stop after the first hundred or so miles and re-check the lug-nut torque. Wheel lugs can and do loosen, and on a trailer it’s not as obvious when they loosen as it is in a vehicle.
Split rims are common on vintage campers and not the best choice for safe highway travel. In many cases, you need to replace the wheel and tire combo, and often, the whole axle assembly. You can see the split part on this 1960s Boles Aero.
This Airstream’s mounting points have actually broken free, and the body is sagging away from the chassis. This is very unsafe for transit and could lead to a catastrophic event on the road.
Chances are that the running lights are no longer working (though, I’ve seen my share of original lights surprisingly still functioning). A quick fix is a magnetic trailer light kit; just make sure there’s a ferrous bumper for attachment, as the aluminum skin won’t work.
In many cases the subfloor, to which the body attaches, is rotted to the point that it’s unsafe for road use. Be sure to inspect the integrity of the unit you’re towing to prevent any misfortune when in transit. On this Cruisette, you can see that the subfloor is rotted to the point that it’s collapsed and really nonexistent. Also, you can see light coming from the outside. These are both signs that this trailer’s roadworthiness is compromised.
Tape, cable ties, and bailing wire are your friends when rigging up a temporary lighting solution; sometimes it’s easier to route the wiring through the camper via broken windows and screens. In some cases, the body may be separating from the chassis. Be thorough with your safety inspection. If the shell or body parts are detaching, use scrap materials, grabber screws, or straps to securely attach dangerously loose components.
Similarly, make sure all windows are fastened shut. If not, wire or screw them shut. As with windows, inspect the vent covers, luggage doors, and access doors. If any of them are unfastened and capable of blowing off, remove or secure them.
Towing or Recovery Checklist
The following items should be on your list to check carefully.
• Grabber screws, straps, and plywood strips or scrap wood
• Airtank and compressor
• Trailer safety chains
• Trailer light kit, extra wire, connectors
• Sturdy jack and jack stands
• Breaker bar and lug wrench
Having a climate-controlled, organized, and roomy workspace is ideal for camper restoration. There are many components to a travel trailer and, as you dismantle and acquire components, space is quickly used up.
Before departing, make sure your insurance is up-to-date and covers the items in tow.
DIY or Outsourcing
Before tackling the restoration, it will be helpful to sit down and figure out your strengths. Focusing on your strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses will help streamline the build. Here are some of the skills needed for a successful trailer restoration: painting, polishing, aluminum fabrication, steel fabrication, fiberglass work, woodworking, 110- and 12-volt electrical wiring, and plumbing.
Next, take into account what equipment you have access to, the space you will be using, the time frame for the whole project, and how much money you intend to spend on each section (i.e., chassis, body, paint, interior, floor, belly pan, electrical, etc.).
Equally important, you need to realize that a travel trailer restoration combines aspects from the automotive and housing industries, and, in the case of Airstream-style campers, aviation construction as well. For example, you may have a strong carpentry sense but lack metal fabrication skills such as welding, or lack 12-volt electrical experience but are competent in 110-volt household wiring.
You can hire a metal shop to straighten and reinforce an old chassis, including replacing axles or adding under-floor mounts for water tanks, for example. The shop can also treat the chassis with a rust-preventative coating. These things can be performed while you’re focusing on other aspects, such as restoring cabinets and hardware, if that’s your skillset.
Like cars, boats, and planes, campers are built in facilities specially designed to efficiently assemble the unit. Working in a pole barn, garage, or driveway limits your resources. Fortunately, there are clever work-arounds to make the restoration process possible. Intermountain Airstream is a factory-authorized retailer and service shop in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Because these trailers use a riveted body, you might want to outsource panel replacement and bodywork to someone who is proficient in aluminum fabrication, often found in the airplane world.
Throughout the build, there will be plenty of large purchases. Budgeting for these will help keep the restoration on schedule and within your goal.
Once you’ve acquired a camper to restore, it helps to make a list of its needs, based on the discussions in various chapters in this book: chassis, floor, body, house electrical, insulation, interior skin, cabinets, appliance and hardware, propane, plumbing, windows, and polish.
You can also list what you plan to spend on each section (in both time and money). For reference, this little Cruisette required nearly 400 shop hours from commission to completion.
Tools and Equipment
When manufactured, Airstreams, Spartans, Boles Aeros, etc., were constructed in a factory specially designed for camper production and assembly. Unfortunately, you probably will not have access to all the resources that a factory possesses. A handy person, however, is capable of many things in his or her own driveway, including separating a riveted shell from its chassis.
At the top you see a couple of hammers and assorted dollies used to shape sheet metal. The blue tape helps prevent marring surfaces. At the bottom (left to right) are a grinder with cut-off wheel and pneumatic shears, aviation hand shears (the handle colors coordinate with the blade: red cuts right, green left, and yellow straight), and a hand seamer. These are just a few of the metal-working tools necessary to perform restoration on a vintage aluminum camper.
Making a Brake
The bend I needed was too deep for my shop’s brake with a 1½-foot throat; it required either setting up a job order from a local sheet-metal business or fabricating my own tool. I chose the latter due to the relative softness and malleability of the .032 5052 aluminum and resources on hand. If this bend had been attempted with typical .040 2024 T3 Airstream upper-body panels, there’d be little success due to the needed leverage and lack of edge-holding capabilities of this setup.
Using poplar board stock
