VAC IA NE MO KS Rally - Saturday Night is Graffiti Night - June 21 2014

Seeing the World Shine!

 Leaning on the ShopSmith are our original windows - removed from the shell December 14th 2009.

 The old caulk, Volkem, and seals were removed before the polishing was started.

 Shine is coming!

Oh so very shiny!

All is Well!

The bottom flange of the wheel well was rusted and needed replacement.

The balance of the wheel well is in good shape. 
We are fortunate to have a vintage Airstream with metal wheel wells.  Changed sometime in the 1970's, some later model trailers have wheel wells instead made with a thermoform plastic.  Some of the thermoform plastic wheel wells have over time cracked or degraded.

New galvanized steel was used to form the flange.

Positioned on the trailer for size.

Clamped and attached. 

Our new wheel wells are positioned on the frame, ready to be sealed with Vulkem, caulk, and then painted.  The hold-down plate is ready for the C-Channel, and then the shell!

Step Attached to the Frame and Painted

 Our original step - refurbished - with new Slide-A-Way welded to the frame.
The metal on the outside of the cross members will be used to attach the belly pan.

 Painted to prevent rust.

Now I have a way to step into my trailer!  I am so looking to using this step!

Stepping Up Quality.

 The rebuilt and beefed up cross members for our steps.

 The step's Glide-A-Ride mechanism.

 Slide in step ready to install.

 Step in place.  Sturdy. Steady. Safe.

 Step in closed position

Quality is all in the details!
I don't know that I can explain in words, how excited I am to see this well loved and yet well worn vintage Airstream trailer be revived and coming back to life.  Not ready yet.  Baby steps!  Moving forward!!

Painting and Protecting the Frame with POR-15

First the frame was wire brushed.  Finally the steel was acid washed to remove any remaining rust. The chassis is being painted with POR-15 to prevent any future rust from happening.  Using the rotisserie made this part of the job faster, and is easier on the human body/back.  This POR-15, not original to the vintage Airstreams, should keep our 1955 Flying Cloud traveling down the road on Airstream adventures for years to come.

Rust off the Glide-A-RIde Steps

I think it is so cool that our vintage airstream Flying Cloud trailer was built with the then new retractable step.  1955 was the first year for Airstream retractable steps - called the Glide-A-Ride.