First Look - New Bumper Trunk Lid - Keeping Water Out!!!

Just a quick sneak peak at our new bumper trunk.  This is not original to our trailer, so Colin's guys fabricated the aluminum lid.
Key to keeping the plywood floor from rotting is to keep it dry.  Our 1955 Flying Cloud has the sloping rear end which helps move water away from the trailer.  Colin added the aluminum flashing between the exterior shell and the C-Channel.  This small but huge addition acts like flashing in other applications, moving rain water away from the entry point.
We will definitely use the extra outdoor storage, and I really appreciate the extra protection at the rear of the trailer.

No Leaks! - Making it Happen.

Now the replacement Alclad panels are attached and the rehabilitated windows are back in their openings, the interior seams area sealed.  Vulkem was used as the sealant.  To me, the bold lines of the end cap look artistic.

Shell Off - Frame Off - Axle Off!!!

The shell is separated from the frame!

Although our vintage airstream is still being deconstructed, this seems like such huge progress!! 

 

 

Above is the top of the floor with the parquet wood flooring that covered all the floor rot.  Below the photo is of the bottom of the subfloor - with all the rotted edges.

 

 The old axle with leaf springs is coming off - to be replaced with a torsion axle for a smoother kinder ride for our 1955 Airstream Flying Cloud.

The great news is that the tire fits into the "A" portion of the frame.  The new fresh water tanks will not fit into the angled main frame rails.  The change will give us the 2 tanks at 17 gallons each - for a total of 34 gallons of fresh water up front and capacity for 34 gallons of gray water.  These are the new Vintage Trailer Supply tanks - item # VTS-851.

Soft and Gooey

Oh yes. The faux-wood-look vinyl covered a bit of floor rot. The entire floor is bouncy and the right side is not secure.

Being under the trailer myself, I am better understanding what I've seen in photos of other trailers. Below is my photo taken from the ground looking up into the area normally covered by the belly pan - the underside of the plywood floor. The step should securely attach to the frame here. The step on the right is photographed from the rear of the trailer and looking forward. The 3" deep (aka tall) C-channel frame shown on the left.

Below: As expected there is floor rot at the typical 1950's segmented C Channel. The first photo shows the C-Channel flat on the floor.

The photo below shows a small strip aluminum - remaining when the rest of the belly pan was cut off and removed. This aluminum belly pan strip was pulled down through the rotted floor to below the chasis frame. On the right side of the photo is the segmented C channel.

Party Time - No Sleeping Allowed

The bed frames with drawers and the night stand have been temporarily returned to the bedroom.  

The Previous-owner painted walls and added parquet flooring. It has to go!

One of the ways to hide water damage is adding a new flooring.  I understand that the new floor is often added without identifying and stopping the source of water entering the trailer.  Parquet flooring
And perhaps the previous-owner grew damaged the walls or merely tired of the green Zolatone, and painted the walls.  Either way, I want to see the very durable Zolatone finish restored to our Airstream. 
 
With the beds removed, there is enough room for dancing at a party.

Peeping Tom

Peeping into our walls - this is our first look - photos sent by Colin from Plattsburgh NY.


We expected water damage in the toilet room. And under the front jalousie window / water tank.

And as always the back floor. I need to ask Colin why the metal at the base is not one solid piece...
 
As usual my question has been asked and answered on the Vintage Airstream Podcast (VAP) 
I'll try to find the episode number, I think it is somewhere in the 190's....  
My understanding is that the early years Airstreams were made with the C-Channels installed in pieces.  Colin let me know that we would improving the trailer with a more water resistant solid C-Channel is is done for modern Airstream trailers.


More photos at Byam's 1955 Flying Cloud.