I want an Airstream, but need help.

[twochutesout]

Hi all, first time poster; love the forums. I do not own an Airstream and actually have never owned a trailer, RV, or ughhhh tent ; however I am making plans. I am graduating college in about a year maybe a year and a half and I want to hit the road and do some skydiving at various drop zones around the US. It is fairly common to find large amounts of RV’s and trailers and such establishments. Anyhow, I saw some airstreams and obviously fell in love and absolutely have to own one. Problem is I do not know the first thing about how travel trailers work and I am on a mission to learn within the next year or so. Can anyone lead me to a “travel trailers for dummies” type website? I am most concerned about the towing, pluming, and electrical aspects of travel trailing. Any books I should pick up? I plan on renting a travel trailer sometime within the next few months and taking it around Texas just to make sure this is someth9ing I want to do, if I have a good experience I will rent again just to make really really sure. End result I hope to find a smallish Airstream for 5 or so grad, provide some TLC and hit the road. I want it so bad I can taste it.

Well thanks in advance for any advice.

skip

[overlander64]

Greetings Skip!

There are a number of avenues to follow in pursuit of the information that you desire. Some Web sites that are Airstream specific include:

Airstream Corporate Web Site

Wally Byam Caravan Club (Airstream Product Owner's Club)

Vintage Airstream Club (An Intra Club of the Wally Byam Caravan Club)

Vintage Airstream Photo Identification Site

There are fewer sites that actually are RV related of which I am aware. There are a number of books, and I would suggest that a good first step is to approach the Reference Librarian at your local public library regarding books on Recreational Vehicles and RVing. There should be a number available, but you may need to wait for an inter-library loan depending upon the size of your local public library. There is a book on Maintaining RVs by Bob Livingston that is usually considered quite useful and is usually available from Camping World as well as most on-line sources such as Amazon.com. Another possiblity would be to obtain an owner's manual for a trailer similar to the one that interests you and read it from cover to cover - - there is typically a wealth of information for the novice trailer owner.

If your interst runs in the direction of Vintage Airstream products, you might want to consider joining the Vintage Airstream Club as a Friend. This includes a subscription to the quarterly newsletter, the Vintage Advantage that will fill you in on many issues related to the Vintage coaches. In addition, the newsletter will list rallys. At these rallys, there is usually an "Open House", and during this open house the public is invited to visit the rally site to see the vintage trailers (interior as well as exterior) and talk with the owners of the coaches.

You may face some problems finding travel trailers to rent. Most of the RVs available on a rental basis today are motorhomes. This situation is probably related to the fact that the typical family car can no longer safely tow a trailer, and in all probability some concern about the ability of a novice driver to safely handle a travel trailer even if the vehicle is properly equipped to tow the trailer.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

P.S. When I was a Sophomore in college (1980), I was determined to buy my first travel trailer to use as a temporary residence during my two required internships - - wanted an Airstream, but my family convinced me that only new would do so I purchased a 1980 Nomad Light-Weight 19 that proceeded to self-destruct and was very nearly a derelict in five years. Didn't realize my ambition of Airstream ownership until 1995 when I purchased (what I would learn later) the Airstream that I had initially wanted to buy in late 1979 - - my current 1964 Overlander International.

If you find that RVing is a lifestyle that intersts you, be persistent in your search for an Airstream - - I don't believe that you would regret the acquisition.

[Rog0525]

Used Airstream trailers are very easy to find. Very important that you have the right tow vehicle. Use the search feature on this site. It's really hard to lose money on a vintage AS if you take proper care of it.
Some of the classified ads are here:
http://www.airforums.com/forum...ht=classifieds

Best of luck. Don't miss the Grand Canyon.

Rog

[Pick]

Skip, a few more websites for you:

Open Roads Forum

irv2.com

Escapees Website

This site and these 3 are the "Best of the Web" when it comes to RVing.

[drboyd]

...you need help now?!?!?

Wait 'till you buy one!

(I don't have mine yet either, but this gang is a TON of help!)!

Don

[twochutesout]

Hey, thanks for all the help. I am so obsessed with Airstreams at the moment. Going to buy some books, find some manuals try to see some classics in person, I have actually been in some 2003 at a dealership. I will definitely be around asking lots of questions.

Thanks again.