Before they were Vintage

[NJtoNC]

so very cool. VERY VERY cool. i wish i lived in the 50's : /

[jdalrymple]

Thanks for taking the time to post the photos. Very cool.

[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by NJtoNC

so very cool. VERY VERY cool. i wish i lived in the 50's : /

Before or after the Salk vaccine for polio?

Zep

[mwells4654]

Love the pictures folks. Lots of history, keeo um coming.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Zeppelinium

Before or after the Salk vaccine for polio?

Zep

I was thinking the same thing. There are real pluses and minuses to every age.

Those in the '50s that to me are them most notable and potentially undesirable revolve around the general attitudes that were prevalent then towards certain groups.

[Grand Master]

Originally Posted by Jabba

Great pictures! Please keep sharing if you have more. I was wondering if you remember the name of the Airstream dealer in Niles? Our Airstream was bought over in that vicinity.

It was Frank's Trailer Sales ( I think his first name was Bob ). Here is a picture taken in 1959. After my Dad had seen Wally's International badged trailer he had to have one. The International Globe Trotter shown in this picture was Airstream #2 for him. It was a fully self contained 18' model.

[safari57]

Mike,

That looks like a 61 Ford and a Rambler parked at the building. Not sure on the Rambler, or year of it.

I noticed Wally's 22' trailer had tandem axles. I'd always thought it was a Tradewind, thus the tandem being a better fit.

Really enjoying these time capsules back to your youth. Keep the pictures coming, if you are able to do so. Or do you have a website I should be going to?

And a question the answer to which I may have already missed - what happened to your parents last trailer? Is that the one you have now? Do you know where their other trailers have ended up?

[Grand Master]

Originally Posted by safari57

Mike,

That looks like a 61 Ford and a Rambler parked at the building. Not sure on the Rambler, or year of it.

I noticed Wally's 22' trailer had tandem axles. I'd always thought it was a Tradewind, thus the tandem being a better fit.

Really enjoying these time capsules back to your youth. Keep the pictures coming, if you are able to do so. Or do you have a website I should be going to?

And a question the answer to which I may have already missed - what happened to your parents last trailer? Is that the one you have now? Do you know where their other trailers have ended up?

Barry you have a good eye. Upon closer inspection, the 18" Airstream in this picture in not my Dad's International for the following reasons:
1. No TV antenna
2. No Whip radio antenna
3. Wrong Furnace vent

You may be right as to the years of the cars. Perhaps this was taken a year or two after he purchased the International model.

Wally's gold trailer was outfitted with Henschen dura torque axles as a prototype. Torsion axles on Airstreams were not introduced untill 1962. Dual axles on trailers less than 26' would not come for several years.

To answer your final question...... I do not own any of my Dad's trailers. My Trade Wind was purchased because it has a similar floorplan to my Dad's favorite Airstream. It was a 1962 26' Overlander.

Here is a picture of the '59. Notice the gopher hole behind my feet. The bathroom (and thus the sewer connection) was in the curbside front corner of this model. How many even know what a gopher hole is in Airtream slang?

[xrvr]

All I know is one wanted to be sure the top was secured before walking around in the dark! zz

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Grand Master

It was Frank's Trailer Sales ( I think his first name was Bob ). Here is a picture taken in 1959. After my Dad had seen Wally's International badged trailer he had to have one. The International Globe Trotter shown in this picture was Airstream #2 for him. It was a fully self contained 18' model.

Something about that photo I like. Here's another version of it, makes things a bit easier to see.

I think the sign says: "Old Frank Rd Trailer Sales", but I could be wrong, of course...

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Grand Master

Here is a picture of the '59. Notice the gopher hole behind my feet. The bathroom (and thus the sewer connection) was in the curbside front corner of this model. How many even know what a gopher hole is in Airtream slang?

Hole to catch the grey water?

[Jabba]

Awesome that you even have pictures of the dealer! Wow, please keep 'em coming.

Ok, dumb question on the gopher hole, weren't they noticeable by "aroma"?

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by Grand Master

Here is a picture of the '59. Notice the gopher hole behind my feet. The bathroom (and thus the sewer connection) was in the curbside front corner of this model. How many even know what a gopher hole is in Airtream slang?

Gopher hole...

[safari57]

Looks to me like that gopher is holding its nose

[Grand Master]

The 1st. international Rally we attended was at Wisconsin Dells in 1959. I don't remeber if we gopher holed there, but I know we did the next year at Colorado Springs because Dad was the Gopher Hole Chairman. Who said that Airstreaming can't be glamorous.

Here is the official picture of the 2nd. International Rally. We didn't arrive early enough to park in the Wagon Wheel. We were parked in the first row just left of the circle.

[Grand Master]

I have been thinking about Aage's response that the Airstream dealer's name might be something other than my memory. Well, I decided to call Airstream today to see if anyone could remember the name of an Airstream dealer in Michigan in the late 50's and early 60's.

The employee I spoke with agreed with me that her memory was Bob Frank Airstream, but she thought he was in Battle Creek, MI (rather than Niles).

Does this jog anyones memory? It's the small things that drive me crazy.

[Aage]

Yes, you're right, Mike I looked at it again, and I've got to say that now I think is is Bob Frank.

One less thing to go crazy over

[Grand Master]

1959.
Both the Chevy Impala and the Airstream are 59's. Wow, you could put a double bed in that trunk.

I think this picture was taken on our way to (or from) the International Rally in Colorado Springs. Notice the round International badge on the right front panel of the Globetrotter. This was a fully self contained trailer. Unique for this size. Dad had seen Wally's gold International model the year before, so he had to have one.

The bathroom was in the curbside front corner. It had a shower, toilet, & sink. You could use all three at once.

Also notice the aluminum tubes running from the tongue to the axle. They were made to carry the sewer hose (and fishing poles).

[safari57]

Wow Mike, your parents were pretty sporty kind of people. Nice nice nice car and trailer set up.

[Jabba]

Mike,

Could you please email me a copy of the Bob Frank dealer photo? That is where the p.o. of our '55 bought it. Somewhere I have pot holders with the dealer name on them. Buy an Airstream and we'll throw in a pair of potholders, such a deal!

Thanks!