Steps to Take When Restoring a Vintage Airstream Part 4

As you look around your vintage Airstream you should be able to see it really coming alive. Now that all the mechanical stuff is in working order, the floors are repaired, the walls are repainted and the cabinets fixed and back in place, you are getting really close to having your vintage Airstream fully restored.

First in this section we are going to look at repairing your fiberglass tub and shower. If your fiberglass tub and shower have cracks in it you can repair these pretty easily without having to replace it all.

Use Almond and White Porcelain repair liquid to repair all the cracks and chips in your fiberglass tub and shower. Just work the liquid into all the cracks and chipped areas and then wipe it with toluene or a lacquer thinner.

Now if you have a large amount of damage there is still something you can do without having to replace the whole thing. Repair the large damaged area using fiberglass resin and mat. Then spray it all with a colored gel coat. The best place to get these materials is Fiberglass Coatings, Inc. If you really don't want to try and do this yourself then you can outsource this work to a fiberglass shower stall shop.

If your faucet parts are corroded or in need of any parts, you are in luck on getting replacements for those. Airstream used standard brand name fixtures that you can still get from most hardware and plumbing stores. For era appropriate replacements, just look in the manufacturer's all-chrome utility line. This also applies to your kitchen sink as well.

If your shower head is missing you can still pick these up from Alsons. They make both the 1950s and 1960s version with the chrome body and they also make the 1970s molded plastic version. Almost any plumbing supply place can get them for you or you can order them off of the internet.

Let's look at the toilet in your vintage Airstream. Did someone previously replace the toilet with a plastic porta-potty? Or did you acquire your vintage Airstream without a toilet in it? If either one of these fits your situation, you can get a great duplicate of the original porcelain toilet from Sealand Marine.

Now that you have everything back into place, you need to check your work and make sure that there are no leaks. Once you have everything back into place with no leaks, you are done and ready to start customizing your vintage Airstream.

Company Contact Information:

Fiberglass Coatings, Inc.
http://www.fgci.com/
(727) 327-8117

Alsons
http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Brands/Alsons/9

Sealand Marine
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=58&Click=305