{By Kelly}

In order to get a move on restoring Riva, I knew we needed a deadline. We’re both writers, so deadlines are deeply familiar. We needed something to light a fire under our arses, or else we would procrastinate indefinitely.

When fellow Airstream aficionado, Jean, told us about a vintage trailer rally hosted by The Trailer Company in Melbourne in April, I knew that should be our goal. Given Riva’s delicate state, it would be perfect – only an hour and a half from home. Far enough for a test drive, but not too far away. Plus, we had a wedding nearby, so this would enable us to enjoy ourselves without having to drive all the way home.

BUT… we had A LOT to do.

Justin had finished the subfloor, but we still needed to put the laminate floor on top (thankfully we had a nice supply of remnants, courtesy of my parents’ recent remodeling job). We also needed to paint the interior walls and ceiling, remove the window shaker A/C unit, replace and seal several of the windows, seal all the cracks, replace vents, put the cabinetry back together and install a new countertop, assemble the futon and get curtains, install exterior and interior lights... Plus much more, but those were the things on our immediate list.

So, we spent many late nights and early mornings working on Riva. We got most of our work done, reserving a few “minor” tasks that we would complete at the rally.

{By Justin}

It didn’t take long for me to realize that our banquette was sitting on of top rotten plywood.

I knew the subfloor was shot the first time we stepped inside Riva. Most people would never realize it’s a problem until they actually see the damage, so it’s important to notice how the flooring feels when you step into a vintage camper.

Does it feel soft or creek when stepped on? A subfloor should feel solid and firm. If it doesn’t, then you’ll most likely need to replace a section or two somewhere down the line.

While the previous owner had constructed a fine banquette, it still didn’t hide the fact that it took up too much room and that was sitting right on top of the worst section of subfloor.

The entire subfloor in the front-end cap needed to be replaced, which meant  the banquette had to go and something else put in its place.

Up until now, we had every intention of repurposing the banquette into our redesign, but soon realized that keeping it would’ve been a bad move.

In lieu of the banquette, we decided to go with a futon, which would provide a nice couch and sleeping area. We would eat outdoors mostly, and if it was raining, we could sit on the futon couch and use TV trays. The banquette was difficult to get in and out of anyway.

{By Kelly}

We recently made a trip to the Tampa area to obtain parts for our 1960 Airstream Overlander, The Riveted Roost.

We met our new friends, Jean and Suzie, at the Florida State Rally in Sarasota in mid-February. Jean had offered us the Dometic refrigerator that he had removed from his 1966 Overlander. 

We left Stuart at 5:30 a.m. and met up with them in Largo, excited to learn they also had a ceiling vent frame with lifts and a screen they no longer needed. 

Thank you, Jean and Suzie – your Overlander has saved our Riveted Roost with this generous “organ donation.”

We also had an appointment with Frank Bates, owner of Bates RV in Dover - Frank is another contact we made at the Florida State Rally. He’s planning an art installment made from totaled Airstreams and he offered us the opportunity to see if we could salvage any parts from a 1980’s model.

While we didn’t find much that would jive with our 60’s trailer, Justin was able to remove the breaker box and wiring from the closet in the rear bathroom. Ours was missing since the last owner hooked up directly to shore power. We were pleased to find a grounded, three wire set up, since ours was only two wire originally – and not very safe! We also purchased some Acryl-R sealant and an applicator to keep Riva’s seams sealed and her interior dry.

While at Bates RV, we had to get a closer look at the infamous Airstream Ranch that we passed on our way in. Inspired by the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, Frank Bates engineered the Airstream Ranch in 2007 to pay homage to Airstream’s 75th anniversary.

While some Airstream devotees see the buried trailers as a sacrilege, it is intended to be a work of art and tribute to the iconic aluminum trailer. Mostly salvaged from junkyards or beyond repair, the Airstreams are buried 6 to 8 feet deep at a 20-degree angle and the models range from 1957 to 1994 and 16 to 34 feet in length.

The eight precarious trailers are visible from I-4 between Plant City and Tampa, near exit 14 in Dover. Stop by Bates RV and they can give you instructions to safely view the Airstream Ranch. I actually thought the cows in front of the Airstreams were real at first glance, but they turned out to be wooden cutouts, ha ha!

Our trip was short and sweet, as we both had to get back to Stuart for 7 p.m. engagements. It felt good to find some of the key items we need to get Riva functioning and travel-worthy. Next on the list: tires, new windows and plumbing!

Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost, and find us on Facebook and Instagram.