Door-in-a-Door Rebuild - Part 1

Airstream's door in a door is such a cool feature of our 1955 Flying Cloud.  When we first started looking to buy a travel trailer, we were quick to choose an Airstream.  The streamlined beauty of all Airstream trailers and the silver motorhomes is classic, iconic, and appealing.  Made in the mid-west (Jackson Center Ohio) the durability and long life of Airstream made our decision an easy one!

When researching vintage Airstream trailers, one feature that I wished to have was the door in a door.  Got it!!!
Like many things that 59 year old, our door needed a bit of work.

The inner door within the door was removed.

The rivets were drilled out and the outer skin was removed from our main door.

The original deadbolts that hold the smaller door will be sandblasted and painted.

Warming Up - Insulating the Belly Pan

Reflectix reflective insulation is cut to fit under the plywood floor between the frame rails including above the water tanks.   It will also be used to insulate under the water tanks.
Note:  The step is painted with a UV resistant topcoat over the black POR 15.
The visible portions of the rails will topcoat painted soon. 

The portions of the frame that are cut out for the plumbing connections - all will be strong!  Each cross member will be strengthened at the bottom with a heavy steel bolt-on bridge.  The bolts will allow access to the plumbing if needed at a later date.

 









The dump valve is installed & valve handles extended through the main rail into an are that will be accessible through a flip down hatch.

 












 Gray tanks installed!

 









Fiberglass Insulation to really keep us warm! 

The end of the cross members have the added anti-chaffing strips.
First piece of the belly pan is cut!!!!  We are moving forward again!

Working with Barry

Wanted to share this from 8.28.11
Barry invited Scott over to do a little work on his vintage Airstream.  I think it was out of sympathy for Scott who is missing our 1955 Flying Cloud...  It was a good day!

Banana Wrap - Front

At the bottom front and rear of the 1955 Flying Cloud is a strip of metal called the banana wrap.  Photos.

Like many 1950 era Airstream trailers, the front banana wrap was dinged and dented from road debris.
The metal was pounded back into good shape, and is polished.

Seeing the World Shine!

 Leaning on the ShopSmith are our original windows - removed from the shell December 14th 2009.

 The old caulk, Volkem, and seals were removed before the polishing was started.

 Shine is coming!

Oh so very shiny!

Step Attached to the Frame and Painted

 Our original step - refurbished - with new Slide-A-Way welded to the frame.
The metal on the outside of the cross members will be used to attach the belly pan.

 Painted to prevent rust.

Now I have a way to step into my trailer!  I am so looking to using this step!

Rust off the Glide-A-RIde Steps

I think it is so cool that our vintage airstream Flying Cloud trailer was built with the then new retractable step.  1955 was the first year for Airstream retractable steps - called the Glide-A-Ride.

Old Steps - See the Rust

 

 The front edge of the step is slightly rusty.  The back edge is barely holding together.  Improvements needed!

More A-Frame Improvements

 Around the jack there is rust, and structure missing.  Improvement needed.

 The bottom of the A-Frame is only 3" deep, so that will be strengthened to match the rest of the new deeper 4" frame.
The new metal hold-down plate is now welded to the frame.  It will be riveted to the front aluminum skin - strength and stability the old Airstream way!  Actually the 1950's trailers often had the hold-down plates bolted to the frames.  The welds are much stronger and another Colin Hyde improvement.

 New tube Steel to be welded on to reinforce the A-Frame.

New tube welded with a new jack plate.

My Little Secret is Out - and It Holds a Lot of Liquid

Our A-Frame did not connect in line with the main frame rails.  The angle will help make the frame and the connection the tongue more sturdy.  Improvement!  We are moving our vintage airstream from deconstruction back into construction!  Progress!!!

 

Newer deeper cross rails, the frame increased from 3" deep to 4" deep.

BUT - and this is a big one for me - From the sides and back of our 1955 Flying Cloud - the trailer will look like a vintage Airstream!  It will look to only have a 3" frame!  Scott and Colin Hyde have worked together to design a frame that tapers to 4" at the center, while retaining the original look of the shallow frame.  So cool!

Windows and Frames

Byam's 1955 Vintage Airstream has a Large Front Jalousie Window,

More photos available at our photo website:

      http://byams55flyingcloud.shutterfly.com/

Color Color Color

Once inside Barry's 1955 Flying Cloud Airstream, one of the first things I loved was the light expansive space and the wall color.  I know green Zolatone is not to everyone's taste, but it made me so very happy!!

Scott and I spent hours upon hours looking through interior design swatches to find colors. 

• we like today 
• we will like for years to come
• will not show every speck of dust, sand, and dog hair
• are 1955 appropriate

These may not appeal to everyone, but we like these selections.
UPDATE 1/29/2014 - 
   - our Marmoleum Mineral 5714 is discontinued - we need to start again.

Oooo Oooo Oooo Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh - All I Want to do with you

With apologizes to the Beach Boys...
My first time to see my 1955 Flying Cloud.

And Colin - I can't believe we talked for 5 whole minutes before I pushed past to jump inside!!!

Checking the fit

From a tiny 1" x 1" Airstream specification drawing of the cross section - Scott generated a drawing, and the full-sized mock up was built. Using Barry's trailer - we checked the fit - very very very close.

Oooooo - I am getting excited to see our Flying Cloud in person.

Airstream CA 7787

No news to share on our Airstream.
Yet it is now on on VintageAirstream.com

More First Look Exterior Photos