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Pams72 · 11-08-2012, 06:59 PM

We found a 1972 Safari Land Yacht on Craigs List, seemed like a good deal. Looked at it and it apears to be in prety good shape so Pam purchased it and now the work has begun.

I'm David Pams husband and we joined this site for the wealth of knowlege here. I have spent the past two weeks learning about Airstreams, tools problems and jumping in with both feet and a tight budget. I think this will take a year or three but my wife keeps me going and this project is good for me to keep busy in my spare time.
my plan is to use this as a journal of our project. I will post pictures as we go here are a few or alot to start.

Pams72 · 11-08-2012, 07:09 PM

Her are a few more pictures. As you can see in the previous there is some issues with the floor. We are in the process of removing every thing might save some things but plan on our some upgrades.
My gyess is it will need new subfloor, new plumbing, new brakes, maybe axles, new tires wheels, frame work and lots of new tools for me

here are a few more pictures, sorry I know you have seen all this before.
David

rumrunner · 11-08-2012, 07:54 PM

Hi David and Pam, welcome to the forums. As you have already found there is a wealth of good information to be found here -once you separate it from the opinions, rumors, humorous replies and occasional wild a$$ guesses. Does take a little searching. The best advise you will get starting out is to document EVERYTHING. Take lots of pictures (yes we like pictures) and measurements. you will be glad later and probably wish you had done more. Dont throw anything away untill you are very sure it is not salvageable or someone else doesnt want/need it. it is amazing how others will jump all over something you see no use for

.
take it in small bites and keep your sense of humor, this really is a lot of fun.
tim

Aage · 11-08-2012, 08:14 PM

Thanks, and despite having seen some of it before, it's always interesting to me to have another look at it from a different angle.

We all do repairs to our trailers, either by ourselves, with the help of others, or by contracting it out to specialists. In trailers the age of yours and mine, usually most or all of the appliances are more or less shot. What follows to correct that is a series of cold hard shocks to replace them, one at a time, especially the refer.

I think you have the right idea, trying to contain chunks of it one at a time, in order to arrive at a trailer in very good shape that you can keep for years to come.

Please do carry on, and especially, post more pictures and give us the details of how you make out with it all. Above all, do NOT be shy about asking questions. There is very little that we haven't done before.

Thanks!

AldeanFan · 11-08-2012, 08:41 PM

Welcome and congratulations on your Safari, It's a great size, Mine's a '77 and similar layout to yours.

Don't get intimidated by the project and ask lots of questions, there's lots of great information and experienced people here.

Tom Nugler · 11-08-2012, 09:01 PM

Welcome to the Forum and the world of Vintage Airstreams.
Yes, the pics look familiar. Just like the Tradewind I've been rehabing for the last 3 seasons. The last one took 8 but who's counting. They're a labor of love.
I can echo the advice already posted. Take your time, do the work right and she'll last another 40 years.

Good luck on your new adventure,
Tom.

TouringDan · 11-08-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pams72

Her are a few more pictures. As you can see in the previous there is some issues with the floor. We are in the process of removing every thing might save some things but plan on our some upgrades.
My gyess is it will need new subfloor, new plumbing, new brakes, maybe axles, new tires wheels, frame work and lots of new tools for me

here are a few more pictures, sorry I know you have seen all this before.
David

David & Pam

Congrats own your new Safari, that appears to be a great resto candidate, and all the new tools you will be getting. You will also gain lots of knowledge. Like Aage has said, we have seen it all before and somehow figured out how to fix everything, so we are here to help. Please don't apologize for posting photos or asking questions.

The floor does not look that bad to me; I would probably lean toward patching it which I think is pretty easy.

I would plan on redoing all the electrical and plumbing too. I would also install new brakes and axles too.

I might decide to keep the bathroom and cabinets. It would be a lot less work than replacing everything.

Above all, take your time and do lots of planning and research before you act.

Dan

rogerdodger · 11-08-2012, 09:24 PM

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the pics, we love pics.

Pams72 · 11-09-2012, 08:22 AM

thanks every one for you replys. I hope you guys don't mind a few spelling mistakes and run on sentences. I'm not the best typer more of a hunter pecker.
I will have Pam do post on here too, just to get two points of view on this project.

I love pictures so I will definatly be posting a bunch.
again thank you.
David

Pams72 · 11-09-2012, 07:59 PM

Pam and I removed the rest of the kitchen area and the other bed today. Next we will continue and remove the bath area. My parking spot in the garge is gone taken up by the guts of the Safari. Tomorrow I will moe it into a storage area under my house.
A few more photos, I have one showing a bluged and split water pipe, my guess is frozen pipe, shows what can happen. Another is of a sound system we will use, it was found under the bunk, I-pod nano neat find, had rap music on it we will have to change that.
David

cameront120 · 11-09-2012, 08:26 PM

All I found in mine were a bunch of used up joints. The great thing about gutting the trailer is that it makes replacing all that copper plumbing a piece of cake! Look forward to seeing what you do with her!

Pams72 · 11-11-2012, 02:17 PM

we removed the shower to day, we knew it was soft back there, not ure if the leaks are from the rear window the toilet the shower? getting there on gutting. This week hope to get all the plumbing, furnace, tanks and electrics out. Then tackle the floor or other stuff and wait for warmer dryer days. here are a few pics of progress.
David

cameront120 · 11-11-2012, 02:23 PM

The leaks are coming from the back bumper. The interface between the top of the storage compartment and exterior skin is a well known channel for water ingress. A quick search should give you hours of informative reading on the subject.

surfpod · 11-11-2012, 03:42 PM

Congratulations on your AS purchase! I have a 1976 Safari and think it's a great size. She was born in California and spent time in the Mohave Desert. I see you have some rust in the rear. Sort of a lousy design, unfortunately, but important to correct. I got rid of the rear compartment attached to the bumper so that water would not come back in. Hopefully, it will work. I also sealed my plywood with epoxy and oil urethane as I believe Airstreams will always leak, at least, a little. Best of luck on your project! Take many, many pictures. Invaluable for reference.

Aage · 11-11-2012, 04:14 PM

Cameron and surfpod are right, but there's another common leak that could have added to your problem; the two plumbing vents that we see in on of your photos. Get a ladder and have a look at where they pierce the roof.

They are supposed to be carefully caulked, but it appears that on some trailers, in only a few years they can allow water to run down the outside of the pipe to the floor.

Well worth a close look...

Pams72 · 11-12-2012, 10:45 AM

thanks for all the input. I will check the drain vents and will most likely change the rear bumper arangement. Still have to get the furnace, waterheater, toilet tank and electrical out but we are making progress slowly. Hoping for a mild winter

David

Pams72 · 11-12-2012, 11:00 AM

I am posting a few more pics.

one other thing noticed was there was constant water pooled on the sink area behind the faucet. Maybe rear window?

tphan · 11-12-2012, 11:41 AM

Welcome to the club! As another '72 owner, your pics bring back a LOT of memories of all the fun surprises and challenges that appear while gutting the trailer. If you want, PM me about my thread on an Overlander re-do. You'll see what you have in store for yourselves...(mostly fun) -tim

Becky B. · 11-12-2012, 12:25 PM

Your pooling is more likely a plumbing vent on the roof or the rear running lights. They run down the rounded sides for a loooonnng way. Unless your window looks to be gaping, I'd check those two things first. (and a spray down with a hose tells you a lot about where your leaks are coming from) Good luck with your project! Looks like you're in it with both feet!

Pams72 · 11-17-2012, 09:07 AM

well we're still working at our project having a bit od difficulty removing water heater. Hope to have every thing out this weekend. I have documented every thing with pictures for future reffrence.
The frame holding the back bumper is very rusted, I taped a few rust scale areas with a hammer and big chunks just fall away. I noticed is rear cross frame member rusted away. It appears the frame holding the bumper is bad starting at the end of the shell, forward of that is just surface rust. I see now how the bad design created the problem at the bumper.
Well from here on we will be keep plugging away through out the winter. I will update with most likly lots of questions.
Thanks,
David