Going to Get Her (May 7, 2013)

Our Airstream adventure started on May 7, 2013. My husband and I had been searching for a while for an affordable Airstream that needed some work because we wanted to be able to pick the finishes, and, well, outdated usually equals more affordable. Because they are collectible, we were having a tough time finding one that wasn't in need of thousands of dollars of repairs/updates before we could even use it or one they weren't asking way too much for. Usually, we were finding unusable AND expensive. Finally, on May 7, 2013, I happened to be searching online and found a newspaper listing for one in Michigan that seemed like it might be the answer. It was a 1972 Safari, 23 feet in length, with new upholstery and curtains. It was useable but we'd definitely want to continue the updating. My husband spoke to the couple selling it and decided to drive the 10 hours that night! While he was driving from Minnesota to Michigan, I happened to look online one more time and there just happened to be one more Airstream listed...and it was in almost the exact same area. It was a crazy coincidence! This one was a 1979 25' Trade Wind. Now, we were faced with two possibilities. My husband decided to look at the Trade Wind first because it was the size he had wanted all along. It was 100% original, which meant 100% old and smelly to me. Simply, it was going to need some work to make it our vision.

So far, so good.

The view from front to back


The view from back to front

Anyway, it was pretty much love at first sight for my husband, despite her flaws.


Even though he was ready to buy, I told my husband he needed to at least go see the one he had originally been driving all the way to see. It was 1-2 hours from where he was so he again got in the car.
The 23' Safari was cute, with new upholstery and curtains, though not really our style. We would need to continue updating it and it could be a money pit if the major systems weren't working.



It had been sitting for a while and no systems could be checked to see what worked and what didn't. The axles were rusting and the tires were bad. My husband worried if it would even make the long trip home. The couple was gracious enough to lower the price but, the unknown sounded like it could be expensive and it already needed money spent on it to be able to use it right away. In the end, he went back to pick up the 25' Trade Wind.

My husband spent the night in Sault Ste Marie before pulling the Airstream home to Minnesota.


Although we were enthusiastic to begin remodelling, the Airstream sat for a few months while we gathered ideas...and more money!