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.