Planemaker From Tuvalu, joined Aug 2003, 5118 posts, RR: 35 Posted (2 years 7 months 7 hours ago) and read 13496 times:
For nostalgia buffs, the article, vid and slideshow from the WSJ should be an inspiration...
In One Man's Garage, Pan Am Still Makes the Going Great
Mr. Toth's First-Class Obsession Recreates Defunct Airline's Cabin (Spiral Stairs, Too)
Fliers nostalgic for the golden era of air travel might want to book a trip to Anthony Toth's garage.
Mr. Toth has built a precise replica of a first-class cabin from a Pan Am World Airways 747 in the garage of his two-bedroom condo in Redondo Beach, Calif. The setup includes almost everything fliers in the late 1970s and 1980s would have found onboard: pairs of red-and-blue reclining seats, original overhead luggage bins and a curved, red-carpeted staircase.
Ikramerica From United States of America, joined exactly 7 years ago today! , 20630 posts, RR: 62 Reply 3, posted (2 years 7 months 7 hours ago) and read 13233 times:
Cool. But all that work, and he cheaps out on the upholstery.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Pgtravel From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 444 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (2 years 7 months 4 hours ago) and read 12595 times:
Quoting United1 (Reply 6): Apparently he works for United as a global sales director...anyone on here know him? I'd love to get a tour of the place....
The WSJ actually got this from a post I did on Cranky Flier. (The author is an old friend who spoke with me about it a couple months ago.)
If you really want to get in touch with Anthony, he had me put a list of things he trying to acquire along with his email address on the blog. Here's his top 5:
1. First Class pneumatic headsets from the early 80’s…
2. Swatch of the clipper class fabric
3. Upper deck screen with the ship etched in gold on it.
4. Clipper class headrests
5. Trays. The fullsize ones used for Clipper and First meals.
And his email is ajtoth@earthlink.net. If you can help, that would be excellent. (I have a lot of pics linked from the blog as well.)
DL_mech From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 1591 posts, RR: 11 Reply 11, posted (2 years 7 months ago) and read 10912 times:
It's a shame that DL had truckloads of PA 747 and A300 equipment (1980's seat covers, PSU's, closets, etc.) that got shipped to ATL in 1991. All of it went into dumpsters by the mid 1990's.
R I P 474218 / GLHCARL - Riding up to Heaven on an L-1011
Not really...do a bit of homework and pay some shipping fees and anyone can get goodies like Anthony. May not be Pan Am but TWA new generation complete interiors were hanging out to dry in AZ...first class seats, wall panels, spiral stair case, carpeted movie screens with the globes on them, carpet...anything you wanted, some back east here as well. Scrappers sell that stuff cheap...sometimes give it away...shipping is the biggest expense. Unless a scrapyard can sell off the entire interior as a shipset, basically they will part out to anyone...j
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 18945 posts, RR: 52 Reply 13, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 10050 times:
Luv2cattlecall From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 1648 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 9762 times:
So 40 years later, the main difference is leather on the seats?
When you have to breaststroke to your connecting flight...it's a crash!
United1 From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 4886 posts, RR: 8 Reply 17, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 9650 times:
Quoting Luv2cattlecall (Reply 16): So 40 years later, the main difference is leather on the seats?
Not exactly, the seats that Mr. Toth is sitting in are the days equivalent of International First Class. In essence the 70/80s IFC seats have become the domestic first seats of today.
ABQopsHP From United States of America, joined May 2006, 738 posts, RR: 4 Reply 18, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 9415 times:
I think the refrence was between the old cloth seats of yor, compared to the Leather seats we see now. Besides leather is easier to maintain and lasts longer than cloth seats. However it is a bummber he may not find a swatch of the old cloth style. That stuff was almost as rough as burlap if you ask me.
JD CRPXE
AznMadSci From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 3096 posts, RR: 3 Reply 19, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 9236 times:
I wish I could find it, but an Aussie a.netter wrote a trip report that took place at his place. He had a bunch of old QF items such as the old blue J seats, beverage cart, and I believe a print from Wunala Dreaming. It was an interesting trip report!
Also, I don't know if this is true, but I vaguely remember on ABC's 20/20 back in the 80s and I was a little kid then, I believe Barbara Walters interview Billy Crystal and he had one of the smaller bathrooms fitted out like an airplane lavatory.
The journey of life is not based on the accomplishments, but the experience.
Malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3153 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 8939 times:
KingFriday013 From United States of America, joined May 2007, 1222 posts, RR: 11 Reply 22, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 8805 times:
The overhead bin doors are wrong. But other than that, I am truly impressed.
Hugo From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 386 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 8657 times:
I have a Clipper Class cabin with authentic sidewalls, seats, bins, and galley in my attic. I created it over ten years ago.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 18463 posts, RR: 17 Reply 24, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 8075 times:
Quoting KingFriday013 (Reply 22): The overhead bin doors are wrong. But other than that, I am truly impressed.
That's not the only thing wrong. The wall/window panels are from a DC-10. The bins look like they're from a 757 or 733/734/735. They're definitely not original 747 bins or the much larger bins Pan Am and many other 747 operators installed later. And the seats aren't authentic Pan Am 747 seats.
25 Thrufru: I think he did a fantastic job, and those of you pointing out errors or perceived short comings are just "plane" rude! Without the advantage of actual
26 Bojangles: When I read the title of this thread before opening it, I thought "Gotta be a geeky queen I'd cross the street to avoid'. And sure enough.... HOWEVER
27 MadameConcorde: Wooohooo! this is reallllly nice!!!! Congrats to him! What a nice replica! I wonder if anyone will ever replicate a Concorde cabin ?
28 Wexfordflyer: Not but have often heard the phrase "only in America"............ This does take obession truly to the next level.......but if it is what you love!
29 September11: Carpet looks 1 inch thick ................
30 Beechnut: I'd rather have the cockpit section hooked up to MS Flight Sim Or better yet, a used full-motion simulator but I doubt I could afford the upkeep on o
31 Rheinwaldner: Cool! As another thought: If somebody would reconstruct an SQ and an EK A380 suite you'd had nearly everything you need to live!
32 Mtaabq: I think he did a fantastic job, and those of you pointing out errors or perceived short comings are just "plane" rude! I have to agree with Thrufru.
33 Ikramerica: Hats off to him, sure. Fantastic? Hardly. It sounds as if the covers are temporary until he can find a similar fabric, but they look AWFUL. Like beds
34 Panamair: For those too young to remember: Pan Am's First Class seats on the 747s were "Sleeperette" seats which stretched about 3-4 windows long with 55-60" se
35 Viscount724: However the Sleeperette seats weren't the original seats. For the first few years of 747 service, PA, like all others, used standard F class seats at
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