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VIKING · 05-19-2009, 10:45 PM

Hey! That's excellent news.

Welcome to the forum Lynnef.

I know Tim will be excited to hear from you.

Rich

commander31 · 05-20-2009, 06:31 AM

Wow...
What a great ending to a great story!!

Perseverence does pay off Tim. My detective work has come quite close for me too, but as of yet, i have not hit the "Mother Lode".

Kinda surprised too, being involved with this forum, and the WBCCI and the Airstream Community like i am.... but one day.....

Quick summation here... I guess i come by the title of "Airstream Brat" pretty honestly, Got indoctrinated at the tender age of 8, back on Thanksgiving Day, 1968. That was the day Grandpa Anderson brought home the brand spanking new 1969 23' Safari Twin for us all to ooh and aah over.

That next summer, i was asked to join my Grandparents on a month long trip of the upper Great Lakes... A "shakedown" of sorts... Well, i took to traveling, and the Airstream life just like a fish to water, and that summer began a yearly routine of traveling every year with them until i turned 15.

We attended several Michigan Unit rallies, and caravanned to four or five International Rallies during those years... I have vivid recollections of those days, with many pictures, slides and diaries to recall those wonderful carefree times.

But alas, real life does set in, and my Grandfather got sick in '73, during the WBCCI Bozeman Rally, and it began a bout with lung and respiratory problems that plagued him the rest of his life. I think 1975 was our last Rally, at Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN. They also wintered every year in Pompano Beach, FL in an awesome park inhabited by several Airtreamers. That winter of 75 was their last year in Fla too.

Sadly and reluctantly, Gramps sold his beloved Airstream in the spring of 1976. Even tho he really didn't let on, i know it broke his heart. Charles D Anderson passed away in April of 1978. And i still think about him and those great days often.
Throughout the 80s and 90s i put the whole Airstream thing on the back burner, but in the early part of this new Millenium, i kinda got the "fever" again, with the advent of the explosion of the internet and all these cool Airstream related sites. I remember posting here, and a few other forums that i was searching for Gramps old Safari, and i recieved many encouraging words and suggestions but all to no real avail. Fast forward to the early spring of 2006. I found a '69 23 Safari on ebay, down in WPB, Fla that was so identical to Gramps, i swore it hadta be the one. Not until the owner found the manuals and a few reciepts in one of the drawers did we confirm it was not their trailer, but strangely enough it did come originally from here in Michigan, near Flint.

I struck a deal with this gentleman and the trailer was mine, and over the course of the next month, it made its way up north here, back to Michigan. On the way home from Indy, where i picked it up from the friend of a friend of the owner, i just HADTA stop in Jackson Center. The last time i was there was the Homecoming in 2004?? I then made my way down the street to WBCCI HQ, (after spending a small fortune on parts from the Wally Byam Store)

And i inquired about the availability of Gramps' old WBCCI numbers. Guess 22425 was still taken, but 22426 was available. So it seemed only fitting i take the next succeeding number.

Well, little by little i have addressed several issues with this beloved little Safari.... even tho it's not THE trailer, the similarities are so stunning, and even the "smell" of that plastic inside... the feeling of "deja vu" is just indescribable. Its like an old friend has come home...full circle. My kids and i are enjoying the trailer and i want them to experience a sample of the great times i had with my Grandparents so many years ago.

But every now and then, i will see a 69 Safari advertised locally.... and i have called and inquired about every one. there are only a few listed in the WBCCI Directory. Maybe, one day, if the planets and the moons are aligned just right, that elusive #22425 might cross paths with me once again.

I have scoured the Mich DMV, title searches, run the whole gamut, and so far, no luck. One day, maybe my luck will turn around!!

Unfortunately, all the registrations and paperwork were disposed of many yrs ago, so i don't even have his original VIN number to reference.

Notice the two attached pictures below.... The first one was taken in the late fall of 68.... that's me, sitting on the back bumper of Gramps new Airstream. the second pic I snapped a couple years ago, it is my own son, sitting on the back bumper of our own 69 Safari. Notice the license plates. Yup, the same. I do have a box of old plates from Gramps garage, and lo and behold, there was his 69 Michigan Trailer plate in the box! And it is now licensed and registered here in Michigan as an "antique trailer coach" with the same plate as on his own Safari way back in the old days!!!

Thanks for bearing with me with all these old recollections.....

Scott Anderson

ts8501 · 05-20-2009, 11:48 AM

This makes my day! I am traveling on business, so I am limited in my time and response. I have of course dropped you a PM, and I look forward to connecting further, and being in touch with the Hearn's daughter. This is amazing and great news!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynnef

Yes, the Fred Hearn you are looking for is in the picture as Colonel Frederick K. Hearn. He had that Airstream! He drove it cross country from San Pedro every summer with Aunt Mary to visit us in NJ when I was a little girl.

When I grew up and got married, my husband and I used our wedding present money to by a Bambi airstream for our honeymoon.

I can put you in touch with his daughter who still lives in San Pedro.

PM me.

Congratulations on your detective work. Uncle Fred was in Army Intelligence and he would love that you sleuthed this information.

ts8501 · 12-16-2010, 06:04 AM

Last evening I received confirmation that #11736 is now my WBCCI membership number. I wanted to post again on this thread, as the number is believed to have been May's WBCCI number back in the mid to late 60's. Unfortunately I do not have 100% confirmation that May was the original bearer of #11736. The State of California DOT was of no help. This thread covers the history as I believe it to be, and certainly there is 90%+ certainty that May was #11736. I still hope to one day fully connect with one of the Hearn decedents, and confirm that May is in fact the original #11736. Regardless or until that time, I believe the Hearn's number will be a good number to "reuse", and so #11736 for May it is.
-Tim

commander31 · 12-17-2010, 08:07 AM

Great News!!!!

My only suggestion henceforth from here would be to inquire with the WBCCI and have someone look up that number from those years in the Directory. That should be proof enough.

I have been absent from this forum for quite awhile now, but as of September of this year, pulled my '69 23' Safari Twin out of storage in that old musty warehouse, after it's nearly three year nap, and actually cleaned it up and got a few weekends of use out of it this fall. I fully intend on going back into "full use" mode next spring!

Regarding WBCCI numbers i have had an interesting development myself.... I was told recently by the WBCCI staff that a long time Airstreamer that had my Grandfather's original number (#22425) for over 20 years, had sold the unit and had written the WBCCI and officially surrendered the number back into the "pool" as it were.
This number was not available back in the summer of 2006 when i purchased my 23' Safari, so i settled on the next consecutive number from my Grandparents. So, since 2006, i have been assigned #22426. Now i am at a quandary as to if i should "grab" my Grandfather's original number and change it to his.

Hmmm...decisions, decisions.....

Hope everyone has an awesome Holiday season this year!!!

Scott

wkerfoot · 12-17-2010, 08:35 AM

Scott,

Good to hear from you again. Go ahead and grab your grandfather's number, it does mean something to you.

Hope you solved your problems on the Lincoln.

Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by commander31

Great News!!!!

My only suggestion henceforth from here would be to inquire with the WBCCI and have someone look up that number from those years in the Directory. That should be proof enough.

I have been absent from this forum for quite awhile now, but as of September of this year, pulled my '69 23' Safari Twin out of storage in that old musty warehouse, after it's nearly three year nap, and actually cleaned it up and got a few weekends of use out of it this fall. I fully intend on going back into "full use" mode next spring!

Regarding WBCCI numbers i have had an interesting development myself.... I was told recently by the WBCCI staff that a long time Airstreamer that had my Grandfather's original number (#22425) for over 20 years, had sold the unit and had written the WBCCI and officially surrendered the number back into the "pool" as it were.
This number was not available back in the summer of 2006 when i purchased my 23' Safari, so i settled on the next consecutive number from my Grandparents. So, since 2006, i have been assigned #22426. Now i am at a quandary as to if i should "grab" my Grandfather's original number and change it to his.

Hmmm...decisions, decisions.....

Hope everyone has an awesome Holiday season this year!!!

Scott

ts8501 · 12-17-2010, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commander31

My only suggestion henceforth from here would be to inquire with the WBCCI and have someone look up that number from those years in the Directory. That should be proof enough.

Scott

What I cannot prove is my Safari's (May's) serial number with the Hearn's WBCCI membership. All I have is the original letter that I found written to the Hearn's, but a letter in a trailer does not mean I have their trailer. All I have is circumstantial evidence, including the fact that my trailer is California built, and the AAA Tag on the back of the trailer is from AAA of California.

WBCCI #11736 was for sure their membership number, I just need to know what the serial number of their trailer was. In today's world, the WBCCI does ask for the serial number when you apply for membership. Can the VAC or WBCCI tell me what serial number was assigned to the trailer the Hearn's had?

commander31 · 12-19-2010, 08:30 AM

Good to hear from you again as well Bill.... Yeah i remember several conversations regarding my overheating problem with the Lincoln. Since the Airstream had been put away from 11/07 til Aug of this year, the Lincoln had been stashed as well.... It got dug out, cleaned up and I decided one day after the first trip to try a few more things, and put a correct three row radiator in it, as it should have had, instead of a 400 2 row rad. And i installed a transmission cooler as well. Unfortunately i have not taken the trailer or car on any good long hikes with any good pulls since then but i am most confident that this should greatly improve my cooling capabilities. Next summer we will start out bright and early in the season with the Airstreaming!!!
Hope all is well with you out there in paradise!!!!

scott

safari57 · 12-19-2010, 11:32 AM

Scott - your grandfathers number means something to you, it won't likely to the next person who gets it if you do not. Go ahead, bite the bullet, and snap it up. That way, when your kids or grandkids take over ownership, they can carry on the heritage.

Tim - In my humble opinion, you pretty much have your answers in hand. Yes, having the actual serial number verification is a nice to have, but until that happens, you can be almost 100% assured that you have the right trailer. Either way, the Hearns' legacy carries on with your use of the number on the correct or identical unit. What I'm wondering is, how did the follow up with the niece, who was kind enough to post here, turn out?

Merry Christmas everyone.

ts8501 · 12-19-2010, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safari57

Tim - In my humble opinion, you pretty much have your answers in hand. Yes, having the actual serial number verification is a nice to have, but until that happens, you can be almost 100% assured that you have the right trailer. Either way, the Hearns' legacy carries on with your use of the number on the correct or identical unit.

What I'm wondering is, how did the follow up with the niece, who was kind enough to post here, turn out?

Merry Christmas everyone.

Barry:

I am moving forward "as if" there is 100% certainty. I look forward to definitive confirmation sometime in the future. I am still hopeful that someone or somehow I can confirm who had trailer serial number #41S3176 (also listed as 041S3176) between 1965 and 1971.

I did converse via e-mail with the niece, and then that was the last time I heard from her. I did reach out via e-mail a couple of times, but never heard back again. I had to assume that for whatever reason it might not be a priority for the family, and I have to honor that. It would be great to hear from them in the future.

Merry Christmas to you too!
-Tim