Starting mostly gutted-Flying Cloud

[rumrunner]

First post so bear with me. Lots of questions but will start with just a few.
My title says 56 flying cloud ser# 7958-my search seems to suggest this is actually a 55, any definitive answers before i go to the mvd?
In the interior refinishing threads there is lots of discussion on paint options but couldnt find anyone using automotive paints on interior, any thoughts/suggestions? I am starting with a totally gutted interior-no reuseable cabinetry, maybe a few appliances etc so i will be asking lots of questions as i go.
thanks in advance
tim and jen

[Addicted2Tin]

Welcome. Hope you find the answers you are looking for. We are going through a renovation on our "new to us" '73 AS Argosy 26. We just replaced the floor that had rotten spots. Made new "retro" formica cab tops & table tops,& curtains. Trying to stay close to original style as possible.
I am cleaning the white aluminium walls & preparing to paint them. (they are not the vinyl coated, sticky type) The materials used on the walls of the AS seem to vary according to the time period. As for ours, we are able to clean with detergents & TSP then prime with Kilz & paint. But the ABS end caps I am struggling with what will work best.....Krylon Fusion (suggested by many & even a Sherwin Williams rep.for the best appearance they say) or use a bonding primer then paint.
To answer your question about auto paint used on the interior...just not sure. We are planning to use it on the exterior to match or coordinate with our tow vehicle though.
This is a wonderful forum filled with such great knowledge & experience. I am sure you will find it very useful.

[overlander64]

Greetings Tim and Jen!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream Ownership!

Originally Posted by rumrunner

In the interior refinishing threads there is lots of discussion on paint options but couldnt find anyone using automotive paints on interior, any thoughts/suggestions? I am starting with a totally gutted interior-no reuseable cabinetry, maybe a few appliances etc so i will be asking lots of questions as i go.
thanks in advance
tim and jen

While I am not certain when Airstream began utilizing Zolatone for the interior finish, I know that it was utilized during most, if not all, of the 1960s. Zolatone is a commercial finishing product that produces a multiple-color finish much like the spatter finishes that were found in the trunks of many 1960s automobiles. Several here on the Forums have restored their Airstream interiors with the Zolatone finish . . . a Forums search on Zolatone should return several threads on the procedures involved.

Good luck with your coach!

Kevin

P.S.: I believe 1964 may have been the last year that Airstream utilized Zolatone for the interior finish . . . as I believe vinyl-clad began in either 1965 or 1966.

[rumrunner]

I'm sure many (most?) of you acquired your vintage AS's in similar condition but what i have is zolotone under several coats of unknown paint (including patches of pink and yellow) I know i can remove these with appropriate effort but what i am really wondering is after interior stripping and some polishing as necessary, has anybody tried an epoxy primer and an automotive style paint as a final coat? Seems like it would be both flexible and durable enough. Seems to work well on aircraft exteriors.
thanks again

[Elf1]

Good Evening RumRunner-
Welcome aboard!!!...
Ok .....first up....we ALL love photos....its almost an unwritten rule

Lets see if I can lend you a bit of a hand in this dilemma.
Here is what I can attest to:

1. Zolotone is by far the "best of the Best" it comes with a specific primer for its use. The gallon of primer will run you aprox 115.00 The Zolotone will run you from 140.00 a gallon up. Materials for a 22' rig are about 775.00, NOT including the stripper, and assuming you have a compressor and apray gun ( nossle size from 2.0mm-2.5 mm reccommended)

2. West Marine carries something called "Perfection" it can be sprayed, or rolled and tipped. It is a 2 part epoxy paint, that dries to a high gloss. It is available in many colors. It requires a 2 part primer called "Prime Kote" Not to mince words...this stuff is a 100 on the scale of NASTY on the smell side. Full face resporator REQUIRED, or you WILL be brought out on a streacher...make no bones about it.
Did I mention it is 80.00 QUART, with the primer 45.oo a QUART...VERY $$ worth every penny. I use it 90% of the time on tub refinishes and sink refinishes. Take a look at my images under my profile, there is a shower shot on that application...flawless...or in West's words "Perfection" You can also add a non-slip grit to the texture of your liking to assure you have good footing. Mask off the finished product, and add a 3d coat with grit, works like a charm.

3. A third and very viable option is Sherwin Williams Binding primer. It is all I would reccommend for bare metal application. 60.00 or so a gallon. After a prime coat...a VERY good grade of the paint of your choice, and you are in business. I have never had any issues with SW, others here on the fourms can attext to it as well.

Feel free to follow along on my thread under interior restorations:
"1955 Panaroma Interior restoration"
We use CitriStrip (orange goo) from Home Depot....works like a charm

As within the next few weeks the interior will be stripped, primed and painted.
Reach out to me on my thread, or PM me.
If we can be of any assistance, we would be happy to help.
Cheers,
Elf 1

[Aerowood]

I paint aluminum all the time. The issue with aluminum is that it needs a conversion coating called alodine for a superior bond of the epoxy primer. In order to get the alodine to adhere, first clean the surface with Alumaprep wiping on then wiping off with water. Aply the alodine the same way, wipe on then wipe off with water, throughly dry then prime with the epoxy primer of you choice. Automotive paints would work just fine but I find them quite expensive for an interior project. I am using industrail grade epoxy finishes that are less expensive. If you have access to a pressure pot spray gun you can paint on a base coat then turn down the atomization air and splatter coat multiple colors on top of the base coat. This will give you that splatter look similar to Zolotone at a fraction of the cost.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by rumrunner

My title says 56 flying cloud ser# 7958-my search seems to suggest this is actually a 55, any definitive answers before i go to the mvd?

Yes, based on the VIN #, it is indeed a '55 CA built Flying Cloud.

The Photo Archives, show the range of '55s as #7750-7975, so yours being #7958 is towards the end of the run. This explains why it is titled as a '56...it was built in '55 as a '55 model, but not sold and titled until '56. We have the same issue with our '56 Safari...it's a late model '56 titled in '57.

About Zolatone...we are one of those that re-sprayed ours. It was one of the easier projects during our restoration...and we are VERY pleased with the results. Check out my "It's a Girl!!!" thread around post #269 and if this is the direction you decide to go, feel free to ask any questions you may have. (Kevin, FWIW, I believe Zolatone was introduced in the mid-to-late '53 trailers and continued through '65 in at least the Caravel model.)

As others have mentioned...we all L-O-V-E pictures! Can't wait to see yours rumrunner ~

Shari

[rumrunner]

Sorry about the long wait but I have pictures!
I have some compatability problems between my camera and laptop (no SD card reader) so i had to wait till my wifes new laptop arrived, and sadly for her to show me how to make this work.
brought her home september 15, 2011. Temp lighting, a borrowed spare, and nobody noticed the Oregon plates were dated 1998.
Oregon title and 5 consecutive bills of sale but amazingly no problems at the MVD so she is all ours!

[rumrunner]

SIgh, I kinda feel like the fat kid that nobody wants on their team.
Maybe if I post more pictures!














Sitting here with a homebrew-holiday pumpkin ale, very high S.G.
I'm getting ready to order clecos, any recommendati0ns on how many?
I know-no matter what I order I will need 50 more
thanks again for all your help
tim

[worldinchaos]

Originally Posted by rumrunner

SIgh, I kinda feel like the fat kid that nobody wants on their team.
Maybe if I post more pictures!

Sitting here with a homebrew-holiday pumpkin ale, very high S.G.
I'm getting ready to order clecos, any recommendati0ns on how many?
I know-no matter what I order I will need 50 more
thanks again for all your help
tim

I like pictures!!!

Order more clecos, and then 10 times as many more rivets. You'll use them. Also, order different sizes. I have crammed so many spare 5/32" clecos into 1/8" holes because I ran out that it's not funny. I keep on thinking, "Oh, there's no reason to order more, I don't have any big projects left..." - Yeah right.

I'm digging that couch. You should definitely keep it. Adds a nice vibe to the place, man....

[wheelerimage]

Nice!

[webspinner]

Originally Posted by worldinchaos

I'm digging that couch. You should definitely keep it. Adds a nice vibe to the place, man....

Of course, but only if they keep the greenish yellow walls too.


My envy is a different shade of green. That is a beautiful project in the making. Great lines, no worries about "preserving" a vintage interior. It's a blank slate with a great future.

Please keep us posted about progress.

[kaneable]

Rumrunner - Awesome trailer. I love the Whale Tail. Clearly a California origin.
I believe you have been following our rehab of another 1955 FC. We are just running wire and looking ahead to painting. I too explored the various options when it came to paint. Since we are putting our back to 1955 original condition, we have adopted the Zolatone paint. However, other options, if you can get it to aluminum again, would be aircraft paint. Since we had our interior skins off, we chose to mechanically remove the prior paint over the original Zolatone. Since we are going to paint over the orignal finish, all we wanted was a smooth surface. Given the color of your interior (which I think is kinda cool) i would simply sand, kill seapage, and repaint. If you take it back to aluminum, the metal will need to be treated with a product such as Alodine to get the paint to stick. The aircraft industry offers a wide range of colors for aluminum. I am sure you can find an option that fits your budget.

On the issue of clecos, more is better than few, but all you want to do is periodically place the clecos to hold the panel in position and shape - essentially fixing the location of the panel. The old holes should line right up.

One last item, if you find that your tail light bezels are shot (they should be No. 9), I happen to be turning new bezels for my trailer and another in Montana. Since I will be at the lathe, and these will be aluminum (no galvanic corrosion), I can make a set for you if you need them.

[Suzzeee]

Wow. I cant wait to see your finished project. I love the whale tail too!! I wanted to do a renovation like yours but the hubby wasn't having any of that and unfortunately he's the one with most of the necessary skills in the family. You should blog your progress with pics!

[rumrunner]

Thanks all for the interest. as you can easily tell this is a complete gut job. Isnt that an awesome shade of green? there was also an equally amazing shade of pink under some of the light fixtures. cant imagine what they were thinking. the good news is that the paint is all gone-a month of cold evenings and 2 gallons of citristrip and the interior is a clean slate. this stripper works slower in cold temps but is really easy on the skin. paint it on tonight and scrape tomorrow, still a lot of work!
None of the woodwork was salvageable but i saved every piece of hardware i could find. This is a completely blank slate at this time so I expect to steal everyone elses great ideas as i go along.
My big holdup now is that somebody dropped a 25 ton beam on my welder, and yes i mean the guy-not the machine. amazingly he is almost back to normal after 4 months of hospital and rehab time. i promised him the frame would wait till he is ready and he is really looking forward to it.
Meanwhile i am placing orders with VTS for window and door seals, ordering clecos, searching for parts and reordering my wheel wells- they missed the fact that the wall was curved! So I am keeping busy enough not to feel like I am getting behind.
More pictures!

[InsideOut]

WOW! Looks like you've made great progress so far! It IS a clean slate now that all the bits are gone and you can actually see what you have to work with. This look reminiscent of our '56 Safari project...I'll enjoy following this thread to watch the progress and relive our resto!

Good luck!

Shari

[pbearsailor]

Brings back some memories for me too.

Looks like you've got a really good shell to work with. Some nice work going on there.

cheers,
steve

[rumrunner]

thanks again for everyones support, I'm not sure I would have attempted this without the forums. Kaneable991- thanks for your very generous offer, I will pm about details. Shari and steve, I have followed your resto threads religiously, you are my heros!!!
This old Girl was a complete wreck inside but all original except for the plumbing mods, apparently for prolonged parking- the PO torched a 3 inch hole through my 4 inch tall frame for the toilet drain! Guess were gonna hafta fix that. Move and replace a couple of frame crossmembers for adding gray and black tanks and probably replace 2 or 3 outriggers that are damaged. Not a huge amount of rust though, got lucky on that one.
The shell is in pretty good condition overall, 1 dent in the rear next to the whaletail but I think I can iron that out ok.

I do have one small question that could become a huge project- the frame on this unit is of mild steel folded into a 2x4 tube and left open on the bottom, the seam was not welded closed. It seems to me that the frame strength would benefit immensely from running a bead and closing this.
Anybody done this or given it some thought?
Going shell off and flipping the frame to run 40 feet of bead would add some time to this project for sure but if it is really worth it I am certainly up for the challenge.

Believe me, I do appreciate all the input and help I can get
Tim

[webspinner]

I am not a welder, but it seems to me that beam strength is a function of the height of the beam not the solidity of the underside. Also, that gap in the bottom would prevent standing water and keep rust at bay.

[utee94]

It might make sense to box the frame in around where you'll be adding your black and gray tanks, but other than that I'd say it's gone 50+ years and from your pics, the frame still looks to be in very good condition, so is there a real reason to address it? Wally would say, "Make no changes, only improvements" or somesuch.

Anyway, love the whale tail.

Good luck!
-Marcus