Thanks Wayne for the info on Microcars. You asked about the Dutchman's cap, and source material and differences between 21 footers and 22 footers. #1. The Dutchman's cap is a special 9 segment design that is on the rear only of some 55, 56 and 57 models. The center segment is very large and looks like a Dutchman's cap, or a "Whale Tail". Out on a limb here, I am going to say that the Dutchman's cap , rear 9 segment design was only made in the Calif plant, and only made in 55, 56, and 57. If I am wrong, then please someone tell me. #2. The source material I use, are the hundreds of photos that are on the VAC and WBCCI web sites, plus the info from Bud Cooper's Vintage Advantage article, and most recently the "Official Mobile Home Market Report", 69th edition, Jan 1, 1959. I would love to see some of the earlier editions, that may include the late forties Airstreams. #3. To sum up, the differences are slight, but you have to know the year and plant: 1953, Flying Cloud,..21 feet, both plants. 1954, Flying Cloud,...22 feet, both plants. 1955, Flying Cloud....22 feet, both plants 1955 , Globetrotter,..18 feet, Ohio only 1955, Safari,...22 feet, Ohio only 1955, Panorama, 22 feet, Ohio only 1955, Romany, 26 feet, Ohio only 1956, Caravaner 22 feet, Ohio only 1956, Sovereign of the road, 30ft, Ohio only. Now this is what the report says, and supposedly, this is official information from the Airstream company. If the above says Ohio only, it means the same coach was not built in California, in that year. There are many other, major and minor and subtle differences, only noticeable by an afficionado or owner of that model. Tom Walden said it well yesterday, ....and that is that some accessories were used at the factory, until they were gone, then a different style was used. So many custom coaches were made and there were so many "Options", it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the difference between models. Just feel lucky, that you know your year and model. We are gradually closing in on the info that may tell us how many of your model coach was built in that model year. Good Luck. Bill Scott 61 Bambi 66 Trade Wind LY
At 10:24 PM -0700 6/3/00, Vanessa Dillon wrote: >Oh come on Bill, >are you too young to remember the tiny Fiat 500's aand 600's? They were >smaller than a VW bug and had a 2 cyl engine in the tail end. I''m >guuessing that Wayne went to a vintage micro car show. I remember growing up >in Japan and boy did they have micro cars, would love to see a show myself. >Vanessa >The Trailer Lady >'56 Overlander >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Bill Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2000 4:07 PM >Subject: Re: [VAC] Your 21ft Flying Cloud > > > > Wayne, if it was made in LA in 55, and it is 22 feet, it can only be a > > Flying Cloud. If it has a Dutchman's cap, I'm pretty sure it is a LA > > made 55. What is a microcar festival, and how "Micro are these cars?" We flew into Hannover to go to the world's largest microcar museum. This is the 25th year it's open, I believe, and it coincides with a rally where folks have been driving (and trailering) their cars in from all over Europe. Lots of Isettas, Lloyd's, Messerschmitts, Goggomobiles, etc. The museum has 140 microcars and 140 scooters/motorcycles in it's collection. There were also quite a few mini and micro sized popups and teardrops, some being pulled behind the Isettas, etc. I've taken about 200 pictures there which I will upload to my web site at some point. You trailer geeks out there will certainly appreciate some of the trailers I've photographed even if you're not into microcars. Back to the topic of vintage airtreams... this is my first Airstream and while I am absorbing all the info I can find, as fast as I can find it, I don't yet know what a Dutchman's cap is. :-) Also, from the research I've done to date, I thought that 55 21' was a flying cloud... what are the differences between the different 50's 21' and 22' models, anyway, and what process do you use to extract souce, features, model name etc. from my serial # 7737? Anyone have a URL that cites the differences or shows layouts of the different models of these years? I'd like to have some of that info before I begin any major work......... thanks, wayne
