I got it: 1970 Caravel

[k0dlc]

Snowstorm and all we brought "Hanz" home today. 1970 Caravel. He has sat for 12 years, and will need lots of "fixin", but when we hooked him up to the PV all the lights, inside and outside, worked. Pics to follow, just have to rework them into a size I can post here. --Dwight

[crispyboy]

Congratulations!!!
I bought one of those trailers that have been sitting for the past 10 years. Get ready to buy some parts!! Besides spending the money I'm having a lot of fun fixing it up.
One of these days when I figure out how to make up a web page I'll post all the before and after photo's.

[Stefrobrts]

Congrats! That's a long time sittin', sounds like you might have your work cut out for you. Good news that the lights are working!

[Silver Threads]

Welcome to the forums and Congrats on your Airstream!

[bertro]

Welcome aboard, Nice to see another 70's hit the forum as well as an Ohioan. Mine also sat for awhile but wasent all that bad. After the rear 4' of ply and other things the old girl is pretty solid. Good luck Robert

[Silverhobby]

I own a 1971 Caravel model. Is your floorplan the one with a front dinette and a rear corner sofa? It also has a side wet bath. If it is, that model was the inspiration for the Anniversary edition in 2006. Enjoy the Caravel. It's a great AS.

[RivrCtyStrmr]

Welcome!!
You are going to love it! Am glad to see another Caravel owner taking the leap to restore one of these little gems. Your wing windows are the more normal later C-shape so they won't be impossible to find if one breaks. Be sure to post pictures soon. Always liked the little sink that they added that year next to the rear gaucho. Do you have a dinette or gaucho up front? Be sure to use the forums check out other Caravel owner posts.

Silver Steve

[k0dlc]

Thanks for all the encouraging responses!

Wanted to get some photos, of Hanz, posted tonight but life got in the way, will do my best to get that done sometime tomorrow.

answers to some of the questions follow:

"Is your floorplan the one with a front dinette and a rear corner sofa? It also has a side wet bath." -- yes

"Do you have a dinette or gaucho up front?" -- dinette

"It also has a side wet bath." -- yes


--Dwight

[takenitez]

Congratulations Dwight!

You've found quite a desirable AS that will be a joy to camp in. I obtained my '69 Caravel last year after it had sat for numerous years as well (can't begin to count how many bees nests I discovered in it). Both VTS and Inland Andy will be a great source for replacement vents and various other hard to find parts.
Hey Silver Steve, nice to see another fellow Virginian with the same model and year!

~Bob

[DPeakMD]

Another congrats, Dwight!

I love those Caravel floorplans from the ~70's. Did you see the article in Airstream Life about the similarities of those trailers with the Dave Winick designed 75th Anniv. Bambi? Very cool!

[k0dlc]

Finally got the first set of photos posted to the web, these were taken right after getting him home, I had to post them elsewhere since I'm on a borrowed computer and didn't feel right about downloading Irfanview to be able to resize and compress them (I miss my Mac...)

They are at: http://picasaweb.google.com/DevlorStudio

DPeakMD wrote: "Did you see the article in Airstream Life about the similarities of those trailers with the Dave Winick designed 75th Anniv. Bambi?" -- No, sounds like there is yet another magazine I need to subscribe to...

Hanz, my AS, has been sadly neglected, the good thing is that while he sat for all those years he was in a barn.

Thanks,

--Dwight

[DanB]

Welcome!

I'm from Lorain! If your ever in the area, there are several of us out this way that would love to meet you. (and your trailer)!

-DanB

[sierrajb]

Welcome, Fellow 70's Fanatic! What's the color scheme in this little gem? You're gonna love the family here on the forums! Greatest people on earth...almost!

[k0dlc]

Didn't run the link thru a text editor to remove the html coding/formating, hope this works better.

Picasa Web Albums - DevlorStudio

Think I have the beginnings of a restoration plan put together, will live, 3 season in it, while I build my retirement cabin here on the kids farm this spring/summer/fall. Will need to get a new range/oven in it, and working, and get the fridge working on 110V, no need to work on plumbing yet as it will be close to the house. Then will start a fairly complete restore, how much that takes will depend on what is found as I remove some of the furniture/cabinets.

--Dwight

[76sovereign]

Sweet!

[sierrajb]

Hey, can you send some of that snow to Texas? We haven't had much of a winter this year, so could you share with us? We've got some Texas sunshine heading your way.....in June?

Great pics! Body looks nice and straight. Looks like some solid wood in that 1970! Must have been one of the last years for that option before going to all plastic and more economical, lightweight material.

Keep us posted on your progress. It's a learning adventure for us all.

[G-STREAM]

Great trailer! Very similar to my 69 Caravel. Cant wait to see your progress and what you do with your reno's!

[k0dlc]

some answers follow...

76sovereign: Ozark MO? I hale from near Marshall MO origionally

DPeakMD: "I love those Caravel floorplans from the ~70's" I really like the floorplan too

seirrajb: Body looks nice and straight." Looks even beter when not covered by snow and road slush

seirrajb: "Hey, can you send some of that snow to Texas? We haven't had much of a winter this year, so could you share with us?" I would if I could cause my folks taught me it wasn't polite to be selfish

DanB: "I'm from Lorain! If your ever in the area, there are several of us out this way that would love to meet you. (and your trailer)!" Looks like a good distance for a first run. If your are over this way, drop by (PM for directions)

sierrajb: "Looks like some solid wood in that 1970!" I'm thinking, hoping that a light sanding and applying a couple coats of finish will be all it takes to "restore" the wood. Other wood problems: Have 2 panel doors, one under dinette and one under back couch/bunk, that need new hinges. By the door the panel next to the fridge has wicked a little bit of water up about 1 1/2 inch. The biggest problem is the flat pieces of wood behind the dinette seats are sun rotted out, thinking a piece of Oak there would look/work good.

Plan to take and post a few more photos tomorrow, there is some kind of "gadget" for the hitch mounted on the front tongue (or whatever the RV/AS term is for that) that I've been unable to determine just what it is by browsing the hitch forum.

thanks to all for the encouragement!!!!!

--Dwight

[k0dlc]

Just a quick update then I'm gonna drop this thread and, as needed, create new ones on specific topics.

Took a suggestion from a cabinet maker friend and liberaly applied Old English polish to the wood in my Caravel. While it doesn't make it look new it is amazing how much it improved it (and how much of the polish it soaked up). Flooring: A very complete check found two soft spots under the dinette by the door and, as noted, the large piece of floor that has been replaced by the door. The two soft spots are only a couple plys deep so, for now, just plan to patch/fill them. In the back battery/electric compartment the first layer/ply of the floor is dry rotted but is solid under that, may just lay a piece of vinyl flooring in there to protect what's left for now.

Wiring: Think I have it figured out except for the extra 110V and 12V wires that are unterminated, nor capped, behind the fridge. Come spring I'll trace/Ohm all the wires before hooking up my solar charging system. Took some measurements and I can safely fit 2 batteries in and still have room to replace the Univolt with a new converter/charger, if I crowd it I can fit 3 batteries back there.

Appliances: The Range/Oven goes... while it may still work it's so rusty that I plan to just replace it. The heater is a replacement, it's a surbuban of some model that I can't get under the cabinet and read the label on. It looks real clean and rust free but... it's sort of a "bandaid" install... only place it's attached to the body is the exhaust vent.

Checked the axle, doesn't look like it's the one with the weak spindle but checking it as Andy suggested... it will still need to be replaced (as planned).

Won't be able to do any more "fixin" until April... but at least it will be warmer weather then.

A heartfelt thanks to all of you here who share their knowledge to help others.

-- Dwight

[Ganglin]

Dwight - welcome.

Did you figure out the exterior door for the fridge access? It should have a C channel on the top edge of the door. That slips up into the grove on the "eyebrow" on the body that's shown in your photo. There should be two rivets in the eyebrow to guide you. Hold the outer edge of the door at an extreme upward angle to get it started then lower it in place.

Nice find - have fun with it.