1970 Airstream Safari

[nyrabbit]

Single axle, 23 ft, 3200 lbs.,new tires, all original, everything works fine. Has a 4 burner stove with oven, Microwave, coffee maker, toaster, TV, VCR, large- 2 way refrigerator, roof AC, front booth dinning with table extension, sleeps 2 there, rear bedroom 2 more there, with bath and shower, awning, two 32 lb full Propane tanks, spare tire, 2 way hot water heater. Has everything needed for towing including equalizer bars, stabilizer bar, head for towing receiver. All needed would be the tow vehicle. Selling due to health reasons. $8,300.00 or best offer.

[Zeppelinium]

3200# must be a typo. It's got to be at least 5200#.

when you say "rear bedroom" do you mean that this is a center bath model?

anyone nearby who can post an independent inspection?

[azflycaster]

Dry weight of a 70 twin Safari with bath on the side is listed at 3500 lbs.
http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p.../weights-1.pdf

[rideair]

It's my guess the model is "Safari Special". Has a side rear bath(driverside) with a double pullout bed on the passengers side. Mine has a small sink between the bath and the bed, some have the sink in the bath area. Not a real common model. Has the space saving rear like a Globetrotter of the year, with the feel of a 25-27 footer in front. If you were sitting in the front with the divider closed you would think the trailer was a 25-27 footer. If you're in the rear with it closed, you'd think you were in a Globetrotter. Most of the 69-70 Safari's had the full rear bath that takes up a bunch of room. This model does not. If you are looking for someting a little different, it's the one to get. It was the largest single axle thay made of that era. What's funny, Airstream has brought that floor plan back in the past couple years. You will also find the 1970 still has "real wood". The bottom cabinets are like those found in a 67/68/69 with a plastic latches. The top bins are tambor except for the front(has locker style). In 1971 they went to tambor top and bottom.

Paul Waddell
WBCCI/VAC/WDCU 1270

1970 Safari Special
1966 Safari
1966 Overlander

[Zeppelinium]

Excelllent! I stand corrected (and dumbfounded).

I'm just having a lot of trouble imagining that a 1970 23' trailer could be so light compared to my 1971 18' Caravel, which had an original axle rated at 4,000# and a total weight of 4,300#. The only earlier trailer that I am familiar with is a Bambi II.

Is the cross section of trailers before 1971 smaller or is there something else that makes them so light? I thought I would have noticed an overall smaller shell--I've looked at the outsides of many 60s models. Or maybe the frame is that much lighter?!!

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by Zeppelinium

Excelllent! I stand corrected (and dumbfounded).

I'm just having a lot of trouble imagining that a 1970 23' trailer could be so light compared to my 1971 18' Caravel, which had an original axle rated at 4,000# and a total weight of 4,300#. The only earlier trailer that I am familiar with is a Bambi II.

Is the cross section of trailers before 1971 smaller or is there something else that makes them so light? I thought I would have noticed an overall smaller shell--I've looked at the outsides of many 60s models. Or maybe the frame is that much lighter?!!

Zep,
The axel rating is more then the true weight of the trailer. Your 71 Caravel has a listed dry weight of 3290 lbs.

[Zeppelinium]

Trailer weight 4140# (includes 28 gal of water, food, other normal stock)
Tongue weight 420#

With a trailer axle weight of 3720 lbs, the sprung weight on the torsion axle is about 3550 lbs (subtract two wheels, tires, drums, brake plates and 1/2 the swing arms and spindles).

Azflycaster,

Wow, only 210 lbs for 33% more living length! Even considering that the end caps are where a lot of the weight is, I would have estimated the additional 5' to add 685 lbs. They must have used that special alumahelium. Where do you find the original weights? I'd like to check on my Overlander and Excella. I partially based my estimate on the Safari on an assumption that my 27' Overlander is about 6,000 lbs (dry).

The above is from one of my posts on the "new axis axle" thread. If I removed all the baggage, food, and water to get my Caravel back to its current dry weight, it would be about 3,800 lbs. That's 510 lbs more than the original weight you quote. I'm certain that I didn't add that much when I did my remodel.

There was some indication that the fridge I replaced had been previously replaced by the PO, but other than that it seemed pretty much stock when I got it. I estimate I added 75 lbs for the countertop and drawers, 20 for the microwave, and 60 for the second battery. But I replaced the Univolt with an Intelipower, so that's got to be minus 30 lbs.

Even if I added in the 5 sheets of 1/2" plywood for the new furnishings and didn't subtract anything for all the original furnishings that I removed (folding sofa/bed, table, bench seats, kitchen counter), I'm still missing 200 lbs. This is a lot, when you consider that's 4 each 50-lb backpacks, which are big like duffel bags. Totally mystified here.

Guess I'll start weighing everything in my next remodel. One good thing, I'm going to reduce the axle spec to 3700 lbs for the new one.