1959 African Caravan Utility Vehicle

[flyfshr]

A lot has happened and a lot has changed in the last 50 years in this globe of ours. I, too, would have loved to have been part of this great adventure in the times it took place. Alas, this is not to be but I can live vicariously through PeeWee's storytelling, accounts and pictures. Keep 'em coming PeeWee. They are most enlightening and enjoyable.

Brad
FF

[1956Safari]

Thats for sure Brad! I too would love to go, but chances are as slim as us getting one back on the moon.

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by 1956Safari

Thats for sure Brad! I too would love to go, but chances are as slim as us getting one back on the moon.
Attachment 75989

JC Control.... Caravan Base Here! The Airstream Has Landed!

[DEITZ645]

Originally Posted by BIGED52

JC Control.... Caravan Base Here! The Airstream Has Landed!

In these troubled economic times it woulbe be more likely...

"Jackson Center...We have a problem"

[Journalist]

Hmmm... The first Airstream moho was also the only Airstream Class C made! AND it went on the African caravan. That thing would be worth a mint!

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by Journalist

Hmmm... The first Airstream moho was also the only Airstream Class C made! AND it went on the African caravan. That thing would be worth a mint!

I have memories of a test unit. It was in the 60's at the Santa Fe Springs, CA plant.

They had a Japanese mid-size truck. The Airstream was a small unit. The mating devise was tubular prongs on the truck mating with female openings on the trailer.

That's all I remember. Like many projects, tried, reviewed and discarded. In the "earlier years," Airstream was content to market the Airstream trailer only.

Pee Wee

[DEITZ645]

Originally Posted by Journalist

Hmmm... The first Airstream moho was also the only Airstream Class C made! AND it went on the African caravan. That thing would be worth a mint!

Journalist,
I will have to review my back issues of Airstream Life, but I think I remember there was an article on a prototype class C that was built, got sold, and is out there in the public. I will try to locate the information and post tonight after I get home. But you are right the first one went on the African Caravan.

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by DEITZ645

Journalist,
I will have to review my back issues of Airstream Life, but I think I remember there was an article on a prototype class C that was built, got sold, and is out there in the public. I will try to locate the information and post tonight after I get home. But you are right the first one went on the African Caravan.

If anything my Scout truck was a camper, not a Class "C". There was no entrance from the cab to the living quarters. Only the rear door, typical of campers.

You can stretch the fact that from campers came the Class "C".

[DEITZ645]

For those of you who have the winter 2005 issue of Airstream Life, you can see the Class C Airstream. The article is titled Invasion of the C Monster and begins on page 55. I would have scanned it and posted it, but I feared that would break some copyright laws. I didn't want to raise Rich Luhr's ire.

It was "...built as a trade show prototype in 2002." It is "...built atop a Ford F-450 van with a Triton V-10 gas engine..." and is 28 feet long. A couple from Maine purchased it.

I'm not much of a class C RV fan, but it does look pretty cool.

[silverhawk]

Originally Posted by DEITZ645

For those of you who have the winter 2005 issue of Airstream Life, you can see the Class C Airstream. The article is titled Invasion of the C Monster and begins on page 55. I would have scanned it and posted it, but I feared that would break some copyright laws. I didn't want to raise Rich Luhr's ire.

It was "...built as a trade show prototype in 2002." It is "...built atop a Ford F-450 van with a Triton V-10 gas engine..." and is 28 feet long. A couple from Maine purchased it.

I'm not much of a class C RV fan, but it does look pretty cool.

I would'nt want to step on any toes here, but that sounds like a whole nother thread under a whole nother caption.

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by silverhawk

I would'nt want to step on any toes here, but that sounds like a whole nother thread under a whole nother caption.

I will begin a new thread regarding history, Africa and such. This has drifted into a tide pool.

[BIGED52]

PeeWee, Sadly you are right this thread and all the good history it was imparting was not really hijacked but driven onto the reef and the pirates are among us. Sorry it went off topic so far. Ed

[Frank's Trailer Works]

A good captain can steer his vessel around the reef. I think it is premature to abandon ship...

And the scout truck is truly a mobile home, it is just closer to a Basque shepherds wagon than a class C . How about the interior photo we discussed on the phone Pee Wee? Can you post that too?

What happened to the trucks after the caravan?

[silverhawk]

The job of the scouts and those S.V.s is just so intriguing to me. I'm sure there are some stories there as well as memories worth telling.
What was it like meeting the locals to set up passage through there lands?
Who came to your aid when you were fender deep in a ditch or rut. I just can't imagine presenting a 55 gal. drum to fill up with gas and forking over a ten and a five then getting change back.
Let's just steer this adventure back on track and continue down that road.

[DEITZ645]

What about the language barrier. As an advance scout did you find it difficult communicating with the folks you encountered?

PS - I apologize for my previous mutinous posts and will be more careful in the future .

[PeeWee]

It's Africa. It's a haircut. It's the Scout Truck. 1959!

This clip was taken from the existing poor quality film of the African Caravan.

It is me.

Pee Wee

[BIGED52]

PeeWee, Thanks for continuing to post your great wealth of pictures. I love it! Ed

[whitsend]

[quote=PeeWee;670431]Wally probably had an - imput -, maybe many do-this-and-thats.

Pee Wee - Was Wally giving an "implant" or "input"?
Actually, you may have just invented a perfectly valid new word!!
Jim

[PeeWee]

[quote=whitsend;672555]

Originally Posted by PeeWee

Wally probably had an - imput -, maybe many do-this-and-thats.

Pee Wee - Was Wally giving an "implant" or "input"?
Actually, you may have just invented a perfectly valid new word!!
Jim

Either way Wally had his say-so. INPUT, like put your left foot in, take your left foot out.

Pee Wee

[BIGED52]

What if the Hokey-Pokey is what it's all about! Ed