A high howdy from Colorado jimroll: Welcome to the vintage Airstream hobby. Maybe building campers is in the blood of all Hoosiers? What is a Hoosier anyway?
Your two campers look very nice. Your 62 Safari is along the same lines, but different. It has a semi monocoque "old aircraft like" construction where the frame, subfloor, and body hold each other up. Comprise one of these structural elements, and the trailer becomes quite weak. Experienced vintage Airstreams do the "bounce test" on longer trailers. Stand on the rear bumper and bounce up and down like you're on a diving board. Watch for separation between the rear body to frame joint. If it separates, then the frame has rusted away from the body attachment points. The frame can actually buckle behind the axles.
Your Safari is not likely to have this problem, but you might chuckle at the "flimsy" frame, thin subfloor, or lightweight body. But tied all together it become quite strong. Maybe like an egg shell.
I've done work on a 66 Trade Wind (one size larger than your Safari), a 69 Globetrotter (one size smaller than your Safari) and our 86 Limited. We enjoy traveling in them. They are like camping in a business jet! Get used to ducking your head before walking out of the trailer door, and don't hit your head on the overhead lockers. Airstreams are rather small campers.
David
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