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techiej · 04-30-2011, 12:08 PM

We had been in motorhomes and our life-style/travel plans changed. We started looking at our options and an AS fit the bill perfectly, not to mention the cool look that we've always admired.

I've got our pro/con list as well as background on our blog if you're interested.

overlander64 · 05-01-2011, 09:39 AM

It is very easy for me to state the reason why I purchased my Airstream - - it was heavily influenced by childhood memories. My aunt had friends who were active Airstreamers and often parked their Airstream on my family's farm as they were passing through town. In 1964, they traded their 1954 Airstream Caravanner on a new 1964 Airstream Overlander Land Yacht International. On their first visit to our farm with that coach, they must have realized how enamoured I was with their Airstream. Shortly after their first visit during their "shake-down cruise" I was invited to join them for my first camping trip.

Our friends retired from Airstreaming and traveling in 1980, and their first thought was to offer me the '64 Overlander at the very reasonable price of $3,000. I was in my third year of college at the time so such a purchase was out of the question. Fifteen years later the Airstream bug would strike and I would find myselft spending six plus months looking for an Airstream. With each Airstream I toured, it always seemed like something was missing -- then, I happened to pickup a local trader publication - - and there it was in the photo ads -- 1964 Airstream International 28'. I traveled the 250 miles to inspect the trailer and found a very well preserved 1964 Airstream Overlander Land Yacht International -- I realized that it was actually 26' and not the advertised 28', but never said anything to the seller about the discrepency. Less than 30 minutes from my first look, I was handing the owner a deposit of $1,000 and making plans to return to tow the coach home ten days later.

It never really fully dawned on me why the trailer had such a strong attraction for me. From my first trip, the trailer seemed like an old friend; and this was confirmed about six months later when I towed to my family farm for the first time. I was passing near the home of our family friends' son who immediately identified the trailer as the one his parents sold in 1980 -- it still had the drapes and upholstery that his mother had sewn for the trailer about two years before they retired from Airstreaming.

The Overlander came to live with me in June of 1995 and has remained with me ever since.

Kevin

The photo below is from a 1967 trip that the original owners of my coach made to my family farm. I am the child holding the pony's bridle.

This is the same coach four years after I purchased it from what I learned was the second owner in 1995. (I was on my way to the WBCCI International in Dayton, Ohio).

This is the coach in 2003 following its visits to Symsonia, Kentucky were Arelen and Henry Fowler (Fowler RV Interiors) worked their magic on the interior restoaration; and to the Ruths in Helena, Ohio (P & S Trailer Service) where the coach received an OEM-style natural sheen polish with Plasticoat.

I have looked at new Airstreams at every WBCCI International Rally, but have never found one that could replace this coach's position in my family.

Globie64 · 05-01-2011, 11:41 AM

What a good looking rig, Overlander64... Have you posted anything about the PV installation?

lylesgl · 05-01-2011, 02:45 PM

Ever since I was a kid I've found the idea intriguing to have your house follow you wherever you roamed and knew I'd have to have me an RV when I got older. The iconic image of the Airstream and it's "difference" from mainstream RVs intrigued me. Therefore I took the plunge!

Rust · 07-29-2011, 08:50 PM

Good question. When I first bought a trailer back in the late 8o's I had seen some where a picture or it was on a old movie showing an airstream and for some reason I loved the look.
I then followed this trailer on the web for years and after almost buying a used one in 2000 I had put the thought of owning an airstream on the back burner since I could not afford one since I kept on buying other brands in our price range.
But if I had of just bought the airstream to begin with I would have been ahead.
After one used tent trailer and 3 new trailers two of which where award trailer's and a Sunny Brook I made the move this May and bought a new 2011 28 foot Flying Cloud.
We had it out once and love it, we will be off in a few weeks time for a month long stay.
But seeing photo's of this trailer brand all over North America just symbolizes what a great icon it is as far as quality and ownership.
I guess to answer the question it is all the name and history of this Trailer.
AIRSTREAM

George

A W Warn · 07-29-2011, 10:50 PM

Before I got my first Airstream I really did not know much about them. Only had experience with Boy Scout tent camping and then a pop-up in the late 60's through the mid 80's. While I was killing some time away from work at lunch one day I saw a car I wanted to look at on lot and ended up looking at the 73 Excella 31' the owner's friend had left there on consignment. Long story short - fell in love, so to speak. Tossed and turned all night then went back the next day and bought it. Little did I know my truck would not haul it, had a friend had to haul it home for me. Had to get a truck so I could haul it. I did not even know what a weight distribution hitch was. Got a quick education though. My first trip was 370 mile round trip to the beach for a weekend, the rest is history. I have had a few more Airstreams since then. I don't think I will be without, as long as I can take care of one.

golfgal · 07-30-2011, 05:20 AM

This is probably an insane reason, but we traded in our Class C motorhome on an Airstream so that we could travel without being accompanied by hundreds of stinkbugs. Here in Northern Virginia, our area has become infested with the brown marmorated stinkbug over the past couple of years, and they are everywhere and invade your home and were invading our RV in the fall, looking for a place to spend the winter. They have no natural predators and are becoming a problem for farmers as well. Anyway, after we took a trip with about 800 of them on board with us in our motorhome, we started looking for some other sort of RV. We had thought Airstreams were really cool-looking, and when we saw up close how tightly they were built, we knew that would be the trailer for us! No stinkbug can get between those pieces of aluminum riveted together! Now we are much happier, and nearly stinkbug-free! (Occasionally one or two will come in around the door, but that's all.) For those of you who live farther south, beware - these obnoxious pests are migrating a little farther southward each year. Ugh!

Gringo · 07-30-2011, 05:28 AM

we call em tourons. Sorry, couldn't resist.

ROBERT CROSS · 07-30-2011, 05:34 AM

Sameo, Sameo...

As a young'n saw one at a lakeside campsite...never forgot it.

30 years later it was our turn...

Our "first"

Our "last"

Lothlorian · 07-30-2011, 05:34 AM

A friend asked me to look at this 1986 airstream on craiglist and give my opinion. He liked the trailer and the price. I went to craiglist and gave my thumbs up on the trailer, but noticed a 1964 26' for sale just below that post. I checked it out and saw the price and was wondering if it was not sold. I called the guy and went to look at it. I really was not interested in another trailer but my son had said he would not mind having one. We went looked at it and I discovered it was a 1960 not a 64. I low balled the offer because I was not that serious about buying it and he excepted my offer. End of story.

It is still getting restored, but here is a pic of how far we have come along on the outside. We are close to finishing the inside.

Brian

Gringo · 07-30-2011, 05:46 AM

Our plans to buy a cruising catamaran got put on indefinite hold last year with drastic changes in import duties in this little country we live in. While visiting Colorado last summer, on a whim we bought 35 acres north of Ft. Collins. We were in right place at right time and it was a good opportunity. We made a good deal. Initial, un-thought-out plans were to put small vacation home on it so we could get away from the tropics for a few months a year during hurricane season. I started researching timber frames houses and log homes, etc. Other dreams. Finally we realized that it probably wasn't all that smart to spend that kind of money for a second house to maintain, which would be in a remote location with nobody to keep an eye on it for ten months a year in a place with a nasty winter climate. La Gringa came up with the idea of a motor home or travel trailer that we could store someplace else, and pull up to park on our property when we wanted to be there, and put away in safe storage the rest of the time. Until we got this AS, she had never spent a night in an RV of any kind. I grew up camping. My folks are still into it, in fact. They have had an airstream for thirty years. I owned a Class C MH for about ten years and knew the drawbacks in this kind of situation. Airstreams are pretty much considered the best, and that's kind of how we like to do things when we can. Besides, I figure we saved three quarters of a million dollars by not building the hybrid log/timber home.

And I could never have been planning to take the log home with me to see the Black Hills, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone....like I am the Silver Lining.

mnmhays · 07-30-2011, 07:30 AM

My grandparents had one when I was a kid. I would spend a few weeks of my summer break with them and the AS served as my living quarters. I was smitten then. My wife tried the tent camping thing with me once and said never again! So an AS was our first and only choice!

OB Bambi · 08-07-2011, 08:04 PM

Mine is the same old story...I came home from work one evening and my wife tells me that she saw the "cutest thing in the world today near SeaWorld." It was an Airstream Bambi. She started looking at them on-line. She had me go with her to the dealer..."just to look."

The next thing out of her lips was..."I want it."

The rest is history.

Randy

summerkid · 08-07-2011, 08:45 PM

I'd never even heard of Airstreams. Was on the Internet one night looking to buy a horse & ended up with a trailer by morning.

nomad3622 · 08-07-2011, 08:53 PM

I just wanted to have an RV to stay in while fishing. I went and looked at a 19' RV and it just seemed so ... "cheap". I then went to look at an Airstream, and paid 4 times what the "other" brand cost and have been putting miles on it ever since. I love it and would own no other brand. I'm now up to a 23', but still AS!

1Boyscout · 02-23-2015, 12:03 PM

Positives out weighed the negatives of ownership. Been Rving over 30 yrs. Have owned a PU Camper, 3 TTs and a Class C before we just bought our AS The last 2 TTs were 34' long and had two large Slide outs. You need to sweep off the SO before you leave your campsite. Class C is great for touring, but some times you need a toad and a dolly. Big TTs and 5th Wheels sit high off the ground. They catch a lot of wind; not good if you have a problem with steps. AS does not have a rubber roof to maintain. It is close to the ground. Easier to tow. Easier on the knees. Two feet lower overall height. Wind resistance is unimaginable easier towing. We decided that we did not need to take the house with us. Insurance is a lot cheaper than a C and doesn't have the upkeep of a drivable Rv. Last but not least, an AS doesn't depreciate like TTs, 5rs and RVs.

paiceman · 02-23-2015, 12:10 PM

What 1 Boyscout said. We have had them all, including 3 Airstreams. Picked up our last RV, a 30' FC in December. Will in all probability not have anything else. Drive-ability ease of maintenance, lower to the ground style, insurance yes all those things.