[VAC] Re: New Airstreamer-to-be on List

[Patrick Ewing <pre52@xxxxxxx>]

Jill,

Having lived full time in various RV's off & on over the years there's two things that
you need to consider very carefully. Number one is that a full sized van or a pickup with
a shell on the back will give much needed storage space for the various things you might
want to have with you. Number two is that ANY vehicle and especially a vintage one will
probably need to be repaired more frequently than a newer one. Parts availability is
extreemly important when one is out on the road. Having a common vehicle that parts are
readily available helps out a lot. Being stranded because of waiting for a replacement
part that can't be readily found isn't much fun.

I'm a retired parts dept. manager and one example that I remember is back in about 1976
in eastern Washington a couple was passing through on their summer vacation with their
brand new VW camper bus. It was VW's very first year of having an automatic transmission
in the bus and guess what? ........... The transmission went out. There wasn't another
one available on the west coast, ............... had to be shipped out from the east
coast. Those poor folks had to spend their much planned for (had even purchased a new
camper bus) vacation sitting in a motel room in Moses Lake, WA waiting for their vehicle
to be fixed.

When I travel I usually like to bring along a canoe, bicycles, several pieces of outdoor
furniture. So I suggest that you think about just what "things" you might like to have
along with you when you travel full time. When I towed with a car I'd have to have things
in the trailer and then would have to empty it out when I wanted to use it. Having things
securely locked up in a van or pickup has a lot to be said for it.

I wish you well.

Pat
(GMC Suburban)
(Several vintage Airstreams)
(Several vintage cars)