From: Jan_Gareth1 (Original Message) Sent: 02/06/2004 17:31
hi my name is janice and my husband is called Gareth.
we bought a 1979 safari last year and dont know very much about them.
this is our first caravan she is lovely,but is missing 3 glasses and the shade for the outside light.
can anyone help us with this.
As for where we are going this year we havent decided yet we will let you all know.
we are in the highlands of Scotland and usually dont go far so if anyone is coming this way let us know.wherever we go people like to come and see the safari.
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Recommend Message 2 of 13 in Discussion
From: Brian Sent: 02/06/2004 22:45
Hi Jan and Gareth, you are most welcome to the group. As to knowing much about Safaris, one of the purposes of this group is that we can all learn a bit more about them from one another. The one thing we all have in common is an enthusiasm for our own Safari!
Any chance you could let me know the serial number of your Safari, I am trying to create a register of all survivors.
Please don't start me off on the subject of glasses - I have acquired one set of six, plus four of another shape and five of a third. I display four of each in my cabinet, but I have seen two other shapes and sizes, and believe there are another two shapes out there. It seems Safari bought whatever was available and had them engraved. They are becoming a bit of an obsession with me!
With regard to your location we have now covered all parts of the UK, from Cornwall to Kent, Norfolk to South and North Wales, Up the East Coast to Berwick and now the South and the North of Scotland. We have overseas members in California and Holland! I don't think we could ever get them all together!
The other Gareth even works for the original manufacturers and is a great help to all on technical issues.
Please keep posting to the messages and if you can, join us in the Chat that takes place on Sunday nights at about 9.00pm.
Cheers
Brian Miller
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Recommend Message 3 of 13 in Discussion
From: Jan_Gareth1 Sent: 07/06/2004 18:28
Hi Brian,Thanks for speedy reply.our safari is a 12/2 can you tell me what the 12 means is it the length? Sorry to bring up the subject of glasses but I have two sizes which are shaped like brandy glasses but some are missing.I would like to complete the set .Where did you acquire yours? Are hand books available?(for the caravan not the glasses )
The serial number is 79266 which I think first 2 numbers are the year it was made.she was serviced last week and is in very good condition for age but the zig board no longer charges the battery.And we have been told you can no longer get that size of zig so we have now to figure out how to charge batt.although I dont think we have used batt. yet.We also need a shade for awning light any ideas
We are off to gairloch this weekend which is not far but beautiful.
Shall also try to persuade Gareth to take some photos to post onto site.
It is strange to see the other safaris` As when we bought ours we did not realise she was as old or so special.we have only seen 2 others both 4berth.How long have you had yours?
speak soon jan
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Recommend Message 4 of 13 in Discussion
From: Brian Sent: 07/06/2004 23:17
Jan & Gareth
The 12 does refer to the body length of your Safari. There have been (at various times, 14ft, 15ft and 17 ft models.
With regard to glasses I am going to take some photos of mine so we can create a total library of glasses fitted to our caravans, I bought a full set from a caravan breakers and then got two partial sets from a member of the group.
I have a photocopy of a handbook that I could duplicate for you but getting hold of an original is a different matter.
As you say the 79 is the year of manufacture. I don't have a zig charger, but it is possible that another member may be able to help with your charging problem. I use a car battery charger as soon as I get to a mains supply if I am using the battery for any length of time.
There are several Safaris being broken at the moment and one of them may have the awning light glass you need.
Like you I am astonished at the number of Safaris still in use, 24 years after the last ones were built. Just goes to show how well they were made in the first place. I got my Safari in March 2003, and only saw two other in the first six months I owned it. We now have 42 members 36 of whom own a Safari, and I know of about a dozen more.
Looking forward to seeing the pics of yours.
Keep in touch
Brian Miller
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Recommend Message 5 of 13 in Discussion
From: Jan_Gareth1 Sent: 09/06/2004 14:01
Hi Brian
Have contacted breakers they are investigating awning light and zig but have no glasses.Thanks for tip.
I will ask Gareth to take some photos of safari and glasses to put in the gallery.
I have had a look at your album, The car is very nice I have never seen a volvo of that model or look so good. Did you paint the stripe blue to match car or was it that colour.Ours is brown and the other two I have seen in real life were also brown. We have the same curtains as you, so do you think they will be original? We have scatter cushions to match.Did they come with cutlery and crockery? Do you know what it was like.
Our first trip this year is this weekend hopefully we will get faster at packing as it seems to take us ages.
thanks again Brian shall speak soon
Jan
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Recommend Message 6 of 13 in Discussion
From: Brian Sent: 09/06/2004 16:08
Jan
Thanks for the complements regarding my car - they are not that uncommon, perhaps none of them made it as far north as you are!
I have to admit that the blue stripe on my Safari is done electronically, until I can spare it for the respray! Mine is brown like most of them, but there was a trend in the 70s/80's to respray the stripe to match your car and I have seen a couple of vans with other colours where this was done.
I am sure the curtains are original, the pattern matches that seen in road tests of Safaris.
I have heard a rumour about Safari crockery but never seen any, but nothing about cutlery. Anybody know any different? I have made contact with a current member of the Safari Owners Club who thinks that a lot of their members may have odd bits and pieces of SafariWare.
I am away in mine this Friday night, I have a classic car event on Saturday.
Enjoy your weekend.
Brian Miller
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Recommend Message 7 of 13 in Discussion
From: Fleur Sent: 10/06/2004 14:28
As far as I am aware, virtually everything on the safari12/2 1978 we are inheritng is original, glasses, documentation etc, so this could prove to be a useful source of information. My parents have only replaced the original gold carpet as they didn't like it, and it was getting shabby.The crockery is olive green melaware, they use something they prefer but had the good sense to keep the original. I remember that in the 60's brown was the standard stripe, but spraying it to match the car was common practise. Ours is now blue, to match Dad;'s car, and will probably become dark red to match the freelander eventually. The caravan club used to stage a rally that involved night stages, forest , time trials and specialist manoevures, just like the RAC rally. The Safari was a poular choice to race with. Perhaps someone should challenge Clarkson ( who I think is great) to put his money where his mouth is re caravans and see if he can rally with a van on the back?....
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Recommend Message 8 of 13 in Discussion
From: Brian Sent: 10/06/2004 22:32
Jan & Gareth
What I was really looking for was Safari branded crockery or cutlery. Mine has a couple of olive green melamine plates so perhaps these are the originals.
I like the idea of a caravan rally, but I don't suppose the great Jeremy would take part, he doesn't like to be beaten!
Cheers
Brian Miller
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Recommend Message 9 of 13 in Discussion
From: BrightHawaiianSunrise Sent: 10/06/2004 23:26
I am sorry to be a pain, but i have tried several times to delete my pics
and instal ones of the completed project...but as i did not originally paste
them the page will not grant me access to replace them, can you delete them
please that i may paste in some new ones, sorry to be a pain...Martin..Wales
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Recommend Message 10 of 13 in Discussion
From: Fleur Sent: 11/06/2004 12:25
Olive green melamine were the originals. I can remember them being in use then.Only the glasses had safari on them. I'll check back with Mum, but feel sure this was the case.
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Recommend Message 11 of 13 in Discussion
From: Jan_Gareth1 Sent: 14/06/2004 15:41
Thanks for info on crockery.
Could someone with original crockery please put a picture on site so I can see what it was like.I have brown crockery so perhaps mine has been replaced.
I have scatter cushions to match the curtains which are original and are also brown so hoped the crockery was original too.
We dont have any documents so would love to have a copy of anything relevent and hand book which Gareth could read and hopefully stop asking me questions on stuff I know nothing about.
We have taken some pics of glasses and will put them on a new album or at least Gareth will as my skills dont stretch to this yet.
As for rallying I cant imagine racing with a caravan but Gareth likes trying to park safari in small spacesand he usually has an audience.
Our first weekend away was successful and we learned we were nor using zig correctly.As I said we are real novices.
all tips gratefully received. Hope you are all well, talk soon
Jan
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Recommend Message 12 of 13 in Discussion
From: Fleur Sent: 14/06/2004 16:57
If your crockery is melamine, chances are it could well be original, as brown, green and orange were big in the 60s and 70s.. I will check but Mum and Dad are in Malta.
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Recommend Message 13 of 13 in Discussion
From: Brian Sent: 14/06/2004 20:26
Jan & Gareth
There is a website for caravanners with over 700 members willing to help beginners. You need to register a user name at:
www.touringandtenting.com Don't be shy at telling them you are new to caravanning. Most of them have modern caravans but I have posed a couple of questions about my Safari and had replies in hours.
Brian Miller