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2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 08:29 PM

hello wb members, followers, wannabes, name changers, name keepers and others....

while going through some airstream stuff......

i found my copy of the magazine that PREDATES the blue beret....

i'm gonna try and take you back to 1992.....

for a glimpse of club happening, airstream happening and really bad hair.....and berets.

why 1992?

well this was a big year.......not unlike this year.......so hold on to your fuzzy hats......

cheers
2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 08:38 PM

so lets begin......

first there was the cover.......more precisely, covers.......

there were 2 mags back in the day......

the wbcci (the club mag) and the caraVanner (the company mag)

one covered club events, people, trips, tours, caravans, and so on....

the later covered company sponsored trips, tours, people, events and dealers....

in 1992 they decided to combined these 2 publications....

the wb handling all the writing, formatting and publishing duties.......

and thor/airstream paying for the printing......

the decided to print 80,000 copies

for this combined issue they took the novel approach of printing them back to back, with 2 covers...

formatted so one was upside down....but either could be read from the cover.....right side up...

here are the 2 cover photos......

enjoy....

yes this was also the teen queen issue!

cheers
2air'

you may click on the image for a slightly larger view......

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 08:49 PM

ok are we having fun yet?

instead of attempting to paraphrase WHY the combination was needed/wanted.....

here are the letters from the president and the executive secretary...

they explain a little about why.........

there is also a letter from larry huttle the big cheese at airstream.....

but his letter is in the 'caravanner section' and i'm gonna post the wbcci pages first......

so you will need to tune in later for larry's view......when the caraVanner pages appear...

any historians that want to add info as to why, and what impact this big change had.....please chime in....

you should be able to click on these text pages which i have loaded as jpg images.....

they can be enlarged in your picture viewing software....and are readable....

i may have to edit this post and the next few....we shall see....

cheers
2air'

if you first mouse 'click' on the image......
then use the other mouse button to 'zoom in'....they are readable......

or you can 'save picture as' and go from there.....

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 09:03 PM

next is the table of contents page.......

here we see a short rally schedule and the cover credits.....

where we learn haley hawkins, from the mississippi unit was teen queen for 1992...

and all of the other candidates are listed as well......can you put names to faces?

does anyone know anything about these lovely young ladies...14 years later?

the international for the next year (93) was to be held in bismarck, nd.....

and here is the preliminary 2 pages of info....

note the nightly costs......

no wonder so many folks towed with suburbans......

THEY SOLD SUBURBANS at the rally........wild.

also note the rally theme......"hunting for fun and fellowship".....

that could sure be a theme for NOW could it not?...

along with the 'naming' theme....

cheers
2air'

again, to view these images clearly.....
first mouse click on the image......
then use zoom in, and zoom again....to read.

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 09:28 PM

sure there were ads way back in 1992......

check'em out......

tveeten was just south of seattle and that's where i purchased my first airstream.....sure they were the biggest......then, but sadly they are no more...(a bigger better ad is on the caraVanner side)

is avalon still in akron/cleveland?....82,000$ for a new moho...in 1992! wow....

how about the little dealer in fairfield, ohio...nice little ad....are they still in biz?

and what about holiday RV superstore....
in atlanta, jacksonville, orlando, tampa and ft myers?.....many that's a big dealer......now?

i wonder if mission RV in san antonio survived the 'price war'.....hummmmm.

price war? wait till ya read about 'invoice pricing'!!!

cheers
2air'

wheel interested · 03-14-2006, 09:32 PM

Cool. This is a hoot. They called the bull pen a buffalo pen back then for off hour parking. 10,000 padded (underscored) seats. : )

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 09:35 PM

and even inland rv service had an ad!

it's the cutest little ad too!

they would even help ya file your insurance claim......how about now?

chuck and company already had 25 years experience in 92...so that's nearly 40 years now....

wow.

cool.

cute ad......is that face on the trailer andy?

cheers
2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 09:52 PM

ok back to the regular programing......

the club news....

read the piece from FRED the membership committee chair...

and ray seltzer from the membership committee....
discusses how rallies and caravans ARE the key to membership.....hummmm.

seems membership was a big issue in 92 too....

how about some caravans......the maple leaf, cajun...and so on...

and rallies???....the pageant of light, natches pilgrimage and the HOBO rally all were held......

and check out the ad on fred's page.....safford rv/ford/lincoln-mercury.....

2% over invoice for all new airstreams...........while supply lasts.....

think they still have any? would you wear a blue beret for 2% over invoice....

so they used to have invoice pricing on airstreams.....

back in the price wars....

cheers
2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 10:02 PM

and for you meeeeeecheeeeeeeeganeeeeeeeers....

the 'holland tulip time rally' sounded sweet do they still have this event?

are there any tulips left in michigan?

and appropriately on the same page......'a marriage saver'......need one?

also a page or 2 on regional/unit news...
i'm only posting units 1-4 but i'll put others up as requested....
officers, unit rallies, luncheons....and so on....any of those resturants still in business?

anyone remember hurricane andrew.....they had the big florida state rally in orlando that year.....

cheers
2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 10:20 PM

almost home........

now for the products/services page.......notice all of the shops doing airstream service.......really quite a few

and how about a wbcci calling card at .249 dollars per minute! 1/2 the price of sprint or mci!!

then check out the classified page...... several airstream parks listed.....

ever heard of the one in cleveland......south carolina? cool......

and back in '92 mrs smith was still selling the 'airstream parks directory' only 7 dollars then, and that's including receipts!!! 5thedition

and she still lived in orlando....compare this to the most recent listing in the bb....she is now in sun city center.....but she IS still selling the directory 7th edition.....with housekeeping hints too!

cheers
2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 10:28 PM

ok folks.......

lets close the first 1/2 of this 1992 issue with some more ads....

any of these dealers still dealin'?

why do this?

well, it's useful to look back at the big issues of the time from this special edition......
that may have been the most printed wb/airstream mag of alllllllllllllllll time.....

and came before the blue beret......

next time i'll do the caraVanner........

notice that big blue wedge on the cover.........hummmmmmmm.

cheers and i hope you have enjoyed......
lots to read on these pages.....

please post your comments......
be my guest......
be wally's guest....

there may still be time to act on these close out prices........

2air'

2airishuman · 03-14-2006, 10:46 PM

ok now,

for you long time wbcci members and others in the history know.......

this wbcci/caraVaneer was a special edition.....

it did not predate the blue beret as stated in the first post.....

but reading that did get ya all excited right?

and they did send out a whole lot of copies.....

membership was declining, folks didn't like putting on the red numbers...or taking them off

the offical name badges were gonna change!

and look at all those pageant gals.......

and some caravans were under the wb control, while others were by airstream....

more tomorrow

cheers
2air'

balrgn · 03-15-2006, 03:49 AM

Way cool post, don't ya love nostalga!

markdoane · 03-15-2006, 09:30 AM

I found something that may be just as rare as your 'double issue'.

It's the original, first issue of 'The CARAVANETTE', which may have been the precursor of the Blue Beret.

It was published every other month, alternating with 'The CARAVANNER', which I guess was the Airstream corporate publication.

It was published in Bakersfield in September, 1959. It reports that the delegates at the annual meeting had voted to increase National dues to $2.50 per trailer.

tin sista · 03-15-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

and for you meeeeeecheeeeeeeeganeeeeeeeers....
the 'holland tulip time rally' sounded sweet do they still have this event?
are there any tulips left in michigan? 2air'

Yes mista rabbit there's still tulips in the Great Lakes state!!
Tulip Time Festival takes place every year!

2airishuman · 03-15-2006, 12:39 PM

hey markdoane.......

this issue i've posted is unusual.....but if they printed 80k of it.....hardly rare.....
however.....anyone who wants it.....i'll gladly part with it for some CASH.

now what you have does sound rare......and cool.

why not scan the cover and whatever else looks interesting......i would love to see it

hey tin sista.....

a post with no monty? are you ill or something?

i figured the tulip festival still happened.....and i should have been clearer...

does region 4 still do a rally during the tulip festival? i couldn't find one listed.....
seems there is a 'computer rally' about the same time....
tulips would be more fun....

and in the 'can't make this stuff up' category......

metro detroit has a "shake down" rally.......really......

cheers
2air'

wheel interested · 03-15-2006, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

i figured the tulip festival still happened.....and i should have been clearer...

does region 4 still do a rally during the tulip festival? i couldn't find one listed.....
seems there is a 'computer rally' about the same time....
tulips would be more fun....

and in the 'can't make this stuff up' category......

metro detroit has a "shake down" rally.......really......

cheers
2air'

There you go again you funny bunny. Don't know where I will be trailer wise to place myself in position for another shake down or not.

But I sure would like to show support for my local unit. I may just drive over and visit and attend the luncheon at the depot.

I read somewhere about the tulip tour or was it a lighthouse one ? and now I cannot place it. Perhaps the hosts that have always done it were getting tired of doing it? When I joined a few short years ago there was a two year waiting list to get on that caravan (rally?) It was the most popular and one I think would be most enjoyable and close to me.

I think I will print your pages and wallpaper my new bathroom.

I always like something funny to read on the walls of a privy.

Seriously I might. I was thinking route 66, but this would be more cool on one wall.

And on another serious note, I think this thread is very nice and hope to see more like it. Thanks for all your work. It's very interesting and fun.

2airishuman · 03-15-2006, 07:12 PM

the caraVanner.....

ok, i've flipped the combo mag over,
and we shall see what the company was doing/thinking in 1992.

hand on to your berets......

so here is the cover......i love 34s, and these were still narrow bodies...

inside the cover is a letter from larry huttle.....

fun to read.....

the gap company was so hot in 92 that comparing our trailers to them was a compliment....

and they set a record for media using our trailers....

including chris from northern exposure....and nasa....and the smithsonian.....

cool!

read, enjoy.

2air'

2airishuman · 03-15-2006, 07:15 PM

company ads....

as might be expected there are several company ads....in the company publication.

but surprises await....just WHAT were they advertizing in 1992?

did some one suggest the 21 was a new model.......hummmm.

cheers
2air'

again, click to open the image in a new window, then zoom....to read.

2airishuman · 03-15-2006, 07:21 PM

the company folks were also selling service.........

anyone remember the '5 year protection plan'......

wonder if this would work now?

and how about the 'super value packages'....

doesn't sound as cool as ccd, ls, se but......good stuff.

ok, who remembers the 'silver key program'...?

road side help? 24 hour hot line?

imagine a 1-800 number for help?

i wonder if that number still works.......excuse me, i gotta make a call.

well i would sure like these things now!

2air'