Who can resist viewing & buying a snack from an Airstream trailer painted & modified to look like a hot dog? Likewise patrons will always remember enjoying a gourmet cup-cake from an Airstream with frosting on top or buying a vintage pair of jeans from a highly polished vintage Airstream clothing boutique. Good feelings come from being around and stepping inside a trailer that was built 50 years ago. Going inside a Vintage trailer you may find furnishings, fabric and amenities that one would see and use in the 1950’s. It is literally like stepping back into history.
Airstreams are the oldest manufacturer and most well-known RV. They are not the biggest or the most luxurious, but they are the most recognized. They have been termed an American Icon. It Is believed that nearly 70% of all Airstreams made are still rolling down the highways. The outside overall shape has remained relatively the same for all of the years with only slight changes.
Wally Byam, was the founder of Air-stream In1931. His company points out that he “was a visionary who grasped the societal urge to journey and commune with like-minded peo-ple”. Wally towed his eye catching 1957 gold anodized 22′ Airstream trailer with his 1957 Ford Station Wagon. He recognized in himself and others the desire to rediscover old places and see new locations. Automobile camping is a long American tradition dating back to the1920’s with the automobile boom. We seem to look for the opportunity to be self-sufficient, crave the beauty & freedom of the open road, and enjoy the time with our family and now the ironic use of technology to get in touch with nature. The pioneer trail wagons could be considered the first American RV and interestingly they sort of look like an early wood and canvas Airstream.
Airstream trailers have had many “firsts· in the industry including the first holding tank, the first ladder frame, the first pressurized water system and the first fully self-contained travel trailer. Airstream Co. states their travel trailer’s aero-dynamics cuts drag by 20% vs. square box trailers. This equates to better fuel economy than towing a conventional trailer. The craftsmanship, airplane like interior details and the round soft inside and outside design appeal and draw our attention.
To own an Airstream adds a touch of class, a sense of discovery, and the feeling of belonging. A quick online search finds there are many clubs. blogs, groups & websites that subscribe to the adventure & experience of having & using an Airstream. There are many Celebrity owners of new & Vintage Airstream Trailers. John F. Kennedy had a mobile Airstream Office, Neil Armstrong was quarantined after Apollo 11in anAirstream and currently the U.S. government uses them strapped down Inside a few military cargo planes as a type of flying comfortable office.
Airstream trailers have been literally towed all over the world. You can see photos of them planted in the ground, in Cape Town South Africa, at the Temples in South America and circled up camping next to the Egyptian Pyramids. They are a symbol of style, freedom & adventure. They have earned our interest & admiration. The design offers a low center of gravity and the Independent torsion axle gives the trailer great control regardless of the roads condition.
So whether you own a Vintage Airstream that is restored to its original state, an updated older Airstream having the look of the past but with modern style & features, or if you have a modem Airstream, you belong to a proud and envious club, a movement, an adventure, and you are a member of this Aluminum American Icon.
By: Adam Blair Owner of Avalon RV in Benicia, CA where they do restorations & repairs on Airstreams and other Vintage trailers.
E-mail him at Adam@avalon-rv.com.
Photo Credit: John and Phyllis Greens 1957 Airstream Bubble and 1949 Chevy Pick-Up.
