Airstream

With the boom of RV ownership since 2001, Airstreams are more popular than ever, and restoration of older models is a passion shared by many. On November 1, 2004, Audiovox sold their cell phone subsidiary Audiovox Communications Corp to UTStarcom. Club members join together for one large International Rally each summer (which by club rules always includes the dates of July 1 and July 4), and hundreds of smaller local rallies. Products include car audio, home audio, and home electronics. Later, the word "International" was added to the club name, resulting in the acronym "WBCCI". They operate under the brands Audiovox, Jensen, and Advent. An owner's club was formed in 1955 during one of these rallies, named the Wally Byam Caravan Club. Audiovox NASDAQ: VOXX is an electronics company.

This promoted a mystique which surrounded Airstreams and persists to this day. Photos taken of the trailers in front of many famous tourist sites were common. In the early 1950s, the Airstream company founder, Wally Byam, began leading groups of owners on travels to many portions of the world, where the towed trailers were quite remarkable. Airstreamers are a group of RVer's who have a community spirit because of their mutual love of Airstream travel trailers built by Airstream company of Jackson Center, OH.

The company presently manufactures about 1,500 motorhomes and trailers per year. and still produces their traditional aluminum skinned trailers, along with a full line of motorhomes, and the recently added Basecamp trailers. Airstream, based in Jackson Center, Ohio is owned by Thor, Inc. A recent model the Skydeck, features bus like construction, and interior stairs leading to a fully appointed deck on the roof.

These classic motorhomes were followed by production of fiberglass, more traditional looking models in the 90's, with versions of these still being sold today. The motorhomes began as 28 foot models, and in the eighties and nineties models ranging up to 37 feet were marketed. In actuality these were modified trailers, mounted on a step van chassis also modified for the motorhome. These began as painted aluminum 20 and 24 foot models, and were followed in 1979 by the first of their Classic model motorhomes, with an unpainted aluminum body, much like the trailers they are known for.

In 1974 Airstream began manufacturing a Class A Motorhome, badged "Argosy". Beginning in the mid 1970s Airstream also began manufactures a line of "Class A" motorhomes and "Class B" van campers. By August of that year the first Ohio made Airstream rolled off the line, and the California factory was also moved to larger facilities in Santa Fe Springs. In July 1952, a new facility in Jackson Center, Ohio,was established to serve the demand for the trailers.

By 1948 the demand for Airstream trailers increased tremendously, with a wide range of models eventually being offered. When World War II ended, the economy boomed and people’s attention once again turned towards leisure travel. Byam decided that the best way to help the war effort was to use his experience with aluminum fabrication in the aircraft industry taking jobs at Lockheed and Curtis Wright for the rest of the war. closed its doors.

Airstream Trailer Co. However, during World War II, leisure travel and the materials needed to build trailers both became luxuries most in the country could not afford. Of more than 300 trailer builders operating in 1936, Airstream was the only one to survive the Depression years. introduced the “Clipper".

On January 17, 1936, the Airstream Trailer Co. He incorporated aircraft construction methods to lower wind resistance and improving the trailer’s strength, while retaining light weight.His designs took on a more aerodynamic look. During the mid 1930’s, company founder Wally Byam perfected his skill of combining form and functionality. In 1936, Byam introduced the "Airstream Clipper", which was essenntially a prototype of the now familiar rounded-cornered, silver aluminum Airstream trailer.Byam moved his operaton to Jackson Center, Ohio in 1952, where its headquarters still reside.

Byam a former Bowlus employee, purchased the designs and revised them, initially selling kits to customers wishing to build their own trailer. The company was founded by Walter "Wally" Byam, who began building trailers in his backyard in Los Angeles during the early 1930s. . The design cuts down on wind resistance and thus improves gas mileage.

Airstream trailers are well recognized for their distinctive rounded aluminum bodies, which originated in the 1930s from designs originally created by Harley Bowlus and others. The company, which employs about 400, is owned by the Thor Industries. Airstream is the name of a brand of recreational vehicle presently manufactured in Jackson Center, Ohio.