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Old 11-25-2016, 06:56 AM   #21
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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Posts: 92
I got the new wood in place in the floor. Now there's a whole bunch of planning to do.

I've been thinking about what I need to do before I can put the inner panels back on. Mostly, it has to do with planning changes to the electrical system. The existing wiring is in really good condition, so I intend to reuse all of it. I do want to make a few little additions. I expect I'll want to run coax antenna cable, since I plan to replace the original antenna with a modern one that is more suitable for UHF. And has a working mechanism. I also noticed the breaker box and junction box work in strange and mysterious ways...there was originally some type of monitor at the junction box, in the closet with the breaker box? I'm thinking of removing the junction box, and running two separate breakers for the outlets....one that goes across the back to the charger/converter, and another to the front outlets. And yet another for the roof AC wire.

I also think that we might want a few more 12v outlets around the inside.

And I've been looking at solar stuff. Flex panels around 100W each are pretty reasonable, under $200 each. I think there is room for a couple of them on either side of the antenna. Not quite the optimum location, but about the only location there is, considering how much room a roof AC would take. I can probably install a charge controller where the clock and thermometer used to be in the control center. And use existing blue and white wires in that location to connect it to the battery. The wire runs are a little bit long, but should still work. This would require a wire feed through for the solar panel cables, at the front of the roof.

I'd also like to install a car stereo in the front somewhere, and add four speakers, using the original wires that were installed when it was new, but never used. There is an antenna.

Also, last night I removed the fresh water tank. It would have been easier if I had figured out that it was mostly full, and had drained it first...oh, well. It's on the floor of the shop now. And it looks like it's in great condition. Don't see any evidence of stuff growing inside. I'll drag it out and drain it, and see about cleaning it out. I'll also have to carefully evaluate the plywood that holds it up, and see if it's still in good enough condition to reuse. That's a hefty chunk of thick plywood!

I'm also going to have to clean the inside of the shell, one of these days. I've been using pet odor and stain remover on the back side of the vinyl clad panels, I expect I'll use it on the entire inner surface of the shell, too. Of course, the remains of the insulation will be falling down upon me as I clean. It's all so much fun.
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Old 11-27-2016, 03:39 PM   #22
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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I decided to use commercial grade VCT tiles on the floor. Lots of pros and cons for lots of different flooring materials...the tiles have the old time look I'm after, they're locally available, relatively inexpensive, seem to hold up ok for many folks from the reports I've read, etc. Maintenance is required. They will probably start to look funky at the plywood joints after a while. I can live with that. Anyways, the new floor is done. I need to finish the wiring, and get some insulation, and start putting the inner panels back in place.

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Old 11-28-2016, 06:41 PM   #23
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moving along....replaced the battery box today, and started on the insulation and inner panels. I got the six panels around the rear back in place. should be done with the panels in a couple days, I think.
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Old 11-30-2016, 05:55 PM   #24
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1972 23' Safari
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Installed most of the inner panels, need to do the two long ones along the sides of the ceiling, waiting for my son to come visit and help with that. So I was working on the wiring in the mean time. Got the 120v stuff working, I replaced the outlets, and rearranged a bit of the wiring in the rear.

I'm trying to figure out the details of the other modifications I'm planning

The old bathroom wall is in place temporarily so I can see how things might fit. Got the new black tank today, waiting for the shower pan...and I ordered a toilet.

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Old 12-01-2016, 06:31 PM   #25
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1972 23' Safari
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Nice job, I need to do exactly what you did, remove bathroom, replace about 3 ft of flooring in rear and weld about 3ft of channel on either side and add 2 new cross members. Quick question, how did you remove the old plumbing that led to the black tank? Sawed it off? I'm about to tackle this soon.
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Old 12-01-2016, 06:56 PM   #26
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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Yes, I used the sawzall. I plan to maybe reuse the old vent for the tank, and most of the galley drain plumbing. I'll inspect it all carefully first, though. Especially the trap.

Today I was moving stuff around in front of my shop, and noticed that there was some shipping info on the old black tank. The invoice was still on it! in the plastic stickon envelope. It was from Airstream, in 1986, sent to an RV shop in MA. Shipping was under seven bucks! Those were the days. And I also found that the dump valve and toilet flange were screwed into the tank, they just unscrew.


I ordered a bunch of new parts the past few days...axles, furnace, LP tanks, regulator, cover, some window hardware, etc. No going back, now.
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Old 12-04-2016, 11:11 PM   #27
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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Making more progress. Got most of the front area done...but that's just reinstalling stuff I removed earlier. The new stereo is in and working, it goes where the old clock and thermometer were. The plastic face of the control panel was kind of messed up in that area. Battery is connected to the blue/white wires that run to the trailer connector, and I tapped power from that source, in the control panel. I also tried out the Parallax power converter that appears to have been installed around 2004. It didn't work. I opened it up, and found two bad looking capacitors--one had leaked out the top, the other looks like it popped long ago. I ordered a couple replacements, I'll see if that fixes it...if not, I'll just buy a new converter.

Also spent some time reading up on sizes of fridges, and finally found a model that I think I can make fit into the available space. RM2510.2 Dometic. I think it's been discontinued, it does not show up on their web page..but there are new ones still available from a few different sources.

And my son came up with an interesting way to make new shafts for the window latches. Instead of machining a large piece of aluminum stock to the required size, he had the idea of just threading a nut onto a long 5/16' fine thread bolt, then machining the nut to a smaller, round size, then milling flats on the threaded end, and drilling the hole for the handle pin. We made one of them, it seems to work! although it seems kind of silly to have spent two hours making a part that one could buy for $5, if it were only in stock. I need to make 4 or 5 more.


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Old 12-06-2016, 11:52 PM   #28
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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I got to work on that pesky bathroom wall. The shower kind of needs to be a little bigger than the original location of the wall would allow, so I scooted it forward two inches. Just as much as I could, and still clear the battery compartment. I rearranged the extrusions that comprise the door jamb, so it would be almost aligned. I decided to hinge the original door, which was a slider. I think it'll work. I happened to have a 6 ft piano hinge that a friend gave me years ago...just about perfect for this. I hope.

I also got some cabinets installed. The shelves took a little bit of repair work, but it all seems to be pretty solid now.

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Old 12-11-2016, 10:01 PM   #29
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1972 23' Safari
2024 22' Bambi
Sierra Vista , Arizona
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Work continues...I installed the new furnace, rebuilt the galley cabinet, rebuilt the rear gaucho to be a bit smaller, it will be the seat for the dinette, and convert to a single bed. Installed all the overhead cabinets. Still need to build the countertop, I got some interesting Formica for it. Also found 3 cracked 4x8 sheets of white Formica at the local building supply store for five bucks a piece. They will probably help in the bathroom. Getting there...but still so much to do!

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Old 12-11-2016, 10:55 PM   #30
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Can you come and do mine? Please. I'm about to start on this as well. Just got to muster up the courage to start pulling things apart. Bathroom first to get to the rotted floor and rear frame. Then about a 2x2ft piece rotted area of floor up front near the sink. Only problem is that its getting friggin cold up here in Rhode island. Looking good on your build, I'll be following your post closely to grab some tips and ideas.
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Old 12-12-2016, 07:38 AM   #31
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1972 23' Safari
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It's a lot of work! I'm lucky I don't have to go to work every day like many folks, and I'm still young enough to have the energy to work hard on a project like this, as long as I have a clear goal and deadline (trying to get it done by the first of the year, when my wife retires). It's easy to get discouraged and let things sit, when stuff doesn't go as planned. But that kills the project, so you gotta just figure out each problem, and keep going. Also, having a place to work where you don't have to deal with the weather, is really helpful. Being in AZ is much nicer than being up north (in the winter, at least), but having a shop big enough to work in, is really helpful. Of course, I'll be moving this one outside kind of soon. I have to install the new axles, fix stuff on the roof, etc. and I have to move it outside first, just because the door to my shop is a tad too low to move it out after I do that work.

If I were getting paid for this, I couldn't afford to have me do it!
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Old 12-14-2016, 03:48 PM   #32
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1972 23' Safari
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Sierra Vista , Arizona
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been spending more time on the galley, it seems to take forever. I made a new counter top, first time I've ever done that. I learned a lot! and I guess it came out ok, although there are some boo-boos.

A few more things to fix on it. Then I really need to get started on the bathroom soon.

Also been pondering Tow Vehicles. I keep thinking that an early 70s full size car would be really nice to travel in, and tow this thing. My old Suburban is a neat truck, but it's a 60 year old utility vehicle, which was not built for comfort. I've driven it across the country a few times, including towing the "race car", and it'll get me there, but it takes some effort.
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Old 12-14-2016, 03:53 PM   #33
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Something like a green on green 1972 Buick Electra 225...
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Old 12-14-2016, 04:03 PM   #34
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that would be neat! Wife's grandparents had one like that in the 80s....long gone....but I think it had the little 350 engine in it. I'm shooting for a 455 or something similar.
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Old 12-17-2016, 12:44 PM   #35
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I took a little break from figuring out the bathroom, to work on the windows. The latches were in various states of disrepair--seven of the shafts broke when removing them, either by shearing when unscrewing the nuts, or where the handle pins went through. And two of the latches were missing their handles. I bought two new latch assemblies, and was going to order 5 new shafts to repair the others, but they were out of stock. My son figured out a trick to making new shafts relatively easily--just put a jam nut on a long 5/16" fine thread bolt, cut off the head of the bolt, and mill flats on the threads, and drill a hole, and also turn the nut down to a round shape like the original shoulder. Here are some of my new ones, in various states of manufacture, as well as an original, and a complete new latch so you can remember how they work.



I got them all made, and they seem to work fine.

I also am in the middle of replacing the weather strip on the windows, and replacing the support rod plastic pieces. The new plastics almost fit, a little drilling is required for the rivet holes, as they are off by a tad. But they work OK when done.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:08 PM   #36
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Picked up a clean old Lincoln today. 460 engine....pretty nice, inside and out. I'll have to fix a few things, then see about getting a hitch and some mirrors for it.

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Old 12-18-2016, 07:55 PM   #37
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There is a light blue Lincoln like that on Kirk Auto's used lot in Grenada, MS.


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Old 12-18-2016, 08:51 PM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jforb View Post
Picked up a clean old Lincoln today. 460 engine....pretty nice, inside and out. I'll have to fix a few things, then see about getting a hitch and some mirrors for it.


See if there is a schematic for building a WD hitch receiver for that car. Make a copy and shoot it past Andrew Thomson. And what he recommends for trailer hitch.

My Dads partner liked those cars. Not good drivers. The worst of the Big Three for floating suspension. Thus, NOS Koni shock absorbers should be high on list. Same for ADDCO anti-roll bars front and rear. MOOG Cargo Coils were a fairly standard upgrade back when. Weak rear springs nice for ride, not for towing.

Coker Tire for proper width whitewalls on modern design tire.

I would replace body to frame bushings pronto. Towing tears up things like those. Same for tie rods and end links.

Power steering cooler. Trans cooler downstream of radiator. B&M Racing.

460-V8 of the period had nylon timing gears with retarded timing IIRC. Look into this and replace. Double roller TRW if available.

A Howell TBI system will be easier to live with than any carb. Altitude adjustments are big for towing.

Zinc oil additive and Rotella T6 oil.

If not mistaken some of those cars had dual exhaust. Good to copy that. Keep heat out of engine compartment.

McKesh or Eagle One Mirrors.
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Old 12-18-2016, 10:03 PM   #39
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Thanks for the tips. It's in pretty good condition mechanically...it has loose steering, a quick look under while someone wiggled the steering wheel revealed that there is slop in the pitman arm where it connects to the center link. Someone recently replaced at least the upper control arm bushings. It needs new front shocks, it will probably get stock replacements. I don't expect it to handle like a Miata (which it's parked nose to nose with). I'm also not too keen on spending gobs of money on upgrades like most folks seem to....I fix what's broke, and let the rest of it work as designed. The carb is working ok so far, if it acts up, I'll probably replace it with a Quadrajet. Worst case, I'll replace the intake and put an Edelbrock or Holley on it...although the Qjet is a much better carb. EFI is fine for my wife's late models, but I prefer simple, and I can usually make carbs work well enough to keep me happy.

The exhaust system looks brand new...duals...with dual cats! Someone spent some money on it. And I only had to give $3k for the car. Pretty good deal.

The suspension is pretty tight, compared to the Edsel I sold to help pay for this one. This car has a rear sway bar already, and 4 wheel disc brakes. Pretty snazzy for me.
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Old 12-19-2016, 11:45 AM   #40
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Trying to figure out other vehicles in the "stable"...
Maroon car? Mazda Miata?
White pickup? 07-13 GMC/Chevy?
Red thingy picture is taken from? Some sort of side by side? Ranger? Mule? Razr? Big Red?
Liking the 4x4 post curb stops.
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