking. They are riveted in (like everything else!) How do I replace those??
3.I saw on Pinterest that someone had either painted the bathroom sink and countertop, or replaced it with a newly painted piece. Can I paint mine? With what?
I appreciate anyone's and everyone's help with this!
Thanks,
Lezlie

[janeinthemtns]

I have the same questions. Just got an 85 Excella here yesterday. Hate all those curtains for sure.

[kjterz]

go to youtube and look for airstream renovations..there is some good info on painting the different plastics with epoxy paint........I tinted my windows and use metal blinds...no curtains......

[idroba]

Curtain tracks: leave them and use them for a new set. They wrap over the walls so the curtains can be pulled back leaving the windows exposed totally. Original curtains were front and back pleated with sometimes a double or triple pleat (but that was overkill, single pleats are fine). Curtain tabs, which are sewn on, are still available. To keep it light inside, use a very light colored material, be sure to have it lined for sun protection to the fabric. If you can find self lined curtain material, so much the better, makes them much easier to build.

Plastic window surround material is probably not available unless Inland RV has it. So, you will need to fill the cracks and paint it, probably in place as removing it may leave you with just shards of broken plastic. Krylon Fusion spray paint (ACE, Wal Mart, etc.) will bond to the plastic and make a very nice job of it. That same Krylon Fusion will also work well to eliminate the "old banana yellow" color that most Airstream plastics turn, and the results do not look like paint if you do it right. The paint slightly melts the plastic and truly does fuse to it, making it look like new. Things like the front and rear plastic headliner, and the refrigerator vent will benefit, and look like new. Also the interior air conditioner cover. The yellow trim insert on many of the cabinet top edges is best replaced, not painted, it is generally way too brittle to be removed. White is still available from Inland RV, and you also can replace it with thin strips of plastic laminate (Formica) or cut down vertical venetian blind slats to fit. They are available in many patterns and colors if you want to change the look of the edge trim.

I have no experience with painting the plastic sinks, I know I have read posts on doing it.

[janeinthemtns]

Thanks for all that info! I ripped out all the curtains in July. Apparently, they had never been cleaned for 28 years because the rivets were still in place. I'm washing and rinsing all the walls with TSP twice. Not that much fun. I can't use any of that kind of paint so I'm going to sand down all the vinyl and the yellow end caps and prime with Benjamin Moore inside/outside Natura zero VOC primer. I'm going to tape off all the metal type parts. I don't have any cracks in mine except for 2 minors ones in the end cap. I'm going to shorten up the curtain tracks, but leave them long enough so I can get the curtains completely off the windows. The curtains don't need to wrap all the way around everywhere. I felt like I was in a mortuary. I found some loomed hemp fabric on Amazon and I'm going to make off white curtains out of that. I live in Southwest dust storms so I need to be able to wash them occasionally. Backing the curtains to protect from sun is a great idea.
I tore out the carpet and was dismayed to find fiberboard. Also two small leaks without much damage. I think the leaks are coming from the awnings. One skylight is leaking which means I will have to figure out how to get up there to fix it. I'm going to seal all the seams because I can't tell if there are leaks behind the appliances and closets. They are all in perfect shape.

Thanks for all the info!

[AirstrmNewB]

I know this post is a year old,, but I have a bit to contribute. I've taken the bathroom apart on'72 Overlander and painted the bathtub and counters with Krylon Fusion for plastic.....worked great. I also painted my kitchen counter. Scuffed up the surface with sandpaper, primed with Zinzer Bullseye, put the "decorator" design on with acrylic craft paint, and then sprayed with a clear acrylic. It's not as durable as the laminate, but cheaper than new laminate and the harvest gold is gone!

[AirstrmNewB]

Leslie, I live in Granbury too! Would love to see your Airstream.

[LezlieG]

Thanks for the great advice! Our Airstream is still in the planning stages, unfortunately. My husband's work has sent him out of state to work these last few months so we have been unable to tackle some basics, like an electrical problem. I am anxious to get on with the decorating and get this thing moving! Hopefully the month of June is quieter (more quiet??) and we can get the work done.
I would love to see the work you've done on the bathroom in yours! I know it would be inspirational! Let me know what works for you.

[AirstrmNewB]

Lezlie, I understand completely. Ours isn't finished yet either. We finished the bathroom a couple years ago, under a deadline to leave with it for Colorado. We discovered a soft spot in the floor and learned while it was apart that it also had frozen at some time - swollen pipes. Anyway, I repaired cracks/sanded/painted all ABS parts with Krylon fusion for plastic and it worked great. I am an upholsterer, and had the bathroom counter pieces at the shop to work on them. I bumped into the long piece that goes all the way across the trailer, and it fell (drain pipe still attached to the sink) and the pipe poked a hole through the sink. :-( A previous upholstery customer is also a very talented metal fabricator. I had him come look at it, and he fabbed the counter pieces. Gave him the bar sink we found on eBay and new faucets, and he laser cut the holes in the metal. After I got the counters back, I took them to a local body shop that does powder coat - one of their powder coat colors exactly matched the Krylon! I'm sure we added a bit of weight, but I felt that was an OK compromise. And we got the bathroom done and functional before that trip. The whole thing cost me $400. I was pretty happy because even if I'd been able to find the ABS parts, they likely would have been as yellowed and brittle as the one I broke. I painted the wall between the counters and the upper cabinets, and re-upholstered the toilet seat cover - couldn't live with that awful 70s floral. There's a picture of the Allure linoleum we're putting in the whole trailer - not done yet - as we're trying desperately to lighten it up in there. The only other project I've completed is I repainted the harvest gold counter tops. The pattern I used was experimental, and I'm not thoroughly happy with it. If I have free time, I figure I can always re-paint it with a different pattern. (After I did the Airstream, I painted a cultured marble countertop in my house bathroom, faux granite. It came out really nice.) Grrr... I can't figure out how to attach pictures. I'll keep working on it.