I had a couple of shots of Cadillacs hauling trailers in previous vintage image galleries and they usually invited nice commentary. Those left a seed in my mind; so how about a gallery featuring two American icons, Cadillacs and Airstream trailers? And even better, what if I found images during the ’60s and ’70s? After some time searching, here is such a gallery.
Many of these seem to feature the same Ohio Family, enjoying the Cadillac and Airstream life through the years. Still, there’s a lot in these images; nice Cadillacs, Airstream trailers, and some nice scenery.
Not an airstream, but my car in the background
Rich, a nice tour of the country through the years, with a family that LOVED their 4dr. DeVilles! Interestingly enough, Cadillac doesn’t make anything but the Escalade that could haul an Airstream that size! Looks like these folks traded cars about every 3-4 years like my Dad did. Makes me wonder what they drove before the navy blue `63.
It’s great to see the scenery—and to see the Cadillacs being put to work. The accessory front-fender mirrors ring a bell (I used them even with a much smaller U-Haul), and I *think* the first photo would be Going to the Sun road up in Glacier National Park.
I’ll hope that for the man under the raised hood it was just routine oil and coolant checks, and nothing more serious.
Thanks for putting these together for us!
Pic
For those who denigrate or decry the former existence of the classic big American rwd V8 car…try this with your BMW or Audi !! Or maybe a cruise across Death Valley with the a/c blasting in July? Not!
Sadly even though these beautiful big heavy cruisers are no longer available for those of us who loved them, at least one does have the option of a Tahoe or Expedition, even if they are a very different kind of beast. Even the imports make pretenders to our big suvs now.
A lot of Cadillacs over the years. I wonder if it was a dealer?
Wow; not only did they buy new Cadillacs every couple of years, but also new Airstreams. I count four different ones between the ’63 and the ’71.
It looks like they were on a 2 year trade-in cycle in the 70’s, with a ’72, ’74 and that last ’76. If they didn’t hang on to the ’76 for a few years hopefully they traded up by ’79 at the latest. After about 1980 or so a new Cadillac wouldn’t have been able to do what all these apparently did quite well.
The last is a ’75. The ’76 turn signal has 2 horizontal chrome dividers, and the grille has more texture, as seen in the ad gdwriter posted below. They probably didn’t like the seat belt interlock or emission controls on the ’74.
Picture #8 has a Wally Byam number, but not the best kind. I knew some Old Rich folks who proudly displayed a three-digit Byam number. (But typically for Old Rich, they pulled the Airstream with a Torino, not a Caddy.)
I recall a WSJ article years ago that examined how the Chevy Suburban became the tow vehicle of choice for Airstreams (and other high-end campers) after Cadillacs lost their mammoth size and torque. I wonder what these folks’ next tow vehicle was.
Those pictures make me think of this 70s Cadillac ad.
I can’t be alone when I imagine those dead branches scraping the sides of that Cadillac as it proceeds along that dirt trail!
Dodge Cummins diesel came next for me after a series of catastrophic experiences with trying to use a half-ton Suburban to tow a trailer around the size of those in the pictures. Towing puts a heavy strain on everything and that Suburban just wasn’t up to the task. I can’t imagine doing it with a malaise era Cadillac but maybe the older, pre-smog 472 equipped models were stouter.
WDJ,
In the post-war era, up into the mid 1960s, Chevy or GMC Suburbans were the general choice for airstream owners, and they were almost always equipped with a manual gearbox.
the Airstream company used to put together special caravans every year, many of them headed for adventures in 3rd world countries. Most of the participants used Suburbans with 1-ton or 3/4-ton suspension and always 4-wheel-drive.
Trade out the DeVilles for Chrysler Newports (starting with a ‘62) and these shots could be from the adventures of my Paternal grandparents. The last of the line was a ‘73 Sunfire yellow Newport Custom that only made one trip (to Glacier National Park) before Grandad passed in early ‘74 of a heart attack. The Airstream and Newport were sold off in quick succession, replaced with a Lucerne blue Valiant Scamp and hotel rooms thereafter.
My late step-monster’s late parents toured much of the year for decades in an Airstream pulled by a Ford van. As I recall, they’d meet up annually with the same people at various places. He left Australia as a boy for a USAAF/AF career in meteorology, and she was a Boer from South Africa (or her parents were).
Great series of pictures – I’d love to drive around the country in car and trailer combination like that!
And these folks’ car also appeared here in the “At the Mall” image gallery a few days ago, parked at the Dadeland Mall in Florida. So they didn’t just confine their trips to the West.
Ahh yes — Cadillacs & Airstreams.
There is a well-known 1:32 scale model car maker in England by the name of Brookline. They have produced 2 popular vehicles that I know well, a 1955 Cadillac 60s sedan in light blue, and a 1954 Airstream “Bambi”.
I know these vehicles well because they are owned by long-time friends of mine in England, Dave & Jen. [The Caddy is actually Jen’s car]. Whenever I see Brookline models of either the Caddy or Bambi in someone’s model collection, I always suggest the owner purchase the other example, because in real life they are always together at shows in the UK and Europe.
If you see examples of the Brookline Bambi in person or in photos, note that the 2 propane tanks on the front hitch are the European [EC] versions, not the typical 20# propane tanks here in America.
One of the often forgotten benefits of a Cadillac back then was that it could tow most anything. A Mercedes or a Jag couldn’t even think about it. Cadillac had the LUXURY of towing.
My uncle (retired USN) did the same thing in that era. His tow vehicle was always an Oldsmobile 98. Towed his Airstream from his home in Virginia Beach to destinations all over the western states.
real american iron, an example is a 90 ford ltd could tow 5000lb. the 91 crown vic was rated for 1000lb.
Real Nice Pictures! We towed Airstreams with a 64 Pontiac Catalina briefly after using a 63 Carryall, regretted the switch & went Back to a 69 Chevy 1/2 ton & went all over the US & Canada twice. Later got a square body Suburban 454, Gas Mileage was Horrific. Went back to a Chevy Pickup 3/4 ton 350 automatic. After that was a HD2500 Chevy Pickup with a 31′ top of the line Airstream. Parents are gone but I have 76 Sovereign & 3500HD Duramax. Love those old Caddy’s, we cruised my friends 62 in highschool & took out his mom’s 65 convertible sometimes.
If you like Models Franklin Mint made a 1/24 26′ 68 Airstream, is Super Nice, have a couple of them. Also Motor City Classics made some 1/18 scale Bambi’s. I have some other smaller scale Airstreams.
I worked at a campground in the mountainous Colorado high country in the early 1970’s. Cadillacs with Airstreams and other make large campers were a common, almost daily appearance. What was a common denominator was the license plates were from the Midwest from Texas to North Dakota. Frequently, they were Series 62 or Calais models, were optioned only with air conditioning, driven by what were obviously retired farmers/ranchers/small business owners. They loved the Cadillac’s robust capability to tow large camp trailers but didn’t allow themselves too much luxury when it came to options such as power windows and power seats.
Old 60s caddys had 472 motors.whick I think we’re 460inch Buick motors…..lots of torque and the caddy cars were heavy cars..my guess is the rv homes just make it heavier.to tow..better have a big tranny.400 in there and a 4 inch radiator..some tough old ply tires and some heavier Back..springs and air shocks…towing.8000 pounds is not easy any.where….I think they need a mack diesel truck
Great pictures, enjoyed all, especially the family where the Caddy is dirty, being worked in, and then nice and clean !
3rd pic….Caddy has what looks like coolant leak.
Look under the car.