Restoring your vintage Airstream can be both an enjoyable experience and a financial investment. Vintage Airstreams increase in value over time instead of decreasing. So it is no wonder that you have purchased an Airstream that you want to restore. But before you jump into restoring your vintage Airstream, I must urge you to take this restoration process in steps.
I understand the excitement that comes with wanting to restore an Airstream to its grandeur. The problem is that so many people think that they can just start ripping into their Airstream and come out with a fully restored Airstream. This is not the case and there are steps to be taken in process to ensure that you have fully restored it.
Let’s take a look at what you really should be doing first and foremost when starting your restoration process. The first thing you need to start with is the grunge work. Yep you are not going to get to make your Airstream a beauty just yet. What you do get to do is make sure that it is safe and in working order.
Look at the frame first and see if it needs to be repaired. Do you see any rust on the frame? If you do then you need to take time to remove all the rust. Depending on the amount of rust that the metal part of the frame sustained over the years, this process could take some time. Remember though that this is part of restoring your vintage Airstream.
Now that the rust is gone you can move onto other parts of fixing up your vintage Airstream. You still are not going to get to polish and remodel your Airstream just yet though. There is still a lot more to look at to make sure that it is in good working order
Other things that need to be looked at are the brakes, axles, suspension, shocks and the tires. These should all be looked over very well. Replace and repair any of these parts that need it. Depending on your level of expertise, you may have to contract out some of this work. Make sure to have a professional deal with any of these areas that you are not knowledgeable in.
Also take a look at the bumpers and tongues and make sure that these areas are up to par. Without being in proper working order, you will most likely not be able to safely pull your vintage Airstream. I am sure you are not restoring this beauty just to leave it sitting in the driveway. So get a move on doing all the grunge work.
As a last thing in what I call the real grunge work, you need to look at the belly pan. Despite how it may look, you do need the belly pan and it does really need to be fixed or replaced. The belly pan will protect your Airstream from the elements and even those pesky rodents. See why I said it is really needed?
To fix your belly pan rather cheaply, you can opt to use .024″ 3003 aluminum sheet instead of the non-alclad .024 inch 2024-O aluminum. Not only is this cheaper but it is more dent resistant making it a great substitute. Mostly you should just have to use it to just patch up some holes that have been poked into the belly pan. Now this is of course dependant on how much damage your vintage Airstream has sustained.
There are many shops online where you can pick up these parts if needed. RV dealers should also have most of these parts such as shocks, brakes and such that you can use on your vintage Airstream. Always keep in mind that this is all part of restoring your Airstream to its original grandeur.
