David & Diane's '68 Safari Milestone

[DFlores]

OK, so now I have a functioning water pump.

Seelevel says use no more than 7.5 amp fuse or risk burning up their control board, or install relay...........Shur-flo says install 10 amp fuse or risk non optimal performance.

Does anyone know what kind of relay?


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David & Diane

[m.nolte]

Great thread and I love the work you have done! Trailer looks awesome.

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by m.nolte

Great thread and I love the work you have done! Trailer looks awesome.

Thank you Melissa,

Does anyone know about the "relay" that is supposed to go at the water pump?

[dbj216]

David and Diana, you have built a beautiful old Safari. Vintage trailer with up to date amenities. Thanks for taking all the time to build you thread so we all can learn from you.

David

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by dbj216

David and Diana, you have built a beautiful old Safari. Vintage trailer with up to date amenities. Thanks for taking all the time to build you thread so we all can learn from you.

David

The trailer has to be as comfortable as our last SOB, David agreed to build the Safari with all new appliances and electronic start everything. I have tried to keep the vintage "look" around all new stuff.

[dbj216]

And it appears you have kept the vintage look. The flooring, the wood tones, and the original bath look great. The 68's had a nicer bath arrangement than the 66's with their "console hidden toilet". Although I thought it was a novel idea to hide it under the "window seat". But I didn't like the sink over the bath in my trailer. So I installed a separate shower stall, vanity, and toilet. I changed my folding door to a pocket door to save room.

As I read your thread, I found familiarity with our approaches. I installed a new 6 gallon water heater, new black and gray tanks, new water tank "boxes" (I call it a pan), a new NT 30 furnace which I ducted heat runs under the floor like you did, new water pump, new SeeLevel tank indicators, new axles and shocks, new belly pan, etc. But my project was much less than yours as I did not do a shell off renovation. I deemed my floor and frame "okay" except for the floor under the rear bath (of course they rot out there!).

I'm real interested in your design for the front gaucho. I see you built a box around the fresh water tank. I still have the original gaucho although it isn't real comfortable. And I want to change the pull out, fold out table. I want to move it away from the door side.

Your vintage Airstream is sure looking nice. I can't imagine how many hours you folks have in it. I think more Airstreamers need to read your thread. It's a good one.

David

[Skatiero]

Beautiful! We are aboutbto begin similarly restoring our 68 tradewind. We have a thread on here about our 86 Excella remodel.

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by DFlores

A neighbor of mine, does paintless dent repair, he gave me a few hints on how to take the dents out of the banana wraps.

This involves, several bags of lentils in a small pillow case, a rubber sanding block and a rubber hammer.

Could you explain a bit more about this technique please?
Your work is awesome. Makes me glad my trailer was in good original condition though.

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

Could you explain a bit more about this technique please?

What my neighbor told me was that I needed a backing that will give as I am trying to tap out the dents in my banana wraps. The lentil filled small pillow case works well for this.

Using the back side of the rubber sanding block, which fits the shape of the banana wrap, as a tool to reshape the soft aluminum along with the rubber mallet to softly tap the sanding block will produce a nice curve.

Work slowly moving the sanding block along the curve, tap softly.

Good luck

[DFlores]

Time to post an update, Dbj216 we must disappoint, time to build the street side bunk. Once again we are refurbishing and reusing the face frames and duplicating the bunk from the old stuff we kept for patterns

[DFlores]

Diane is once again the master of all things "Staining", she does a great job. We reclaimed and reused the original hardwood slides, installed all new hinges. Filled holes in slides with epoxy filler to assure good hold for new screws.

We will make sliding doors for below bunk storage at a later date, we are working towards the second week in December Blanco Rally.

[dbj216]

I forgot your Safari has a different floor layout than my 66 Trade Wind. I don't have a dinette in front that folds out to a bed. I have the old gaucho across the front that folds out. And then there is a folding table that pulls up from the curb side. The gauch isn't the most comfortable. My Trade Wind is a twin with a separate sleeping area from the galley and "front room".

There is nothing like a deadline to get things done.

David

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I forgot your Safari has a different floor layout than my 66 Trade Wind. I don't have a dinette in front that folds out to a bed. I have the old gaucho across the front that folds out. And then there is a folding table that pulls up from the curb side. The gauch isn't the most comfortable. My Trade Wind is a twin with a separate sleeping area from the galley and "front room".

There is nothing like a deadline to get things done.

David

Diane, my wife really prefers the mid cabin twin plan that you have. We got as close as we could by getting into a front twin plan. We both just do not want to crawl over each other any more.

[ALUMINUMINUM]

DFlores I'd say that you have a great understanding of the responsibility of maintaining the flavor of your '68... The original vinyl walls and restored ash wood is wonderful to see. It's remarkable that Airstream used such fine wood back then. Glad too, that you were able to overcome the “central control” with sensible rewiring. We make it fun, but it's sure a long time getting these little trailers apart and back together so they fit ya. Nice work, Ami and Wm

[dbj216]

DFlores, is your Safari an "International" model? I think the top of the line Internationals had better cabinets than the base model. My 66 Trade Wind is a base model with "plywood" cabinets. I don't consider them very special. My 86 "Limited" is the top of the line model with hickory cabinets. The hickory cabinets have held up very well through the years. The Airstream cabinet shop does some fine work on their top of the line models, which I'm sure is a lot more expensive than the base cabinets.

You are building some very nice cabinets and furniture for your Safari.

David

[DFlores]

DB our Safari is a Landyacht model, it came with plywood cabinet behind Ash face frames, and that is exactly how we are putting it back. Mostly because we cannot afford "real" wood for the cabinets. It does help that Diane has a really good eye and talent finishing the hunks of wood I can build, she can turn a pigs ear into a silk purse for sure.


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David & Diane

[DFlores]

On the curbside bunk we did the same duplication of the original, adding the fold out required at the foot of the bunk. Added some sliders to bottom of fold out to save wear on the floor.

Once again working in the kitchen workshop.

[DFlores]

For the front overhead frame we reused the original boards that speakers go into with new fabric. The overall frame was cut new from 3/4" plywood, the doors are cut from 1/4" Birch finished plywood.

And then we have an almost complete front end.

[DFlores]

Diana was able to clean up the vinyl on the doors, I took all the credit

We continue copying the originals, destroying originals as we go.

And there you have it.

Installed an automotive radio with DVD player that pumps video over to the television and sound to our new speakers

[dbj216]

Wow, you sure put new meaning into "whip up something in the kitchen". And yes, your wood is finished beautifully. My old Trade Wind needs refinished, maybe someday. Your front overhead cabinet you built is super. Mine is molded plastic with a wood facia.

I wanted to ask how you are making cabinet doors. My trailer has plywood closet doors that are a little shy of 1/2" and then routed around the perimeter about a 1/2 inch wide, and 1/4" deep. This makes a recess that fits into the cabinet framing. I don't have a router that can make that cut, so I used 1/4" plywood and attached 1/4" frame to it to create the effect of the recess.

I'm really enjoying this thread! "Good things from the Deflores kitchen".

David