Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Robinson.
Hi Richard, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Seeing a shiny Airstream on the road one day initially sparked my interest in owning one. I already had some extra warehouse space available at our street sweeping business, which we had started back in 1998, so I thought why not get my hands on one..it will be fun!
It all began in 2013 with buying a 1974 Airstream, which was located a few hours from home. We towed it home and parked it in the back yard and started dreaming of having a retro, shiny camper.
Fast forward to 2018. Yes, the dreams of the polished ‘74 Airstream had gone to the back burner after we purchased a 2014 motor home since we caught the camping bug and wanted to get out there right away.
I finally finished the ‘74 restoration, polished it and uploaded some photos to Facebook under a page I created just for fun, Vintage Metal Trailers.
I’d say within a few weeks I was contacted by a woman who had inherited a 1956 Airstream that was bought new by her grandfather. She wanted me to improve the electrical system and install a holding tank. She also wanted a “mirror shine” on the exterior. I took the job!!
Before I had even finished the 1956, I was contacted by another woman who had a 1958 Airstream. She wanted a full rebuild!!
That was the moment I decided to take Vintage Metal Trailers to the next level! I started posting lots of update photos of my work to both FB and Instagram.
Slowly, I brought on a few employees. As of today, I still only have 3 people working with me because I want to treat every trailer as it was my own and keeping my company small allows me to do that.
Today, we restore an average of four vintage campers at a time. We have also branched out into repairs and modifications of newer Airstreams. We work within our 10,000 sq ft facility in Saint Cloud, FL and we have an extensive wait list of dedicated trailer owners.
We are not exclusive to Airstream but all metal campers, currently working on 1946 Vagabond, 1959, 1974, 1972 and a 1964 Airstream with a 1960 Holiday House waiting to come in. We welcome visitors and we walk them through all the different stages of restorations going on. My passion is listening to my customers wants and making them come to life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
You have to find the right employee for this kind of work. Finding someone with the proper skills is difficult, for example, a technician would have to know how to troubleshoot electrical 12 volts and 120 volts, plumbing, propane, brakes, etc.. lots to know!! We build all the custom furniture, we sew custom sheets to fit the odd shaped mattresses, make custom curtains, then there’s all the metal work and polishing, it’s a lot!!
But every day is different and my guys like that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Vintage Metal Trailers restores and remodels all types of aluminum trailers but mostly Airstream brand. We offer custom interior design with CAD drawings so that our customers can see what their trailer will look like once built. We offer aluminum trailer polishing. We repair new Airstreams, replace or repair dented aluminum panels, install appliances and remodel the interior to match existing cabinets and trim. We are a ZipDee awning dealer and install or repair awnings. We install trailer axles and lift kits. We offer shell-off restorations and build all our interior furniture in-house. We fabricate parts for hard to find trailer items.
What matters most to you?
Quality. Everything has to be top notch, we are building high end trailer interiors and we need to deliver the best to our customers. I want Vintage Metal Trailers to be the best. I find myself thinking about improving our craft. I’m constantly doing research to make sure we have the right tools and equipment.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vintage Metal trailers.com
- Instagram: @vintagemetaltrailers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BbLskffjh/?mibextid=wwXIfr
