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Old 03-01-2017, 03:53 PM   #1
2 Rivet Member
 
1968 26' Overlander
2021 20' Caravel
Denver , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 44
changes to rear bathroom on 68 overlander

Has anyone ever modified the rear bathroom to a side bathroom on this model? I was thinking of reducing the size of the bathroom with a new shower and stealing some space from the gaucho bedroom area. Then placing the bed all the way in the back. I know it would be tight and the toilet can probably not easily be moved with the tank below.

I'd love to see what others have done with remodeling this rear bathroom.
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Old 03-02-2017, 05:29 AM   #2
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1964 22' Safari
1968 26' Overlander
Beaver County , Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 620
englishw,

Some of the appeal to a vintage project is that you can do anything you want and are willing to spend the time. We've restored 2 Airstreams now and have thought about, but not done, what you're contemplating. I usually think about the things that are kind of fixed in place. The refrigerator vent, the furnace vents, the water heater door and the bathroom fixtures. Those would take a lot of effort and time to move, so we left them in place and worked from there. We have a '68 Overlander and have come to like the bathroom arrangement after borrowing Aluminumium's shower rod idea. Ours is a twin instead of the gaucho. Our project is documented here: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f39...er-155180.html if you're interested.

I know others have moved bathrooms, so hopefully they'll offer some information and advice.

Good luck and enjoy your project,
Roy and Marie
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Old 03-02-2017, 07:44 AM   #3
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1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington , Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,982
We were planning on moving our rear bath to a side bath, but gave it up after we realized that almost all of our outside storage would become null and void if we did that. Your trailer may be different in the configuration of the storage hatches, or you might not care. There isn't much to start with... By placing our bed in the middle of the trailer on one side, we were actually able to add another outside hatch, and increased both our outside and inside storage in the trailer.
We also wanted to be able to walk around our bed in the rear, but found that with the narrower body trailers, it's much harder. We ended up with the bed against the wall anyway, so a rear bed up against a wall (sideways) would have worked for us!
I've seen some rear to side bathroom changes where the black tank is placed above floor, and that works. We replumbed our drainage from the tanks anyway, so replumbing it is not that hard.
Good luck! I'll be interested to see your decision.

Kay
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Old 03-15-2017, 07:51 PM   #4
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1968 26' Overlander
Miami , Florida
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 39
Rear bath vs side bath

After I gutted our 68 Overlander, I considered a conversion to rear bed & side bath. I decided against it because as bad as our interior was, most of the plywood floor and all the interior aluminum/vinyl was OK. And it seemed to me that to do a side bath properly, you would need to expose and re-engineer the frame to make way for an entirely new black tank, as well as a grey tank. Basically a shell of restoration/renovation. Since we didn't need to do that, I opted not to move the bath. (I guess you could convert to side bath and muddle through with piping to tanks on wheels. Not my idea of fun.)
I also felt that the older trailers, which I love, don't have the ceiling height for a 6'2" person using a side bath. Not that they have much height in the rear either, but it didn't seem that I would gain much from a side conversion, other than a comfy bed at the back.
In the end, we made a king berth in the front of the trailer where the gaucho was. Dinette seating during the day, then the table drops down to convert to sleeping. We kept the bath aft, somewhat reconfigured, but managed to fit a 35 gallon Elkhart tank in the same space where the old 17 gal tank was. So we can use it for both black and grey water. I can try to post pics if that would help you.
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Old 03-16-2017, 10:36 AM   #5
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1968 26' Overlander
2021 20' Caravel
Denver , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 44
Thumbs up

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. @TurkeyRun I'd love to see some pics and if you can't post them, I'd be happy to give you my email.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TurkeyRun View Post
After I gutted our 68 Overlander, I considered a conversion to rear bed & side bath. I decided against it because as bad as our interior was, most of the plywood floor and all the interior aluminum/vinyl was OK. And it seemed to me that to do a side bath properly, you would need to expose and re-engineer the frame to make way for an entirely new black tank, as well as a grey tank. Basically a shell of restoration/renovation. Since we didn't need to do that, I opted not to move the bath. (I guess you could convert to side bath and muddle through with piping to tanks on wheels. Not my idea of fun.)
I also felt that the older trailers, which I love, don't have the ceiling height for a 6'2" person using a side bath. Not that they have much height in the rear either, but it didn't seem that I would gain much from a side conversion, other than a comfy bed at the back.
In the end, we made a king berth in the front of the trailer where the gaucho was. Dinette seating during the day, then the table drops down to convert to sleeping. We kept the bath aft, somewhat reconfigured, but managed to fit a 35 gallon Elkhart tank in the same space where the old 17 gal tank was. So we can use it for both black and grey water. I can try to post pics if that would help you.
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Old 03-16-2017, 11:24 AM   #6
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1955 22' Safari
Laredo , Texas
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Plumbing pics please

Contemplating gray tank options in my 67. Would love to see what you did.
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Old 03-16-2017, 12:26 PM   #7
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1968 26' Overlander
Miami , Florida
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 39
34 gallon holding tank

Posting the photos means I have to figure out how to move my reno pics from my Android phone to my Mac. Apple makes that very difficult.
But here's a cut sheet of the tank I used, and a few photos that I had saved from emails. The Elkhart tank cost about $300, and fit into the old cutout with about 1/4 inch to spare an each edge. With such little room for error, I was not comfortable asking them to install spun fittings, so I put in grommet fittings after measuring everything 5 times. The old tank was quite shallow and this one is several inches deeper. Living in Florida, with no plans to camp in freezing weather, I did not concern myself with hooking up a heater hose.
The photos show the old tank next to the new, and the riser diagram for the new bathroom. The shower pan is MUCH bigger. No tub. The toilet is now on the street side. Sink, not yet finished, will eventually go underneath/left of rear window.
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Old 03-16-2017, 02:00 PM   #8
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1955 22' Safari
Laredo , Texas
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No pics?

Nothing there...
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Old 03-17-2017, 10:23 AM   #9
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1968 26' Overlander
Miami , Florida
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 39
Trying again...

Quote:
Originally Posted by BambiTex View Post
Nothing there...
Didn't realize I had to attach file as well as upload...
cut sheet from Elkhart is pdf file at bottom of post

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34 gallon tank.pdf
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Old 08-27-2017, 02:14 PM   #10
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1964 30' Sovereign
1968 26' Overlander
Vintage Kin Owner
Charlotte , North Carolina
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 7
Stepping into your conversation because I'm curious to see your finished job on the '68 Overlander bath. The added tank size sounds useful. Are you happy with the results and anything you would have changed? I have same model gutted now and working on the planning. I find it easy to become overwhelmed, and the forum and especially the images and product or how-to details make a great difference as we learn from each other.
Thanks for sharing!
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Old 10-16-2017, 09:02 AM   #11
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1968 26' Overlander
Driftwood , Texas
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 9
just started my 68 remodel. here's the layout i think i'm going with. rear master and side bath/side bunks. dimensions look like it should all layout pretty well.
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