Airstreams and Hot Rods

[dirigible25]

It seems to me that I have seen a lot of Airstream posts with Hot Rods, Street Rods, or Customs in the pictures or even shown in Avatars. It appears that many Airstream owners also are gear heads with a cross over hobby that includes cars of one type or other. I was just wondering how many of you are out there.

I have a 1997 Safari 25' and, as you can see by my Avatar, I have a 1938 Chevy Coupe powered by a 350, with A/C, Cruise Control, power steering, power windows, independent end, and many other upgrades to make my street rod both dependable and driveable.

Who else is out there with an Airstream and a specialty car as well. Let's hear from you and post some pictures too.

I am posting this under lifestyles and hope it is the right place for it.

[richinny]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ars-44920.html

[Naper]

64 Fairlane Sports Coupe. It has a 351 W stroker to 408 with a C4 and a 9". The car was completely restored and modified a few years ago looks great runs even better.

[dwightdi]

All of us need to be a little gear heads to maintain and improve our tow vehicles. Just pop the hood on your tow vehicle and see how fast another male friend comes over to help or see what you are up to. I used to build kit cars and customs but now have the hobby of keeping my rig running down the road and camping safely. The more time you spend touring, the less time you have to build big things.

[gunner]

1966 Corvette coupe
2000 Corvette convertible
1988 Harley Softail Custom

[ROBERT CROSS]

Anything with wheels....

Bob

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

I used to build kit cars and customs but now have the hobby of keeping my rig running down the road and camping safely. The more time you spend touring, the less time you have to build big things.

I'm in the same mode dwight but we do tow with an Infiniti G35 which is a blast. Previously I enjoyed a.....

1972 Pinto 302/4V
1976 AMC Pacer custom with 302/4V 4M with 9"

Being a kit car builder you may be interested in a project my pal is currently undertaking. He is dropping a Porsche 917 kit car body on a Porsche Boxster platform.

[SteveH]

Decided not too long ago that I really didn't have the time any more and so I got rid of these:

[PA BAMBI II]

I have a '64 Airstream Bambi II, 1961 Serro Scotty Silverside trailer, 1961 Corvair Ramspide pickup truck, and a 1962 Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon van...website follows if interested:

Ben's Bus +

Haven't decided yet if I will put a weight distributing hitch on the Corvair van/truck to tow the Bambi as I know the engines/drivetrains will, but not very quickly! A picture of the Rampside is included in the Bambi photo album, nose up high, right after we towed it off the equipment trailer.

Enjoy-

Ben

[cliffcharb]

This is right up my alley. I am in a family of cars and airstreams. I have a 1977 31' along with my 1981 Malibu Coupe that is almost finished from a frame off restoration, no A/C, no P/S, 450hp SBC My brother has a 1953 Flying Cloud along with a 1972 MGB, something like 75hp, and my father has a 1981 Excella and 1936 Indian Chief Motorcycle that is close to being done from a restoration.

[ole-red]

I have a 2002 Porche Boxster, and a 2007 Screaming Eagle Harley Davidson Roadking.....Road from coast to coast and North to South for about 10 years straight....SURE WISH I COULD HAVE PULLED THE BAMBI BEHIND THE ROADKING.....

[Jim Foster]

Most of you have seen our '47 Chevy Street Rod, but few have seen Lynn's (not quite finisned) '37 Buick. She bought it a few years ago fromj a farmer in Ryde, CA. The old "car in the barn story".

[FreshAir]

I have always liked old cars...even before they became classics. We had the Buick before the Airstream so we went with a vintage one because of the car.
Neil

[overlander64]

My cars aren't exactly hot rods, rather they are collector cars with modifications to dependably tow my Airstream and Argosy. My oldest car is my 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 Convertible Coupe. I purchased it as a nine-year old used car in 1974 and have owned it ever since. From the factory, it was equipped with the 383 cubic inch Wedge V8 with high-output Carter 4-BBL carburetor and dual exhaust (335 HP package), 3.90 differential, and Torque-Flyte automatic transmission. The photo below is with my first travel trailer -- a 1980 Nomad 17-foot light-weight special that I purchased new in 1980 -- I don't have a photo of the car with either of my Airstreams:



I also have a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible that I utilize as a tow vehicle for my Airstream and Arogsy. I purchased it from the estate of the original owner in 1995, and refurbished specifically for towing my trailers. Compared to the Dodge the modifications required by the Cadillac were minimal as it didn't have to have hardened valve inserts for the heads to permit burning unleaded fuel since the Eldorado was from the first year's production where the catalytic converter was standard. The biggest project with the Eldorado was having the suspension rebuilt (front end, new coil springs, and new level-ride components), and since the 501 cubic inch V8 liked to run warm a new custom 4-row-core radiator was installed to improve cooling along with a large external Hayden Transmission Fluid Cooler. The photo below is of the Eldorado towing my Overlander for the first time in 2003:



This is a photo of the Eldorado with my Minuet that was likely taken in 2008 during my trip to Yellowstone National Park and the WBCCI Inernational Rally in Bozeman, Montana. Other than an issue with the car deciding to try to leave a trail of parts to follow home the trip was uneventful . . . the alternator burned out in Arcola, IL . . . then it was a series of soft body parts . . . bits of the left front ABS fender extension through Iowa and Nebraska . . . . bits of the right front ABS fender extension through Nebraska and Wyoming . . . bits of the right rear ABS fender extension through Montana and North Dakota . . . at that point the car must have decided that attempts at leaving a path were futile and it quit dropping parts . . . .



The Yellowstone National Park adventure is one that I will always remember . . . . there is just something special about towing an Airstream with a convertible top down through the park . . . .

Kevin

[Jim Foster]

As long as we are wondering away from Street Rods, here's Lynn's daily driver.

[goshawks00]

Here's a couple
The 51 Willys was done a couple years ago... The 51 woodie will be the TV for our also in progress 66 Safari

[dirigible25]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Decided not too long ago that I really didn't have the time any more and so I got rid of these:

Steve, other than the wheels, my '38 Chevy is almost your old ones twin!

[Denis4x4]

Just sold a '66 Olds Toronado. In my garages are a 1946 Pontiac woodie, 1929 Model A truck with an extended cab and era-correct speed equipment, 1927 T Lakester with a hot banger, 1985 El Camino and my wife's 911 C4 Porsche. Latest project is a chopped 1931 Deluxe Sedan Delivery powered by a 1.8 Ford SOHC engine with all the good stuff. Summer is for Airstreaming and winter is for building hot rods!

[jdthor]

My two. 1951 Mercury built October 1950 the year I was born. 2011 Porsche Cayman surprise birthday gift from wife on my 60th. The P-car is not a hotrod but I show it because I know there are other Porsche owners on the list. I would be happy to take an old 356C off somebody's hands if they have one they want to give away........??

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by dirigible25

Steve, other than the wheels, my '38 Chevy is almost your old ones twin!

Yes, I noticed that. Great minds.......