'55 FC The Whole ball of wax

[NorCal Bambi]

Originally Posted by cloud55

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

I think you are right about the vent. I didn't know why someone would have but in that type of vent. I think I will try and design something that looks like the original type vent. The one that is on there looks like a tumor.

Keep the pictures coming on your thread. I really wont to watch your progress.

About the three FC's getting together, sounds like a great idea. Question: If that many clouds get together at one time does that make a storm. "Storm of the century"

Don

[S C Streamer]

Don,

The last time I saw that rat,he was pretty pissed off about losing his luxury accomodations.

He had everything,an Airstream in the woods with all the acorns he could eat.


A nice setting... with a private entrance .


Mark

[NorCal Bambi]

S C Streamer, I use to live in the Santa Cruz mountains. I know how the rat feels. Way cool you have the original CA plate.
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

Today I finished hauling the rodent calling cards and washed down everything with the hose. There were a lot of mud dabber nests in the cupboards. When I hose them down, I learned something about the history of the trailer. The wet mud dabber mud smelled like horses. Had an instant picture in my mind of horses standing around a watering trough with hundred of bees hanging around. This experience had me include the first picture posted. Titled," And I paid money for this". After cleanup I proceeded to cut out all the elevator bolts. And start to lower the belly pan.
Don

[C Johnson]

Looking good Don ! Funny thing is, I am sorta envious. You starting a new project and all. I am tenatively looking for another, larger AS to do next. Like most have said here, my next AS will find me ! I know there will be another, I can't stop it. Keep the pics coming !

[NorCal Bambi]

Originally Posted by C Johnson

Looking good Don ! Funny thing is, I am sorta envious. You starting a new project and all. I am tenatively looking for another, larger AS to do next. Like most have said here, my next AS will find me ! I know there will be another, I can't stop it. Keep the pics coming !

As you can see I'm definitely infected. It's good that I don't have unlimited funds. There would be no stopping. Do you have any Idea of a model or year you would like to have? How cool would it be to have 5 or 6 guys in one big facility all working on their trailers at the same time. A retro Airstream shop. My plans for the Flying Cloud are to do my own thing. Maybe retro modern Fifties with airbrush Art on the outside. My main purpose is to create a mobile art studio.
Don

[NorCal Bambi]

Uwe, A-Merry- Can, JC Ferguson, etc. I'm planning on new holding and fresh water tanks in my FC project. I've been researching posts on the subject. Here is how all you who have done this before could help. Would you make a post with the thread and Numbered posts where you tackled this design challenge. I sure I will need to modify my frame. Also I would like to know tank sizes and gallons. Thanks.
Don

[A-Merry-Can]

i'm actually falling behind on that! i haven't even gotten the interior all back together on our little '59 yet. hopefully this fall. my plan was a black tank above the floor under the toilet, and i have a 27 gallon grey tank that drops below the belly. fresh water was going to hang down, too, but i think i've opted to put it under the bed instead.

good luck! can't wait to see what you come up with.

jp

[Kintscher]

Hi Don and Claudia-

We just saw you "new" thread on the FC. Thanks for posting all the info and pics. It's fun to learn and watch the progess.

We saw a vintage 50's model in Salem that had the original airplane green on the inside and it looked great!

Brad and Kacey

[malconium]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

As you can see I'm definitely infected. It's good that I don't have unlimited funds. There would be no stopping. Do you have any Idea of a model or year you would like to have? How cool would it be to have 5 or 6 guys in one big facility all working on their trailers at the same time. A retro Airstream shop. My plans for the Flying Cloud are to do my own thing. Maybe retro modern Fifties with airbrush Art on the outside. My main purpose is to create a mobile art studio.
Don

What we need to find is an old aircraft hanger like the one in the San Jose area at Moffet field. If I recall correctly it was originally built as a blimp hanger. The interesting thing is that it was not the only one like it that was built. There is an identical one in North Carolina (Elizabeth City) that was being used as a furniture factory when I saw it (about 37 years ago). They had a false ceiling way down near the floor and a huge attic. One that size could host a very large number of rehab projects at one time.

Oh well, I would settle for a shop big enough to get my 31' unit in out of the weather.

It would be interesting to see if your frame is in good enough condition that you could go for a body on floor replacement.

Malcolm

[safari57]

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

Uwe, A-Merry- Can, JC Ferguson, etc. I'm planning on new holding and fresh water tanks in my FC project. I've been researching posts on the subject. Here is how all you who have done this before could help. Would you make a post with the thread and Numbered posts where you tackled this design challenge. I sure I will need to modify my frame. Also I would like to know tank sizes and gallons. Thanks.
Don

Don, on my '51FC I put the solid and grey waste tanks inside. I'll try to get pictures of it tomorrow or Sunday and load them up, I'm having some problems with my software allowing me to shrink a picture to the size required by the forum. It works great for us with no real impact on storage room and gets everything easily accessible in case that's needed in future.
It sure looks like you are into the project past your elbows now. That's always the fun part, thinking about how you are going to put it all back together in a way that compliments how you will use it while maintaining an original flavor to the unit. It will be neat watching it go back together.
Barry

[S C Streamer]

Originally Posted by malconium

What we need to find is an old aircraft hanger like the one in the San Jose area at Moffet field.

Malcolm,

Hellauva Idea , count me in. We could paint it up to look like a MONSTER AIRSTREAM.

[S C Streamer]

For everybody not familar with Moffet Field USN , in Mountain View CA.

[NorCal Bambi]

Mark, great idea. Should we make it a single or double axle. Maybe we should open a thread on the proper tire size for our project. I grew up in Redwood City so I am very familiar with the hanger. We could also use the wind tunnel for design modifications. Back to the FC project. Today I turned the FC so I will be able to slide the frame out once I raise the shell. I also removed all the interior lower skins. Since I removed the floor with the shell still on, I thing I will raise the shell with the C channel still attached to the outer skins. I will have to cut away the belly pan to do this. The belly pan is mostly junk so I'm not concerned about trying to save it. The reason I'm thinking of this approach is because I have no pattern for the floor. With the C channel still attached I could lower the shell back onto the new floor to scribe the floor outline I would need. Then cut the curves in the new floor to match the shell. Then remove the C channel and attach it to the new floor. etc. I had pre-fit the shell to the Bambi when I rebuilt it and that proved to be a good move. So I don't think this will add another step. What do you all think.
In closed are pictures of todays progress.

[malconium]

When I replaced my floor with the body on I made templates for the curve of the ends out of stiff poster board. It was fairly easy to cut and trim it until it fit the curve of the body along the inside edge. I just added about 1-1/2" along that curve when I markde my plywood to cut out my flooring pieces. It was easy enough to measure how deep the channel was to determine the amount to enlarge the pattern. I found that on my unit (1973) that once I was past the curved ends that the sides were straight.

Malcolm

[NorCal Bambi]

Well I used the Sawsall to remove the belly pan. I'll say one thing it was fast. I'm sure that I will be demoted for this move. Probably form craftsmen to butcher. Now I will try to justify my move. The belly pan was junk (see picture). The original floor that was there was rotten to the point that I was able to rip it out with my bare hands. And I will never qualify as a super hero. The one solid piece of floor in the front was something a PO had put in and it did not go under the C channel. In fact there was only one piece of wood under the C channel and it was only 20 inches long. I learned about the Sawsall thing from my Son-in-law. He loves to tear up houses with one.
Don

[Ken J]

I've been known to be a sawsall samari - a lot of my trailer got torn up by (ahhem cut) by a swasall - I figure no one is going to see how I took something apart, they will just see how I put it back together

[flyfshr]

This is the hanger I want to use. it's in Tillamook Oregon and I believe is the world's largest wooden structure. How many Airstreams would it take to fill this one? I think it would even hold a few Skydecks.

Brad
FF

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by flyfshr

This is the hanger I want to use. it's in Tillamook Oregon and I believe is the world's largest wooden structure. How many Airstreams would it take to fill this one? I think it would even hold a few Skydecks.

Brad
FF

There are two of those WW2 blimp hangers here in Orange County, CA. One is larger than the other. The base was called Marine Corps Air Station, Tustin. Information is at: http://www.militarymuseum.org/MCASTustin.html

Bill

[NorCal Bambi]

This seems like the next logical step to the blimp, hanger restoration discussion. Maybe we can get Airstream to pitch in for advertising.
Don