Should I? (adding exterior lights)

[Tinsel Loaf]

Keep it original. It is vintage, if you add lights it will loose it's vintage value. It's beautiful the way it is.

[bredlo]

Tinsel,

Not that you don't have a good point in theory, but if you'd seen the inside of this thing, "vintage value" is the last concept that would come to mind. Though the skin is in great shape, the interior is a total loss, the door appearing to have been propped open to the Pacific northwest elements for decades.

Which suited my purposes wonderfully.
I have no plans to attempt a perfect restoration, but rather a reinterpretation of the Airstream idea. Think Ralph Lauren's re-dos, combined with new hardware. I'm thinking teak and holly flooring like the cabin of a yacht, chrome door handles from commercial walk-in refrigerators, etc. I'm also considering adding a porch light. They're just wonderful looking, and I think we'd make good use of it.

Because of my trailers poor shape my trailer's in -- missing nearly all original furniture, half the bathroom having fallen through the floor somewhere in Minnesota halfway home -- I won't lose any sleep over making really big changes. And, I'll sell the parts in good shape (lights, fixtures, etc.) to help other people stay original in their trailers.

Because I won't be ruining a perfectly restorable example of a vintage trailer, I think everyone wins!

Here's what I've got to clean out first...

[uwe]

Clean out what? You mean they're supposed to look different?

[bredlo]

Originally posted by uwe
Clean out what? You mean they're supposed to look different?

LOL!! Man, you couldn't have even made that joke if you'd actually smelled it in there! I stepped in and my foot went through the floor, so soggy was the blackened wood subfloor. I'm starting to gag just thinking about the cleansing process, but two things come to mind:

This,



and this:

[overlander64]

Greetings Brad!

I'm also considering adding a porch light. They're just wonderful looking, and I think we'd make good use of it.

These were actually options in the early 1960s. The porch light was typically in addition to the "scare light" mounted beside the entry door. The fixture on the trailer is a stainless single-outlet cover with a threaded cover that is unscrewed - - the light is then plugged in and a retainer ring is screwed on to lock the light fixture to the outlet. The outlet on my coach is controlled by a switch next to the window over the kitchen sink. This feature appears to be one that was discontinued around the end of the '68 model year. The photo below is of the installation on my '64 Overlander.



Good luck with your refurbishing projects!

Kevin

[bredlo]

Holy Moses, that's completely wild looking! Thanks so much for posting that, Kevin.

I'd say calling that a really unique look would be a big understatement. Gives me some neat ideas, though. When I said porch light, I think I meant what you're calling a "scare light," in other words the clear, round, white, flush-mounted lens. I've never seen anything like this though, how cool.

[overlander64]

Greetings Brad!

Gives me some neat ideas, though. When I said porch light, I think I meant what you're calling a "scare light," in other words the clear, round, white, flush-mounted lens. I've never seen anything like this though, how cool.

The porch/patio light evidently wasn't a very popular option even in the 1950s/1960s as I believe that there are only half-dozen or so Forum members who have this option on their coaches. I believe that most are like mine where we have both the porch/patio light and the "scare" light. The porch/patio light actually provides more useful illumination for after-dark use of the "patio" area, but either light will draw insects - - it is, or at least, was possible to find "yellow-bug-lights" for the porch/patio light fixture (requires special bulb) that reduced the bug problem.

Kevin