F.A.Q.'s

General Notes/ History

Q: Are Airstreams still being made?
A: Yes, the company is alive and well in Jackson Center Ohio.

Q: Who are the people who are restoring Vintage Airstreams?
A: Airstream restoration/ownership is a mixed bag. Ranges from somebody keeping an old trailer patched together for economical living or traveling, to gutting an Airstream to the shell and using it to create something totally custom and different, to faithful restorations by people capturing the ambiance of a bygone era.

Q: How long has Airstream been in business? When did it start?
A: Since 1932. Only one other maker, Shasta, has been continuously in business that long. The first Airstreams were wood and canvas kits, and at least two are still roadworthy. The first all aluminum Airstream was the Clipper in 1936, and was made until aluminum was needed for WWII support in 1938. Several Clippers are still on the road. The first post war Airstream was the Liner made in August 1947. The first 2 dozen Liners carry plates that say "Airstream made by Wallace Mfg". AirstreamTrailers, Inc. was formally incorporated in California on November 1, 1948 and moved production from the airport to its own factory at 1755 No. Main Street, LA, CA. When the corporation was formed, it bought Wally's manufacturing company assets for stock and cash, and also acquired McFaul Brothers exclusive distributorship rights (stock & cash). The five initial directors of the new corporation were Wallace M. Byam, William W. Lampkin, Daniel W. Gage, Arthur R. Costello (who became President), and Claude McFaul, whose "McFaul Bros Trailer Sales" was responsible for retailing Wally's Airstream trailers at his sales lot.

Q: It is rumored that Airstream quality suffered in the 1970's when Beatrice Foods bought the company. Is this so?
A: Beatrice Foods, in the conglomerate climate of the late '60's, bought Airstream in July 1969. Much is said about the time Beatrice owned Airstream, both good and bad. The good include the illustrated service manuals and similar production documentation they introduced. They often get the blame for the wider, squarer body style change in 1969, but Beatrice did not take over the company until after the newly styled 1969's was introduced.
Beatrice engineering did introduce the gray water tanks in 1973 and heavier interiors without changing the frame to support them, resulting in the famed "droop". Beatrice design group introduced the vinyl covered cabinets, shag carpeting and dark wood grain interiors in 1972, but then that was the trend of the times. Beatrice management discontinued the smaller trailers in favor of the more profitable longer trailers aimed at retirees.
Beat up badly, Beatrice sold Airstream to a group of industry executives operating as Thor Industries in July 1979, which owns Airstream to this day.

Q: I have seen a Silver Streak that looks exactly like an Airstream. Is it a kind of Airstream?
A: No. In late 1946, Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Company and Wally Byam together started production of a new post-war travel trailer based on Wally's pre-war Airstream Clipper at the Van Nuys Airport (LA Metropolitan Airport). After some months they split into the Wallace Manufacturing and Curtiss-Wright Travel Trailers, but shared facilities until Wally struck out on his own. This is why early Airstreams and CW's look similar, varying in window styles mainly. In June 1949, three individuals, Kenny Neptune, Frank Pollito and "Pat" Patterson, who had met each other while working for McDonnel-Douglas, acquired the trailer business from Curtiss-Wright, who sold the line to concentrate on making aircraft engines, and they began producing trailers under the Silver Streak name in south El Monte California, which it continued into the 1970's as a separate company.

Q: What about a Streamline trailer?
A: No relation again. In the 1950's, Silver Streak partners Kenny Neptune and Frank Polido bought fellow partner "Pat" Patterson out, and Pat went off on his own to produce the "Streamline" trailer. One common Streamline model name was the "Duchess", and they also made a very unique early motor-home. The Streamline Trailer Company went out of business in early 1974.

Q: Is an Argosy some kind of Airstream?
A: Yes, Argosy trailers were made by Airstream Company starting 1972 in Versailles, OH. near Jackson Center, and are usually recognized as "Painted Airstreams". Many features were first tried out on the Argosy models, and then incorporated into the more traditional Airstreams if they were a success. A good example is the large front wrap windows.
These painted trailers were able to utilize steel end caps and aluminum panels that were damaged or blemished.
Argosy created a series of diminutive trailers in the '70's called the "Minuet". There was the 6.0 Metre (20'), the 6.7 Metre (22'), and a 7.4 Metre (24') Minuet.
The first Airstream Motorhomes were Argosys made in the mid '70's. Airstream didn't brand its own motorhome until 1979.

Q: How have Airstreams changed over the years?
A: The late 1940's were lightweight trailers utilizing a single pipe-frame support down the center of the undercarriage, which was also the tongue hitch. The body shape followed the deco looking aerodynamic style of the '30's & '40's, pointed ends front and back with a single large oval window in the ends. There was one taillight in the back - smack in the center as allowed on trailers back then. Interior layouts were almost always custom built to the buyers taste, and usually lacked bathrooms as we now them now. There were no hook-ups then, and the tank, fixture and pump technology just wasn't there yet. Ice Boxes were standard, as were wobble type hand-operated water pumps. Electrical system consisted of a few 120v outlets. The stoves were the Coleman portable stove of the era, just attached to the cabinets. Furnishings were of high quality galvanized steel, solid wood and wood veneers made by furniture companies. All the appliances were centered over the axle for support. Interior paint was either a pastel "tender green" or "desert sand". Windows were lever operated, and the door included the unique for time "door within a door" screen door.

The early 1950's brought the wider square ladder-frame and A-shaped tongue hitch riding on leaf spring axles. The body shape became little more squarish thanks to flat front & rear windows. Skin panel end segments were 13 pie shaped wedges riveted together to form the curve. Brakes were electric, operated by a lever in the tow vehicle. Later in the decade hydraulic brakes were offered that tapped into the vehicle brake system, eliminating the need for the hand lever on the steering column. Cranks replaced notched levers in 1955, and gas refrigerators arrived about the same time. Interior finish became the Zolatone textured finish until the 1970's. The color mix changed over the years to reflect the "in" colors of the time. Interior cabinetry became more mass produced wood veneers, first with squeeze-type latches, later with phenolic cam type. Countertops and bath surfaces were painted tempered hardboard. The electrical system was all 120 volt with an occasional 12 volt light operated by the tow vehicle battery. Primary illumination was from a LP gas fired lamp. Apartment style ranges were introduced. Water systems consisted of galvanized water tanks that were pressurized by a hand pump, gas station air, or later, an onboard Grover air-compressor. Copper and then bronze waste tanks started appearing, making the trailer more self-contained. Showers were often just galvanized steel or painted hardboard, usually with the toilet in the middle. Better forming techniques allowed the change from 13 panels to 7 compound curve panels about 1958. The Princess line of RV stove replaced the apartment range. The decade ended in 1959 with the introduction of a new style extruded aluminum window and Bowen gas fired hot water heaters replacing the 120v under cabinet units.

The 1960's brought about a new style axle in 1961, the rubber cored "Dura-torque". Skin panels changed once again in 1964 with 5 broader panel segments. The early '60's also saw the introduction of the 12volt electrical system, powered from either an onboard battery or 110v external power. This introduced the 12 volt Marine type light fixture, the 12v water pump and plastic water tanks, and the Uni-Volt converter. Cabinets changed from lacquer to oiled wood, the countertops to Formica laminate, and fiberglass walled bathrooms. Brakes changed back to electric. The decade ended with a big body style change, with each model growing in length by one foots and getting wider by 4 inches a squared off shape.

The 1970's trailers mirrored the times. In addition the bigger, wider form introduced in 1969, the trailers followed the style of the era again, this time with dark vinyl wood grained cabinets, shag carpeting, plastic tambour doors and avocado green appliances and countertops. Vista-View windows made their debut, as did solid state "Airstream Control Centers" in the front overhead. This was the era of the Beatrice Foods owning the Airstream company. Microwaves appeared, as did vinyl covered walls in place of the Zolatone. The shorter Caravel was dropped and the loaded Excella 500 was introduced as Airstream aimed its marketing at the affluent retirees.

Q: Where can I learn more about vintage Airstreams and restoring them?
A: Peruse this website from front to back.


-Join the VAC and read or print the old catalogs and Airstream information found in the members archive section.
-Subscribe to the free e-mail vintage Airstream discussion list.
-Check out the related vintage Airstream links on the VAC link page.
-Attend a VAC rally and ask questions and check out the vintage trailers. If you don't have an Airstream, attend the weekend Open House that occurs at each vintage rally.


Q: What about RV'ing and RV repair in general?
A: Get copies of:


Q: How can I find my nearest Airstream dealer?
A: Check out the Thor Airstream website.

Q: Is it true that an Airstream is sometimes chosen as a permanent home by those with severe allergies?
A: To some degree. The Airstream is modified by removing all the components, inner skin and floor, and then rebuilt with allergen-free materials. See the Links section for more details.

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