1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 5. Propane

The location I chose for the double 20lb vertical propane tanks' new home is under the bathroom sink. I know, that's normally where you find cleanser and a toilet plunger and the occasional bowl that is meant to catch water from a leaky trap until you get around to fixing it someday, but because "we're in a tight spot" I figured I'd put propane under there instead.

You may have noticed on other Travel Queens, like the 10.5 footers that stick out past the truck beds, the propane door is right behind the bumper on one side and seems to take up the entire distance of the camper length between the end of the truck bed and the end of the camper. That is an odd look to my eye. For me it isn't aesthetically pleasing. And I'm sure you all agree how important fungsway is ;) Here's a photo of what I'm talking about.




If the propane door looked big on here, it was sure to look giant on here, the right rear corner...


The upper edge would be above the bottom of the dinette window line and I just don't think it would look right. I don't want to try and retain the character of this camper while also creating strange appearances.

Then there is the issue of maximum available space for a rough opening. You can't just take the door to the back wall of the camper without affecting corner structural integrity, something for which I've already preached quite loudly about and something for which this camper will be gaining over and above what was provided by the factory. So the door width, at least, had to be reduced.

And the door height needed to reduce because of the window line (visual) not to mention the camper side wall existing build pretty much demanded a shorter height to the door. Here's what I mean...


The 1x8 board shown above runs the camper box length and lies just under the dinette window, making up the lower edge of that window's rough opening. Without cutting the propane door down some I'd have to cut all the way through that board and place a header board above it. I didn't want to negatively affect the wall stringer strength that way. I figured I wanted to retain at least the top 1.5" of the 1x8. That's where you'll find the top pencil mark. The right pencil mark represents the inside surface of the bathroom wall, the maximum forward location point for both the tanks, and the door rough opening.

On the bottom, there was a 1x2 inside the wall that is removed in this picture. It coincides on the camper interior with a 2x2 stringer that runs the full 8.5' length of the camper box and acts as the fastening strip for both the camper sidewall and the outer wing edge. In other words, the 2x2 is an important structural element, so I wanted the bottom of the propane door to be no lower than the top of that 2x2. Originally the factory install CUT THROUGH the left front 2x2 and rested the metal propane tank box on the wing. The entire fastening and structural integrity of that spot on the camper was removed by the factory! I didn't like that, nor it's 45+ years appearance now. It was quite a weak spot.

So that left the left edge of the rough opening to figure. I next had to design in my head (and a little on paper to help my wild thoughts gain traction) the design of the new camper corner reinforcements. I now have that figured out - I think - and that's a post for another day, but suffice to say here that I needed at least 2.5" of outside corner surface and 1.5" of inside corner surface, plus a distance that would allow a pleasing look between the camper corner bracket and the aluminum frame of the propane door (for some siding), and with that combination I could determine my maximum available rough opening figures.

Now with maximum available rough opening measurements in hand I measured the rough opening of the existing donor door, and compared the differences together on paper in columns. Next I took all the other measurements of the existing door: frame physical size, frame opening for tank removal, etc. and put those down on paper. Then I determined the difference from existing to preferred rough opening and used that same difference to compute all the other numbers for the new measurements of the not yet existing door.

The important numbers to know at this point were the height and width available for pulling one or both tanks out of. Would there be room?

I strategically placed two propane tanks side by side in a simulated cabinet setting, complete with a lower sitting position 1.5" below the 2x2 stringer causing higher rough opening door, and proceeded to tilt and remove said tanks through a space equal to my new figures. It can be done - by tilting the top down and out and lifting the tank, and then doing the same with the rear tank by tilting a little forward as well, but only with the front tank removed. And both tanks need to do this while clearing bathroom sink drain plumbing runs. It worked, and with a little bit of space to spare!

Next step was to use my figures on paper to rebuild the aluminum propane compartment door and frame.

I had quickly examined in past the propane door frame of the one that came on Lil' Queeny. It used screws and looked easy to disassemble and cut new 45 degree angles and reassemble, so I didn't look quite as close at the donor door. I assumed it was the same. It was not. This door had corner connectors that were stamped into position and upon examination I was fearful I couldn't rebuild it.

So I looked online. In general I was dissatisfied with what I found, both in exorbitant costs and available sizes. I called a local tin shop to see if they could build me one. The couldn't because they didn't have the right type of extruded aluminum for the frame. He recommended an RV shop.

I wasn't quite ready to waste a day running research so I went back to the garage and reexamined my donor door. You know, I think I can do it. So I made my marks, cut the new corners on the table saw with a metal cutting blade, cleaned up the burrs with a utility knife and file, removed the old corner brackets and cleaned them up, and reassembled it all. And as they say, the rest is pictures!

Original donor door


Two corners cut out to the new dimensions


A removed corner with stamped corner retainers


Freeing the corner brackets for reuse


Prior to cleanup






Cleaned up








Now to cut down the door to fit the new frame size


Door disassembled


Existing assembly holes to copy at the newly cut ends




New frame in frame. The board is used to show the two separate frames




I'll get new louvered metal for both this door, and the previous propane compartment door - which will now become the lower fridge vent on the other side - when I come to the window and door installation stage. That's also when I'll do the required aluminum frame cleanup to make them all look pretty and presentable.

But for now, I had a new access door (and those all important rough opening numbers) and that meant I could proceed with the structural rebuild.

Nice mod Dave. Have you thought about the propane cabinet construction yet? Vic

Thanks vic. Yes I have a plan. It will probably show up in this thread soon. But for now go here to return to a few more steps on structure and wood replacement, and the new Jacks & Tiedowns thread.

And you said you didn't do metal work . :B Nice job .

Thank you ticki2. It is quite pleasurable for me to do the smaller task jobs I might call tinkering. Even if I'm more comfortable with wood than metal, to me it's just tinkering to cut 45s on small pieces of extruded aluminum. And it's especially enjoyable to tinker if you're warm and dry and in no particular hurry and you have the right space and tools and they don't play some stupid song or too many commercials on the radio.

I've often wondered how some people do such intense rebuild projects, like a classic car for example. It just dawned on me - that's what I'm doing, but I've broken it down in my head to "the next logical small task". The tinkering thing!

Completion of building the propane compartment door opening and framing in the outer shell of the camper is found here in the "Structure and New Wood" thread.

Structural build for the propane compartment continues here.

During the period of time I was working on installing the left side camper wing assembly, I began work on the inside of the refrigerator cabinet. Part of that consists of building out the inside of the walls to fit the physical dimensions of the fridge.

On one side (the left or camper's rearward side while facing the fridge) the inside of the fridge cabinet shares space with supply/utilities lines to the upper cabinets along both sides of the camper, and through the ceiling archway. In those areas we'll see 12V wiring, 110V wiring and the subject of today's post, the propane line feeding the dinette light fixture.

In removing the propane tank compartment from the left front of the camper, I also removed all the propane lines, all except the 1/4" run from very near the original propane tank compartment, up the inside of the fridge cabinet, through a hole in the top into the left side upper wall storage cabinet. From there it enters the ceiling archway and into the middle of the right side overhead cabinet, where it rounds into the light fixture on the cabinet face.

We have two fixtures, as both campers had not only their original lights, but what appears to be their original globes! In looking over both fixtures, we kind of like the one that came with Lil' Queeny, the one with the base mount that has a bit of curve to it, shown here on the left in the first photo.



And a top view, this time with the fixture in the foreground.



After quite a bit of thought and entertaining several different plans, I pretty much realized I had to either replace the existing line, or get it to stretch to a connection on the outside of the camper under the wing. Originally it had reached to just inside the camper, right above the wing surface, where it connected to the main 3/8" line coming out of the propane compartment before it continued to the range and heater, both inside the galley cabinet.

Whenever possible, I like to have the propane joints on the outside of the camper. Not only does that remove a potential leak from the interior, but it will usually offer a much easier location for checking connections anytime in the future.

Now, with the propane tank compartment at the far corner of the camper (right rear), I'll need to run a line from there, under the right wing, enter the under cabinet locations of the cab-over step, then back outside under the left wing, connect to the light fixture line and refrigerator, then continue back to feed the range, water heater and space heater.

So starting at the light fixture location I carefully straightened and bent the original line to create good installation while extending its length where possible.















And why that spot under the wing? Under the wing is where the Saf-T-Jacks steel grid will mount. Whether or not I use the original Saf-T-Jacks, I will at least take advantage of the grid system in that I'll build an adapter for my portable side jacks that use male pipes for the grid's female pipes. That will cause the jacks to lift the grids and avoid damaging the outer, lower camper edge.

You can see from the next photo that the hole in the wing for the light fixture line should enter between probably 4-9" outboard from the inner edge of the wing. After also looking close at the truck bed I chose 8".



I also verified my front to back location (forced by the fridge cabinet wall) so I wouldn't be interfering with a jack grid cross arm.

And here's how much extra line I was able to stretch out.



There is debate on the safety of propane light use inside a camper. Personally, I'm unconcerned, but I tend to make sure all connections and functions on such things are working in top condition before using them. I guess maybe many people don't. I don't see any difference between using the light and using the stove top, or a catalytic heater for that matter. In all cases you just have to use your head in providing proper ventilation - an entrance and exit for fresh and expired air - and safety devices such as CO2 and Oxygen depletion detectors don't hurt either.

And really, it's pretty hard to not include the original propane dinette light when trying to increase character points on a vintage camper rebuild, even if it only gets used during expos.

Dave Pete wrote:

Something you might want to consider when choosing which light to use . I also have a gas lamp but the globe has straight sides . I found that the replacement globes , similar to the one on the left , did not fit the mounting . The one I have is no longer made . If you have an RV dealer near you should check if the new replacements fit your old lamps . I suspect at least the one on the left will fit as it is similar shape . See if the two you have are interchangeable

That's interesting. I'll have to check. I think I'll also check Amazon as they tend to list sizes in their products (various Amazon sellers). So I measured mine at your suggestion, outside rim diameter of one globe 3 1/8" the other 3 3/8" and BOTH fit either fixture, but there's an obvious difference in ease. Good to know! Thanks for the suggestion.