[VAC] Small Airstreams

[wescott50@xxxxxxxxx (Bill Scott)]

Late forties produced a 16 ft Wee Wind, and a 18 ft Clipper.  The few
Airstreams made in 47, 48, and 49 were all very light, because cars
after the war, were mostly underpowered, and hard to find.  It took the
automotive industry several years before the powerful V8's of the mid
fifties were able to pull larger and heavier loads.

1952 Cruisette,15 ft,1420 dryweight,$1495

1953 Clipper, 17ft 1920 dry, $1995 (Calif)

1954 Globe Trotter,18ft,dry 2040, (CA)
1954 Globe Trotter, 18ft dry 2080. (Ohio)

55, 56, 57  Bubble, all 16 ft, all made in CA and all with a Dutchman's
Cap 9 segment rear end.  Straight axle, leaf springs. The water tank,
pump, and butane light as option, dry weight 1750,  $1795, with option,
$1850

1955 Globe Trotter, 18ft, dry weight 2080, made only in Ohio, $2945

1956 (first year), 16ft Caravel, 1750 lbs, price $1875, serial # 0-1010
up, made only in Ohio, for one year.  (note*, I have never seen nor
heard of this 16 footer before, and it is probably confused for a
Bubble, but it is not.  It is the only 16 ft Caravel made and probably
quite rare now.)

1957 Wanderer , 18 ft, dry, 2130lbs, price $2628, serial # 0-2000 up.
Ohio only.

1958 Traveler, 18ft, dry 2100.$2695, Calif only, serial # 4000 up.

This is where the Official Mobile Home Market Report for 1959 stops.

1959 was a transition year and most of the 13 segment trailers stopped
in 57 and 58.  There was a 58 17ft Pacer made, but I have no records.
It might have been a 19footer, not sure. The Caravel became an 18 footer
in 1959, again, not sure.

1961, 62, 63.  747 total Bambi's were built in both plants.  16 feet,
1850 lbs dry and all with the new Henschen Dura Torque, torsion axle,
mounted in rubber.

1964 Bambi II, 17 feet, made only one year.

1965 the Bambi II turned into a 17 ft Caravel.

Since then, the Globe Trotter and Caravel have been the smallest, at 18
ft ,19 ft, 20ft, and 21 ft.  Everything has gotten bigger, heavier,
longer, and $ higher.  Today and since it was introduced in 98, the only
single axle sold by A/S is the new 19ft Bambi, at give or take $25,000
plus tax and license.

That Don Reasons history is nice to read, but it has several mistakes.
It's OK, everyone makes mistakes, and as the VAC grows, we find more
documentation to verify models and production.  With the recent addition
of the VAC Archives Historian, Mr Fred Coldwell in Denver, I suspect we
will soon be receiving more detailed information, than we have ever had.
"Go Fred, Go."

There might be other small models, that I have forgotten, or possibly
were "custom made."  If anyone out there has one of those small models,
or a custom model, that we have not discussed, please chime in so we all
can learn and grow.

Bill Scott
61 Bambi
66 Trade Wind LY
VAC and WDCU, WBCCI #3221