Airstreams are the Cadillacs of tin can campers. In Wax, Tilly lives in a sixteen foot beauty in Parking Lot C. I found a 1948 Wee Wind, restored, for thirty-eight thousand dollars — about thirty-six thousand more than I intended to spend.
I reviewed my criteria: ideally mid-century antique, polished aluminum, light enough to be pulled by my Ranger and road-worthy. And of course cheap. Which ruled out anything called Airstream. I had to broaden my search.
A cruise through cyberspace brought me to a field in Peru, Indiana, and my introduction to the rare Beemer travel trailer. The owner, Dan Piper, has assured me the trailer will polish to a mirror finish if I put the time in. The tires are new and it comes with a spare. It’s ready to roll. The work it needs is cosmetic and I can do it myself. I think I’ve found my tin can camper.
In “Wax” Tilly discovers a shortage of housing near the Richmond shipyards and is offered an Airstream …
Therese Ambrosi Smith 