Airstream Forums - 1952 - 25' Airstream Cruiser Restoration

Greetings from beautiful Foresthill, Ca. My wife Angela, our two boys (ages 6 & 3) are the proud new owners of the most beautiful piece of junk, a 25' 1952 Caravan "Cruiser". She was in a Misourri field for the last 18 years used as a storage shed. She's pretty rough, but our family & friends have rallied to invest the time, sweat and $ it will take to get her back in working order. Our plan is to do a frame off refurbishment. With respect to the original look and feel, we will incorporate some modern features. Our theme is 1952 Ansel Adams - Yosemite.

Building Our New Frame

Posted 12-29-2009 at 10:31 AM by PRATTMAN (1952 - 25' Airstream Cruiser Restoration)

Well the holidays have delayed our progress, but we really got after her again this past weekend.
After we inspected the old frame it became apparent it would take hours to sand blast all the corners and angles and it would cost more than to purchase new steel. So $350 later we had new stronger steel stock to begin a new frame construction.
Using the old frame as our template we rather quickly teamed out the cuts and welds to build the new frame.
We added a few extras, like an...

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PRATTMAN

1 Rivet Member

Posted in Restoration Blogs, 1952 - 25' Airstream Cruiser Restoration

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Houston we have lift off!!!

Posted 11-16-2009 at 12:09 PM by PRATTMAN (1952 - 25' Airstream Cruiser Restoration)

Great weekend of work. Mission #1 is completed because we were successful lifting the body off the frame.

This was a slow slightly sketch process using small bottle jack in tandem with adjustable jack stands.

We began by supporting the the interior body structure by fastening 2 x 4's to the interior lower body frame ribs with screws. Then by placing the jacks under these new cross supports we slowly began to lift.

As the body began to seperate, a few stubborn...

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PRATTMAN

1 Rivet Member

Posted in Uncategorized

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Strip Her Down

Posted 11-10-2009 at 01:24 PM by PRATTMAN (1952 - 25' Airstream Cruiser Restoration)

With delivery made by the transport company, we trailered her slowly 20 miles home. We now have begun to strip her down. Everything must go. Our mission is to remove the rottom floor and get to the frame.

After the removal of inside structure and appliance (the beautiful "Dixie" stove and the refer will be refurbished) we drilled out all the lower rivits inside and out, removed all screws then removed the lower inside skin. The C-channel is revealed. I think we are getting...

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