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66Overlander · 09-02-2011, 10:29 PM

As a few of my AirForums friends know, I am overdue to make an announcement . . .

Last weekend I bought a surviving Airstream from the Around the World Caravan, #6768, a 1962 22’ Safari. I picked it up near St. Louis, MO and pulled it back home to Michigan.

This Airstream is in rough, but amazingly original condition. It seems it sat in the woods for about 10 years before being hauled out last year after trees were cut to extract it.

The skin has a few dents and scrapes, but not too bad overall. All of the original appliances are still there (although untested), as are all of the original cabinets (with some water damage near the floor, but not too bad). There is one hole through the floor and quite a bit of mouse poo to be cleaned out. The only modifications I have identified so far are:

One roof vent was missing and one was replaced by a galvanized steel cap
Replacement rectangular tail lamps were fitted to it a long time ago (they don’t work).
Carefree awnings had been added to the street side and rear window a long time ago. They are now “toast”.

Best of all, the trailer has a list of countries visited on the front curb side corner as well as stickers from some of the countries visited on the ATW caravan on the inside of the door within a door.

Here are a few photos taken before pulling it home . . .

Airslide · 09-02-2011, 10:40 PM

Joe,

Thats a real treasure.. lucky it fell into your hands so you can bring her back.

Congrats.

Vinnie

66Overlander · 09-02-2011, 10:42 PM

In order to get it home, I had to install temporary lights. With the help of friends, I also got the brakes hooked up and working before the trip home. The old brakes grab amazingly well, perhaps because they have not been used much. We had to rewire the umbilical cord to get them working. They were actually wired to the backup light pin, so they only worked when in reverse before we discovered the issue.

I need to say a BIG THANKS to my friend Bob W. for helping me find and purchase this trailer.

I am still trying to formulate a plan for what work I want/need to do on this trailer, but the overall plan is to try to repair what is there rather than to replace things. I intend to make a fully functional survivor out of this trailer, not a highly polished factory fresh restoration. I want it to be as close to the condition it went on the ATW caravan as possible, but I know I will have to put a new axle on it fairly soon.

I guess that's all for now. Interior photos should come later, but I just wanted to make a little announcement.

Here are a few photos of the trip home . . .

clancy_boy · 09-02-2011, 11:40 PM

Very Nice find - a true survivor. You are doing right by her.

Frank's Trailer Works · 09-03-2011, 06:17 AM

So glad to see another one rescued. I hope to see it get on the road soon.

2vets · 09-03-2011, 07:24 AM

I am so excited for you! She will live again!

oh2bcarefree · 09-03-2011, 07:59 AM

That is great! I saw this trailer on Craigslist and I am so glad that someone on Airforums was able to get it. It will be great once you've put some time and restoration into it.

I have seen some of the vintage state stickers for sale that are coming off your door. If you have an interest, here is the link.

airstream on Etsy, a global handmade and vintage marketplace.

I love reading the sticker "shadows" on the trailer. What a history! You probably can have a good graphics shop remake those if you want. I think the family member selling it said they had "back-up" or some sort of documentation to validate the history of the trailer. Did you see any photos of their trip or did they have any of the original paperwork? Very cool!

Good Luck! We look forward to watching your progress!

Tina

66Overlander · 09-03-2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oh2bcarefree

That is great! I saw this trailer on Craigslist and I am so glad that someone on Airforums was able to get it. It will be great once you've put some time and restoration into it.

I have seen some of the vintage state stickers for sale that are coming off your door. If you have an interest, here is the link.

airstream on Etsy, a global handmade and vintage marketplace.

I love reading the sticker "shadows" on the trailer. What a history! You probably can have a good graphics shop remake those if you want. I think the family member selling it said they had "back-up" or some sort of documentation to validate the history of the trailer. Did you see any photos of their trip or did they have any of the original paperwork? Very cool!

Good Luck! We look forward to watching your progress!

Tina

Hi Tina,
Yes, this is the ATW trailer that you posted on AirForums. It took a while to finalize the deal because of title issues.

As for stickers, my current thoughts are to preserve what is still there and not add anything that was not there when I bought it, but we'll see if I change my mind as I work on it.

As for the exterior lettering, I am less sure whether I should repaint or reapply (e.g. vinyl stickers), or just leave "as is". We'll see. I am in no hurry there because I may not be able to undo something if I act too hastily and later change my mind.

I did get some paperwork from the previous owner. Nothing specifically related to the ATW trip, but I did get things like the original receipt from when the trailer was first bought, in the name of the original owner that did go on the ATW caravan.

I am still trying to piece the ownership history together, but I am guessing that I may be about the 5th owner overall, but only the third family to own it.

**blmitch5** · 09-03-2011, 09:01 AM

Very cool! Please keep us posted on your progress. What a great piece of history you have!

**Aage** · 09-03-2011, 09:18 AM

That's a great find, and I'm sure we'll all be interested in following your progress with it.

Not sure, but to your comment regarding the axle, didn't the '62 models have a spring axle? If so, it should be failry easy to replace or add to the existing ones, I would imagine.

[edit: it looks like torsion axles were begun to be used in all models starting in 1961]

And while looking at the list of places they visisted, (the front curbside shot, with the "ghost" of all those names), I smiled to see that it had been to "FLORDIA". Perhaps they were tired when they put that one on...

goransons · 09-03-2011, 10:20 AM

Awesome Joe, thanks for the pictures and glad it got home safe and sound with you. Let us know of anything else you need for it, hopefully we can help track down those parts!

Do you have any interior shots?

66Overlander · 09-03-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aage

[edit: it looks like torsion axles were begun to be used in all models starting in 1961]

Correct. This Airstream has a torsion axle, luckily bolted in, not welded in as some early trailers had. That should make changing it easier. BTW, all Airstreams on the ATW caravan were required to have torsion axles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aage

And while looking at the list of places they visisted, (the front curbside shot, with the "ghost" of all those names), I smiled to see that it had been to "FLORDIA". Perhaps they were tired when they put that one on...

Actually, the "Florida" on the trailer was not a destination, but their home town. The original owners, and ATW participants, Ralph & Geraldine Cramer were listed as residing in Urbana, Illinois at the time of the caravan, but apparently they moved to Cape Coral, FL after the caravan since that is the city and state name painted on the trailer and that is listed as their home town in the WBCCI Directories I have from 1966 to 1979. (I do not have 1963, 64, or 65 Directories, so I cannot confirm what city they listed as their home town those years.

**Aage** · 09-03-2011, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

Actually, the "Florida" on the trailer was not a destination, but their home town. The original owners, and ATW participants, Ralph & Geraldine Cramer were listed as residing in Urbana, Illinois at the time of the caravan, but apparently they moved to Cape Coral, FL after the caravan since that is the city and state name painted on the trailer and that is listed as their home town in the WBCCI Directories I have from 1966 to 1979. (I do not have 1963, 64, or 65 Directories, so I cannot confirm what city they listed as their home town those years.

Isn't it all the more odd then that they never corrected an obvious spelling error/typo like that? Perhaps it became a running joke with them. "Oh yes, we're from Flordia."

66Overlander · 09-04-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aage

Isn't it all the more odd then that they never corrected an obvious spelling error/typo like that? Perhaps it became a running joke with them. "Oh yes, we're from Flordia."

Guess I have been too overwhelmed by my new toy and hadn't noticed the spelling issue, nor did I apparently catch your subtle joke about it. Sorry.

Just trying to figure out how to get this trailer water tight as soon as possible. That is job 1. My first shipment of gaskets, vulkem, etc. (and new tail lights!) arrived from VTS yesterday.