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Airstream's Loss
The Airstream Clipper, one of very few produced, and one of maybe 3 left in use, is going to a new owner to explore the West Coast.
Many great memories are in the bank from our ownership and travels with this top-of-the-line motorhome over my retirement years of more that a decade. We wish the new ownership may enjoy this CLIPPER as much or more than we did.
The AIRSTREAM BUS was an HISTORIC production challenge and development back in the mid 90's, for Airstream. The "CLIPPER" was the final version of the Airstream Bus, the first large CLASS A that Airstream produced. The production run is believed to be 25 units total, with possibly 10 units branded as CLIPPER's.
The CLIPPER had the first RAISED RAIL CHASSIS, highest Carrying Capacity, and largest basement, the highest rated chassis at 29500 lbs, the highest horsepower, and the best horsepower to weight ratio, and the best vision with the large windows, that Airstream manufactured to that time. The CLIPPER designation, used on maybe the last 10 units produced, had all the bells and whistle options available to the buyer. The CLIPPER was the last production Class A to use the CUMMINS ENGINE, until the 2007 model year, when production of these Class A units ceased. The CLIPPER was the last large CLASS A DIESEL PUSHER produced by Airstream with the side entry door, eliminating all the problems inherit with the common transit door that the industry insists to continue to use.
This unit was the first unit on a Freighliner Chassis, and the second last RR Chassis unit produced in 1996 before the large Class A was discontinued until the year 2000 production.
I offered this historic unit to the Airstream company in Jackson Center, Ohio, in July of last year, to display in their museum of historic units. The answer was "we will present it to the board". Not hearing back I contacted them again in November, and the contact was again promising with the replay, "I will present it to the board".
Airstream missed out on this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Airstream Clipper is very similar to the famous GM coaches of the late 50's and 60's. Compared to the GM 4104 and the GM 4106, the CLIPPER shared much of the same styling. The Clipper Is one foot longer, six inches wider, about the same height profile, with large glass viewing, but with modern chassis and high HP power train, to make it one of the best travelling, touring motorhomes available at that time, and still an outstanding unit today.
It is hard for me to see the CLIPPER leave my ownership, as I have dedicated almost all my spare time in my retirement years to maintaining, and improving the OEM equipment if I could. It was stored at my residence, and I was basically in this unit every day, we were not on the road. It would have been nice if Airstream would have continued, or restarted production of the large Class A, for folks like me to be able to move up to the next level of touring, but that did not happen.
Bev and I have recently purchased a larger 3 axle model, with the capacity to pull a larger trailer, (for her wardrobe), so the necessity to move the Airstream came to pass.
We do have great memories, some of them shared with you on this forum. We will have no real reason to participate here any more so I will thank all and "see you on the road".
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"LOVE and LOSS, are two of the greatest emotions one can experience. -- I went to school to learn about "WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN" but I had to live my life to learn the lesson of: 'WITH LOVE THERE WILL BE SORROW'."
David Stewart. (after loosing my NAVIGATOR)
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