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Old 11-08-2010, 09:32 PM   #1
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Before they were Vintage

Here are a couple of pictures taken at a Midwest WBCC Rally in 1956 or 1957. Wouldn't it be cool to see this many 13 panel and whale tails parked together today.

Note that on my Dad's '54 Flying Cloud, is a Wally Byam's Caravan plaque. We had recently been on a Caravan.

It is interesting to note the aluminum sheen on these Airstreams. Keep in mind they are all less than 2 years old when this picture was taken. Airstream never produced trailers as shiny as we currently like to restore them.

BTW..... I still have those berets that Mom, Dad, and I are wearing behind #1200. I never throw anything away.
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Old 11-08-2010, 09:45 PM   #2
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Great photo, thanks for sharing!

I'm sure your mom enjoyed herself, but in that 2nd shot it looks like she's barely able to contain her crushing misery. Perhaps she was missing a highly anticipated neighborhood tupperware party...
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:07 PM   #3
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Here's a cool vintage setup. I wish I still had both the '54 Airstream and the '55 Chevy Nomad.

This picture was taken when we brought the Airstream home for the first time. We purchased her from the Airstream Delaer in Niles, MI

In those days the hitch was welded onto the frame and the head wasn't detachable. My Dad bought an EAZ-Lift hitch and used it with several trailers over the years.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:09 PM   #4
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What great pictures!! There's nothing like a family camping tradition.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:16 PM   #5
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What great pics of a 1950s AS event. In 1962 my wife took care of the wagonmaster's grandchildren when she was young (Seattle, WA and the World's Fair). We have seen some of the pics from that era and the AS look so small compared to today's variety. She was lucky enough to have her article on her experience printed in this month's Blue Beret. jjustice
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Old 11-09-2010, 12:33 AM   #6
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2 cool


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Old 11-09-2010, 03:40 AM   #7
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More please...

Funny you talk about sheen. My current client wants a non shine shine. We are going to polish all the scratches out, then etch it slightly to take the polish off. The tone in those photos is the desired finished effect.
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Old 11-09-2010, 04:46 AM   #8
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Great pictures!

Thanks for sharing.


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Old 11-09-2010, 05:50 AM   #9
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Fantastic. More pictures please

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Old 11-09-2010, 06:48 AM   #10
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Here is my lovely wife and her family. The bun in the oven is now 47 years old.
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Old 11-09-2010, 07:18 AM   #11
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Here is my lovely wife and her family. The bun in the oven is now 47 years old.

Is that your '59 TradeWind in the background on the right? It sure looks like it. What a great photo.

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Old 11-09-2010, 08:30 AM   #12
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This picture was taken at a WBCC Rally in 1958.

That's Wally Byam making a pitch to go with him on the then planned Cape Town to Cairo Caravan. Notice that he is dressed as"the great white hunter" in his safari garb. And yes, that is the International truck that he took to Africa.

My Dad wanted to go on this trip so bad. But, he had a 9 year old boy to raise (me) so taking off work for several months couldn't happen.
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Old 11-09-2010, 09:02 AM   #13
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I really enjoy seeing these pictures. And the tow vehicles in the background as well. Thank you for sharing them.
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Old 11-09-2010, 10:22 AM   #14
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That Nomad Airstream combo is too sweet!

Great pics all. Thanks for sharing.

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Old 11-09-2010, 10:53 AM   #15
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Here are a couple of pictures taken at a Midwest WBCC Rally in 1956 or 1957. Wouldn't it be cool to see this many 13 panel and whale tails parked together today.

Note that on my Dad's '54 Flying Cloud, is a Wally Byam's Caravan plaque. We had recently been on a Caravan.

It is interesting to note the aluminum sheen on these Airstreams. Keep in mind they are all less than 2 years old when this picture was taken. Airstream never produced trailers as shiny as we currently like to restore them.

BTW..... I still have those berets that Mom, Dad, and I are wearing behind #1200. I never throw anything away.
Great to see those photos, and I especially loved the one of the yellow Nomad.

If you still had both today, the Nomad would be way more valuable than the AS, which is probably the opposite of those values when the photo was taken...
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Old 11-09-2010, 04:18 PM   #16
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Here is a better shot of Wally in his safari gear. I beleive the fellow at the back of the truck is Arthur Ruiz. Art was the factory mechanic on the African Caravan.

This picture was taken at a Rally in the Midwest, but he also wore this same outfit at the Palm Springs Rally promoting the African Caravan.

My Dad promptly got a pith helmet and put a Wally Byam patch on it just like Wally. He wore it for many years at Rallies.
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Old 11-09-2010, 05:23 PM   #17
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Is that your '59 TradeWind in the background on the right? It sure looks like it. What a great photo.

Brad
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Yep, the same one. Although the numbers are a little hard to read.
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Old 11-09-2010, 09:43 PM   #18
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Here's a picture of Wally's gold 22' Airstream that he took to Africa. He had brought it to the Midwest Rally in 1958 where he was promoting the African Caravan.

Notice the "Stella" model Vespa on the front bumper. We bought a red Vespa right after this rally. Wally also had a Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio, and (of course) my Dad had to have one of those, too.

To say that my Dad held Wally Byam in high esteem, would be an understatement. His sole motivation for owning Airstreams was to emulate the lifestyle that Wally promoted and lived. He bought his 1st. Airstream in 1955 after he had read about Wally Byam's Caravans. He owned several Airstreams, and attended 17 International Rallies (beginning with #2 in 1959). He was a lifelong member of the WBCCI untill his death in 1986.
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Old 11-09-2010, 09:51 PM   #19
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Did anyone notice that the signage on Wally's truck says "Africa - Bibleland - Europe"?

Dale (Pee Wee) S. has written that this was repainted while in Africa to avoid political problems in non-Christian countries. However, this fact confirms my recollection that this picture was taken prior to the Cape Town to Cairo Caravan.
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Old 11-10-2010, 04:27 AM   #20
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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.
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