The Long, Long, Trailer by Clinton Twiss

[Airslide]

Im still watching.. I cant believe how big that trailer is compared to the tow vehicle. Keep the pictures coming..

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Airslide

Im still watching.. I cant believe how big that trailer is compared to the tow vehicle. Keep the pictures coming..

Hi Airslide!

Let me remind you that when my Dad took this rig out for a shakedown cruise in Stoneham Ma. before we started the trip, he had already equipped the 1949 Buick tow vehicle with an heavy duty trailer hitch and overload rear springs mounted. Well he learned that the Buick was more than capable, springs too, but the hitch bent down to the point of almost disconnecting from the trailer. ...
Now, this 46'er was under designed, as it only had two axles that were mounted in such a way so as to put way too much tongue weight on said tow vehicle. My Dad got on the phone and summoned more help.

He tested out a few different solutions, and settled with an similarly designed aircraft air over hydraulic triple tiered tongue dolly. Now hang on here... I just happen to have a picture that will help splaine...

Here again, this took place back in 1952! As I remember, Flash Gordon was just getting his shower cap wet!

Seriously, I don't know that there was another human being of the day, that we would be able to do what we did, without Our Mom and Dad...
Love,
Terry

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Airslide

Im still watching.. I cant believe how big that trailer is compared to the tow vehicle. Keep the pictures coming..

Hi Airslide!

Let me remind you that when my Dad took this rig out for a shakedown cruise in Stoneham Ma. before we started the trip, he had already equipped the 1949 Buick tow vehicle with an heavy duty trailer hitch and overload rear springs mounted. Well he learned that the Buick was more than capable, springs too, but the hitch bent down to the point of almost disconnecting from the trailer. ...
Now, this 46'er was under designed, as it only had two axles that were mounted in such a way so as to put way too much tongue weight on said tow vehicle. My Dad got on the phone and summoned more help.

He tested out a few different solutions, and settled with an similarly designed aircraft air over hydraulic triple tiered tongue dolly. Now hang on here... I just happen to have a picture that will help splaine...

Here again, this took place back in 1952! As I remember, Flash Gordon was just getting his shower cap wet!

Seriously, I don't know that there was another human being of the day, that we would be able to do what we did, without Our Mom and Dad...
Love,
Terry

[Aviator]

Terry, please keep the posts going. This is a fascinating experience. At one point, you mentioned a book in the making. Is that still a possibility?

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Aviator

Terry, please keep the posts going. This is a fascinating experience. At one point, you mentioned a book in the making. Is that still a possibility?

Hi Aviator,
You are reading some excerpts, as we speak... Not being the smartest apple that fell from the tree, so to speak, and a further ineptness for the modern computer skills, hopefully folks can acquire a taste of what we experienced.

Our book is being worked on however, AirStream Forums has a view! Just remember, Huge Families weren't born just yesterday!
Love,
Terry

[TRfour]

Our 19 and 49 Buick was also equipped with all of the very latest technology of the day, that included an back up camera, just for hookup purposes...

I just happen to have a photo of that there too...

With Love,

[TRfour]

View of the front... Sister Doña, and O'l two finger, Brother Brynn... He had the best seat in the house! Got to watch all them Flash Gordon movies up front on the over head carCam, while the rest of us were playing license plate watch from afar!... . I'll tell you what, they never made enough amicones to express what we enjoyed though!

DOO the WOOSH, and align your AirStream to encounter some of this!
OH, it's soooo Fun! You Got To Try It!

Love,

[TRfour]

Do not invite us!... A very simple $2.99 cent lunch could take off and run into the tens or more thousands of dollars in a heartbeat!
So maybe some would ask, how we did what we did????

First of all, our Mom and Dad were the Best!... Did I ever tell how they cooked? No contest, they were the best! Now, shut my face!
Grand Parents, Grand Great Parents and so on and on have embodied our very existence since history got invented here!
By the way, they did a wonderful job!

The world is getting and multiplying faster than Nascar, these days, kind of needs our collective help, so to speak...

The glass half full, has been replaced with ' our world on top ', if you will.
Let us keep it all going forward...
Love

[TRfour]

It helped to have a little sense of humor.

My and our Very Dear Uncle George absolutely Drenched himself in this!
He was the Commercial Artist that spilled the beans to Life Magazine about us leaving the Boston area for California in the first place... Life got very interesting quick!... '[ The Paparazzi got invented, Right there, That Day in Stoneham Ma. back in 1952. ]'... Oh and the celebs of today think that they were picked on! ... Thank God Colgate kept my teeth bright back in them days! Can't you tell, we need a sponsor over here!

It was a hot day, as I remember, summer in the NorthEast!...

Uncle George presented us with another one of his Masterpieces, what and with his rendition about us on our journey to the west coast?

'YIKES'!...

Kind, and cute though! ...

His original was smooch large and alowed for many many friends signatures, front and back, kind a tickles all over, if you will! [ no pun intended ] !

Got more signatures than our original Constitution, as I remember!

Photo # 1 From right to left, Many Gifts Along our way, sister June, Mom, sister Linda, and brother Mel in the baseball cap. Picture the signatures.

Photo # 2 Uncle George's painting!

[Gerr]

Just found this thread! Love your story and photos. What issue of Life magazine was the story featured in?

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Gerr

Just found this thread! Love your story and photos. What issue of Life magazine was the story featured in?

Hi Gerr, I'm happy that you are enjoying our story too!

The Life Magazine story came out in the December 28, 1953 issue. We all have copies of it. Also, you can read it online as well.

Thanks for the comment!

Here's a pic of the front cover, if you should find one.

[Gerr]

Thank you very much I will look for it

[Hibby]

Sorry if I've missed any of this info in prior posts, but in trying to find a copy of The Long, Long Trailer, has anyone discovered digital copies that might be available? Out of print books that are not under copyright protection are being catalogued by companies like Google to prevent them from being lost to the winds of time. I am not sure of how to find them, but it might be worth checking.

I would love to read a copy of this book...

[Hibby]

And here it is...

The long, long trailer - Google Books

The book is not fully available yet, since presumably the author/publisher/family have not allowed it.

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Hibby

Sorry if I've missed any of this info in prior posts, but in trying to find a copy of The Long, Long Trailer, has anyone discovered digital copies that might be available? Out of print books that are not under copyright protection are being catalogued by companies like Google to prevent them from being lost to the winds of time. I am not sure of how to find them, but it might be worth checking.

I would love to read a copy of this book...

Hibby, here's some more info. Start on page #1 in this thread.
Link; http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161...iss-45149.html

Hope this helps...

[TRfour]

Long Long Trailer.

My Dad had to get a special permit in each State that we traveled through for Over Length. Also, he would register them with our insuance Co.

So we didn't have an open road without some bubble gum!

Many State Troopers pulled us over along the way, just to check our documents! And we took the Northern route!

I got pitures to proove it too!

Have I mentioned that we had an AWESOME TIME!

More pics.

# 1. Dad, about to register 'Moe Over Length Permits!...

# 2. We got to see and enjoy our Country in more ways than one. Gettysburg Memorial Battleground was pretty neat, and I asked my sister Dianne about this photo afterwords, and she told me that she was just rechecking her aim!

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by TRfour

Long Long Trailer.

My Dad had to get a special permit in each State that we traveled through for Over Length. Also, he would register them with our insuance Co.

So we didn't have an open road without some bubble gum!

Many State Troopers pulled us over along the way, just to check our documents! And we took the Northern route!

I got pitures to proove it too!

Have I mentioned that we had an AWESOME TIME!

More pics.

# 1. Dad, about to register 'Moe Over Length Permits!...

# 2. We got to see and enjoy our Country in more ways than one. Gettysburg Memorial Battleground was pretty neat, and I asked my sister Dianne about this photo afterwords, and she told me that she was just rechecking her aim!

My spell checker WOOFED, and I miss spelled State. I looked for an edit option, and got shut out like the RedSox in years past.



Love,
Terry

[TRfour]

I am talking about ' The Black Hills, over here. '...

At 7 and some change years old at the time, I got to see some of them first hand with my family.

Now, I can see the Blue Hills being called the Blue Hills back in MA. ,
However, South Dakota's Harney Peak is some 7,244 feet tall, looking at it from Revere beach in Boston.
By the way, I had better eyesight back in them days too.
And NO, I'm no relation to Sarah!

We enjoyed visiting Mount Rushmore and many other major tourist destinations on our way through this very beautiful State.

We did have a hiccup, so to speak, while climbing a very steep section of roadway when the 1949 Buick decided to eat, first one, and then another spark plug, lost power and we then came to a slow halt. My Dad set the brakes and jumped out to chalk the wheels so's we didn't go back down the HILL!!!!

It was decided that brother Fred would continue on up to the summit, drop off the luggage trailer, come back down and tow us to the top!
Now, being that our trip to California was well thought out before we ever left Stoneham Ma. , my Dad put together an impressive safety kit that included a large tow rope with assorted hardware so as to facilitate a positive connection to the vehicle frames for towing purposes. In other words, as strong as the Buick's bumpers were made back then, they could have been no use in this situation. tenfore?

Well so as to make a Long Long story short, we made it to the top!
Seeing that there was no such thing as 911 in those days, but however, my Mom could yodel like no other and we got the message out for everyone to get the, out of the way cause we were a comi'n down the other side!

S'more pics...

#1. Climbing Them Hills

#2. Playing Catch?

[Airslide]

Your a great story teller Terry.. Keep it up.

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by Airslide

Your a great story teller Terry.. Keep it up.

Just trying to add some rivets over here!

S'more to come!
Love,