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Sasquatch · 07-10-2003, 11:06 AM

I was wondering about the big red numbers on the front and rear of Airstream trailers. I assume that these were applied from the factory when the trailers were made. The numbers were long gone on mine when I got it in 79. I polished mine a little over a year ago and I could still make out the numbers from the outline in the aluminum on the rear of the trailer. Is there a place to buy these numbers? I guess it's just a matter of personal preference whether to have them or not. Were they like a serial number or something? What's the story?

InsideOut · 07-10-2003, 11:09 AM

The numbers are not serial numbers put on by the factory...they are WBCCI membership numbers. You can obtain new ones by joining WBCCI ...if the PO is no longer active, you can possibly obtain the same numbers that your trailer already had.

Shari

brunoffrance · 07-10-2003, 11:42 AM

Hi ;
something interesting about these numbers; Can I find all the prior owners of my A/S from these numbers; I supose it was always the same one.
mine is # 5712

is there a list year by year ... for this number;

I 'm always curious to know the prior owners, data by date.

Bruno;

InsideOut · 07-10-2003, 11:46 AM

You may be able to find out the previous owners if you could obtain the old WBCCI directories...there isn't a website or anything like that which lists them.

BTW Bruno ~ I am picking up a custom license plate for our trailer on Friday, I'll send you a picture once I get it.

Shari

74SovereignInt. · 07-10-2003, 12:47 PM

Hello, I noticed that you also have a sticker to the right of your door. I have a witness mark left on my AS in the same place as yours and always wondered what it was. Would you mind posting a picture of it here and if anyone else can shed light on what might have been( perhaps different versions?) I would appreciate it.

thenewkid64 · 07-10-2003, 01:00 PM

Actually there is a library of the membership directories that goes back for 25 years or so. It is at Top of GA. I do not know if they will perform a lookup for you, or if you need to visit in person. A past region 3 officer donated his collection to the park library.

brunoffrance · 07-10-2003, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 74SovereignInt.
Hello, I noticed that you also have a sticker to the right of your door. I have a witness mark left on my AS in the same place as yours and always wondered what it was. Would you mind posting a picture of it here and if anyone else can shed light on what might have been( perhaps different versions?) I would appreciate it.

The stycker is from the North Carolina seal and i don't know what is the interest in that stiker there; OK that 's fine...
Here is an another view from the sticker.

Bruno.

Robert L. Cornute · 07-15-2003, 02:25 PM

The Big Red Numbers are Membership Numbers; A trailer may have more than one number placed on its front & rear, if it was owned by more than one WBCCI Member, as each member gets his assigned number and transfers it to what ever Airstream Product that he may own, They do not transfer well as they are realy stuck to the skin of the trailer. I am sure that a lot of people have there membership books and casn telkl you who the person is that has that membership number. Bob Cornute, WBCCI 4953; 31' International Rear Bath

Chas · 07-15-2003, 03:03 PM

I recorded the number that was on my Overlander before I polished it. Someday I would like to know who's number it was even though I do have the original manual with the purchaser's name in it. Most likely it was his. From what I have read WBCCI membership really swelled in the 70's, seems the International attendances were biggest during those years, especially the late 70's.

Chas

Pick · 07-15-2003, 03:11 PM

I wonder if one decided to use black numbers instead of the red the WBCCI gives you, would upset some people. I guess you could always say "That's what they gave me!"

thenewkid64 · 07-15-2003, 03:25 PM

Pick,

You think the red numbers fade and peel with the sun on them??? Wait until you use black!

I know that the Holiday Rambler club uses black, but since their units are flat ended the sun does not beat on the ends like it does our rounded beauties. I havd heard several peolpe say that they have gone to a commercial graphics shop and had their numbers cut out of vinyl designed for exposure to UV and the heat, they have lasted for years. I know if place black numbers there you will get some comments, my response would be "better than no numbers at all!"

Pahaska · 07-15-2003, 03:44 PM

I had a commercial graphics shop cut my numbers from premium vinyl instead of using the WBCCI supplied numbers. Side benefit is that they are perfectly spaced on a peel-away sheet.

Chas · 07-15-2003, 04:20 PM

Good ideas!

I did get the numbers from WBCCI. Half the reason I didn't put them on was it seemed like a pain, trying to get them spaced correctly and straight up and down, their instructions made it sound like brain surgery. I will get a sign shop to make up a couple of sets with the transfer backing, makes it very easy. I used to edit phone numbers on lease signage the exact same way, why didn't I think of it sooner? Just like ya'll said, their vinyl is a much better quality.

Chas

overlander64 · 07-15-2003, 06:58 PM

Greetings Pick!

WBCCI once used black numbers. My '64 Overlander had black numbers on it when I purchased it in 1995. At the time, I was told that the club switched from the black to red numbers around 1990. For whatever reason, the black numbers were far more difficult to remove than the red numbers. If I remember what the original owners of my coach told me years ago (they were friends of my family and this would have been about 1970), WBCCI numbers were painted on the coach by the owners or sign painters - - one of my uncles was a sign painter and had painted the numbers on their '57 coach just a few years before they traded it on the '64 Overlander.

Kevin

DPeakMD · 07-15-2003, 08:02 PM

Kevin--I was in the club as a kid (1970's) and remember the numbers were the red stick-on variety. I can recall my Dad out there spending most of an afternoon removing worn out ones and replacing them! Are you sure about 1990 for a switch-over to red from black?

Pahaska--I like your idea about going to a sign painter to get better quality and for the layout! I think I'll keep that in mind. Our neighbor at the International said he has also noted that the quality of the numbers issued by WBCCI has changed over the years. The older numbers apparently last longer than the newer ones.

Tikihut · 07-15-2003, 08:30 PM

I just got my numbers and when i was putting them on the wind kicked up and that was the end of that number. So I went to a sign shop and had them print up some new one's. I got all the numbers on one sheet and had them spaced out at 2" each. The cost was $16.00 a sheet. I looked in to having magnets made snice I own an Argosy but it would have cost about $60.00 each for the front and bck.

Chris
WBCCI
#2732

InsideOut · 07-15-2003, 08:51 PM

Getting the numbers from a graphics/sign shop ~ Rob just helped some folks put their numbers on their "new" trailer at a rally and was complaining about how 1) difficult it was to get them lined up right, 2) space them the same on the front and back and 3) that each number seemed like a different kind of vinyl...some didn't even come off the paper! So...guess what we'll do when we get done polishing...run on done to the sign shop! Thanks!

Shari

Pahaska · 07-15-2003, 09:09 PM

I did a search for vinyl numbers and ordered on line. They came in about 5 days. I bought the "Sabre-D" script name for the trailer from the same folks. They have dozens of fonts. I simply ordered 96329632.

Chas · 07-16-2003, 05:37 AM

hmmm,?

Now this has got me wondering more as to why the WBCCI charges what, 60 bucks a year for membership and some of us will end up paying nearly 40 bucks to get a set of decent quality, user friendly numbers? What gives?

I guess I should enjoy the one year free membership while it lasts, huh?

Chas

overlander64 · 07-16-2003, 08:09 AM

Greetings Dallas!

No, I am not certain about when the switch from red to black numbers happened. The black numbers may have been a short-term experiment for some reason. Since all of my photos of the Overlander with its original numbers in-place are black & white, I can't tell what color they were nor can I remember what color they were. The black numbers belonged to the coach's second owner who owned the coach from about 1980 through 1994 - - I bought the coach from the third owner in 1995 who had just purchased a new Airstream. The coach's third owners are the ones who gave me the information about the black numbers so I can't be absolutely certain.

Kevin