Jerry,
Well. I'm back. How do I access the two screws that attach the grey water line. Should I drop the belly pan under the black water tank to get to them? I can't get to anything under the tank from above since it will only raise about an inch. I'm still trying and haven't even had breadfast yet.
Dan
Dan,
I forgot to tell you how to get to the screws. Sorry. Yes, you must remove the belly metal under the tank. The pan on mine was one large sheet so I just cut out a section about 18" long directly under the dump valve assembly using a sheetmetal cutoff tool. I fabricated a new aluminum piece for that area using the old section for a pattern. By the way, don't forget to remove the plastic tee handle from the dump valve before you try and lift the tank out. Why are you removing the tank? Did you have a leak?
Jerry,
Thanks for the advice. I am removing the tank in order to access the copper line that goes between it and furnace outlet in front of the water heater. It has been repaired in the past with a plastic coupling and is now leaking. I plan to replace it with a brass coupling and new copper pipe. There is not enough room to do that with the tank in place and since I removed the toilet to look for the leak, I might as well take the tank out also. I was able to inspect the flooring under the shower also and found it to be sound. My lucky day. By the way, this forum is a wonderful resource and I appreciate your advice. Hope you soon start injoying traveling.
Dan
Well here goes. I am not too computer savy so hope I'm plugged into the right pew. I'm an old lady in the north woods of MI who purchased a '71 23'Safari this spring. I haven't decided whether to call her Airabella or Albatross because she's going to require some work before she can fly (down the highways that is.) Her former owner took the couch from the front and shoved it across from the bed in the separate bedroom. This was after he took out the dresser and closet. I discovered this when I asked where the closet was. I had owned a "71 Safari in 1988 so knew something about them. I didn't have the presence of mind to open up those two beds when I was in process of buying the trailer which was another state away. I opened the beds when I got home and discovered you couldn't be wider than a snake to get between them to the bathroom.
The owner had given me the dresser and the closet door ( a last minute thought) and I'm thinking about do I want to get them re-installed and move the couch back to the front. (He had built in a cabinet across the front and had two swivel chairs none of which suits me and the Dog.) Or do I want a dinette which can convert to a couch? Somewhere I saw a 'stream fixed up with 2 long bench seats on each side of a table in front. People could stretch out and read or watch TV and then flop down the table for a bed. I'm not sure there is enough room up front in the Safari for this design. Anyone out there done this in a Safari that has the separate bedroom section?
Jeanne
Hello JD,
We are in the process of fixing our 23' Safari the way we want it. The couch in front was in poor shape when we got our trailer three weeks ago. I removed it and am now building a dinette that will convert to a bed. I plan to use the cushions from the couch and cut them down and my wife will recover them. I will build a new table that will hinge out of the way like the old one did. It will then lower and make the bed. We have been busy cleaning wverything from top to bottom. It had set for several years and was quite dirty. We took up the original carpet and replaced it with vinyl tile from Home Depot. The twin beds in front of the bath are original and leave plenty of room to walk. Just finished checking and fixinf some plumbing leaks. Next will check out the gas system.
Good luck with your Safari and the name for it. Ours is called The Silver Fox. My wife calls it Foxy for short.
Happy Trails
Dan
Hi Dan,
I see you're a graphic artist so I imagine that your plan for building a front dinette will be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Could you share the particulars of that layout with me? I could hire a local carpenter/handy man to build if he had specifics. My talents don't include construction.
I am considering replacing the old carpet (carpets are bad news for those with allergies--like me) with either vinyl tile or cork. A tip: some people steam clean old cushions to sanitize them. I plan to purchase new foam for mine as there are some affordable foam supplies in my area. I will be interested in hearing about your progress in remodeling your Silver Fox.
Jeanne
Hello JD,
For our dinette I plan to utilize the existing cushions for the back and botton seat. I plan to cut them down to 30" long and my wife will then recover them. They are in excellent shape so we plan to use the foam. The base or box for each seat will be 22.5" from left to right and 30" from front to back. The seat bottoms will hinge for storage. I will use a 19" cushion for the back with another 19" cushion for the seat. The cushions are 3.5" thick. That adds up to the 22.5" dimension. The table will be 33" wide by 25" deep. It will hinge under the front window and can be removed to become the bottom center section for the bed. The bed length will become 76". Plenty room for grandkids. I will use the piano hinge from the old table as well as the fold down leg. I plan to use 3/4" birch plywood trimmed with maple for the areas that need strength and 1/4" for end panels. The table will be built also out of 3/4" with maple edging. The reason I am using maple is that I have a good supply on hand in my shop.
I plan to center the unit in front under the window and will probably build storage cabinets behind each seat.
Hope this is a little help for you. It ain't rocket science. Just two boxes with high back and foam cushions. You might look at web sites from other manufacturers for ideas.
Good Luck
Dan
Just started redoing our 1971 safari...It's great to see so many others with the same interests and willing to share their knowledge.
Hope to keep in touch as i progress.
Steve
I just picked up a 1970 Safari and am looking for any interior pictures. I am trying to get an idea of the original or customlayouts for the bed etc. Wll post pics soon.
Hi Scotti,
I have a '71 Safari which has a double bed configuration in the midsection bedroom. Couch in front. The previous owner took out the closet and dresser which was across from the bed. I, too, am seeking pictures so I know how to get a closet and dresser built back in. I was referred to a source of service manuals which susposedly would show the layout. It's a woman in Ohio who sells them. I think she listed a '70 service manual. (they're expensive).If you want, I'll rumage through my papers and find her address. Or maybe someone on this website will come up with it quicker. Meanwhile, let's share information.
Jeanne
Steve,
I am picking up four new Carlisle tries for our 71 Safari this week. They are load range D and should be more than ample for our 23 foot trailer. Goodyear Marathons are probably better. However, the Carlsiles are less than half the price through a friend who has a friend that's a dealer. There are several web sites for Carlisle tires as well as others. See www.trailerworld.com.
Dan
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