We bought an Airstream!

If you didn’t know, Chad and I have been looking for an Airstream for the last year. We have spent weeks searching every Craigslist ad in a 5 hour radius, scoured Airstream Classifieds and Search Tempest for anything “promising,” and walked through some of the nastiest, neglected Airstreams around. With a budget on the lower end, it took us a long time to find an Airstream that was in good condition on the outside, but also didn’t need every last item on the inside replaced. But, we weren’t willing to settle.

Our list of requirements was a little bit longer than that:

• Frame in good condition
• No major dents in the shell
• Tow ready
• Plumbing and electrical in decent condition
• Ideally some salvageable interior structure

Lucky for us, a few weekends ago we both were searching Airstream listings individually when we both stumbled upon the same ad. We both shared the listing with each other, and decided if we both thought it was worthy of sharing with the other, it was definitely worth checking into further! Chad called the number on the listing and the owner was nice enough to send over some updated photos. Once we saw the state of the interior and exterior, we knew we needed to make the drive to see it in real life before we lost the opportunity. (These things go FAST!)

Two days later we made the 3 1/2 hour drive to Lake of the Ozarks, MO. We pulled up to the Airstream, and it actually looked like the photos!? (A little unheard of compared to some of the other ones we’ve gone to see). One of the front windows was missing, which we already knew from the photos, but other than that there were no surprises! While yes, it was a little bit dirty, the structure looked really good! No major dents: check.

The owners took us into the inside to show us all that the 70’s decor had to offer! Shag carpet, orange counters, orange and brown plaid upholstery. If you’ve seen That 70’s Show, then you’ve seen the inside of our Airstream. The couple was so sweet and let us tear the inside apart a bit to ensure there was no mold or any major concerns. They even had the electrical already hooked up for us and had the radio playing on the inside so we knew it was in working condition! Some salvageable interior structure: check.

The wife told us stories about driving the Airstream around the country with her dad, and she was excited for someone to renovate it back to its’ original purpose. We told her our plan of driving it all around the United States and even trying to take it up into Canada. Chad and I pretty much knew at that point that this Airstream was meant to be. The only problem, money.

The Airstream was originally listed for $2,000 above our budget, but previously when Chad had talked to the owners on the phone, they had brought it down to $1,000 within our budget. Chad and I went to lunch to discuss where we stood on money, what we thought we could manage, and if we were really ready to make the investment. The answer to the last question was an obvious yes, but we knew we needed to try to negotiate in order to not blow our budget out of the water. So, we called the owners back up and offered the original amount we had set for our budget. And miraculously and so kindly, THEY SAID YES!

Guys, we own an Airstream!? We bought a freaking Airstream. A little home on wheels. With all of the potential in the world. That we can make our own. And take anywhere! With our pets. Excitement is an understatement.

Now begins the fun part. Tearing our beauty up a bit so we can build him back up even better. With his same charm, and maybe even a little 70’s flare. (But don’t worry the shag carpet is already gone).

EVERYONE MEET ROCKY! Rocky will be hitting the road in a few months, but in the meantime, follow along with our renovation updates on our YouTube Channel!