A little overwhelming

[jester065]

I would like to lead off with I am a newbie so please forgive me. My wife and I are considering purchasing an Airstream and don’t know where to start. We are kind of purists so we were considering buying a 1962 or earlier because we feel these are in Wally Byam’s vision. (not saying there is anything wrong with newer ones)
After going to http://www.airstream.com/service/specifications/ we think the two models we like are the 22 foot Safari (double bed) or the 24 foot Trade wind (double bed) They both look as though they have similar layouts and we like the wardrobe and chest of drawers.
While looking we saw this one. http://vintage - airstream dot com/listing/402/1961-airstream-safari It is way out of our price range, but it is beautiful. The other one we looked at online was http://vintage - airstream dot com/listing/193/1962-airstream-safari but clearly it was sold.
Some of the features we are considering are the door in door and non-jalousie windows (but are open-minded on the windows).
I know everyone has their own opinions and I would like to hear them. I am also hoping to connect with people who own these models and get their likes and dislikes on the models. Thank you all for your help.

[65CV]

jester-

Welcome to the forums -- you have very good taste in considering '63 and earlier trailers. They do come with their problems and can be a black hole for time and money if you don't do your research.

You have a rally not too far from you in October. See this link. When we first started, touring vintage trailers and talking to owners at an Open House was the best intro we could have asked for.

This forum is a gold mine of info and you'll find a lot of discussion about your desired trailers. Check out the search feature. Also, see The Vap and vintageairstream.com as good places to start.

Some trailers (like mine) require full renovation or restoration. See this thread for an idea of the amount of work required. Not trying to scare you off, but it's good to be realistic.

Best of luck in your search,
John

[dwightdi]

A true restoration can be very expensive because some of the early parts are very hard to come by. Reproduction parts are make by hand in small quantities and therefore are very expensive. The technologies and engineering have improved for many parts since 1962 and newer parts maybe more functional and reliable. There are also some people out there who are not good engineers and some have bad business practices. You should educate yourself about these and talk to people who have bought from them, before you put down a deposit. Most of the posters here are very good at restorations and service. I have a 1963 which I have updated physical systems where needed. Finding a good solid barn find is hard but worth it. I am one that put function before fancy polish jobs.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I could not agree more with your choice of years. Most say Wally was leading caravans to spread good will and Airstream fellowship. That might have been a result, but I strongly suspect he was doing R&D in real time. The 62/ 63 units are very functional and show many years of evolution. I wish you luck in your hunt.