After much looking I finally found an Airstream to call my own. It is a
1964 Safari. I found it on Craigslist up in Portland on Tuesday (8/17) and was up there buying it the next afternoon.
My big mistake was trying to tow the trailer without load leveling or sway control. I was all over the freeway. Needless to say I didn't get much further than a mile or two. I was fortunate enough the next moring to stumble across Van Specialties in Lake Oswego. They got my load leveling hitch properly installed and also added sway control (how did people ever tow these without it??). I also had them perform the requisite wheel, tire, and brake inspections, as well as a repack on the bearings. While I was at it I updated the breakaway switch, installed new tow chains, and had them replace the plug for the lighting and brakes. A few new bulbs on the running lights and I was good to go. I cannot speak highly enough about the helpfulness of Litch and his crew at Van Specialties (how I wish they were down here in Silicon Valley).
I am currently undoing some major sins the PO had done to the interior, but the good news is that the outer skin seems amazingly straight and blemish free for a 41 year old trailer. The biggest challenge seems to be that my wife and kids want to go camping right away, but I've got things I need/want to do to the trailer first.
Happy Travels
-Todd
By the way, if you're wondering, the picture of the trailer in tow was taken at a rest stop on the north side of Mount Shasta.