Renovation Underway for a 1965 Airstream Globetrotter

If Airstreams could talk, you’d probably hear some great stories from the first days of this trailer.

Dubbed “The Banana Boat,” one can only imagine the many Mai Tai’s and Daquiris that might have been sipped in proximity of this vintage 20 ft. Airstream 1965 Globetrotter. Found on Craigslist, like most vintage Airstreams, this trailer wasn’t in great shape, but now is being given new life by a devoted restorer, who, from what she told us, is doing an enormous amount of research.

Dena Marean invited us up to Mill Creek yesterday to see her Airstream 20 ft Globetrotter in process of being fully restored. She has a wonderful story of how she came to love this Airstream, but I’m sure she’ll tell it when she begins writing about it in her own way. It was also great to meet a number of other vintage and Airstream and RV enthusiasts as well while we were there.

Dena has embarked on an amazing adventure piecing each part of the trailer back together from scratch. The hull is lifted in the air on some lifts and is undergoing panel replacement and window repair.

Here is the hull from the inside:

The chassis has undergone a full rust abatement program of sandblasting, frame welding and new paint.

The windows are being stripped of paint and then will be polished and put back in place.

The subfloor is being completely replaced and the hull will be restored to a fine shine.

Dena has amazing friends who are letting her use their large barn and workshop to help her restore her dream. She hopes to have the hull completely restored by March and is now working with a designer to begin thinking up a cool interior.

It is amazing all of the things she’s thought of already, and, like remodeling a home, there are so many choices to make and people to talk to. One of the people there yesterday was already helping her with the chassis and pointing out issues. The wonderful thing about fellow ‘streamers is their willingness to offer help and advice in the friendliest possible ways.

We wish Dena much success, look forward to watching her progress, and can’t wait to see her on some of our trips out for the weekend. After all, she has this map to restore and begin filling in with color.