Poor Me. POR me.

With the rust gone and the reinforcement securely welded, the original propane tank holder was painted with POR15 to stop any future rust.  The four lines of rivets securing the hold-down plate will keep the frame attached to the shell for years to come!  I'm so ready to travel in improved 1955 style!  We opted to keep the original style hitch crank.

Lower Panels Replaced - Last Ones!

Our 1955 Flying Cloud has a front panel that wraps around the entire front of the Airstream. Riveted to the bottom of the end cap, the lower front panel does not lining up with the bottom of the jalousie window and extends down to the banana wrap.  The largish panel does extend from the street-side window to the curb-side windows.  After checking RJ Dial's extensive Vintage Airstream website, it appears that the factories had many front panel versions for the 50's Flying Cloud models.

Our new front lower panel is in place and ready for buck rivets.

The small panel just forward of the door was replaced.

Lots of rivets were used to attach the front panel.
Four rows of rivets will attach the shell to the steel attachment-bracket, rather than the two rows Airstream originally used in 1955.

More current models, including our 2008 Airstream no longer are made with any vertical stabilizing steel attachment-bracket commonly called the hold-down plate.  Current production by Airstream has the aluminum shell is riveted to the C-Channel only.

Floor Attached to Frame!

Construction!
No longer pulling things apart!
All the preparation work is complete, things are going back together again, and I could not be any happier!!

The old leaf spring axle is gone, white the new smoother riding torsion axle is positioned and the bracket is attached to the frame.

Glue is used to attach the plywood floor is to the frame.

Elevator bolts are used by the Airstream factory to attach the C-Channel to the outriggers only - so they are spaced widely apart, approximately every 2 feet.  Then the factory used (uses) self taping screws are used to attach the C-Channel to the plywood between the outriggers.  
Our 1955 Flying Cloud has Colin's added strength by using elevator bolts inside the C-channel - all along the C-Channel to more securely attach the frame to the floor and therefore lessen stress to the trailer.  The elevator bolts are attached to the outriggers and to the plywood floor.  Colin used self-taping screws to further secure the plywood floor to the outriggers and the cross members.
Improved again!  Even the curves are attached with elevator bolts - every 8" to 10".

Using the rotisserie, our Airstream is moved to comfortable positions for securely bolting the floor and chassis together. Shown with the hold-down plate welded to the front of the frame.  The extra elevator bolts are best seen in the photo from the under-side of the plywood floor.

Missed a Post - Sharing Now - More Frame Strength

When I wrote about our now-sturdy steps being installed on our Byam's 55 Flying Cloud - I missed some very important work also done at the same time.  Today I found my omission, and wanted to share.

We pull our 2008 Airstream with a Jeep Grand Cherokee including in the mountains of Colorado.  We are asked about our experiences and they have all been good with the Jeep's tow package and its V8 Hemi 5.7 liter.  Driving without our Airstream, the 4 cylinder "Eco" mode saves us gas too!

Anyway, the Jeep has some room in the back for Byam's kennel, and a lot of other stuff, but not enough room for a spare Airstream tire.  Also packing and moving around a gritty spare tire is not my idea of fun.  So we decided that we need a spot for the spare tire to always be with the trailer.   

Our frame was improved, adding another pair of bracing to provide support for the spare tire under the Airstream.  The bracing also adds more strength to the A-Frame.

The additional bracing is painted.  Below the frame is upside down and the trailer's front hold-down plate is facing the floor.

Shown with the sheet of aluminum that will be the attached to the frame as part of the belly pan and the aluminum bent to wrap around the frame also.

More A-Frame Improvements

 Around the jack there is rust, and structure missing.  Improvement needed.

 The bottom of the A-Frame is only 3" deep, so that will be strengthened to match the rest of the new deeper 4" frame.
The new metal hold-down plate is now welded to the frame.  It will be riveted to the front aluminum skin - strength and stability the old Airstream way!  Actually the 1950's trailers often had the hold-down plates bolted to the frames.  The welds are much stronger and another Colin Hyde improvement.

 New tube Steel to be welded on to reinforce the A-Frame.

New tube welded with a new jack plate.

Frame was 3" - Now 4" Deep - Or is it???

Prior to 1955 Vintage Airstream Frames were 3" deep.

The change to a stronger 4" frame was started in 1955.

Unfortunately, our Flying Cloud was manufactured in California with the 3" frame.  Our gray water and fresh water tanks from Vintage Trailer Supply are 4" deep.  As planned - to fit the tanks into the frame, Colin Hyde changed our frame to be 4" deep.

The longer frame will allow us to add a bumper trunk also.

With the small angle cut from the frame, the 3" bumper remains the original depth!

Welded closed, this also prevents water from sitting inside the frame causing rust.

And eliminates a way for mice and other critters to enter the trailer.

In 1955 and many other years, Airstream built trailers with  no rear cross member.  So the plywood floor was not directly supported by the frame, rather the floor was cantilevered from the next forward cross member.  And the plywood was originally attached through the C-Channel only to the aluminum shell.  

No wonder that attaching accessories to the back of an Airstream is a bad idea.  Spare tires, generators, even bike racks should not be attached to the trailer rear without significant frame work.

Colin beefed up our structure by adding a rear cross-member.  The aluminum shell, plywood floor, C-Channel, and shell will all be securely attached together with elevator bolts.

 

 

 

Rotisserie!

The front hold-down plate was removed, but will be replaced.  The hold down plate strengthens the connection of the frame to shell at the higher stress front area.