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tonupjonnie · 05-26-2021, 01:24 PM

Picked up my new 1966 Safari yesterday. Very happy with it, can't wait to get stuck in! Original interior with a good solid floor and working appliances. I have a question regarding the TV hook up. It has an old 6 round pin connector which actually has 7 wires going to it. Is it best to buy a new 7 spade connector and harness and replace the old connector and wires. Also where does the harness enter the trailer on a '66, it starts off by entering the tongue frame. Many thanks, more pictures to follow.

dbj216 · 05-26-2021, 07:19 PM

Welcome to the vintage Airstream hobby. A 66 Safari is a nice find. I had a 66 Trade Wind 24' which was one model size longer than your Safari 22'.

I installed a new 7 pin umbilical cord on my Trade Wind. It is a job to get done. Airstream in their wisdom made the connection under the trailer and nested in the A frame. There may, or may not be, an access aluminum panel under there. Or you need to remove the front section of belly pan.

Wire color convention has changed through the years. What the new umbilical cord says ain't what Airstream did. So you need to test and find exactly what each wire does under there. Lets see, yellow is brakes, green is left turn signal, and on.

Here is a photo of the connection point under my Trade Wind. The blue tape is me labeling each wire. And here is a wiring diagram from my Trade Wind owners manual. It may help you.

David

centennialman · 05-27-2021, 08:01 AM

When I owned a '66, my Dad and I replaced the umbilical and updated the wiring. As you face the trailer from the front, the access panel was under the trailer, behind the tongue to the left. Also, they used aluminum wiring in that era and you may want to read up on the "how to's" for working on your entire trailer when it comes to electrical work

mimiandrews · 05-27-2021, 09:38 AM

My '66 Safari has a small access panel just behind the curbside leg of the A-frame. The umbilical cord wiring connects to the trailer wiring at that point. I changed mine to a 7-pin because I had several failures of the converters I was using to connect the old plug to my truck.

I agree with what has been said above that it is necessary to identify each wire. Color codes have changed. Use a meter to identify the 12v. line and the ground. Label and isolate those. Then power each of the other wires from a 12v. source and see what happens. Lights are obvious, and you should be able to hear the brakes engage.

Also, I find 7-pin connector wiring confusing because you're always dealing with a mirror image of something, and I'm not good at that kind of thinking. E-trailer.com has a good picture of both ends of a 7-pin on their website. I find it best to work with a printout of that close at hand and a helper to keep me doing things right.