Dear V-8 Buick fans of serious road trips, There is a new travel trailer on the market that clearly is trying to take a page from the vintage Airstream look: the Bowlus Road Chief: http://www.bowlusroadchief.com/ Here is a picture from the website above: As you can see, it has a beautiful aluminum polished exterior with the multi-panel riveted section like the Airstreams from the early 1950s. While it would look at home behind any of our Buicks, it is more streamlined than a typical Airstream and it makes typical fiberglass trailers and RVs look like "cargo containers" with earth-tone graffiti painted on them!! There is the latest technology in it and a lot of effort has gone into saving weight. With a base weight of only 2,300 pounds and a gross vehicle weight of only 3000 pounds it really opens up the range of cars that can tow it. There is only one thing wrong with it. If you have to ask how much it costs - you can't afford it! None of us can afford something this expensive, but I’m honestly unsure who might buy such a thing. It is so expensive that you could buy a roomier Airstream trailer and a Cadillac Escalade to pull it for about the same cost! Still, it is a very pretty trailer with a very vintage look. So enjoy the eye candy! Cheers, Edouard P.S. For those that are going green, you can even monitor the electrical system of the Bowlus Road Chief from a Tesla electric vehicle. Supposedly, you can actually tow the Road Chief with a Tesla model-X but . . . . . maybe not! http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2016/0621/Can-Tesla-Model-X-tow-Maybe-not
There's a gentleman in my area that owns an original from the 30s I think. He restored it himself and pulls it around with a 1930 model A coupe. I was never able to get any photos of the car and trailer together, but he says it makes quite a stir on the road when he is out.
Dear Brad, #7, and V-8 Buick fans of "eye candy!" . . . Stop quibbling!! At least you can look at the pictures for free! . . . . Actually what really floored me was the deluxe model at $219,000!! Flyte Camp's Neutron is under $100,000 and you can get a really nice Airstream for under $150,000. All this is really crazy money for me too, but who would drop that kind of dough no matter what features is has? If you can find out anything about this vintage trailer do let us know. I'm really a fan of mature trailers just as I'm a fan of mature Buick longroof wagons! Cheers, Edouard
Edouard, I've been trying to get a photo of the guy pulling his vintage Bowlus around, but always seem to miss when he has been out. Perhaps this summer i can catch him. He did tell me the brief history of the Bowlus, but I don't remember much or what years they were built. Only that they were very short lived and designed and built by an aircraft designer. And as for the price and who would buy the new ones I believe there is a one or two year waiting list. It really is a very cool trailer with the front entrance over the tongue, elliptical shape, floor plan, etc.
Not to high jack the thread but I have a 1973 Barth motor home and can't seem to find a polish for the all aluminum(needed) polished exterior, Any ideas???
Dear Bill, toymobile, and V-8 Buick fans of serious road trips, Here is an article from Autoweek that covers both the history of the original Bowlus and its revival: http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/its-better-bowlus The new Bowlus is the creation of a former Silicon Valley type to who sold his company and bought the rights to the Bowlus name. I'm still trying to get my wagon working so I haven't even started the trailer search, but here are a few pointers maybe. Vintage trailer supply sells these polishing products: http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Aluminum-Polish-s/44.htm Here is one article on the Vintage Airstream forum about polishing: http://vintageairstream.com/polishing/ Here is one more article from the Airstream Guy: http://www.airstreamguy.com/polishing_info I hope that's a little help. Cheers, Edouard
The only reason that I can think of for my owning a travel trailer would be to put it in my back yard and use it for a "man cave." If I ever do such a thing, it will be an Airstream or an Avion. There is a saying that "One man's heaven is another man's hell." Going from camping ground to camping ground would be my hell.
Dear Toymobile, John, and V-8 Buick "glamping" wannabees Unfortunately, there is a lot of surface area on these RVs. I am afraid it will keep you busy for a long time! Owning an Airstream isn't about camping - it is about "glamping!" Here is a website where you can read more about it: https://www.glamping.com/what-is-glamping/ This most definitely isn't sleeping in the back of my wagon like I used to do! Cheers, Edouard
more eye candy The good ol' days, for sure...and gas was about 15 cents a gallon. Makes me want to hit the road in one of these pairings, armed with a ten dollar, lifetime senior pass to the National Parks. Better do it before the whole country goes to hell. Totally classy and cool!!! Some are modified, but fun! Not only classic cars, but the trailers bring back a lot of memories as well. Those were the days when cars and trailers had distinctive looks. 1935 Pontiac with Turquoise Canned Ham 1936 Pierce Arrow with Travelodge 1947 Custom Buick Sedanet with Matching Trailer 1949 Studebaker Pickup with Purple Trailer to Match 1951 Hudson Commodore with matching Trailer 1955 Ford Customline Wagon with Shasta Trailer 1952 Buick Riviera Hardtop with Matching Trailer 1956 Ford Ranch Wagon with Teardrop Trailer 1959 Chevrolet Impala Hardtop with Shasta Travel Trailer 1959 Chevrolet El Camino with Shasta Travel Trailer Pretty Pink Pair 1959 Cadillac Sixty with Shasta Trailer ...
Not quite as cool as all those, but here's my '74 F-100 with matching '62 Terry 14' I'm in the process of restoring. I've got Cragar SS wheels on it now, and am in the process of redoing the inside in a Coca-Cola theme. I run autocross with the truck, so pulling the camper to the races then unhooking and racing the tow truck is a lot of fun .
there's a place near me that polish's airstreams, I believe they get $100 or $150 a foot, they look like chrome when done
I used red Scotchbrite, then fine steel wool, then Mother's on mine. Here's a before and after with just the Scotchbrite and steel wool. What a time consuming pain.
Dear Klaus, Lucas, and V-8 Buick seekers of classic caravans, Thanks Klaus for posting all the neat photos of vintage travel trailers and their matching tow vehicle! That isn't my cup of tea, but they are very beautiful in their own right. Best of luck Lucas with your 1962 Terry! You have a nice combo there and it is neat that you can put the trailer to good use! Cheers, Edouard
