As a few of my long time reader’s know my husband and I are in the process of renovating a 1968 Airstream Overlander. My original Airstream post was lost in the migration to WordPress, so I wanted to re-introduce our big project and take time to share our progress throughout 2011.
In November 2009, my husband and I decided we NEEDED a vintage Airstream to fix up. At the time we were on the east coast. He had just come home from a four month deployment and I had just finished a four month art program, studying classical drawing and design in Pennsylvania. Alfred had been living in a wooden shack and I had been living on the 4th floor attic of a warehouse with four or five other students. Neither one of our living conditions were what we were used to (to say the least)…it was then I decided we NEEDED a “home away from home.” What could be better? You design the interior to suit your needs/style and you pack it up and take it with you…it’s a win/win every time.
I started seriously obsessing over vintage Airstreams and by the time Alfred got home from his deployment, I had found the “perfect” one….a 1968 26′ Overlander, located in North Carolina (I was in WV at the time). I found it on ebay.
This is the original photo from the ebay listing
We purchased it on ebay and that weekend drove to North Carolina to pick it up!
After we picked it up we spent a couple nights camping in Asheville, NC. From there we drove it to Maryland to visit Alfred’s family, through West Virginia to show off our new prize to my family and began the long trek back to New Mexico, Airstream in tow.
In Maryland, visiting family
Along the way we learned there was a HUGE leak in the plumbing, which had apparently been patched with garden hose…not a good idea.
We also learned our car was not very well equipped to pull a 26′ Airstream. We traveled 25 miles per hour up Mount Airy in North Carolina, getting passed by truck after truck.
We then drove 55 mph all the way across the country-through an ice storm. In Kansas we found out the door had a hairline crack which allowed air to get between the door and eventually swung the door wide open as we were driving down the interstate…we had to duck tape the door shut for the rest of the trip. It was an interesting trip to say the least, full of surprises and one we will never forget. Our car was a champ the whole time and I now am forever a huge Nissan fan.
We have slowly been making progress throughout the year. We have made a lot of progress, but have a long road ahead. Here are a few highlights along the way…
Demo Day, before Demo began…
Starting the Demo…
I started removing the floor, and Alfred started removing the furniture
At the end of a hard day’s work…gutted!
After the Airstream was gutted, Alfred began removing wall panels and repairing the bathroom floor (which was rotten due to leaky garden hose plumbing).
Repairing the floor has been a HUGE project, the most time consuming to date. Alfred ran into problem after problem. He found more and more leaky areas, had to cut the floor just right to fit the space and had to remove part of the exterior wall to slide the floor into place. It has been very time consuming, but he is a champ and now it looks amazing!
Now that the floor has been removed and replaced, Alfred say’s we’re onto the FUN part!
All of the walls and insulation have been removed and it is time to replace the electrical, this is the start of putting it all back together!
I hope to keep you updated more in 2012. Unfortunately, the Airstream sat untouched and alone for a few cold months of 2011, but we’re back on track and looking forward to taking it camping in 2012 (hopefully).
To follow along with our progress check back on the Airstream page every once in awhile by clicking the Airstream photo on the sidebar. All of the Airstream posts will be archived together.
Linking Up to:
The Blooming Hydrangea 2011 Year in Review
Southern Hospitality Top Projects of 2011 Party
Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party
What a cool (but massive!) project to take on! I’m anxious to see the end result, after all of that hard work!
Oh my gosh Elizabeth!! What an awesome and exciting project!! WOW! How fun to work on that one together, too. Please update us on this one. So fun to see a “home” outside the norm be renovated and transformed.
Lisa
Wishing you and your hubby a very happy 2012! Thanks for all the fun over here this year! {I especially loved Bam or Slam!}
Wow! What an amzing DIY project! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
How awesome! This will be fun to follow as the “putting back together” is like a puzzle. I love to camp and can’t imagine how fun it would be to have a vintage Airstream!
Cathy
Oh my goodness, what a great project! I can remember you mentioning it here and there but I never saw all of this demo – huge props to you guys for all of your work on this. And what a trip cross country too. We are owners of a Nissan and I absolutely love it – I would definitely go Nissan again as well. I can’t wait to see what you do with this, but keep tinkering and working hard. I’m amazed at all of the projects you do – very fun!
Y’all are some crazy DIYers…I LOVE IT! I can’t even believe the transformation that has already taken place in that thing…it’s going to be the coolest Airstream *EVER*…I’m going to have to take a road trip down to good ol’ NM to take a tour (c:
Oh my gosh is right! What a wonderful project and to see it from the very beginning….i can’t wait to see the progress you make in the coming year.
Happy new Year!
xo
annie
What a great project and challenge!
I wish I was there to participate!
Catherine
It looks like you are making some great progress! My hubby and I bought a 1977 Airstream Overlander in June of this year. We gutted the inside {though not quite as much as you did} and we are working on getting it renovated now. So far we have walls back up, the closet assembled, the back bed put together, and we are working on the bathroom now. Stopping by from TT&J!
Oh I have always wanted a camper and what is more perfect than this project? Wow! I am so excited to see this when it’s ready. Your husband is a champ and with your beautiful touch this Airstream will be a dream. Happy New Year and thanks for linking up!
Wow, now that is a project! Looks like a lot of hard work, I bet it’s going to look amazing when you’re done. Good luck!
I’m your newest follower from tatertots and jello so stop by for a visit!
I love this!! I’ve always wanted to go “glamping!” So excited for you. I’m glad you’re on to the fun part now. All those wires and “guts” would completely intimidate me
Looking forward to seeing your progress this year. Happy 2012!!
I laughed so hard thinking about the door flying open then the duct tape. Sorry, I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time! Our neighbors have a pretty sweet Airstream, I am so jealous of it. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Hi Elizabeth, I have a friend who HAD an Airstream Pod (60′s). It was here today and gone tomorrow. Someone backed up their car with a hitch and took off with it – never to be seen again. Make sure yours is “locked down”.
Hi Elizabeth,
It was interesting reading your website as my husband and I just purchased a ’68 Overlander 3 days ago and gutted it today. We are planning on using our Overlander as a “cottage’ as we have some lakeside property. We have more flexibility as to how we’re going to furnish and finish our airstream as we don’t have to worry about weight and towing. We’re not looking forward to repacing those rotting floors after reading about Alfred’s hurdles! Leaky windows are our culprits.
I hope your project is going well!
Lisa