Airstream History - - - -
Don
The following is a history of the Airstream trailer and the Airstream
company. Comments, corrections and additions are welcomed. Delete
the spamblock from the e-mail address. You may also see this article
complete with PHOTOS of Bowlus and vintage Airstream and Argosy
trailers at www.calldon.com/arsh9704.htm.
Enjoy!
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AIRSTREAM
The Silver Palace On Wheels
Revised August, 1998
For over twenty years I have been interested in Airstream travel
trailers. After being a "non-traveling" citizen for around 15 years, I
have decided to reawaken my interest in RVing in general and
Airstreams in particular. In 1995, I began to search for information
on the history of the company and the trailers by writing Airstream
President Larry Huttle with many questions about the Airstream
Company. He responded with a very polite letter and a one-page
information sheet on the Airstream. Because of the great detail of my
questions, the short information sheet only touched on the things I
wanted to find out. When I called the company to get some more
information, no one to whom I spoke knew very much about the history
of the product or the company. So, I went "on-line" to the
world-wide-web and began to ask questions. There were so many people
who were willing to share information about Airstreams.
The following is gathered from many different Airstream owners. I will
continue to add to this as I receive new information. Most of this was
in their original words with only slight editing. I have filled in the
gaps and tried to make it more readable. Thanks to all who contributed
invaluable information.
Thanks especially to Dan Dureiko, an expert of vintage cars, vintage
trains and vintage Airstreams. And a special thanks goes to
Rutherford (Bud) Cooper, master historian of Airstream.
The beginnings...
Most of my writing concerns Airstream from the 1960s and later. To
just touch on the beginning, Wally Byam began building trailers in
his back yard in the 1930s. Before he would finish a trailer,
someone would want to buy it. It soon became a full-time occupation
for him. He called his new trailer company AIRSTREAM. The trailers
were fairly standard looking for the era with some influences from the
European styles of design.
Around 1935, he became associated with William Hawley Bowlus who was a
pioneer in airplane design and builder of the historic airplane, "The
Spirit of '76." At the time, Bowlus was building a trailer of stressed
alluminum. He wanted Wally Byam for his sales and marketing expertise.
Due to some financial troubles, Bowlus declared bankruptcy in 1936.
Although Wally Byam was not at the auction, he bought some of the
Bowlus equipment and re-employ a few of his workers. In early
1936, the aluminum trailers were sold with the Bolus nameplate. After
the bankruptcy sale and before the end of 1936, a trailer with the
AIRSTREAM nameplate was on the market which was virtually identical to
the Bowlus products.
The Bowlus Trailers...
In November, 1996, I received some information from Raul Blacksten who
is the Vintage Sailplane Association Archivist. He mentioned that
Wally Byam had worked for Bowlus-Teller Mfg....
"...selling the Bowlus 'Road Chief' and 'Papoose'
trailers. When Bowlus-Teller went belly up, Byam asked Hawley Bowlus
if he minded if he, Byam, kept on. Bowlus said he neither minded,
nor was there anything he could do about it."
"The result was that the 1936 Airstream looks very much like the
1935 Bowlus Road Chief. The major exterior difference is that the
Bowlus door is over the tongue and the Airstream door is on the side."
(This was because of the frame design. The first thing Byam did was to
redesign the frame so that the door COULD be moved to the side!)
On my web sight, I have pages of a 1936 Bowlus Beautifully Restored
and 1948 Airstream.
To see more restored and unrestored Airstreams from 1938 and later:
Over the next twenty years, the silver Airstream was constantly
refined and gained a reputation as the best on the road. These early
Airstream models had names which corresponded to the size.
During the 1950s, the Airstream design evolved into a standard
bodystyle which was consistant until the late 1960s. The next major
bodystyle change was in '68 for the 1969 model year. That body
lasted until the '94 models.
Airstream Monikers Over The Years...
When I first began writing this paper, Dan Dureiko gave me a very
complete list of corresponding names and sizes. Published in a recent
issue of the Vintage Airstream Club Newsletter was an almost identical
list from Bud Cooper, founder of the Vintage Airstream Club. Below I
have simply combined the two lists.
From the '40s and '50s...
Cruisette 15'
Wee Wind 16'
Bubble 16'
Pacer 17'
Wanderer 18'
Caravel 18'
Flying Cloud 21'
Globtrotter 22'
Safari 22'
Caravanner 22'
Caravanner 23'
Tradewind 24'
Overlander 26'
Ambassador 28'
From the 1960s to 1968...
Bambi 14'
Bambi 16'
Pacer 16'
Bambi II 17'
Caravelle 17'
Globetrotter 19'
Globetrotter 20'
Safari 22'
Tradewind 24'
Overlander 26'
Ambassador 28'
Sovereign 30'
Beginning 1969 model year (new bodystyle)
Caravel 18
Globetrotter 21'
Safari 23'
Tradewind 25'
Overlander 27'
Ambassador 29'
Sovreign 31'
Excella 500 31'
The International Package included small options and water filter. The
Caravelle name came back for a couple of years in the early '80's on a
small 21-23" Airstream.
An Airstreamer added,
"I believe that the Excella 500 package was an upgrade from the
Excella package in later 70's model years. The first upgrade packages
were just only available on 31' models and were called Excella's.
They were distinguished by having a solid blue band about 6" wide
painted the entire length of the trailer. The non-Excella model
Airstreams had one or two blue stripes painted along the sides. The
Excella 500 package was a real luxury package with things like built
in central vacs and special clocks, if memory serves!"
The name/size relationship ended around '82 or '83, when all sizes
could be had in several series, Sovreign, Excella, and Limited. Also,
sizes and names etc were not consistant and changed every
few years. The first year for 34' Triple axle size was 1983.
Some Comments About The Rear Bath...
One Airstreamer said this,
"We own a '77 31' Airstream, and my research says about 25% of
models made around that time were rear bath models. Unfortunately, in
the 70's two things happened: Airstream attempted to redesign the body
/ frame for lighter weight and better mileage, and also, AIrstream
was purchased by Beatrice Foods. Our '77 model is typical of rear bath
models of that vintage in that there has been significant frame
warp around the wheels, which, if left untreated, will cause the body
to warp and bulge badly. We had the frame reinforced and had the rear
end tied back to the frame where it had separated. This is a fairly
common job on rear bath models at Airstream dealers, and it cost us
about $1700 to restore our Airstream in this way."
He added,
"I would suspect that Airstream saw what was happening after only
a few years and discontinued the rear bath models due to frame
problems."
Charlie Burk is an Airstream-trained RV technician. He added this
about the drooping tail and adding black water tanks to an older
Airstream,
"...When Airstream added the grey tank in 1973 they didn't take
it into consideration either and had problems with "tail droop".
Keeping the tanks forward is a good idea, Airstream figured it out in
the early '70's. The original idea for rear bath was to offset
the weight of the front mounted water tank. A principle goal way
back when was to balance the load and reduce tongue weight. Thus the
brag you could tow an Airstream with a bicycle. (And you could)
Centering the fresh water tanks over the wheel wells sounds good. You
might consider plumbing them with a common feed line at the bottom so
you can use a single input to fill, a single output to the pump and a
low point drain."
The rear bath came back again around '89 or '90 in the 30 ft. for two
years. Not many were made. The smaller Airstreams made in the 80's
(23',25',and 27') were all rear bath models. The approximate Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating for them was 5800 to 6200 lbs.
Most of the weight in the newer models is from the Oak cabinets and
corian countertops. When people stopped using cars and went to
suburbans and club wagons, why worry about weight? They
are about 1,000lbs heavier after '84 or so.
The Argosy Trailers and Motorhomes...
Here is some information about the Argosy line of trailers and
motorhomes. Charlie Burk said,
"Argosy began possibly around '71 thru late '70s early 80's. The
Argosy motorhome started in 1975 and production stopped in 1979. They
were built in a separate facility in Versailles, OH. In 1979 there
were three models of motorhomes built. The Argosy, a painted Airstream
(truly an Argosy with Airstream logos and different paint scheme)
and the first silver bullet Airstream motorhome."
The Argosy trailers were also built at the Versailles, Ohio plant.
Charlie continued,
"You could not actually strip and Argosy and find an Airstream.
The Argosy motorhome (and the '79 painted Airstream) were built
differently. The upper rear segment was a one piece steel segement.
True Airstream motorhomes used 5 aluminum segments instead. The
motorhome and trailer underwent a significant structural design
change in mid 1982. It is not readily apparent except in the
trailer lower segments."
The Argosy trailers have the one-piece steel segment in the front
instead of the 5 aluminum segments. The Argosy trailers also had
slightly different interior appointments, supposedly not as
"nice." Personally, I liked them both, Argosy and Airstream.
One Airstream feature over the years has been tambour doors on
cabinets. They were lightweight and looked good. Charlie had this info
about them,
"The tambour doors were used extensively by Airstream starting in
1970. They are still used in small applications today. From 70-73 the
tambour used was paper backed with a 3/8" strip face. Starting in 74
the tambour was canvas backed and had 1/2" wide strip face."
Also in the late seventies, all the company operations were moved to
Jackson Center, Ohio and the complete Argosy line and name were
dropped. The Airstream motorhome continued to be made in
the classic silver.
The Beatrice Foods Years...
In the seventies, Beatrice Foods had become the owner. Unfortunately,
Beatrice Foods was a FOOD company and NOT a travel trailer company.
With no experience in this industry for guidance, several management
decisions were made which sacrificed the quality of Wally Byam's
legendary trailer. Shoddy construction resulting from new corporate
management nearly finished off the Airstream company in the late
1970s. It is sad when the image of a first-class, hand-built product
like the Airstream trailer can be tarnished by people who have no clue
about the industry or the customers to whom they are producing this
rather specialized product! Thankfully, Thor Industries rescued
Airstream from the clutches of the cup-cake maker and gave it a needed
shot of integrity. It's treasured reputation was on the road to
recovery.
The Pseudo-Airstreams...
In 1986 Airsream made a squarish, bonded (glued) aluminum trailer,
painted it beige and called it an Argosy, They also made a very few
5th wheels. That 2nd generation Argosy only lasted three years, 1986
through 1988. Then they decided to leave the natural alluminum with a
clearcoat or painted silver and renamed it the Airstream Land Yacht.
The Airstream Land Yacht was produced from 1989 through 1991.
Airstreamers still call it a SQUARESTREAM. It didn't sell...perhaps
because at that time only "classic styled" Airstreams were allowed in
the club. Airstreamers "WERE NOT AMUSED." However, I think MY Argosy
pictured to the right is a GREAT product!
Another reason sales for the square Argosy and Airstream fell was a
constantly rising price. When it was originally introduced in 1986, it
was priced well below the classic Airstream. As time went by, the
price rose with every year. In 1991, the price for a silver Airstream
Land Yacht had matched that of the classic alluminum Airstream. If a
buyer wants "an Airstream," he is reluctant to pay the same
price for a square "non-Airstream." Sadly, 1991 was the last year for
the square, bonded-alluminum trailer pictured here...another good
American product killed by the "high price" of questionable
marketing!
(It reminds me of the 1987 Merkur XR4Ti I bought off the showroom
floor in Memphis. I owned it for 7 years. It was a wonderful sports
car, a precision engineered, turbo-charged, German sports coupe. But
it was marketed by LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERS!!! What does a Lincoln
dealer know about selling a German sports car??? Again...bad
marketing. If they called it a Ford, they could have sold thousands of
them!)
In 1996 I saw a couple of square Argosys and one square Airstream Land
Yacht and thought they were as nice as any "non-Airstream" on the
market. After doing more research and re-examining my needs in an RV,
I decided to look for an Airstream Argosy as my first full-timing RV
home. After three years of searching and researching (and changing my
mind almost daily), I found a 1986 Argosy 32' (pictured above) in
Memphis, Tennessee, my old stomping grounds. As of this writing, I
have moved my entire life into this wonderful 1986 Argosy and have
begun my full-timing journey. My original plan was to go "on the
road" in the Spring of 1998, working, teaching, performing and
traveling around this beautiful country of ours. My plans have been
delayed for a time, but I will eventually do it. For the time being, I
wouldn't trade full-timing with my Argosy "Squarestream" for anything!
In my humble but most accurate opinion, Airstream should produce this
trailer again...with a better marketing plan. It would be a winner.
The quality is Airstream Excellent! There's no reason it should
not be a hit if the price is held down.
Airstream has a new 5th wheel, Integrity by Airstream (kind of like
Cimmeron by Cadillac) it's not REALLY an Airstream. Some Airstreamers
call it a Tupperware trailer.
It seems that Airstreams now comprise a much smaller share of the
market. "Thor" gave the word to Airstream management that people
simply wanted more space. Fifth wheels and slid-out models are
becoming the biggest sellers. The Airstream company has been forced to
expand the model line to include "non-classic" type Airstream models
so we purists can continue to enjoy the classic Airstream. The WBCCI
has also changed the rules to include any product produced in any of
the Airstream facilities.
For the 1996 model year, all Airstreams became widebodys, adding 6
inchs to the width. There are still a few quality standard problems
but, I understand they are being rectified.
After WWII, Airstream production boomed and sales went up and up. As
the years passed, the tastes of the classic Airstream market changed
and so did the product. Now, the children of the WWII crowd, the baby
boomers, are looking for a lighterweight Airstream, like the earlier
ones which could be pulled by a Ford or Chevy, an Airstream which does
not need a $35,000 Surburban for towing and does not cost the price of
a small house. That is why many others like me are opting for the
older Airstream products.
More About Wally Byam...
Early on, Wally Byam realized that people were buying travel trailers
and letting them set in the front yard. In 1951, he gathered a group
of people together for the first of many "caravans." From this
little beginning grew the "Wally Byam Caravan Club International," the
largest owners group in RV history. Open to everyone at first, the
caravans were so popular that Wally eventually had to limit the
participation to Airstream owners. The Wally Byam Caravan Club was
charted in 1956. The club led tours to Canada, Central America and
Cuba. In 1959, Wally Byam led a group of 41 Airstreams from "Capetown
To Cairo." On this trip, he began writing the book, "Trailer Travel -
Here And Abroad," his second book about the RV lifestyle. Byam was 63
and in good health but, in the final months of the African caravan,
his eyesight began to fail him.
Back in the United States, he went to see an opthamologist, who sent
him to a neurologist. The diagnosis was a brain tumor. He underwent
several unsuccessful opperations and then was confined to a hospital
bed in his Los Angeles home. In July 22, 1962, Mr. Trailer, the man
who once said "life begins at sixty," died at the age of sixty-five.
The club kept growing over the years and is still leading caravans
mostly around North America and Central America.
Today's Airstream Safari and Bambi...
Airstream is now producing a 25' lightweight classic trailer that can
be towed by a car or SUV. It is called the Airstream Safari. It is of
the same classic design with "regular RV windows" and lighter
weight cabinets and materials on the inside. It is about 25% to
"one-third" less weight and in cost.
Since the Safari has been such a big hit, Airstream has plans to drop
the "classic" 25' Airstream. They have also just introduced the Bambi
nameplate on a 22 foot "Safari" type trailer. It is essentially the
same product they were producing 20 to 25 years ago but with a MUCH
larger price! These new smaller, lighter models will be big winners
among the younger market.
Let's hope this entirely new generation finds the same thrill in
Airstreaming as their parents did. Let's hope they continue to keep
Wally Byam's dream alive.
BUT...If you Airstream Addicts and Nostalgia Nuts
haven't had enough, I Recommend The Following...
The Vintage Airstream Club
If you are really interested in the early history of RVing in general
and Airstreams, I urge you to become a member of the Vintage Airstream
Club. You can be assiciated with it without owning an Airstream. Bud
Cooper has been writing an excellent ongoing series about the history
of Airstream. You should also write for the back issues of the
newsletter to read the entire story.
Annual dues are a bargin at $10. For membership application:
Ed Stanley, Membership Chairman
18940 Marine View Drive SW
Seattle, WA 98166
(Tell him Don Reasons sent you.)
I have discovered these books and videos of interest.
SILVER PALACE
*** This video documentary was produced a couple of years ago. You can
use this URL, e-mail
address or phone number to order.
Miles A. Fawcett mi...@iapps.com
http://www.dolphin.org/maf/silverpalace/index.html
Interactive Applications Group, Inc. (iapps) * tel 202.739.9792
Miles Fawcett
1954 Columbia Road NW
Suite 410
Washington, DC 20009
I believe the price is $19.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling.
Miles Fawcett produced Silver Palace mostly about the members of the
WBCCI and why they are loyal to Airstreams. It is a wonderful video
and includes clips from older Airstream production videos along with
black&white footage from a 1964 rally, complete with the reigning
"Airstream Queen" (?) and a parade down mainstreet.
The new "AIRSTREAM Production Video"
*** Airstream has a new "production and features" video which has been
advertised in Trailer Life and other places. The video sells for
$10.00 from the company and is very interesting if you are an
Airstream nut. It goes into detail about the various procedures
involved in creating an Airstream, including the water-leak test from
INSIDE the unfinished trailer.
"The AIRSTREAM Book"
*** Also available is a book entitled "Airstream" which the company
has for $10.00 plus shipping.
The late actor, Robert Cummings (Love That Bob) was an Airstreamer and
gives the forward to this marvelous book. It is FULL of vintage
pictures including Wally Byam at various locations around the world.
My favorite parts of the book are the FULL-COLOR, ORIGINAL promotional
photos from the 60s featuring Airstreams pulled by the autos, all of
which were brand new when the beautiful photos were taken. Imagine a
Chevy Nova pulling an Airstream.
The Airstream video and book can be ordered directly from the company.
Airstream
419 West Pike Street
Jackson Center, Ohio 45334
Airstream Company phone number - 937-596-6111
The following is something I just found but have not ordered or
viewed. It is a film from a Canadian production company and looks
interesting.
"THE CARAVANERS"
1978, 27 min 42 sec
Description -
The three hundred Airstream trailers that are prowling the highways of
British Columbia represent a new breed of nomad. Too active to just
sit at home, but too cautious to strike out on their own, these
retired couples have signed up for an organized caravan tour sponsored
by the company that manufactures the trailers. Few surprises are in
store for the group, but then they're never alone, and they don't have
to worry about the day's route or entertainment.
You can purchase a tape of THE CARAVANERS (Title Code C 0178 008) by
simply sending a check for $39.95 plus $5 for shipping and handling.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery because this title is not in
active distribution, but available.
You can send your check to
National Film Board of Canada
1251 Avenue of the Americas
16th Floor
New York, NY 10020
If you decide to look for these books or videos, please tell them that
Don Reasons sent you.
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My Unanswered Questions...
I have a few specific questions which no one has yet been able to
answer:
1. What happened to the company when Wally Byam passed away? Who ran
it? Who was the legal owner for that time?
2. What about the Beatrice Foods connection? When did they buy
Airstream and from whom? When and how did they actually change the
trailers? What were the years of Beatrice Foods ownership?
3. Exactly when did "Thor" come into the picture?
4. I am trying to find films or videos from older WBCCI rallys and
caravans, preferably 1950s or 1960s. Also older production videos.
Please e-mail if you can answer my questions. I hope you enjoyed this
visit down Memory Lane.
Don
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"If a President of the United States ever lied to the American people
he should resign."
- - - - - - - - - - Bill Clinton, at the height of Watergate in the summer of 1974,
during his race to become a U.S. Representative from Arkansas