Any other 71 Safari owners out there? We found ours in March of 2001 and I have been restoring it ever since. In fact, it hasn't been out of the driveway since I brought it home. We started by ripping out most of the interior, which had not been very well taken care of by the previous owner, and rebuilding all of the furniture from scratch. This includes a new galley cabinet and counter top, new bulkhead partitions, new tambour throughout, new goucho, new credenza and table, new refrigerator, new stove, new toilet, re-plumbed the entire trailer, all new cushions and upholstery, new curtains throughout and new carpet. The interior is now complete and I am in the process of stripping the clearcoat and re-sealing the seams. If all goes well, we'll be ready to roll by mid June. I plan to post some pictures on the photos site in the near future.
Hello Jerry,
Sounds like you have been having a lot of fun redoing your unit. We are just starting on ours, a 1971 23' Safari with twin beds in the middle before the bath. I am now involved with about a dozen different areas of ours and we only got it three days ago. Looked for a long time to find the one we wanted and finally found it about 60 miles away, here in middle Tennessee. We are cleaning everything first. Took the carpet out and trashed it. What kind of flooring did you use? We are thinking about square tile, but need to do some research first. 9" instead of 12"? Is there some special kind of lubricant that will make the tambour doors run smoother? Did you make new ones?
Our unit did not have an awning on it when it was new, just a track for inserting canvas. Do you know where I could find original awning hardware? Any other advice would be appreciated.
Dan
Dan,
Congratulations on the purchase of your new trailer. We used carpet in ours basically because I had a piece of commercial grade material available that I had purchased for our utility room and never used. My wife made a paper pattern of the trailer floor and we traced it on to the back of the carpet and cut it out. We installed it in two pieces. Fit perfectly the first time. I replaced all of the tambour except the plastic stuff in the bathroom. I couldn't find any of the plastic tambour so I bought some heavy duty canvas and reglued the original slats to the new canvas. Works great. I used solid oak vaneer tambour on the new galley cabinet and goucho. I used the woodgrain vinyl stuff for everything else. The original tambour in the trailer was not usable. My trailer had an awning on it when we bought it but the fabric was rotted and the supports were broken. I removed it. Maybe some day I'll try to refurbish it. I haven't done any research but I think parts are still available. Try the Zip-Dee web site. I was getting very close to done with my trailer when I discovered problems with the black water tank. The tank has a crack in the bottom and the dump valve must be replaced. I ended up having to disassemble the bathroom and remove the tank from the top to repair. Would be a good idea to check this out before you get too far on yours. Good luck.
Dan,
Glad to see another Middle TN. airstreamer on the board. As far as lubricant for the tambour, do not make the mistake I did. After drilling out rivets in the galley and removing my Suburban for overhaul, I put some brake calipher silicone grease in the tracks. That stuff seemed to swell the wood and I had to go back in and clean it up. I left the track dry and it slowly is getting back to normal. I wonder if graphite would work? Craig
__________________ Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
Hello Craig,
Thanks for the information on Tamblur doors. And thanks for the welcome to AirstreamForums in TN. Thats a nice looking rig you have. How is everything in Tullahoma? I have some friends there in the boat business. Bumbler Bee Boats. We are busy cleaning and fixing. Glad the airconditioner works on these hot days.
Dan
Dan,
Bumble Bee boats are nice ones. I see many boat trailers coming into Tullahoma from other areas and I guess they are for that company. I think we have another bass boat company in this area also but can't remember who it is. I think Stratos was here before they shut down.
I appreciate the comment on my trailer. I've become attached to her but wish I could lop off the last 4-6 feet to make her a 25-27 footer. I'm afraid that when and if I sell to go to that size, I will regret it. It is sort of like selling a gun then wishing for years you had not done so. Wish I had the money to just go out and buy another to add to the first. My wife would go nuts!
I wanted to make the mini rally to Pidgeon Forge, I think this week, but couldn't get my wife to go. She and I will be going to Cheatham Dam Lock A June 28-30 for our first husband-wife trip in the Excella. We are meeting another couple whose husband I deer hunt with. Some of the sites are 20' from the water. I'm crossing my fingers she will like the trip and will consider making others.
__________________ Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
Jerry Sulkin ( 71 Safari owner),
I am having a little trouble with my 71 Safari water system and thought you might be some help. I removed and cleaned the water pump and rebuit the plywood base it was on and reinstalled it. Now, when I turn on the pump, it just barely runs. Real slow like it is straining. Water comes out the drain under the trailer which is below the sink. All three drain valves are closed under the sink as well as the ones in the back in the bathroom closed. The water tank is full. Any ideas?
Dan
Dan,
Are you getting any water to the sink? Sounds like you have a restriction somewhere in the line from the water tank to the pump and/or a bad drain valve. If the tank drain is closed you should not be getting water under the trailer. If the valve is not closing the pump will pull water to the valve and that's as far as it will go and the pump will not prime.
Hello Jerry,
More questions for you about your 71 Safari. I am trying to remove the black water tank in order to fix a lead in the copper water line where it was joined with a plastic coupling sometimes in the past. I have removed the toilet, plastic back board behind it, the plastic floor under the toilet, the plywood base and all fittings under the toilet. I have disconnected the vent pipe as well as the copper water line to the toilet. The black water tank is loose now except it seems to be hanging up down where the outlet is. Under the trailer the pop rivets are removed holding the outside fitting and it wiggles with the tank. Is there a trick to removing the tank? Does the outside stay connected to the tank and come up and out with the tank? I hope you have the answers.
Dan
Dan,
You have to disconnect the grey water piping junction from the bottom of the dump valve. Remove the two screws and pull down on the fitting to disconnect it from the valve. Your black tank will then lift out from the top. I just got mine back in after repair of a crack and installing a new valve.
Quick Links
Black water tank removal
Linear Mode
