Now That Is Product Testing: Around The World Caravan 1964

Now That Is Product Testing!

The Airstream Around The World Caravan of 1964

Airstream founder Wally Byam knew from the very beginning that the travel trailers that he was designing and building were a means to an end. And the goal was to get folks outside into nature and out of their easy chairs. To that end, in the 1950s Wally started leading caravans of Airstreams across the continent to Mexico, Canada and other places. Desire for more exotic locations drove Mr Byam to imagine the most adventurous trip yet.

Let's go around the whole world by travel trailer! There has been a lot of documentation and film about this historic event that took more than 40 trailers on the most severe beating you can imagine over 14 months. The folks that went were from all walks of life and some brought their kids too.

When Wally was on a Caravan it was a chance for him to see first hand how his product performed. Every day he would have an idea about how to improve his product. When folks found that a cupboard door would open in transit Wally ordered stronger latches. If the complaint was that the trailer was letting in too much dust, door and window seals were re-engineered. In the 50's the rough roads were breaking suspension components and the fix for future models, and the way it is still made today is the dura-flex axle with virtually no moving parts to break. While a caravan was away in the farthest corners of the world, the caravan leader would be looking for a telegraph office to send his recommendations back to the plant so that product changes could be made right away.

Wally was committed to continuously improving Airstream's quality, frequently reminding his team, “Let's not make changes. Let's make only improvements."

Airstream's Around the World Caravan of 1963/64 was truly the adventure of a lifetime: 105 people in 40-plus Airstream travel trailers covered over 31,000 miles and crossed through more than 30 countries. They traveled for 403 days from Singapore to Portugal. 

To do this incredible feat required the trailers to be shipped across the world to their starting point. The photo at right shows the Airstreams being loaded into the hold of a ship. Over the months ahead the unstoppable caravaners crossed bridges of bamboo, forded rivers, and pushed, pulled and coerced trailers out of some unbelievable obstacles.

Trails meant only for elephants in India became a travel route for the intrepid Airstreamers. Yes, stuff broke. Axles broke, frames broke, tires failed continually. At one point the mobile welding and repair truck that carried all their needed tools and parts caught fire and burned to the ground while refuelling! It would have been a much bigger catastrophe if the repair technician's wife hadn't jumped behind the wheel of the burning vehicle and drove it away from the pumps, thus preventing the whole station from erupting in a massive ball of flame!

But the sights they saw! The Taj Mahal, Roman ruins, elephants running side by side with the trailers, thousands of people from dozens of countries welcoming them like royalty and a lifetimes worth of sightseeing condensed into one brave adventure. They rubbed elbows with royalty and with some of the most impoverished peoples of the earth. In the height of the Cold War they went behind the Iron Curtain. It was an unbelievable experience and one that could never be reproduced in the current world.

Scott Smith was just a kid on the caravan but I think his words capture it best: “It was the adventure of a lifetime, I’m so glad my parents did it. I say the thing that I brought with me for the rest of my life was a respect and care for the people of the world.”

Okay, ready for the punchline....

After the beating those vehicles took on that trip they were all shipped home and remained in service for many years. In fact just last month myself and my wife Tina were on a caravan in the USA celebrating the Around the World Caravan and we travelled with five of those original Airstreams. The 60th Anniversary Caravan was offered to members of the Vintage Airstream Club and we were thrilled to be included with our own 1963 Bambi. We and about 30 other Airstreamers followed the original trailers through Indiana and Ohio visiting towns with international monikers like, Warsaw, Peru, Athens, Mexico and Paris. The five trailers from the original ATWC still operate and perform like they were intended to do when they rolled out of the factory in 1962. They have been restored wonderfully by each owner with an appreciative eye on historical accuracy. To that end, many of the "war wounds" of the trailers 63/64 adventures have been left as part of each Airstream's authenticity. And just like in the original caravan we were welcomed in every town we passed through. For us, the highlight was parading past the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, Ohio. Airstream Inc. stopped production for us and every employee was out on the side of the road cheering us on!

The blue truck and trailer pictured above were re-united after 60 years apart on this trip. The Around the World logo still preserved on the doors of the truck.

So hats off to the Airstream company who to this day still endeavour to make a product that will take us all on the trip of a lifetime, help us create memories and friends that will stay with us always and all because Wally Byam had a vision to see the world with all the comforts of home.

“Adventure is where you find it, any place, every place, except at home in the rocking chair.” “Keep your eyes on the stars, and the stars in your eyes…see if you can find out what's over the next hill, and the next one after that.”

Wally Byam

Further reading and an excellent video. CLICK HERE.

Check this out! Vincent Price narrates a 5 part series in 1966 about the Around the World Caravan. Here is the Link. (note it is the 6th video on the page)