A Real Fallout House! Lustron Update!

Introducing "The Lustron" The Home of the Future. This Retro futurist Mid century home is a rare breed with only around 1200-1500 left in existence of the around 3000 built. This house is one of the survivors and will be receiving a full restoration. So let's take a tour and see the past's home of the future as it stands today. Enjoy!
#Fallout #midcenturymodern #lustron #1950s #atomic #diy #restoration

[@hessiansamuraij7634]

I have for the longest time really liked the Lustron houses even before Fallout. It's really nice to see you are all rebuilding a pretty significant piece of American History.

[@djrenk]

What's Fallout?

[@seokwangie]

@@djrenkFallout is a video game series with a 1950s-esque style! They’ve also recently made a TV show on Amazon based on the series :)

[@conniebroshears8691]

I have a Lustron in Newburgh IN, I love it! I can now sell it due to my age. I enjoyed your video, thanks!

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

The house doesn't even look the same inside, it is such a wonderful piece of Americana and I'm thrilled to see it being so lovingly restored. Now, don't forget when the house is done to have TV dinners in the fridge. They don't make them like in the 50's anymore, but a couple boxes of Swanson will fit the part anyway.

[@cheskydivision]

Think dad’s house will need its own playlist. This is very interesting. I’m also interested in the small homes across the street.

[@vitameat]

Most of them were there long before this house...the street was a dead-end prior to mid-1959. Go farther down you will pass by one of the very last subdivisions built in St. Louis city.

[@brendamattox7558]

1955, an important year in our family: my mother graduated high school, my parents married later that year and my now husband was born that year! (I didn't come along until 1959) I know that at least one of these Lustrons still exists here in Indy as it sold a year or so ago. You and your Dad are just unstoppable, Kaleb!

[@pcno2832]

One thing that occurred to me while watching this was that at least as of 10 or 15 years ago, they still made steel panels that are much like the ones on Lustron houses. There is a Gulf/CumberlandFarms station in Natick MA that was built around 2010 with an exterior system that seems to fit together the same way. If you, or other Lustron owners, contact the company that supplies these parts, you might find that they can offer panels that can be adapted to houses like yours. From a 2014 story titled "The Rebranding of Cumberland Farm", I found the name of the companies involved. "BES, a structural steel design/build specialist created a structural steel frame store enclosed with insulated metal panel assemblies manufactured by Kingspan Insulated Panels."

[@renownwulf636]

I am next town over, which gas stations/stores have those panels. I am super interested

[@conniehopkins6105]

While watching your video I suddenly realized when I frequently say in my head I want to go home, I mean I want to return to my childhood in the 1950s. We didn't live in a Lustron, but I recognized all the antique furniture as the same we had in our home. It was a simpler time that I remember through the eyes of a child. Thank you for the memories.

[@pinkvolo]

I feel the same way. All of this brought back the simplicity of life. Right was right and wrong was wrong. I could go on! 😊

[@heathermccall8015]

I wonder if your parents felt the same way.

[@maggiesue4825]

The Formica kitchen table, the end tables, the TV - all were in my home growing up. We had a pull-down light over the dining table that looked like a UFO and a plastic couch and chair in the living room. This house is going to be AWESOME!!

[@dcan911]

I like how big the cross-over is between victorian architecture nerds and mid century freaks! I'm looking forward to big progress on the front of Brown's house and maybe the dining room that you hinted at last time, but this will tide us over till then. It's a shame your old man hasn't started a youtube channel of his own for the Lustron!

[@johnkennamann1462]

I ain't that old. Doing a KZbin channel is a TON of work. We struggle with managing Kaleb's channel, couldn't imagine adding another channel to the workload.

[@dcan911]

@@johnkennamann1462 I don't blame you, I can imagine everything takes twice as long when filming!

[@rollandjoeseph]

Yea, this house doesn't interest me personally either

[@rynrose83]

I very much relate to the “in retrospect…” part of this. You don’t know just how much you’re in for sometimes, in the most loving way. Live and learn I guess 😂

[@mikeinportland30]

Wow, you and your dad have/are creating wonderful historic cultural treasures for St. Louis and in doing so are impactful community builders. Kudos! 👏👏👏

[@lillydogpoo65]

Hey.. professional painter here. We recently bought a home in OKC (6yrs ago) and it has a very old fiberglass pool in the backyard. I was able to bondo and paint with a pool epoxy from spectrum paint. I used a $100 Graco airless and promptly flushed with mek.. sprayer survived ..pool looks great.. happy painting buddy! You do good work

[@lillydogpoo65]

Was thinking about a bathroom solution for you 😎

[@dixie6294]

I am a subscriber of yours and have owned a Lustron since 1997,it is the best! Number 1506! Stock up on magnets! Good Luck! I also have a vintage trailer I have restored from 1947 in my drive way,coolest house on the block! You need to get a dehumidifier to run in the summer,because you do not have wood to absorb moisture....game changer..The problem with doors is the house settles and doors stopped working,especially the bathroom!

[@dawnwolfe6541]

Dixie, is there a Lustron home owner's Facebook group?

[@dixie6294]

@dawnwolfe6541 I am a lone wolf...do not know but there is a good book out in print. I literally love my home,low maintenance ,low energy bills,coolest house ever!

[@RitaMoore]

I had never heard of Lustron houses. Your restoration is great. It look so fresh.

[@msc8663]

When i was a kid the kitchen cabinets were porcelain. So easy to clean. It will be awesome when its done. Thanks for the tour. Love ya and Kim.💕💕💕💕

[@fixxundfertig]

This is an amazing undertaking, just wow. The Lustron looks so much better, even if you've had to paint it. It's just one of those things. I can't wait to see the next update!

[@J17yJ17]

the built-ins remind me of a cabinet playset my sister had when we were little for her barbies 😅

[@AnnieWarbux]

Kudos to Papa Bear!!! Lovin it! And Pocket Doors!? One of the Best Inventions! Why can't ALL doors slide out of the Way!!??😳

[@mikeinportland30]

Hah! Perhaps better in theory than in practice. In every house I have lived in, the pocket doors ALWAYS broke and got stuck which meant the little pull hooks also ALWAYS broke. But you are right about the idea being good!

[@AnnieWarbux]

We had one in the basement, to the rec room.. quality and proper assembly is *key! My dad didn't get it quite right, and ya... eventually, it was a pain. The sliding, rolling, indoor, (barn type) doors are cool, too. Though, not in this case...

[@freetolook3727]

I had a 1964 10' x 50' mobile home that I used as a camp. It had pocket doors and built in dressers. Both saved a lot of space inside!!

[@kendrasmith1558]

WOW, the before and after shots 😮 that is an amazing amount of work you two have done in such a short time.

[@slicksnewonenow]

LOVE those old Lustron Homes! I've been a big fan for the last 30 years or so... I first learned about them when I met some folks in Louisville who owned one... Or should I say TWO? I worked for a Delivery Service and the house was a regular stop on my route. Story has it that the original owner was a Doctor who had a pretty large family. He bought two of the three bedroom model and had them built sort of back to back on a one acre lot. The place was in absolutely beautiful condition and had never been altered and always maintained. I've seen a few in phenomenal shape and a lot that have been neglected or bastardized over the years. The folks that originally built your particular house probably had it put on the lot "backwards", because they didn't want to hear the street noise... Smart folks! As far as painting yours, have you guys considered Automotive Enamel? That old single-stage stuff dries hard as a rock and is certainly washable!

[@tracydebault5556]

The Brackets you are looking for can be replace with Door Rod Guides. Any company that uses Roller Door Rods should have them for metal doors. I work at Connector Manufacturing in Hamilton, Ohio. I use them often.

[@ptqt25sussex5]

That’s helpful, thank you.

[@CountessKek]

You can just imagine a Mr Handy in that kitchen!! It's looking great!!!

[@crazyguy_1233]

I really like these periodic updates on the Lustron. The place is looking so good!

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

I love this project and can't wait to see the finished home! So far, it's looking fantastic - all the work John's put in shows. And thank you for lending your skills to the project, Kaleb! It's wonderful to see you support one another wherever and however you can. Hello to Kim!

[@101kurtj]

"My father is kinda crazy..." Sir, your father is flippin epic. A rocket ship out of a B52 fuel tank? Smart mannnnnn.

[@ManWhoLovesTheMary]

There are so many things about time periods that I learn new nuances about. And the metal house is one of them. Makes me think about the way we envision the future in our day. Sometimes, we question if homes of the distant future will resemble the Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser. I could imagine friends and neighbors of the time waltzing into the Lustron house and wondering if this is how life would be everywhere 50 or so years later. Amazing that a house like this could be saved and restored. It goes to show what is possible. I was GIFTED a MCM yellow broken-ice patterned Formica/chromed dinette table that needs rebuffing and some Formica polishing wax badly. Hopefully it will resemble the one purchased for this home. The dynamics of what this channel has shown is possible has encouraged restoring my MCM dinette table as something not just possible, but easy, even.

[@ellenbower4825]

My family owned a small house in Arizona in the 60’s. The whole neighborhood had houses that were backwards on the lot. I guess a design choice that didn’t stick.

[@reneegriffin8904]

I have a garden design book from '48 that recommended placing the home *backward* so the family could enjoy the privacy of the backyard.

[@micheleruggeri492]

Ive driven by and curiously peered at the advancements you and your Dad have made. LOOKING GREAT!

[@pinkvolo]

I had a smile on my face the whole time while I watched this. Thank you to you and your father for being such visionaries! BTW I was born in 1955. Thank you.

[@queensmum]

Cool! Awesome to see an update on the Lustron!

[@dazanii]

I'm a big fan of Fallout. I love seeing this beautiful Lustron house progress. Everything you've added to the yard also fits in with the Fallout feeling, which really leaned into midcentury kitschy-ness. Maybe adding a glass top surface to the vanity area could help protect the paint and makeup could just wipe off? So impressive the amount of work you've already done on the house already, can't wait to see the finished house!

[@ritatharp5238]

Hello from the heart ❤️ of Illinois USA 🇺🇸

[@katwitanruna]

Liked. Shared. Commented. Up the algorithm!!

[@Tom68446]

"WOW NEVER NEW ABOUT THESE HOUSES!" INTERESTING AND EXCITING! HAVE FUN!

[@melchenvomDach]

The whole house project is so cool, can't wait to see more progress!

[@claireburkus8497]

What an adventure you and your Dad are on renewing this beauty!! It looks “swell!!! “😁❤️I started collecting 1950’s metal dollhouses and furniture…a ranch style doll house would be cool in the young girl’s bedroom!!!

[@clarkefountain2258]

It's good to know that your restoration addiction, if I may call it that, runs in the family. Wow. What a family!

[@valerieb.4912]

Wow! a lot has been done. You and your dad are very clever. It is going to look amazing!

[@eetadakimasu]

Really efficiently designed! It's gonna be a really popular Airbnb!

[@dixie6294]

I own one and have lived in it for over 25 years they were designed by engineer's not architects,and have so much storage everywhere along with built ins,the closets all have shelving that goes back maybe 3.5 feet,and above the dressers in bedroom a ove the mirrors are shelves the length of the room and they are probably 2 feet..You have so much storage and built ins that you never need to get a bigger house...

[@eetadakimasu]

@@dixie6294 that's awesome! I live in an efficiency, and for the most part, it's okay, I just always think how it'd be better if a houseboat designer had built it, but now you've got me thinking! ❤️

[@terencehawkes3933]

I am amazed you were actually able to get replacement cabinets, That is amazing!

[@kimcat7320]

I like how nice and bright the interior is. I love the house.

[@valerieesque5499]

My son would love this project. He his a diehard Fallout fan. I shared the video with him.

[@playhooky]

What do you mean 'back at the Lustron'? How have I somehow missed the notifications of this project?! There is a yellow Lustron house in my little Iowa hometown of about 900 people! I was born in 1964 & was always fascinated with that house!

[@Destiny07180]

This is such an amazing project ❤ I am a Fallout fan and love seeing this come together.

[@Bildgesmythe]

Looking good ❤

[@roscowoodward6037]

❤. It’s coming along nicely 👍👍👍👍👍

[@silverhairinabigfootsilver6766]

Boy, that dresser/mirror reminds me of my aunt and uncle's home when I was growing up. Their home was not Lustron, but they were not all that far from the cluster of Lustron homes in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on First Avenue. Probably the fifties vibe in their house.

[@adamrichards3174]

The thing with old tv's and radio's... get them restored on the inside. Even if it works now, the components are still decades old and will fail eventually. If one of the old capacitors shorts out, it could burn up the transformer. It could start a fire. Capacitors, resistors, and most tubes are relatively cheap. Transformers are harder to get. Replacement CRT's are pretty much unobtanium. The main hurdle is finding someone with the skill, willingness, and affordability to do the job. If you wouldn't trust knob and tube wiring, don't trust 70 year old electronics.

[@thepfeiffenator2990]

Seconded.

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

That would be my fear, too. But I don't know much of anything about it. My brother was a child prodigy with electronics in the 1960's which is where my limited knowledge comes from - my memories as a 6-11 year old! He'd have loved this whole project and been eager to help rebuild/service the old electronics. Sadly, he died young in 1997.

[@robscafidi4070]

At the very least, you don't leave them energized and unattended, plug into a powerstrip and turn them on and off with that, probably wouldn't burn the house down, but no sense in risking damage

[@adamrichards3174]

@@robscafidi4070 It's a massive risk, especially when renting the place out. Will your average Joe take heed and turn off the power strip? I doubt it.

[@lowentx]

Absolutly fantastic! Cant wait to see more!

[@charlottewright6569]

You guys have restored this incredibly well! Can’t believe how far is come from the before footage. Definitely on my bucket list to see one of these in person one day.

[@Danileith123]

I remember when I realized all those houses in sanctuary were Lustrons. Thanks for getting these videos up.

[@The2ndEmpireStrikesBack]

Glad you like them!

[@nancysimpson9045]

LOVE LOVE LOVE The HIPPO 😂 The house looks AMAZING & that TV is to die for PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED 💕🇦🇺💕

[@stunt94u]

Imagine if video of people puting one of these together back in the 50s exists...

[@tishmusso3949]

I'm a Fallout fan and definitely have extra appreciation for your dad's Lustron! Very fascinating to see the progress. 👍😍🌞

[@Stacy..71]

I have a kitchen table similar to the one in the garage. Mine has a bright yellow top. And the chairs are the same style but have a bit of green in them! I love the double leg style! And I am a complete Fallout fan! And seeing the house come to life like from Sanctuary Hills! Wow!

[@debbydrach]

Loved this video, what a really groovy house! You and your father are doing a fantastic job and I love all your choices !! Adorable place !! Love the rhino 🩷

[@johnkennamann1462]

it's a hippo

[@lorrieriddle4079]

REALLY enjoyed the update on the Lustron House!!! So cool!!

[@tammywillgohs5514]

I just saw you on news 4 -how so very exciting!!

[@corrieb21]

I absolutely love what you and your father are doing. I love the fifties architecture and live in a 50's home in New Zealand.

[@Goldie...]

Love this! To step back in time and enjoy that Era would be really nice ,especially for people growing up in that time frame. Coming along nicely!👍

[@carolynshealy5536]

It is amazing! Not to tell my age but, I remember some of the furniture you showed! Great video!

[@HartArtInk]

That's a beautiful television set. Maybe a mini pc, hidden somewhere, and running your media to a hidden hdmi to rf converter that you also hide. Then you hook that up to a hidden cord that runs to the tv. You could even have rabbit ears on top, but they just wouldn't do anything.

[@john1701q]

He mentioned in the last video of having a raspberry pi wired into it

[@neferkekewi]

I've driven by this house so many times through the years and never knew how important it was. Thanks for saving it and I look forward to seeing it finished.

[@leaguekempnerhouse]

What a treat to be able to see this amazing house in person. Thank you Kaleb, Kim and John for sharing your precious time. Meeting other passionate people gets me all fired up to continue with my own "labor of love" If you aren't having fun at what you do you definitely need to think about finding another way. Kaleb is passion personified!!! And this house - it is so cool and unique. I can't wait to see it finished. What a great place for a family vacation. I'm looking forward to the next progress update.

[@rebeccapearson7486]

Love this house, can't wait to see if finished!

[@triciag3311]

Omg. You mean to tell me I grew up in South St. Louis and somehow never saw this house!? I have always loved this time in history and everything MCM. This is amazing and I'm so excited to see it finished, and THANK YOU for restoring it properly, just like your own beautiful home! The minute this is an Air BnB I am renting it!! I love every single thing you guys have done!

[@Lovenature255]

So happy to see this progress ❤

[@aissanougba1966]

iv always been so fan of the space age this is a dreaammmmmmmmmmm

[@aissanougba1966]

or more so atomic age in this case

[@debbralehrman5957]

You guys are doing a great job. It looks awesome. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@fianorian]

I don't think we ever had those in the UK. Our answer was asbestos houses. My grandmother lived in one right up until the 1990's. I think they were intended to last for about twenty five years but lasted much longer. It is amazing to see your metal house, still largely intact.

[@JamesABeckHouse]

WOW! Are the bathroom panels removable? Maybe auto body paint would be a good option.

[@akhagee4707]

This seems like a good use of removable paint, like the Dip Your Car people do. Would be a solid sheet & count as caulking as well as color.

[@patstats1]

That arrow sign is available for gameplay in Fallout 76! I commend you both on the progress you’ve made. That house looked bombed out just like those in Sanctuary Hills in Fallout 4. Great job, Dad, on locating all the extras…parts and furnishings. I love that 3D printing can help replace some parts, too. My husband, who has not played any Fallout, watched the TV series and was clueless to how well the show represented the game. I showed him your initial Lustron video to give him an idea of FO4. I’ll bet you’ve had more views since the show. You may have to start giving house tours. I guess a themed B&B is in the house’s future…

[@daneen0311]

Love this!! Thank you to you and your Dad for saving this house! Its going to be amazing!!

[@theinsaneshecklador6598]

As a big fan of Fallout 4 this was a pretty fun video to watch. Thanks for the upload.

[@sjbock]

Outdoor movies in the backyard? Cool house but I wouldn't want to live in the house next door with all the noise and activity.

[@johnkennamann1462]

Thats why best use is a short term rental and not a family home.

[@Chloe22369]

that house is so cool!! Cant wait to see it done 😄

[@teret6719]

So very interesting! Thanks for taking us on an update tour and the video!

[@williamgraff7593]

superb work. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Beautiful!

[@lisakilmer2667]

Nice tour and nice rehabilitation. It makes perfect sense why the house is backwards. I've often thought that the framed view when inside houses should be the back yard, not the street.

[@JaniceSeagraves]

Some of the furniture in the garage looks like what my parents had when I was growing up in the sixties. It was all used of course.

[@emmysimone7279]

Been a huge fallout fan for well over a decade. So awesome to see one of these being restored! Best of luck to you and your dad in fixing up this amazing home

[@amilan409]

Your dad would be fun to go shopping with..he finds neat things !

[@truckerbrat7005]

Oh Man this is so cool! I cant wait to see how it all turns out!

[@CatBalou38]

That TV is amazing!

[@vickileonard72]

What an amazing difference gentleman BRAVO 👏👏

[@raclark2730]

" Oh as I live and breathe, its Yuooo "

[@ThinkTankGallery]

You guys are killing it!

[@johnkennamann1462]

whatever

[@lilykatmoon4508]

That TV is something else. It really be a unique experience staying in that home once it’s finished.

[@chevelleguy8059]

If you can't find something you like for the vanity or pass through counter you can use clear plexiglass to protect the finish. Love your videos. Both houses are very different but extremely interesting.

[@prettybrowneyez]

Wow everything looks great❤❤❤… can’t wait to see it when it’s finished ❤❤

[@pamhutzell8268]

I think it's so great you''s could put the house back together and I just love it!!!❤

[@TheEphemeris]

I had such a vivid flashback to my Grandmothers house when you showed all the stuff in the garage. I swear half that stuff is identical as if you took it right out of her basement. The things I took for granted as a kid, just thinking it was tacky junk in the basement, and now all grown up I wish I could have had it all. It's actually pretty cool. Crazy how tastes change with age.

[@itwasrightthere]

Here in La Crosse, WI, I know of at least 4 Liston houses. I’ve always liked them.

[@karenchesser6348]

My grandmother had a chrome table and chairs in red. 😊

[@GeraldUsook]

Great job. Love that you have embraced the 50’s post modern era!!!!!

[@annwithaplan9766]

I have that very same kitchen sink setup in the 1930's built house I'm living in. I like it.

[@helen1962]

Amazing! Great job.

[@tinaemgequinn1408]

Caleb, Maybe you've done this already but I would like to see an overhead drawn view of the house. Having the two large windows in the back is more interesting to me than vice-versa. It would be more fun to see what's going on out back than a street view, even if one of them is in a bedroom? And whoever is preparing for a meal, or a party, would be happy to see who's arriving I would think. For that the smaller window is enough. Frankly, I didn't think I'd enjoy this episode so much! Already a fan of your Victorian project. BTW, my grandmother Emge was born and grew up in St. Louis at the turn of the last century. GREETINGS from Perpignan in the south of France. ❤❤❤

[@suzannepolder3929]

Thank you for the Lustron update!

[@karensmith1158]

You've got a really cool dad!

[@proconsumersafety]

Nice job on your restoration. I have never heard of these, despite studying architecture in college. It great to see history being restored, even though this one seemed in such poor condition. On the exterior where you had to patch holes and dents, if you unable to enamel these you can paint just the blocks to match the blue so at least the rest is original. But I am sure you will find a way to restore it. For the back drive-in, I imagine having an old car or two, also restored body-only, from that time period like a convertible, no engine needed but for comfort to watch the movie might be cool to see. Great job overall. Thank you for sharing.