[VAC] Re: 1954 Airstream "whaletail" with Wally Byam club number 179

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Roger,

You received complete and accurate information in response to your questions
regarding the WBCCI number that remained on your trailer from various
members on the list as I knew you would.  This list is an amazing source of
accurate historical information.

I wasn't there but it sounds like the members of your local Wally Byam
Caravan Club International (WBCCI) were probably trying to explain club
rules and regulations, but may not have done a very good job and gave the
impression that they were unfriendly or uncooperative.   Unless one of them
had a very old WBCCI directory as Wayne Moore does, they had no way to
determine who was the original owner of the number "179."  Current
directories only list currently in use numbers with the name of the
person(s) it is assigned to.

Wally Byam was founder of Airstream, Inc. as well as the WBCCI, if you think
about it, it wouldn't make sense that he waited to take a membership number
until 178 members had already signed up.  It is widely known throughout
Airstreaming and by most Airstreamers that Wally's was WBCCI #1.  Historic
photographs and campfire legends support this fact.  The number "179"
probably belonged to your trailer's second owner as Wayne Moore explained.
It is still a historic number, but unfortunately, of no real significance.

Since you are the owner of the trailer, you can display any number, picture,
or graphics on it you choose, you can paint it in zebra stripes if you
prefer but if you join the WBCCI, as most of us would invite and encourage
you to do, it is very unlikely (normally prohibited) that the club would
permit you to retain that membership number for the reasons already given.

I would certainly take some photographs of the trailer showing the historic
number and the Wally Byam Caravan lettering before you strip it to recoat or
polish the skin.

Welcome to the vintage Airstream cult.  Now you know where much of your
spending money, time, and energy will be devoted.

Harvey Barlow
Lubbock, TX
WBCCI 1171, WDCU, VAC
'66 Safari (with no historic numbers)