Sleek. Charming. Classic.
These are not words you’d typically use to describe the monstrous recreational vehicles you see cruising down the highway, but that’s what makes an Andy’s Trailer stand out from the crowd.
Andy’s Trailers both are, and are not, your dad’s RV. Back in 2013, Andy Schnack decided to buy a vintage Airstream trailer and renovate it for his own use.
“After living in it a short time, I decided I wanted a larger model,” he said. “And when I went to sell it, it proved very easy. At that point I realized there was a business here.”
With a multifaceted background in philosophy, carpentry and general contracting, Schnack said his knowledge of travel trailers has been gained through hands-on experience.
“We work specifically on trailers built like airplanes with riveted aluminum construction, so it’s a very specialized trade,” he said. “Over the years, our projects have become more and more ambitious, requiring me to buy tools to do aircraft style riveting, aluminum polishing, etc.”
Schnack has two employees and hires local fabricators as needed for certain aspects of each build, such as welding, glass and mirror, home automation technology, and CNC fabrication. He dedicates up to a full year to renovate and revive trailers he acquires sometimes through luck and persistence. Completed projects include detailed renovations of Airstream, Argosy, Spartan and other vintage makes and models. His specialty is 1950s and 1960s Airstream and Spartan trailers.
“These, in my opinion, are the best travel trailers ever manufactured,” he said.
Before the hands-on work begins, Schnack must first find his diamonds in the rough, which he said typically involved a nationwide search through a combination of classified ads, internet forums and word of mouth.
“We’re fortunate to have reached a point where people contact me when they’re looking to sell, which is how I’ve found most of our latest projects,” he added.
Andy’s Trailers range in price from $50,000 to $300,000 for his largest and most luxurious designs. Each is a labor of love.
“We typically spend six to 12 months on a project,” he said. “All our trailers are fully rebuilt, which means taking them down to the frame, and rebuilding them with modernized running gear, electrical, plumbing, appliances etc. This is a big difference from other renovators, who may only focus on cosmetic details and surface level details.”
Some of our Andy’s Trailers are spec builds — where he designs the interiors, and his team builds them out to sell as completed projects. Others are custom jobs.
“Someone might be looking for a hotel suite, vacation rental, home office, mobile studio, etc.,” he said. “In which case I will find a good project trailer to purchase as the base for their concept. I prefer this over people bringing a trailer they bought themselves, as I can do a pre-inspection that can spot any major issues and ultimately save money down the line. I will travel all over the country to find project trailers.”
The company specializes in rebuilds and reconstructions but not repairs.
“We don’t offer repair services or partial renovations because it’s important to our process to ensure all the frame and structural components are in good condition before working on the interior design (which is what most people are interested in),” he explained. “These old trailers almost always have deeper issues that make repair work untenable — think, ‘can of worms.’ You start taking something apart and you will find 10 other things that need addressing. I’ve found it’s difficult to make a profit or provide a service that people can afford when it comes to repairs.”
Schnack said the lack of technicians who do repair work on vintage trailers is the reason he has a closed shop and doesn’t post business hours.
“The fact we don’t do repairs is often disappointing news to people who find us online,” he said.
Andy’s Trailers does, however, offers a diverse portfolio of other services. The business has a small fleet of vehicles available for rent locally as backgrounds in feature film, TV projects and photo shoots, and can provide services for those looking for guidance with their own DIY trailer restoration.
“For TV/film, [the rental rate] varies based on the project and how they intend to use the trailer,” he said. “Sometimes it is simply a scenic background, and other times it’s a bigger part of the storyline. Those rates are typically $500 to $1,400 per day. The rate is normally set by the studio and is a take-it-or-leave-it situation.
For technical consultations, he charges $100 per hour.
“We also do pre-purchase inspections for people who’ve found a trailer they want to buy,” he noted. “That entails going over the systems, running gear and frame/chassis and writing a report. The rate for that is $200 to $400.”
Lately, Schnack has been thinking big.
“We’ve focused on very large Spartan trailers that are 50 feet long, making them more of a mobile home than something you would tour the country with,” he said. “These trailers will become part of a hotel project in California.”
Schnack’s love for travel and all things vintage continues to be the main motivation behind the business.
“I love the backroads and exploring the smaller and less known parks, like national forests. Small towns also fascinate me. Anything you could call a ‘time capsule’ is an immediate pit stop for me.”
DID YOU KNOW?
37 million Americans plan to take an RV trip this summer, with travelers increasingly prioritizing road trips, closer-to-home destinations, and vacations that provide greater control over spending and schedules
58% of leisure travelers saying they want to take an RV trip because they see it as a more affordable way to travel.
More than 55% of travelers plan to bring pets on vacation this summer, seeing RVing as a convenient and cost-effective way to travel with animals.
49% of travelers said they plan to work remotely by RV this summer, a slight growth from last summer (46%).
Source: The RV Industry Association
Andy’s Trailers
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