'55 FC The Whole ball of wax

[NorCal Bambi]

Well I've started dismantling the 55 Flying Cloud. That is what way left of it. The floor is so bad that I'll remove it with the shell still on. To day I removed fixtures on the inside and out. I've also started removing the rotten, rotten floor. What I've seen of the frame so far is rusted but looks solid. I might as well be positive as long as possible. I'm including several pictures so you all can see how really crazy I am.
Don
Opps I'm on the wrong computer. I'll try again. I hope this is not a beginning of things to come.

[DJ Bassett]

Hey NorCal,

Hurry up and upload those photos. I can only hold my breath for so looooong!

DJ

[NorCal Bambi]

Now I'm on the correct computere.

[S C Streamer]

Hi NorCal,

Pretty much decided to go with a shell-on floor replacement my self, hope to get started this winter.

It would be great to watch over your shoulder.Please keep us posted with your progress,plenty of pictures too.

Hope it turns out as nice as your Bambi.




Mark

[C Johnson]

Don, You ARE a glutton for punishment ! I bet in the end tho you will have another really nice Airstream.

The frame looks good where you can see it. The nice thing here is you have a blank slate to work with once you get the new floor in.

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by C Johnson

Don, You ARE a glutton for punishment !

Chris,

You are sooooooooo right! What is he thinking???? But he seems to have fun out there tearing stuff apart. He is a wonderful dismantler!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[NorCal Bambi]

Originally Posted by S C Streamer

Hi NorCal,

Pretty much decided to go with a shell-on floor replacement my self, hope to get started this winter.

It would be great to watch over your shoulder.Please keep us posted with your progress,plenty of pictures too.

Hope it turns out as nice as your Bambi.




Mark

Mark, Haven't decided to do shell off or on yet. I'm going to wait and see how bad the frame might be before that decision is made. Have you started any work on your Bambi II? Do you have a thread?
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

Originally Posted by C Johnson

Don, You ARE a glutton for punishment ! I bet in the end tho you will have another really nice Airstream.

The frame looks good where you can see it. The nice thing here is you have a blank slate to work with once you get the new floor in.

Chris, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

I don't think this is an original vent. Can anyone send me a picture of what an original type vent would look like for a 50s vent?
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

Here is a picture of the original Zolatone green. The rest of the trailer was in pink and two tone gray. Boy is that 1955 or what? I was still a freshman in high school then. I don't think I want to go there again.
Don

[Cloud 9]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

I don't think this is an original vent. Can anyone send me a picture of what an original type vent would look like for a 50s vent?
Don

Don,
Glad to see you're getting into the Flying Cloud. Here is a picture of one of the vents on my '54. There are two. One on the street side (pictured) for the vent hood exhaust and one on the curbside for the refrigerator vent. Hope this helps.

Steve

[NorCal Bambi]

Today I worked on tearing out the old bad, bad floor. Actually it felt quite good ripping and tearing. Rodent calling cards were a plenty. The good news, most of the frame looks great mostly surface rust. The out riggers look good also. I spent some time banging around with a hammer. And they seemed solid. A past PO had put in the shower pan and cut into the frame to make room for the drain. It's repairable, but I can't believe what some people will do. The slider for the stair is broken on one side. This can also be welded. The angle iron brace that is at the forward of the stair support will have to be replaced. Not bad at all. Several pictures follow to show the above.
Don

[safari57]

Man, I look at your unit and get down on my knees and thank heavens I did not end up with a frame like this. Living on the very wet west coast of Canada it could easily have been so, and from what I understand the trailer spent a lot of time as a park model so even more impetus for rust to occur. That said the base floor had already been done on mine and the frame redone correctly and it would appear professionally, including a new axle done correctly. The rest was in comparison a piece of cake. NO, I don't feel guilty that I lucked out, just awful lucky. My buddy who's looking will get huge benefit out of seeing what you are doing when he acquires his desired '54 FC.

Barry

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

Here is a picture of the original Zolatone green. The rest of the trailer was in pink and two tone gray. Boy is that 1955 or what? I was still a freshman in high school then. I don't think I want to go there again.
Don

I think we can nix the pink and gray.... have to think about the green.... my favorite color! But then this is Don's Airstream. Mine is rolling! Thanks to Don....

Anyone catch the picture of the big dumpster? We learned after redoing the Bambi!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[2airishuman]

hey don/s tardis how are ya!

what's a couple of frame holes...

aren't these monocoque structures?

it will be fun reading about this trailer

and really it IS interesting reading posts

that are basically a husband-wife discussion...online

almost like being there,

but no need to duck/run when she throws stuff at ya

but i have a question...

if you and mrs norcal bambi get into a really BIG arguement here...

on color or any number of things...

which moderator will sort things out?

oh and i'd like to read BOTH of your views...

cheers
2air'

[CaddyGrn]

2 air... the cat decides!

Claudia

[S C Streamer]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

Have you started any work on your Bambi II?

Hi Don,

Honestly,not much.
Been formulating a plan so I can do it right and do it once. I'd be in waaay over my head with out these forums and it's members. I hope to get rollin' this winter.

Here are a few pics before I tear it all out...


Cleaning out the 10" rat ( still alive ) and his belongings...


After 29 full shop-vac loads of shreddings, rat sh*t, and broken acorn shells.
That rat sure was livin' high !


Mark

[cloud55]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

I don't think this is an original vent. Can anyone send me a picture of what an original type vent would look like for a 50s vent?
Don

Don,
Our 55 FC vents look like Steve's. The original fridge was 110 or ice box only so it didn't require a vent like todays propane fridge. If your larger vent cap is over the fridge that may be the reason it was changed.

Our full monty is starting...taking it all off this weekend! I made a pattern of the floor curves if you need them.

Lynn

[NorCal Bambi]

Originally Posted by S C Streamer

Hi Don,

Honestly,not much.
Been formulating a plan so I can do it right and do it once. I'd be in waaay over my head with out these forums and it's members. I hope to get rollin' this winter.

Here are a few pics before I tear it all out...

Attachment 25394
Cleaning out the 10" rat ( still alive ) and his belongings...

Attachment 25393
After 29 full shop-vac loads of shreddings, rat sh*t, and broken acorn shells.
That rat sure was livin' high !


Mark

Mark, I've been told that rats and mice don't go to Heaven. They go to Airstreams. And if you've seen some that are mummified, you can see how they chose Airstreams over Pyramids.
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

Toair, great to hear from you. Claudia and I are having fun with the Airstream infection. Do you know a Doc who could cure us? Maybe the cure would be worse than the decease! She was right about the cat. And we both have noticed that he has been a little crazy lately. How is Max lately. I don't know if I have remembered the dogs name lately. Remember, what's that.
Don