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**Stefrobrts** · 08-28-2003, 01:24 PM

Cool! Better than what I do - pull up one of the dinette cushions and shine a flashlight on the end of the tank then rock back and forth hoping I can see the waterline move!

**Stefrobrts** · 08-28-2003, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rluhr
By the way, the laminate floor is done except for one piece which I'll put in today, and a couple of small edging strips.
-- RL

How much laminate did you end up using after all the triming and filling in gaps was done? Be sure to post a pic when you're done (I know it's hard to get a good pic in such a small space). I'm so temped to run out and buy some cork tiles after looking at John's posts about putting cork in his International...

rluhr · 08-29-2003, 10:41 AM

Heidi, that water gauge is priceless when you run out of water in the middle of a shower! I wish I had one. I've been using Stefrobrt's flashlight/rocking technique, with varying results.

Stef, great inexpensive idea for protecting the bath cabinet door. I came up with a different solution earlier this week. I ran a strip of 3/8" self-adhesive foam weatherstripping inside the top edge of the cabinet door. This doesn't save the de-laminating door, but it does keep water out of the cabinet. Practically invisible, too.

I bought 40 square feet of laminate flooring and used almost every bit of it. My rough calculation was that there is 28 sf of exposed flooring to cover (if you do it like I did, stopping at the bathroom door), so you can see that there is a lot of waste. It's all those angle cuts, plus I made a couple of mistakes.

I was getting sweaty toward the end when it looked like I might have to go buy a whole 'nother box just to finish the last piece! But I made it.

See picture. We LOVE the new floor! The picture shows it with the dinette table removed. (The little black things on the right are ant traps ... sigh ..)

rluhr · 08-29-2003, 10:48 AM

By the way, Stef, I like that cheery yellow/orange floor you have!

Looking forward to seeing Heidi's new floor, and maybe Rog0525's too! (Hey, Rog, you out there? Go for it, it's not that hard!)

-- RL

rluhr · 08-29-2003, 10:56 AM

Can you tell I'm proud of this floor job? It's not perfect, but it's good.

With the dinette table out of the way, I've realized that my Caravel can be pretty roomy inside. Almost feels like a Globetrotter. I think we'll do this more often when we have guests visiting.

Still need some quarter-round installed on the fridge side of the entrance. I bought some today -- just needs to be stained to match and polyurethaned.

hhuber · 08-29-2003, 12:53 PM

Very nice job! Yea, I know I promised ya'll a pic but we've been working so hard on it I havent even taken one!

Leaving for 9 days in the AM. (Santa Fe). Maybe tonight I'll
get a pic up!

Heidi

**Stefrobrts** · 08-29-2003, 01:03 PM

Looks good to me! I think you did an excellent job! It's beautiful to have all that wood against the wood cabinets.

Have fun on your trip, Heidi. We are staying put over the labor day weekend. We'll go out after everyone else gets back!

hhuber · 08-29-2003, 09:13 PM

Here it is! It looks better in person. The color is a bluish grey.
It goes under the shower about 2.5 inches.

Heidi

**Stefrobrts** · 08-29-2003, 09:23 PM

Very nice. I can't believe you took everything out and got it all back together right. You're braver than I am. Good for you! It looks great. Enjoy your trip!

hhuber · 08-29-2003, 09:32 PM

Stef- Thanks and I can't believe it either. I hope when we take off gauchos don't go flying!! It was alot of work.

Heidi

rluhr · 09-02-2003, 09:25 AM

Great job, Heidi! I agree with Stef, taking up the shower pan was very brave -- but clearly worth the effort. Hope the trip went well.

Pam · 03-19-2005, 12:34 PM

Good afternoon. I'm joining your Caravel club tooo!

Cutting over the back roads of Mass. this week to get home from a client meeting, I just happened to catch a glimmer of silver. I doubled back and found a woman in the driveway. "You might think I am crazy, but is that a little trailer behind the stockade fence", I asked. It belonged to the husband. "Would he be interested in selling?" She was so excited, she ran in to get him and he took me on a tour behind the 8' fence. In dress, stockings and suede shoes, I managed to get through snow and brush. There was a little '67 Caravel hiding out there. I got the tour and made the offer. We finalized the deal and paperwork today. Now we wait for the snow to melt so that we can tow her home.

The PO purchased the trailer in 1978 and towed it 30 miles to his home, where it has sat for 27 years. He used it as a campout room in his yard, but never traveled in it. Amazing!

I have started the album and my reseach. It will be another year 'til we're done. The skin is in great shape, but the interior was used as a rodent motel. We will gut the inside, remove the panels, clean, reinsulate and reinstall all. Should be nice.

Over59 · 03-19-2005, 04:02 PM

Pam, Just when I was ready to sell you mine.

**Stefrobrts** · 03-19-2005, 07:51 PM

Wow, that little Caravel will be so happy to hit the road again! Good luck on the resto!

aztlanco · 03-19-2005, 09:18 PM

RL & Stephanie;
If you want glass windows instead of plastic, check out "Airstream Dreams", (they are pricey) they are now taking orders for glass windows.
I love all Airstream trailers but the small ones are special to me.
Ernie
'58 Traveler, 18ft. (not a Bambi or a Caravel)

Longhorn · 04-11-2005, 11:27 AM

I am in the midst of a restoration on my Caravel in anticipation of a 3-4 month trip this fall of the west, south and east coasts in that order, can't wait! This is my first airstream and will be doing some shakedown trips this summer and hope to meet some of you at the rallys

I am curious do any of you know of others who use Classic tow vehicles? Mine is a 72' Chevy 3/4 ton.

Also I would like to post some pics but don't no how to reduce the size...keep getting rejected for too big a file. Croping did not help.

Thanks to everyone for the great info found here!

robandzoe · 04-11-2005, 08:22 PM

Took a little polish out on the door of the wife's 65 Caravel. A little Mother's and some Flitz...I know it's not what everyone else uses, but I just wanted to see what it would do with a little elbow grease. I can't wait to polish the whole trailer. The windows are all there in the door, and look at the original door handle and lock, all working.

Chris C · 11-13-2005, 09:42 PM

Just a little note from an Airstream wannabe!

You guys are killing me. I love your Caravels. I think this is just the trailer for my needs...............somewhere way out in the future, of course. For now, I'm building a teardrop trailer for our weekend travels and wishing we had a Caravel. Oh well, dreams are important, aren't they? Post pictures, I luv dem pix!!! They make me drool!

enduroryda · 11-14-2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Over59

Pam, Just when I was ready to sell you mine.

Did you sell it yet??

We can work on the separation anxiety later

roamingwesty · 03-06-2006, 12:21 PM

Hello and a first post from a newbie owner of a 1968 Caravel! Is this where I sign up for the Caravel club?

We just brought her home yesterday from Phoenix to Flagstaff. She belonged to a friend and their family for the past 6 years and they thought we're the perfect family to carry on the torch. Like a few others who have posted early in this thread, I only knew of Bambis prior to seeing my friends' Caravel. Now I am a proud owner of an vintage Airstream. One more dream will be fulfilled in life when we go camping with it for the first time!

As I didn't start the thread I will not babble on about me and my Caravel unless invited to. But it sure is nice to see other Caravel owners out there. Have a good day and thanks in advance, for this newbie will surely ask lots of questions from here on.

Yay! What a lovely thing that we all are so lucky to have.

Ricky