Without the knowledgebase at the site, and the friendly and encouraging people I've gotten to know over the past year or so, gave us the confidence to buy a total basket case.
Offers from other members to come look inside their units, 40, 50 detailed pictures at a stretch showing the method of a frame-off restoration, and endless discussions about gray tanks and insulation materials gave me a feeling that anything I ever come up against in working on our trailer, will either have been answered here, or can be figured out with other members' suggestions. Great site, great people.
When I was considering what size of Airstream to purchase I found some sage advice on this site. It went something like this: "When you are towing you want a smallest sized trailer but when you get to your destination you want the longest sized trailer." I took this advice and opted for comfort at the destination and purchased a 1984 31 foot Excella.
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Mark
1984 31' Excella, mid bath, king size bed
1998 Chevrolet Suburban K2500, 7.4L/454 c.i., 4WD, Pullrite Hitch
AIR No. 2375
This site didn't influence my decision to buy an AS. I haven't yet taken delivery of my 1965 17ft Caravel. However, this site has been very valuable as far as information regarding what too look for and what might need replacing. I found this site after I found my Caravel. I already knew I wanted an AS ! Plus the people on here have been great so far ! Can't wait to go to a rally or just a local get together.
We bought our trailer first. then joined the forums. They have been a great help with figuring out the little quirks and issues of a 30 something year old trailer.
Terry
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Terry You repair things with tools. You fix things with a hammer.
AIR#2611
I think we bought our Airstream before we found this site. However without this site we would not know all the technical aspects of these great traliers and met all the wonderful people here.
Well, we bought our first airstream when I was 21 (and lived in it for the first year we after we were married!), and I'm sorry to say that that was LONG before this forum ever existed But after years of having babies, going to school, moving, jobs, etc, we had sadly gotten out of the airstream way of life. Now we finally have an Airstream that can fit our family and our lifestyle, and we are now at a point in our lives where we actually have the time and ability to travel a little. I found this forum just last week, and it's already been a great resource for us. We are thirty-somethings (ok, my husband just turned 40!) with six kids, and all I can say is America, watch out! Here we come
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John and Lauren, 6 kids , and a 2005 Airstream 30' Safari Bunk
I have been playing with antique cars all my adult life - actually, started when I was 14 and thought I was an adult. Along with that is a love for anything on wheels that's unique or of a standard above the norm. Thus Airstreams have always been a desire. Coming from a family who camped a lot and always had an SOB and parents who would look enviously at any Airstream they passed, it was inbred. I could never find the "right one" at the "right price" and always ended up with the alternative, including a few years ago my 1958 Silver Streak 17' Chico model, still under restoration. For years my friends have given me a rough time about just chroming whatever trailer I had at the time and be done with it. Then, with a late night last minute check of local classifieds there was what was to be my (our) '51 Flying Cloud. Less than 12 hours later it was a done deal, and we didn't see the ad unil 9:30PM in the paper. I think the sellers were a tad surprised and not really sure what happened - they put it up for sale, I saw, I bought and towed it home before they could change their minds. They got a good price, I got a good deal. Too many times in the past I'd gone to look at one, hummed and hawed over it, tried to negotiate just a bit lower price, and lost the deal.
When I got the trailer home the first thing I did after sticking it in the shop was to check out the web for ideas on fixing the interior. I discovered the Forum. I'm enjoying it. It took me a while to actually join having never participated in a formal forum and not sure what it's all about. Lot's of tips, information sharing, differing of opinions, just like any big happy family. I hope to have the interior of mine redone in the next few weeks and get it out and use the heck out of it. We will be towing it with our 1957 Pontiac Safari 2dr wagon.
Barry
Without the help and support of people on this site I'd probably still be hemming and hawing around.
Tonight I sleep under the gentle curve of my CCD's dome. AH!
Vern Townsend of RV's of NH has been spectacular and I've made a lifelong friend. He's from Va. Beach originally and he delivered my Airstream & Suburban which he found for me. We've camped side by side for 4 days and today he rode (fearlessly I hope) beside me as I towed my 22ft CCD to it's new home, Indian Cove Resort. Great experience, no pressure, lots of advice and really listened to find out what was right for me.
On my part I introduced him to some great barbecue - and a neat 12 year old single malt scotch. Going to bed now.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Yeah, I was influenced by this site. We were looking for something that could house us and our two dogs in relative comfort, as well as have room for kids as the family grew.
Best of all, I found a lady a state away that is selling a twice used year old Bambi CCD for a good price, AND she is delivering it to a location only an hours away from my house. This site has provided a literal ton of valuable information from 2004 build quality to buyers check lists to storage and maintenance tips.
We'll be easing in to the Airstream community and way of life. To me, it already sounds like the vintage VW way of life, with a little less patchouli.
__________________ Chris - Evergreen, CO
2008 27'FB Int'l Signature CCD - Thank You Airstream of Arkansas! 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 CTD Mega Cab 1977 VW Westfalia Camper, hardtop 'Weekender'::Pictures
"Keeping an open mind is important, but not so open that your brain falls out."
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Long-time airstreamers
But after years of having babies, going to school, moving, jobs, etc, we had sadly gotten out of the airstream way of life. Now we finally have an Airstream that can fit our family and our lifestyle, and we are now at a point in our lives where we actually have the time and ability to travel a little. I found this forum just last week, and it's already been a great resource for us. We are thirty-somethings (ok, my husband just turned 40!) with six kids, and all I can say is America, watch out! Here we come
, and a 2005 Airstream 30' Safari Bunk
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