I saw the same thing on my '55 Bubble. I had to completely rewire it with two 30 amp breakers. I removed the LP system entirely and depend on Microwave for inside cooking and a Coleman stove to cook outside. The LP system was so poor that I couldn't have slept at night for fear of waking up
dead. The sink and ice box (not refrig) drains dumped straight out the bottom (the parks aren't too happy about that) and although mine had no toilet, there were provisions for one - a hole in the floor. I now have a chemical port-a-potty in the fwd closet. Tom Howarth is right about the older trailers being pretty crude. We are restoring ours very nicely, but will still use it like a luxury "tent on wheels".
John Brunken

-----Original Message-----
From: How8553911@aol.com
To: airstream@airstream.net
Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: [airstream] Remodeling versus Remuddling
 

>Tom,
>
>I agree that the vintage units that are original appear beautiful and are
>desirable, however there is also a serious downside. That is that the
>original trailers from the early '50's and earlier are actually rather unsafe
>in terms of electrical layout, poor plumbing arrangements and lack of proper
>LP systems. The trailers were also not truly self-contained in the sense that
>most folks expect.
>
>For instance, the wiring on these trailers did not have DC capabilities and
>the AC wiring had only 2 conductors, thus many folks have received electrical
>shocks when they touched their trailer. There also was no holding tanks in
>these trailers, folks would simply place a bucket under the toilet opening and
>then dump the bucket in the AM!
>
>So, like you I do enjoy seeing these original trailers but would not own one
>without significant systems alterations.
>
>Tom Howarth
>'53 Airstream Flying Cloud