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Post by Koala on Aug 3, 2012 21:18:05 GMT 10
Had a great day out today with a trip to Cooma to pickup a Franklin Freeway 15'6" long X 7'6" wide. 750kg tare weight. Don't know what year it is but the number is 298-9. Removed the stove and no numbers on the back and a plate at the back of the grill area is damaged and unreadable. I may need to jump to the other side of the 70's fence if someone can date the van correctly. Apparently the van was still with the original owner untill early 2011 untill purchased as part payment for a job by the 2nd owner who I purchased it from. It was advertised on Gumtree but not so that a VV enthusiast would find it easily. Apparently others had tried to purchase the van but had been rejected as unsuitable owners and it only became available due to illness. The condition of the van is remarkable as it has always been stored undercover. Some features; Original Franklin Warranty paperwork, Hallstrom 240 volt/gas fridge installation instructions and warranty, original Flavel gas `Popular' Deluxe Cooker installation instructions and operating instructions........none of which have dates on them  New tyres and everything works as it left the factory, all rubbers are original and still pliable, in fact the van is ready to be used as is with no work needed and best of all NO ROT ANYWHERE ;D ;D         I used a NSW unregistered vehicle permit to move it to Canberra only needing one clearance light globe replacement to pass the safety check. Overall most things are original except for some timber flooring and a couple of light lens over the beds are missing. The owner was quite distressed to see the van go and asked me to keep in touch which I will do. He has moved to Canberra to be closer to his medical treatment so it shouldn't be too hard to pick him up for a few car shows etc. So a good day overall!!! ;D   Oh, and the mechanical clock works as well!! tick tick tick Why Freda? well Judy says that Aretha (Franklin)would be too hard to say after a few drinks:)) Koala |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Aug 3, 2012 21:38:07 GMT 10
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Post by Koala on Aug 3, 2012 21:57:24 GMT 10
Hi Geoff & Jude Well it is like this, the van came along so quickly that I haven't made any plans for the future. Daughter Sarah does not want us to sell the teardrop and it is a good talking point at car shows so we may keep it unless we get a good offer. Maybe Cobber will want it for his second honeymoon.  ;D ;D Need to find some stronger coil springs for the back of the Buick and maybe a stronger tow bar before we travel too far. Our other car will tow it but is a bit light and underpowered for the mountains from the coast. Koala |
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Post by Roehm3108 on Aug 3, 2012 22:06:21 GMT 10
What a lovely pickup KK! You won't know what to do with all that space you've gained, compared to D Duck!! I've even noticed the difference going from the Propert to the Rowvan.
Have fun with it!!
Ray
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Post by cobber on Aug 4, 2012 8:48:52 GMT 10
G'day Ken, Very nice pick up, looks like all you have to do to it is .......... use it  Al the Franklin man will have to confirm this but.....I reckon this duck was born in 1969 so you're in the right place Some blokes are really lucky you know, people look for over a year to find the caravan they want and others, like you, come across a gem almost as soon as they start looking..... what's the secret.....how did you do it ? Single beds mate.... you sure that's a good idea?  Cobber. |
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 4, 2012 18:48:48 GMT 10
G'day Ken, Well this would have to be one of the best examples of a Freeway that I've seen. Lucky you!  Cobber is on the money with the year of 1969 for your chassis number. He's obviously been paying attention in class. ;D The last digit of 9 after the hyphen is the key to your year. 9 = 1969 Congratulations on a great find. cheers, Al. |
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Post by Koala on Aug 4, 2012 20:36:26 GMT 10
Thank you for the confirmation that our van is a 1969 model Franklin Freeway. Today I didn't get to do much to the van due to other commitments but I did notice that the tow coupling is a original Franklin unit and is without provision for a park brake.    Serial number welded on draw bar. Maybe you can tell tell me where the Freeway fell in the model lineup............just so i know when we go travelling whether I should be parking by the sewerage plant or in the front row ;D ;D I noticed something strange, there is a metal lined box under the sink and it looks the be original........can't figure out a use for it. Koala |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2012 21:55:55 GMT 10
Hi Koala,
Your Freeway was top of the range with wrap around windows,display cupboard over the kitchen,soap cupd under the sink,holland blinds,pantry beside the door,bedlights,towel rail and lift up vanity on bedside cupd.
btw,the lined cupboard is a bread cupboard!
Lovely van.
Cheers
hughdeani
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 4, 2012 22:13:15 GMT 10
Yeah, Ken, this van certainly doesn't go down the back of the caravan park where the chook pen is, that's for sure. Not all of them got the gold anodised trim on the van, so I think there must have been a run of "specials" from time to time.
The first three numbers on your chassis number are the consecutive numbers of chassis built before yours, so you have the 298th chassis built for 1969. On the basis that Franklin were building about, say, 5000 vans that year, yours would be very early in the year, probably in January.
Franklin seemed to have "missed out" on designing a handbrake lever for their vans. I've seen a couple from around 1975 that have an additional lever that locks the brakes on when parked up, but most seem to not get that bit. Some people tell me it's not a good idea to have these hydraulic brakes in the "on" position all the time, so maybe that's why no park brake was incorporated in the coupling. Most owners I know of just use blocks either side of the wheel(s) to keep the van in position.
cheers,
Al.
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Post by Jennison on Aug 5, 2012 19:35:24 GMT 10
Gunna bring it to Tathra Ken?
jenno
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Post by Koala on Aug 21, 2012 20:12:10 GMT 10
It looks like Freda the Franklin will be at Tathra as the new electric brake kit arrived at 7:30 tonight. Have been scratching around today (as blokes do) and tidied up the wiring and a bit of paint. Replaced the gas pipe from the cylinders as it had been hammered by rocks thrown up from the tow car over the years. Can't really see what I have been spending my time on, just fiddling around fixing window catches, oven door and replacing the Hallstrom fridge door seal so that I can have cold beer. Ordered the door seal from www.doorseal.com.au/ to measure. Great service and it arrived in a couple of days and was easy to fit. Koala |
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Post by Koala on Aug 24, 2012 18:36:25 GMT 10
Went through the process today to have the Franklin inspected for registration in the ACT. Was relatively painless except for some concern about what the GVM should be so they allocated 1200kg as a good number. With a 750kg tare I have 450kg to stock up with lifes essentials. I felt inspired so took the original Hallstrom fridge out to enable me to run some wires behind and found this written on the back;  Now using a bit of licence I would say that the first part of the number is some job number and the bit .3.69 represents when the fridge was installed in March 1969. This would tie in with the chassis number 298-9 being an early build 1969 model. What we don't know is whether 298 represents to total number of Franklins built up to that time or number 298 of 15'6" Franklin Freeways built. Guess I will just have to toss and turn all night now untill i solve this important question. Koala |
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 24, 2012 20:41:30 GMT 10
No need to toss and turn all night, Koala... From all we've learnt so far about the Franklin chassis numbering system, the first chassis each year got #1 and then the 2nd chassis got #2, and so on. No separate numbering for each model. You have the 298th chassis built, and one day you'll come across chassis number 297 or 299 and they'll probably be a different Franklin model...maybe...possibly. Least ya know that fridge is original! cheers, Al. |
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Post by Koala on Jan 28, 2013 16:04:07 GMT 10
It is funny how when working on these old vans one seemingly small job generally follows on to be a much bigger job than anticipated. I started out to replace the front perspex windows which had gone milky over the years. After removing the old windows I discovered that the front window sill had been botched up and was composed of more body filler than wood. So, out comes the whole front interior including seats and interior lining in order to replace the whole window sill. It is quite easy to be destructive and tear everything out but when it comes to putting it all back together it can be more difficult as you are in fact trying to build the van in reverse. Originally they started building from the inside and fitted the external aluminium sheeting last so when restoring I needed to find ways to attach the seats etc from the inside reather than nail from the outside.  Anyway, to cut a long story short I am happy with the outcome and some new laminex on the table sets it off nicely.  We are hoping to take a few months to head west in the Franklin in the new year so I am quite happy to do this work in preparation for that big trip. Koala |
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Post by seeshell on Jan 28, 2013 18:57:17 GMT 10
Hi Koala The transformation with the new bench seats, tabletop and blinds is pretty amazing - but it sure is a shock! Nothing, empty, zilch, then WHAMMO finished and decorated! Looks great. Will you be using the Buick for your trip around the country? Cheers! Seeshell |
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Post by Koala on Jan 28, 2013 19:06:12 GMT 10
Hi Seeshell
I would love to use the Buick to tow the Franklin to the west but I could not keep the petrol up to it. I remember that it cost me $105 to travel Canberra to Gundagai with my 480 kilo teardrop in tow which is about 160klm.
Koala
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Post by Franklin1 on Jan 28, 2013 21:07:49 GMT 10
G'day Ken, Great job on fixing up the front end of the van. Where did you score the laminex from? New? Recycled? That's not a bad colour and pattern for these old vans if you can't find the original stuff. cheers, Al. |
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Post by Koala on Jan 29, 2013 19:46:35 GMT 10
Hi Al
Pleased that you like my carpentry efforts.
I found the laminex at a secondhand building supplies place. I think it is quite nice and suits the van and its color scheme.
Koala
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Post by Koala on Mar 24, 2013 18:18:53 GMT 10
I have had a few busy days painting the Franklin ready to hit the road for a Easter trip to Mudgee. It can be said that I am no panel beater or spray painter but I am reasonably pleased with my efforts. I attempted to repair various small dents using body filler which was only let down by my minimal panel beating skills. Paint stripping revealed the original gold stripe on each side which I had colour matched and then reapplied. As far as I can tell the paint colours and stripes are now as they would have been when new. A big thank you goes to the fellow Franklin owner in Canberra who kindly loaned me his wheel spats which I have copied and fitted as mine were long missing from the van. I have no way of knowing what colour the spats would have been originally so I painted then green as per the ones loaned to me. Before the makeover; After the makeover;  Wife Judy is is happy so that is a bonus!!! |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Mar 24, 2013 18:49:16 GMT 10
hi koala.
it looks pretty good with the new colours.
always good to keep those judys happy too. ;D ;D ;D ;D
geoff 'n jude
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Post by Franklin1 on Mar 24, 2013 20:43:32 GMT 10
G'day koala, The colour of the spats originally matched the colour of the sidestripes, so if you've got any gold paint left over, then...well...you know...some gold spats would set the van off VERY nicely! cheers, Al. |
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foxy
Full Member
Talent is God given. Be thankful. Praise is Man given. Be humble. Conceit is Self given. Be Careful
Posts: 160
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Post by foxy on Apr 7, 2013 16:32:30 GMT 10
Hi Ken
I agree with Al ,the spats should be the same colour as the strip
you'll find "Freda" will look a lot smarter then she does with the green ones
Regards
Foxy
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Post by Koala on Aug 30, 2013 15:01:42 GMT 10
Been fiddling with the Franklin and recovered the seats, a big thanks to a good friend who stayed up all hours at night to do it for me. Very happy with the result.  Also repainted the spats yellow to match the stripe.  And replaced the wood on the step and the worn out aluminium across the doorway.  All ready now for the Museum of the Long Weekend in October and Broken Hill next April. Koala |
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garry
New Member
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Post by garry on Aug 30, 2013 15:32:10 GMT 10
Hey
Awesome looking van. Very inspirational. Well done!
Garry
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Oh, and the mechanical clock works as well!! tick tick tick 
