Unfortunately, Ken, if they were Internationals, they have probably returned to the earth as rust by now. My first and favorite tow vehicle was a 1975 IH Travelall 4X4 with a 392CID 4bbl and HD 5-speed transmission. This brute handled my 1966 31' Sovereign with panache, and my only worry was planning ahead to find the next open gas station. But I'm not enough of a sheet metal artist to keep the holes patched as fast as the rust finds new ones. Rumor has it the iron mines of the Mesabi range in northern Minnesota started out as a parking lot full of International trucks. Kenneth Reed wrote: > Bill, > > Where do I send my money?? I've got to have a copy of that newsletter! My > tow vehicles for my '57 Bubble are a '57 Chevy Suburban original 4x4, and a > '56 Chevy Pickup orig. 4x4. I'm wondering if the 1 ton Chevy is the same as > the truck shown on p. 121 of the book "Airstream: History of the Land > Yacht." From looking at the book, I got the distinct impression that Wally > Byam made a deal with International Harvester, since many of the tow > vehicles were that brand of 4x4, with service beds and winches on them. I > was assuming that the company rigs would have been International Harvester > also. > > Ken Reed > '57 Bubble > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bill Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2000 10:02 PM > Subject: Re: [VAC] Newsletter/Cover Capetown to Cairo Service Truck > > Yes Doug,.......I think the truck on the cover is a 1958 Chevy 1 ton > with a special built half trailer from the factory. According to Art > Ruiz and Mike Graboski, 3 of these service trucks were built to follow > the caravan. One to lead, one to follow, and one to trail and pick up > and repair stragglers. Those trucks went across Africa, then on to the > Near East, and then to Europe. I guess Mike Graboski owns one. He is > sure welcome to join the VAC. There has been talk about the existence > of an Airstream Truck Camper, but the only ones mentioned end up being > the old "Avion" slide in campers. Now we know what those 3 "Custom made" > service trucks look like. For the benefit of you other listees, > ......... we are talking about the Fredericksburg, TX rally, back in > February,2000. At the rally, we had the unique experience of being able > to hear from 4 people that were on the 1959 Capetown to Cairo Caravan. > The people were Arturo "Art" Ruiz, a 21 year old mechanic, at the time, > for the Airstream Company, and the Graboski family, Mrs Gladys Graboski, > Toni Graboski Ruiz, who married Art, when they were in Ethiopia, and > Mike Graboski, who was 7 years old when they crossed Africa, and he got > to meet "The Lion of Judah", King Haile Selassie. They talked for a > couple of hours, and answered many questions. > What they did in 1959, was a first, and I'm sure it will never happen > again. There are too many wars going on in 4 or 5 of the countries, > that were on the trail. The roads were non existent, and on some days , > the caravan would go less than than 1/2 mile, in a full day of work. It > was truly an Adventure, and you can read about it in one of Wally's > books, "Trailer Travel, here and Abroad". and in a special book , "From > Capetown to Cairo". Doug and others have the book, and it is still > available on Amazon. > > Bill Scott
