fiftyfive safari

[fiftysafari]

My signif other & I will be picking up our 55 Safari this Saturday, June 1.
I am so excited!
It has fold down bunk bed on the passenger side, original toilet in the back, refrigerator by the door, a long counter with sink on the driver side with fresh & black water tanks on either side of the axel. The dinette is long gone.
Now for the fun part...restoration!
New tires & rims to replace old split rims, new axel, wires, 12 volt system and on and on.
Hope to make happy.
Will post pics soon!

[InsideOut]

How exciting! I hope you enjoy yours as much as we have ours!

However, the layout you describe isounds more like a Flying Cloud than a Safari. Mid-50's Safari's usually have a front kitchen & bath - here's an original brochure. Check out some other mid-fifties brochures I have collected here, starting around post #589.



Post pics when you can - love to see it! Especially the VIN # & plate...I have heard of a couple other Flying Clouds that have been badged as Safaris.

Shari

[fiftysafari]

Thanks Rivet Master for the neat brochure links!
Anyway the VIN is 06092 which seems to be a Safari VIN from Ohio.
I know the layout is odd...modified maybe?

[fiftysafari]

BTW, Birdie is a beauty!
Gives me a bar to reach for

[InsideOut]

You're welcome on the links...if you get a chance to read them and check out the pictures in the archive, you'll discover that Safari's of the era were kind of an entry level, or as they call it "popular-priced" & "streamlined" model made from what seems like leftover parts from other trailers to me - not much is standardized in them as you will see in the archive pics.

Also, all 22-footer's made in Ohio were labeled as Safari's. Flying Clouds were their 22' cousins made in the California plant. What I've kinda surmised with the other "Flying Cloud-Layout Safari-labels" is that possibly Ohio made a few custom Flying Cloud-layout 22' trailers and badged them as Safari's because that was their 22' model was and the tags they had. The thing is when Airstream had the two plants going at the same time - there was a lot of competition between the two. They would try things out at one plant or the other and see what sold best. I suspect this is an example of this...if only these babies could talk!

Thanks also for the kudos on Birdy...

Post pics when you can of yours...I for one love seeing the "as found" condition shots then following the transformation. Pics can also help determine if it is modified or indeed another anomally. Regardless, congrats & have fun with it!

Shari

[fiftysafari]

Hey thanks again for the really interesting information.
I will be posting pictures soon after I get my rough diamond home.
I am just a little bit older than my Safari and I remember as a child being wowed whenever we saw an airstream on the highway.
Maybe I saw this one ...and now she is mine to treasure and baby.
This forum is a gold mine of resources and tips.
And thanks again!