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10-04-2014, 06:49 AM
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#21
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2 Rivet Member
1973 27' Overlander
Vintage Kin Owner
kettering
, northants
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 90
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They are also building the European spec airstreams from start to finish, whereas before they were just sending the shells over to be finished in UK and Germany.
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10-04-2014, 08:05 AM
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#22
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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I saw a sport built for the UK when I took the tour- grab handles, triangle reflectors, galvanized steel frame, little wheels and tires, surge brakes, styrofoam and luan floors, different coupler-
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-04-2014, 08:37 AM
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#23
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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When I visited they had 4 Bambi food carts under construction. They were bound for Europe. The service bays were all busy with a two month wait. The custom shop where they are restoring older trailers had 3 units under construction. Most impressive of all was the SkyDeck motor home that was under construction in the service area. It was going to a NASACAR team. They have orders for 3 more.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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10-04-2014, 08:57 AM
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#24
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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I missed the Skydeck. That would have been awesome to see.
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-04-2014, 09:29 AM
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#25
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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Souvenir from the tour-
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-04-2014, 10:23 AM
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#26
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Refugee from Napa, CA
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Formerly Napa
, On the road
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 614
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Interesting perspective. I doubt that will happen. I do think prices will rise in order to attempt to recoup the investment. Airstream is American made product, and sales would suffer dramatically if it were made offshore.
I suspect Airstream will suffer more American competition as their prices climb, and other manufacturers will generate a very similar product, just as Harley Davidson is suffering like competition.
YMMV
__________________
Instagram. Alluminator
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10-04-2014, 10:37 AM
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#27
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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Interesting to predict Japanese buyout and moving the plant when the Japanese and others are moving their assembly plants here often to rural locations, and installing offshore components. Airstream has been using that idea for years.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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10-04-2014, 10:45 AM
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#28
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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It's all about the mighty dollar- the bottom line-
Factories first move to the south to avoid unions and pay lower wages.
The next step is Mexico or overseas.
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-04-2014, 10:56 AM
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#29
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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It is absolutely about the bottom line. Airstream is part of Thor, a publicly held company that answers to stockholders who don't give a hoot about the product or even know what it is. The company must produce profit, dividends and growth or heads will roll from the top down until they do.
That doesn't mean the folks who manage or work there are bad people or don't care about what they build.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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10-04-2014, 11:08 AM
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#30
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Rivet Master
2012 30' International
1997 25' Safari
1967 20' Globetrotter
Burlington
, Ontario
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,499
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My Airstream is fabulous and the guys building it did an awesome job. Jim
Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums
__________________
Jim
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10-04-2014, 11:19 AM
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#31
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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Mine too, Jim. But few want to look at it that way.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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10-04-2014, 11:24 AM
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#32
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Refugee from Napa, CA
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Formerly Napa
, On the road
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 614
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I love mine....and have no problems with the business or the people I have dealt with.
Well, there was one dealership....but I will never use them again.
__________________
Instagram. Alluminator
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10-04-2014, 12:02 PM
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#33
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Rivet Master
1936 20' Clipper
1947 22' Liner
Curtis Wright
1989 37' Airstream 370
marshfield
, Massachusetts
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 789
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Just took the factory tour a month ago, and I can understand why they would want to expand. We had the chance to pretty much walk right down the production line, over air hoses and extension cords, as the people doing the work paused to let us pass. I'm no expert on factory production, but the place had a decidedly old world sort of functionality to it, as opposed to more contemporary assembly lines; let alone state of the art robotic plants. I can easily see how more space could benefit their production quality and efficiency.
The tour guests present on the day I visited were fairly affluent, and represented several countries. The Euro-spec trailers had several features such as galvanized frames, and insulated sandwich panel sub-flooring, that left me wondering why I couldn't order one for domestic travel.
Airstream has clearly focused on their product's identity in the market place, both domestically and globally. They view themselves as the top of the line in the unique niche that they occupy, and clearly have their work cut out to live up to that reputation. They may not be perfect, but a few years ago I helped a friend pick up a custom specced trailer built by the Forest River group up in Elkhart, Indiana. Let me just say that if you ever want to see a complete manufacturing Sh#t Show, you should visit that town. His trailer had so many errors in dimensional sizing that we were half wondering if we were picking up the right unit. The "plant", if you could call it that, was basically a big old warehouse with heavy metal music blasting (and I do mean blasting) through the whole place, over the noise of a zillion air powered tools. I thought I'd wondered into some sort of day time meth rave.
The folks at Airstream are doing a heck of a lot better than that.
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10-04-2014, 12:16 PM
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#34
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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Don't get me wrong. I love my trailer.
I love the retro style and the art deco vibe. The pull is stronger than any hobby I've ever had. The service center at Jackson Center is absolutely the best hands down.
But...
It is the most expensive thing I have ever bought with the most small irritating problems.
And...
All that aside I enjoy it every week/weekend all year long except February- just too cold and wet-
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-04-2014, 11:10 PM
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#35
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65th Anniversary CLIPPER
1996 36' Clipper Bus
Tub City
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,309
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Was this a new chassis and body build or was it just a refurbishing of an older unit. I have asked numerous times about availability of the large Class A's and don't even get an answer anymore.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by AWCHIEF
Most impressive of all was the SkyDeck motor home that was under construction in the service area. It was going to a NASACAR team. They have orders for 3 more.
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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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10-05-2014, 04:09 AM
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#36
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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It had to be work on an older one.
The only motorhome they are manufacturing is the Interstate on the Sprinter van.
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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10-05-2014, 06:46 AM
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#37
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by masseyfarm
Was this a new chassis and body build or was it just a refurbishing of an older unit. I have asked numerous times about availability of the large Class A's and don't even get an answer anymore.
Dave
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It looked brand new. It appeared to me that it was being retrofitted from scratch. As I understand it these are all very special orders for NASCAR teams with three on order as of about a month or so ago. As to price, it is one of those questions that if you have to ask you cannot afford one.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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10-05-2014, 08:40 AM
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#38
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65th Anniversary CLIPPER
1996 36' Clipper Bus
Tub City
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,309
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Was it similar to this or was there a different front cap??
Dave
__________________
"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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10-05-2014, 09:07 AM
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#39
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2 Rivet Member
2012 27' FB Classic
Yakima
, Washington
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 82
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Glad to hear they are growing. We would like to take a tour some day. The largest problem we have with our trailer is that in every camp ground someone wants to see the inside so we always keep it picked up and things put away. We are in Montana and six people wanted to see the inside last night.
Happy problem
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10-05-2014, 09:13 AM
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#40
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Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
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Sorry but I do not recall. I was unable to get a photo.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
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