2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
Yes. Propane. Fire risk? Carbon Monoxide risk? My opinion is worth what you paid for it..[emoji1] If you are doing a historical reconstruction on an Airstream owned by Wally Byam and taken on a caravan... it might be worth using, but if you want a neat vintage unit, the water heater, furnace and split rim wheels... are kind of a bad idea. Several vintage threads I have followed had old refrigerator doors concealing new refrigerators. I like looking at the old units, but would not take on the work to restore one.
I will.cheerfully yield my opinion to anyone who has actually resuscitated one of these beauties.
May the Ford bless you and keep you, Paula Ford
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Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.
Looks like the Bowen water heater in my 62 Overlander. It worked but I replaced it with an Atwood. I'd replace it, It can start leaking at any time, not to mention gas leaks and other issues.
Looks like the Bowen water heater in my 62 Overlander. It worked but I replaced it with an Atwood. I'd replace it, It can start leaking at any time, not to mention gas leaks and other issues.
Yes, definitely part of a Bowen water heater a few years newer than a 1955 Safari, so added later by a previous owner. 1955 Safari's had no water heater originally and the first propane tank style RV water heaters that were developed about 1955 looked different than that Bowen.
__________________ Joe
Wally Byam Caravan Club International Historian
Vintage Airstream Club Historian
WBCCI/VAC #702 & #6768
I agree, it is definitely a Bowen water heater used in many vintage Airstreams. Looks very similar in age (maybe a couple years older) to the one in our former trailer, a 1964 GlobeTrotter. (Pics below) Ours worked great for as long as we owned that trailer, but we sold it about 10 years ago.
Our current trailer, a 1956 Safari, did not have a water heater. Most Safari's were "Park Models - meaning they had no tanks whatsoever. They were intended for use in RV Parks with full-hook-ups only.
We added a ShowerMate M-500 insta-hot style water heater(also see post #400 for clarification) to our Safari during our restoration. I love it - especially because it doesn't add any additional water weight to the front of the trailer where all the tanks are now.
Shari
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Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
My 1956 was a Park Model, it did have a small electric heater under the bed on the drivers side, though no water holding tanks fresh/gray/black.
Shari is 150% correct about what you have, and what she installed. We also went with the ShowerMate and placed it up under the kitchen sink on the passengers side, then used the power-vent to vent out the bottom of the trailer.
Since the drivers side had a dent down the side, the full outer skin was replaced under the windows and there was no way, we were cutting into it for a water heater.
You can use just a standard Atwood low dollar gas only replacement, though I would suggest reusing the outer cover of the old Bowen (many write-ups have been done here on the forums on how to do so). As far as the toilet, I was able to find a very short vintage toilet out of a truck slide-in camper, that was placed on top of a stainless steel holding tank that sat under the toilet base and also had additional storage up under the stove area for a total of about 25 gallons. The kitchen sink water had a slide valve that would either have the water go out the main drain, or be diverted to the holding tank. Everything sat above the floor, so there was no need to figure all that out.
If truth be told I dream of using my evacuated solar collecting tubes as a water heating system.
Have thought about hooking solar collector tubes into the Bowen tank when the Safari is at a camp location.
A small solar pump would circulate water from the Bowen into the solar tubes and insto presto...hot water.
But plumbing is not my forte. Cold on right...right?
Maybe I can recruit my neighbor for some plumbing advice??? He is good!
It really is a straight forward set up. Just need proper pipe sticking out of my Safari... I have a range of holes to pick from with all the 60's vintage connection fittings that were cut into my baby's shell - hahaha ouch
With a couple of hoses and a rack my vacuum jacket tubes could supply loads of really hot water...if the Sun shines! Go Solar!!!
Thanks to Joe for providing me with some history about my Safari.
Here is a picture of what remains of a number that was stenciled onto my Safari. Perhaps a registry # - but not the large number seen on some vintage Airstreams.
This seems to be what is left of a possible #756.
As far as the toilet, I was able to find a very short vintage toilet out of a truck slide-in camper, that was placed on top of a stainless steel holding tank that sat under the toilet base and also had additional storage up under the stove area for a total of about 25 gallons.
Great find! We used a low profile Sealand/Dometic toilet & put it above the above floor tank we had made. (Post #344) Then had to work out the plumbing below...all worked well, but your find Paul, sounds great!
Shari
__________________
Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
Where do you think I got the idea from? I read your build thread, MANY, Many, many times, then worked with Shacksman who built the trailer. Shacksman's the one that said "Paul, there's nothing under the bottom of the stove, we can add additional capacity there and it will allow you to divert the kitchen sink water into it if needed". I think anyone rebuilding a 1954-56 Front Kitchen would be wise to follow in your footsteps. You did a great job, leading edge, but can't tell many of the "upgrades" are not original to the trailer. Only those that really know, would know.
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...for me I like the state park bath houses.
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