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Post by campdog on Jul 11, 2012 22:18:49 GMT 10
Well I would like to introduce you to my newly aquired Teardrop and project. I finally got it home last week after weeks of trying to work out how to get it home. I called it Leo for two reasons.1 because it came from Leopold in Victoria and 2. Because Im a leo and this teardrop resist coming here from the time I paid for it until trying to get it off the trailer.Stubborn as me I think. Well its her now and I have already started stripping it to check out the construction. I was told it was built in the 50s and has faired pretty good I think. There is some water damage on the door side so Im removing that straight away. A new drawbar is needed and glad I didnt try to tow it home. It has a home made drop down axle which I will leave as its part of the vans character along with the galvanised cladding which will go back on. Im happy with the buy so will spend many hours rebuilding as well as on here looking for advice and help sourcing parts. I plan to build in a back kitchen as lift up hatch as well. A new door and windows are on the list as well. Enough of the yapping and I ll post a few photos to show the beginning of this relationship. John The Arrival The tow vehicle Getting aquanted Stripping down Well thats wher Im at now. I plan on removing the drawbar and wheels and axle over the weekend and do up a list of jobs to start with. I didnt buy it to make it look new so Im keeping the same apperance, wheels etc but new guards. The only thing I want to do is add some decent windows and a good entry door, so if anyone has some ideas on where to get hold of some without breaking the bank would be appreciated. I think this is where the water problems started from so want to eliminate them first go, John
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Post by humpyboy on Jul 11, 2012 22:34:26 GMT 10
Hi John, Good felling to have it home hey? will be watching to see how you go with the resto, love your tow car as well, will make a nice pair.
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Post by campdog on Jul 11, 2012 22:51:42 GMT 10
Thanks and yes it was good to get it here in the shed. My FE Van has been sitting in that spot for 11 years so it will be a good combination. Work takes up 6 days a week so not a lot of spare time left to do other things. But Ill put the effort in on this one. John
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Post by humpyboy on Jul 11, 2012 22:57:11 GMT 10
When I get stuck into a new project everything else in life goes on hold till I'm ready to do it ;D
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Post by DC3Td on Jul 12, 2012 16:03:59 GMT 10
Gday Campdog.Interesting score.And what a great tow wagon too. gordon
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Post by greedy53 on Jul 12, 2012 16:24:50 GMT 10
the window I used a rear window from a f100 lucky it also opened ,i have also seen them on gumtree it looked like 100' well a few do a search for caravan windows here is a pic of window good luck
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Post by campdog on Jul 12, 2012 21:57:37 GMT 10
The poor old Holden is scared of caravans. The last time I drove it 11 years ago I towed a caravan home with it and cooked the motor so its been confined to the garage since.
Im sort of assessing the little van at the moment so I can get a list together of the bits I need, Just finding doors and windows may be fun. Im half tempted to make my own wooden ones, but proper made would be nice. I read your thread greedy and impressed with the wat it went together,
John
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Post by urkel1965 on Jul 12, 2012 22:30:31 GMT 10
Hi Campdog, That is a great combo.......the FE should have no problems towing the teardrop around Cheers Steve
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Post by poddydodger on Jul 12, 2012 22:48:53 GMT 10
I'm glad you're replacing the tow bar ......... doesn't look up to the task even with the added strengthening pd
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Post by campdog on Jul 13, 2012 18:19:05 GMT 10
I cant imagine that tow hitch ever being strong enough, held on with 5 bolts. I have decided to remover the shell from the chasis and replace the floor and do some work in the drawbar and spring mountings, got this far so might as well go the whole thing.
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Post by greedy53 on Jul 14, 2012 18:55:24 GMT 10
i tow my little one with the 2 lit kombi with no worries and that's fully loaded with camping stuff you should have no worries
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 9:51:44 GMT 10
The more I dig the bigger the hole is getting. I noticed a bit of moisture and some ants under the the gal claddding so I decided to remove it for a look. Once that was off the floor ply looked a bit sad, so now I have removed the teardrop shell from the camper and left with the chasis, wheels and axle and plt flooring. Just about to check out the axle and subframe but looks like a bir of dry rot as well. Looks like a ground up rebuild. Thought of replacing all the ply and getting rid of the gal cladding all together and ust paint the van. There are some odd sizes so will now be looking for ply. Im glad I have taken it right back to ground level. I will post a couple of photos of th the reamains of the teardrop.
John
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Post by shesgotthelook on Jul 15, 2012 10:28:17 GMT 10
At least you will be able to paint it to match that divine wagon
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 14:22:15 GMT 10
Well I couldnt pull it apart any more. It looked so good under the tin but got a bit worse as I pulled it apart. Not put off as it old and made mostly of wood. Im now at the decion making time. Do I rebuild the chasis by replacing the bad timbmer of make a steel chasis. The timber comstruction is one of the reasons I wanted it. The springs are had it so will be replaced. Im keen to keep the old home made axle and drop down axle even though it is a bit out of square. I like the wheels as well.Without a drop down axle the teardrop would sit too high. The draw bar was a clasic and not sure how it stayed on the teardrop but I suppose it was made with limited resourses. Im also of reskinning the teardrop with new ply as at least that way I can put the door on the otherside and put a decent window in it as well. Would I be able to just resheet over existing ply on the roof as it has a pretty good seal from the weather. Not sure on ply sizes and where to get it from a but that will happen in due time.Im going to start reading a few of the rbuilds on here and get some ideas. Well heres the lates photos from today. Let me know what you think and any ideas on how to go about the rebuild. Thanks fos the input so far. John. This drawbar was a bit crude. I sure would have taken a flogging thats for sure. Glad I didnt go for the 1400 km tod job. Home made drop down axle. Looks solid thats one think I suppose. A bit out of square though.
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Post by DC3Td on Jul 15, 2012 14:54:56 GMT 10
Gday John.You`re doing a great job.Got yourself a blank canvas so to say,to work off. An A frame is easy enough to make/buy.As for the drop down axles which look like 15" fj - maybe cut off the existing ones & fit ones that suit your tow wagon? That way you`ll have matching 14" all around & it`ll bring the height down. Check in our Tech Section for Ply suppliers etc. gordon
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 15:31:52 GMT 10
Gday John.You`re doing a great job.Got yourself a blank canvas so to say,to work off. An A frame is easy enough to make/buy.As for the drop down axles which look like 15" fj - maybe cut off the existing ones & fit ones that suit your tow wagon? That way you`ll have matching 14" all around & it`ll bring the height down. Check in our Tech Section for Ply suppliers etc. gordon Thanks Gordon. I was trinking of seeing if the local mens shed wanted the job of building the frame. I have got the tools so should have a go. As for the axle maybe just scrap it and go for a standars 45mm square and holden hubs to suite. I think my Fe is 13 inch. John
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Post by robbo3 on Jul 15, 2012 15:54:15 GMT 10
I would build a new chasis out of steel, probably wouldn't cost much more than timber. Then you have a solid foundation to build on. Just my thoughts.
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Post by DC3Td on Jul 15, 2012 16:10:00 GMT 10
Hi John. Yep 13".Been looking at too many tyres in my shed today & had that number on my mind. Are you still going ahead with the hatch door idea? As for side windows you could probably make your own frame & have a glazier cut the pieces for you to fit.Maybe Clark Rubber for the rubber seal/mould. gordon
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 16:30:28 GMT 10
Hi John. Yep 13".Been looking at too many tyres in my shed today & had that number on my mind. Are you still going ahead with the hatch door idea? As for side windows you could probably make your own frame & have a glazier cut the pieces for you to fit.Maybe Clark Rubber for the rubber seal/mould. gordon I think making the windows would be better with keeping it a 50s teardrop and getting them glazed. I want to go with a hatch door as well. I think 15 inch wheels on a standard axle wouldnt bee too high. Just deciding wheter to ditch the drop down axle yet. I could always leave the old axle and just replace the springs and if be change at a later date. John
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 16:33:09 GMT 10
I would build a new chasis out of steel, probably wouldn't cost much more than timber. Then you have a solid foundation to build on. Just my thoughts. Its a big decision, Just thinking I would loose the originality of the teardrop if I went to steel. But it would be easier to make. Decisions decisions. John
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Post by campdog on Jul 15, 2012 21:36:14 GMT 10
www.trikesaustralia.com/teardrop/forms/1947tdpages.pdfI just came across this here on this forum. It looks a like lot my teardrop and maybe where some his ideas came from on my teardrop.It has had all the internal cupboards removed .I noticed the steel angle frame and thought it might work on my teardrop rather than just rhe wooden frame,what do you think, Probably use 45x45 x 6mm angle,just like the bed frames. ;D John
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Post by humpyboy on Jul 15, 2012 22:29:17 GMT 10
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Post by campdog on Jul 27, 2012 18:56:26 GMT 10
Just a quick update. I havent to active on the old teardrop.Since I stripped it down its all been mental planning and ideas on how to do things. Work keeps me away from my pleasures. I have decided to ditch the old axle,springs and wheels,the axle is bent and wheels all out of alignment and one spring 50mm higher than the other.I have ordered a ne drop down axle,springs,hubs and spring kit.The hubs will are for 13 inch holden wheels so will be the same as the FE Van. Just a matter of getting all the bits together and attacking it soon. My wife is dragging me away for two weeks holiday in Tonga so I will have to suffer until we get back. . Looking forward to the warmer weather though. John
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Post by campdog on Sept 7, 2012 19:23:42 GMT 10
Well Im back from tonga and looking to get back into the Teardrop. I got hold of some Kiln Dried hardwood for the chasis ans some gal angle and pipe to help hold it all together. Looks like the springs and axle are shot and wouldnt be registerable anyway, so a new dropdown axle,springs and hubs to suite FE holden rims on order. A bit of work tomorrow and Ill post a few pics of where Im up to. John
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Post by campdog on Sept 9, 2012 19:55:47 GMT 10
Well its starting to look a bit better now. Just about finished the chasis frame, Put the drawbar on yesterday and now waiting on a new set of springs and a new axle and hubs. Once I get the axle on I can add the floor and finish off the drawbar. Got some new ply for the floor and a bit of paint to seal it all with as well. Just looking at the old springs and one was about 50mm than the other. I can only imagine after 50 years it would start to wear a bit. Just a couple of photos as to where Im up to.
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