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10-22-2008, 07:54 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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Hunter's Special! -my 56' find
I was using the jaxed.com to search the state of FL for my next project and came across my new addition to the family! I saw it Tuesday night, then after talking with the man, was en route the 50 miles to Lakeland Wed. at noon to go get it. He said the panels were perfect and the interior was gutted. But what really got me was that he said his phone had not stopped ringing over it and "Airstream" was sending someone over to get it back. I got there and it was the perfect Airstream hunter's dream- side of the road used car lot, 1956 13 panel Airstream sitting in the corner, guy had scrawled "Hunter's special- $1750" on the side (my wife remarking that by him putting "game" hunter's special, he was really unknowingly referring to my Airstream Hunter's obsession!). Got out and started feeling how smooth the body is and how good the frame is, I knew it was coming home with me. He wouldn't bargain though but the price was right and he had a title!
I drove it home and took it to the scales first off and it weighed in at 1960 pounds! (with the concrete block prop). I love it and cant wait to tear into it. But have to finish the other one first.
My question for you out there is- can I figure out what model this is??? It is 22' long and completely stripped on the inside except for some light fixtures and the newer sink in the front. There is a water hookup on the driver's side front corner. How do you tell different models in the 50's.
It is also missing the rear window- know where I can get one?
Cheers, John.
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10-22-2008, 08:05 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1968 28' Ambassador
Cedaredge
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,542
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man, thats a great deal on a nice AS.. have fun restoring that one... I'm jealous... Theres a guy in Paonia CO that has 4 in his yard.. I may stop by on Fri. since my daughter has a soccer game out there, and ask him about them.
__________________
Jason
May you have at least one sunny day, and a soft chair to sit in..
2008 5.7 L V8 Sequoia
AIR # 31243
WBCCI # 6987
FOUR CORNERS UNIT
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10-22-2008, 08:05 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Looks like it might be a 22' Custom...do you have a VIN number? It would help confirm it ~ it would be on the little plate by the door.
Check here: Vintage Airstream - '56 Custom
The window configuration looks like the fist one shown there.
Shari
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10-22-2008, 08:05 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1979 23' Safari
1954 29' Liner
Orange
, California
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,850
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
I was using the jaxed.com to search the state of FL for my next project and came across my new addition to the family! I saw it Tuesday night, then after talking with the man, was en route the 50 miles to Lakeland Wed. at noon to go get it. He said the panels were perfect and the interior was gutted. But what really got me was that he said his phone had not stopped ringing over it and "Airstream" was sending someone over to get it back. I got there and it was the perfect Airstream hunter's dream- side of the road used car lot, 1956 13 panel Airstream sitting in the corner, guy had scrawled "Hunter's special- $1750" on the side (my wife remarking that by him putting "game" hunter's special, he was really unknowingly referring to my Airstream Hunter's obsession!). Got out and started feeling how smooth the body is and how good the frame is, I knew it was coming home with me. He wouldn't bargain though but the price was right and he had a title!
I drove it home and took it to the scales first off and it weighed in at 1960 pounds! (with the concrete block prop). I love it and cant wait to tear into it. But have to finish the other one first.
My question for you out there is- can I figure out what model this is??? It is 22' long and completely stripped on the inside except for some light fixtures and the newer sink in the front. There is a water hookup on the driver's side front corner. How do you tell different models in the 50's.
It is also missing the rear window- know where I can get one?
Cheers, John.
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A 22' Airstream is either a Flying Cloud or Safari. Check out RJ Dial's site Vintage Airstream Home for the photo archives.
How much of the rear window are you missing, it is only flat glass.
Good luck
Bill
__________________
Bill Kerfoot, WBCCI/VAC/CAC/El Camino Real Unit #5223
Just my personal opinion
1973 Dodge W200 PowerWagon, 1977 Lincoln Continental, 2014 Dodge Durango
1979 23' Safari, and 1954 29' Double Door Liner Orange, CA
https://billbethsblog.blogspot.com/
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10-22-2008, 08:06 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1979 23' Safari
1954 29' Liner
Orange
, California
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,850
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Shari,
You beat me again.
Bill
__________________
Bill Kerfoot, WBCCI/VAC/CAC/El Camino Real Unit #5223
Just my personal opinion
1973 Dodge W200 PowerWagon, 1977 Lincoln Continental, 2014 Dodge Durango
1979 23' Safari, and 1954 29' Double Door Liner Orange, CA
https://billbethsblog.blogspot.com/
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10-22-2008, 08:07 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1958 22' Flying Cloud
1956 30' Sovereign of the Road
1963 16' Bambi
Southeastern Area
, Tennessee
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,116
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Wow, congrats! Looks like a few '56s surfacing lately. My guess is a Flying Cloud or Safari. Definitely is a California model by the looks of the rear "whale tail".
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10-22-2008, 08:12 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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I don't think it's a Caravaner or a Safari...they both have the large continuous windows on the streetside (Safari has 3 in a row & Caravanner has 3 in a row & one stacked). Nor a Flying Cloud which tends to have various irregular sized/placed windows.
To me, the streetside looks alot like the "Custom". Although, on second look at the first photo (click to make it bigger) it looks like there may be a patch where a window ofr vent may have been...hmmm. Could be a modified FC...VIN # would help ~
Shari
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10-22-2008, 08:24 PM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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The vin# is 7756 which the guy who sold it to me said that meant it was # 77 in 1956. Hah! It also has the wicked looking sculpted back end cap with the whale tail and not the 13 panel rear cap. I think there was an access door below the window as well.
After owning my 78 safari and towing it, this thing is a whole different animal being less than half the weight and very antique looking.
Cheers, John.
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10-22-2008, 08:31 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
The vin# is 7756 which the guy who sold it to me said that meant it was # 77 in 1956. Hah!
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Okay...I was wrong. Looks like it is a Flying Cloud...but a '55, not a '56. Nice story though ~
1955 Flying Cloud 22'
Ohio | O-3245 to O-3293
California | 7NNN (about 7750 to 7975)
Your number falls right in the range for the 1955's...actually pretty early in the series. Often times, the titles will have the year it was sold rather than the model year.
Check out this: 55FC
Shari
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10-22-2008, 08:41 PM
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#10
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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Wow, that is so cool about this forum. An id within minutes!! Do the rear end cap panels indicate the year? The title I have does say '56 and it notes the previous title was from New York. I had checked out vintageairstream.com but had not matched it perfectly. No name plates on these models, huh?
This thing has been patched over nicely to be fully sealed and with no protrusions. Will have to start the rebuilding process and do my hunting as to how it was originally set up. Any sites that list floorplans for this year?
Thanks all.
John.
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10-22-2008, 08:46 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
Do the rear end cap panels indicate the year?
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Yes, the whale tails were only made in '55 & '56 in CA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
I had checked out vintageairstream.com but had not matched it perfectly.
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They were pretty much custom in the 50's...they would make mods based on materials on-hand or customer requests all the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
No name plates on these models, huh?
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You have a plate by the door right under the window...I can see it in the third picture of your first post. That has the VIN # on it. There is sometimes another plate nearby that says the model...but I can't tell if yours has one from that picture. Looks kinda like there might be a patch there with a key/lock(?) where it used to be right below the VIN plate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkrauk
Any sites that list floorplans for this year
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Did you see this or this or this or this? All were plans for the mid-50's 22-footers - good for some ideas ~
Shari
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10-22-2008, 08:46 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1968 28' Ambassador
Cedaredge
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,542
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If it's striped out why not make the floor plan how you would like it.... What suits your needs...
__________________
Jason
May you have at least one sunny day, and a soft chair to sit in..
2008 5.7 L V8 Sequoia
AIR # 31243
WBCCI # 6987
FOUR CORNERS UNIT
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10-23-2008, 05:44 AM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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Now I get it- whale tail is the look of the rear upper middle panel- of coarse! I kept thinking it was the look of how the rear lower panels come and flair out to where they hit the bumper. My 78's tuck back in towards the body. The vin # tells the story; about the 6th one built in 1955. I can correctly tell everyone what year it is now.
Thanks, John.
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10-23-2008, 08:18 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1960 33' Custom
Athens
, Georgia
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,373
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That's looking really cool already, I'm especially liking the white wall tires. (obviously I watched too much Duke's of Hazard as a child but it's going on my list of finishing touches for sure).
__________________
1960 Sovereign 33' Pacific Railroad Custom
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10-23-2008, 08:45 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,190
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It looks longer than a 22' to me
Did you measure from the tongue to the bumper, or did you measure JUST the cabin ??
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10-23-2008, 08:58 AM
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#16
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Usually Sleepy
1973 27' Overlander
East Haven
, Connecticut
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by truckasaurus
That's looking really cool already, I'm especially liking the white wall tires. (obviously I watched too much Duke's of Hazard as a child but it's going on my list of finishing touches for sure).
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I too love the white letter tires. I was considering wide white walls, maybe I'll get white letters instead. sporty!!!
__________________
Skip
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10-23-2008, 07:05 PM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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I did measure bumper to ball and it is about at 22'. The guy who sold it claimed it was a 17' since that is what the inside is about.
Hoosier Radials!!! Raised white letters! This really could pass as a huntin' trailer. It has a sink rigged directly to the exterior hook up and that drained straight down and out, and a cooktop rigged directly to the blue rhino tank out front. The guy selling it was a true used car salesman though- he had those Hoosier radials so shiny with tire shine that you could see all of the dryrot cracks easily. I could just put some baby moons on it and call it a day, but it has a shimmy at 55 and I am always serious about fresh running gear.
I could see this trailer behind the General Lee in an episode tearin' through the country. Maybe that is the theme I will go with and put an 01 on the door!
Luke Duke.
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10-23-2008, 08:36 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1962 22' Safari
2016 30' Classic
Southeast
, Michigan
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,987
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InsideOut
Yes, the whale tails were only made in '55 & '56 in CA.
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Actually, "whale tails" were built, at the California plant only, in 1954 (probably starting with the sloped rear end early in the year), '55, '56, and (I think) '57 until the changeover to 7-panels early in the model year. They are interesting, but my eye prefers the 13-panel rear end of the Ohio built trailers in this era (not that I'd turn down a whale tail if one came my way, however).
__________________
Joe
Wally Byam Caravan Club International Historian
Vintage Airstream Club Historian
WBCCI/VAC #702 & #6768
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10-24-2008, 08:11 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
1963 22' Safari
2020 27' Globetrotter
State of
, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,512
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love the look of those. Do you have interior photos?
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10-25-2008, 06:25 AM
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#20
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2 Rivet Member
1978 23' Safari
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Orlando
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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There is not much to my Silver Cloud's interior, but for me that is good cause most of it would have ended up in the trash anyway. It is really set up as a hunter's cabin with just the basics- water, stove, then go outside to pee.
I am pondering just leaving off the rear window and getting a new piece of aluminum to cover up the whole back. The trend nowdays seems to be fewer windows and more of a concealed look, so maybe.
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