Picture appears to be from 80's or so, my mom wasn't sure. This was our families first proper TT (had various other home built trailers). We found this trailer sometime around 1976 in a field in terrible shape, purchased for $100. Took my dad a few years to get it back to serviceable, he pretty much replaced the entire interior.Ended up selling it some time back to a young couple who were seriously enamored with Airstream but couldn't afford a newer/fancy one. Parents eventually upgraded to bigger and fancier 70's vintage Airstream.Thought folks here might find the picture interesting.

Fun to see this! Every now & then we'll see something almost that old on the road, but rarely. Airstreams sure do have staying power!

Thanks for sharing. :CDo you know if ts still on the road or in use?

gbopp wrote:Thanks for sharing. :CDo you know if ts still on the road or in use?No clue. I believe he sold it in the min 1990's, the couple were involved in an Airstream club in California. I would think that unless something horrible happened, it's probably still on the road either with the original couple or someone else. You can't miss it now, in 1989 several of the panels on the non-door side were damaged in a fire (long story). My dad replaced them so it'd have several shiny panels on one side ;-)

That's cool, thanks for sharing!

This is from the Vintage Airstream Club parade in 2010. Count the upper banana panels: The older the rig, the higher their number.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-7G4End6mkLynn

1949 Airstream | Good Sam Community

braindead0
Explorer
Jun 28, 2016
westend wrote:
braindead0 wrote:
westend wrote:
#1nobby wrote:
OK...apart from the upper "banana" panels...it really is kinda hard for a non AS guy to guess the year.

I guess that makes 'em timeless?
With the vintage models, it's difficult when you're right next to them. Some had no placard for identification so you need to know which models were made in those years and from which factory (there were two in the early '50's).
I think there are also frame differences, the frame on that one was a large central pipe with ribs attached... made the trailer really flexible however I think also a bit more fragile.. I recall my dad having to repair and stiffen up the frame somewhat.
Right, the deck was a pretty common failure area. Then again, they could take a whole caravan of these tin cans and troop across Africa on unimproved road.
Considering when it was sold early 90's or so.. it was still in usable condition says a lot.. not many trailers survive 50 years.
westend
Explorer
Jun 28, 2016
braindead0 wrote:
westend wrote:
#1nobby wrote:
OK...apart from the upper "banana" panels...it really is kinda hard for a non AS guy to guess the year.

I guess that makes 'em timeless?
With the vintage models, it's difficult when you're right next to them. Some had no placard for identification so you need to know which models were made in those years and from which factory (there were two in the early '50's).
I think there are also frame differences, the frame on that one was a large central pipe with ribs attached... made the trailer really flexible however I think also a bit more fragile.. I recall my dad having to repair and stiffen up the frame somewhat.
Right, the deck was a pretty common failure area. Then again, they could take a whole caravan of these tin cans and troop across Africa on unimproved road.
braindead0
Explorer
Jun 28, 2016
westend wrote:
#1nobby wrote:
OK...apart from the upper "banana" panels...it really is kinda hard for a non AS guy to guess the year.

I guess that makes 'em timeless?
With the vintage models, it's difficult when you're right next to them. Some had no placard for identification so you need to know which models were made in those years and from which factory (there were two in the early '50's).
I think there are also frame differences, the frame on that one was a large central pipe with ribs attached... made the trailer really flexible however I think also a bit more fragile.. I recall my dad having to repair and stiffen up the frame somewhat.
westend
Explorer
Jun 28, 2016
#1nobby wrote:
OK...apart from the upper "banana" panels...it really is kinda hard for a non AS guy to guess the year.

I guess that makes 'em timeless?
With the vintage models, it's difficult when you're right next to them. Some had no placard for identification so you need to know which models were made in those years and from which factory (there were two in the early '50's).
kennyd63
Explorer
Jun 28, 2016
Love this pic..
_1nobby
Explorer
Jun 25, 2016
OK...apart from the upper "banana" panels...it really is kinda hard for a non AS guy to guess the year.

I guess that makes 'em timeless?
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jun 25, 2016
Cool, thanks for sharing
braindead0
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
Thems some nice Airstreams
eubank
Explorer
Jun 21, 2016
This is from the Vintage Airstream Club parade in 2010. Count the upper banana panels: The older the rig, the higher their number.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-7G4End6mk

Lynn
B-n-B
Explorer III
Jun 21, 2016
That's cool, thanks for sharing!

Forum Discussion

1949 Airstream

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

airstream ride?

2014 Expedition towing Airstream

Airstream vs Lance

Airstream Classic

Airstreams