I'm the proud owner of a 1953 Airstream Flying Cloud. Serial number O 3069 - so she was the 69th built in 1953 at the Ohio plant. She arrived in April 2008 after being successfully imported by Maybricks - I did have a blog on their website (which some of you may have seen) but as they are undergoing some reorganization, I'll save a description of that process until the dust has settled there.
I've been a closet Airstream fan for many years but it was a trip to Shady Dell with my family in 2007 that got us hooked - Shady Dell's 1949 Liner (below)
I'm a great believer in doing your research before you take the plunge, so I bought all the books & read lots of blogs and threads before finally settling on a Flying Cloud, and particularly one from the early 50s. Personally I prefer the 21ft, pre-54 models. That swept rear-end doesn't do it for me ! We're a family of 4 (though the children prefer their own tents) so we wanted a double with the option for more. Our UK lanes are not quite the inter-states, so we didn't want anything too long or wide. But above all we love the 50s and 13 panel end-caps. So this complete but unloved 1953 FC was perfect - here are a few pix of her as she arrived.
Serial No o 3069 - A Main St, Los Angeles plate but built in Ohio. Looks like there was possibly a dealers plate next to it but that has gone.
Rear hatch & nice, small, rectangular Bargman tail-lights. No bumper.
Looking forward from the double bed. Magazine rack & medicine cabinet above the low drawers.
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Fabulous project, super blog and excellent piccies too - what a pro :) Will be following your story with great interest as just this weekend, we've taken delivery of a cracking '56 Overlander from Sam in Tewksbury. He kindly put me onto your blog. Now pondering about what to do with ours - renovate or total refurb... and who to use. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeletedave f - http://www.tiny9.com/u/7088
Hi Davros-Dave
ReplyDeleteI dropped you a line on Airforums (tho' don't use it very much & tend to get a bit lost in its endless layers, so you may not have got it).
Firstly congrats - she looks a beauty. Secondly, thanks for the kind words; I'm glad you like my blog - I started it as a warts'n'all record of the sort I'd have found it useful when I took the plunge a couple of years ago.
I haven't met Sam but intend to swing by soon. You sound like you realise you'll probably have to renew the floor; its not rocket-science but it does take a while. I can whole-heartedly recommend Pete Ritchie at Vintage American Trailer Co (see link on my Links list) but he isn't on your doorstep. I don't know ARC but go and see their work & talk to any of their satisfied customers and ask if they've done a body-off floor replacement. Often with the later 60s, 70s & 80s trailers you can get away with floor repair, so they might not have done one.
Do drop me a line to: chrisvile@gmail.com and since I'm down the road in Devon maybe we'll meet before long.
Have fun with her.
Chris