The response from all over the US and Canada to our Mobile Polishing Services has been
overwhelming! We had already scheduled a South-East and Southern Polishing Tour to take
place in early Fall. The West Coast, Northwest and Western parts of the country were none
too quiet about wanting us to schedule a Polishing Tour in their part of the country!
So, not wanting to leave them out and with many Airstream Owners on the
schedule, we hooked up our Polishing Trailer to the back of our 25ft. Winnebago Motorhome
and headed out! We started on of all days, Labor Day - September 5, 1998. First stop on
the tour, Bakersfield California and Mike and Debbie Launer's 1961 Bambi.
Mr Clyde Wagner, Immediate Past President of the Vintage Airstream Club and a good friend,
was linking up with the Polishing Tour at Bakersfield. He would then accompany us for the
remainder of the Tour, to answer questions regarding Vintage Airstreams as well as give us
a hand polishing! (Yep, Mr Clyde Wagner does in fact know how to polish with our Drum
Polishers! He even owns one!)
After polishing Mike and Debbie's 1961 Bambi and Mark and Pattie Carr's 1957 Bubble, we
departed. With myself and John Howell, (aka "Hippie") in the Winnie and Clyde in his van
behind us, we headed North from Bakersfield.
Just outside the town of Manteca, California, The Western Polishing Tour was brought to
a very abrupt and untimely end, when an 18 wheel Tractor-Trailer jack-knifed in front of
me, totalling the Winnie and sending John Howell to the hospital. Clyde, managing not to
get himself and his van sucked into the accident (he was right behind me), was badly
shaken up though thankfully not injured.
And while it will take time, we are in fact healing. Though the road to recovery is terribly
slow!
May the Great Spirit bless Clyde Wagner, Mike and Debbie Launer, and my "Okie-Bro" Rick (Rick
fixed the Polishing Trailer so we could get it home to Tulsa!) for all their concern and the
help and support they gave us freely and with open arms, during and after this crisis. In fact,
before the accident, Mike and Debbie treated and referred to all of us like family. After the
accident, they went out of their way to show us that they MEANT what they said.
May the Great Spirit also bless Ewan McDonell and all the members of our Airstream.net
Discussion Group, who we whole-heartedly consider part of our family. For all your
concerns, prayers and the support you gave & continue to give myself and my family.
Forever Remembered
Jim Weston, CEO
A&H MACHINE, INC.
Airmark Surfacing Tools TM
Airmark Aircraft-Airmark Detailing GroupTM Mobile Group
P.S. I WILL RETURN!!
See the trailers that did make the tour schedule before the Crash:
Airmark Tools Home
