When restoring how much should be kept original?

[pennim65]

I have just become the proud owner of twins... 2 1968 Baravans which I would like to restore but I am unsure of whether to keep everything original or is it OK to change all the colour schemes, the laminate and the flooring??? They are in quite good condition but some cupboards are a little cracked and the original lino is a little chipped. Is there a right or a wrong way to do this or is it just personal choice??
I would appreciate any feedback.
Kind Regards
Penni

[Roehm3108]

Hi Penni

Congrats on getting the restoration bug - remember it is infectious! ;D ;D

Have a look at some of the members' vans in the Member's album section and see what people have done with some of their vans there. Much depends on how much of a purist you want to be vs what you like. Colours are certainly your choice! You have to live with it after all.

Even the original owners have changed the colour schemes on some of their vans. My Rowvan was originally cream with a grey flash and the owner chenged it somewhere along the way to white with a blue flash (I think he did it when he changed his tow vehicle).

Some memebers have completely gutted their van and rebuilt it with modern fittings and furnishings.

So my view is - do what you feel you would like to do! Just don't turn it into a mobile coffee van

Ray

[pennim65]

Thanks Ray I really appreciate the feedback I just don't want to completely lose the character of the original decor but some of it needs replacing

[beetlesbailey]

Hi Penni I agree with Ray. Do what you wan't but if it is to be restored in the true sense of the word then it must remain as built but that's not everyones taste.
I have restored cars but my vans have been modified/renovated/rejuvinated/moderised or whatever changing them is called.
Beetles

[hocking4]

Hi Penni,
tough question! Many factors to take into account. Depends a lot on how it presents now to its original presentation.
As for me I am a hard nose authentician. I love originality, right done to the original colours, fittings even the screws. In the car world they call an untouched example in shabby condition a "rat" plenty of cracked original paint(patina) etc. People love it that way and in fact increases the value! However, if a good un molested example presents itself...save it I say. But if shes a little too shabby then trying to get back to original can be very difficult and expensive sourcing all the period bits and pieces. It will either do your head in or you will find the challenge of the hunt the real thrill in this new hobby!
My kids hate me for it as they want new, fresh and modern. Again much to consider. There is a warning in the Bible about new wine being kept in old wine skins (certainly not written with caravan in mind) but sometimes when you see an eye catching clssic and you peer inside only to see some gaudy retro fitted modern gear...somehow it just looses its charm.
Ultimately your preferences weighed up against the purpose of the van for you and yours will determine the outcome.
Fight the good fight I say
all the best
look forward to seeing what you do
cheers
Bruce

[aquamum]

Oh penni
I agree with the above opinions, are you a purist or a realist or a little of both like most of us !
I now own two vvs, my first is having severe surgery on her roof and I keep thinking could I have done this differently? To have kept more...
My latest van I don't want to touch, I hated changing the retreaded cross ply fatigued tyres, but reality is they were not safe !

SO,, enjoy your twins (mine turn 22 in November lol) read lots of restore stories on this forum, ask heaps of questions, use the search button and we ALL look foward to heaps of pics. ;D

[retro64]

Hi pennim65,

Welcome to the forum, and a brand new owner of twins no less! Nothing like starting with 2, double the love, double the commitment and double the satisfaction when you finish what you start.

But first, to reply to your question, if one of your vans has only minor chips and cracks to lino and laminate, basically superficial and not structural, and they are'nt a safety hazard, i.e. tripping over ripped lino, I would seriously consider keeping that twin as close to factory original as possible. Allthough most do their best when trying to restore a van to original condition, sometimes the modern allternatives in flooring etc. just dont have the same charm as the original. For that reason I'm sure alot of us would put up with the occasional crack or chip. Some photos, if possible, of the inside of the van would give us a better idea. Your idea of cracks and chips may differ from ours.

In our vans we had an electrician attend to the wiring, install safety switches and etc. Also installed fire extinguishers.We put in modern bar fridges and took out the really old one( Sunliner).
We try to aim for safety and comfort.

With our Sunliner we kept the original factory multi coloured doors, but as the original lino was missing we found a period specific replacement. The original seat cover colour was not available, no matter how many samples we looked at, so we changed it to tie in with cupboards and floor.

Our Caraparks colour scheme was badly faded and too wishy washy for us, galah colours, soft pink and grey. We decided on bold, earthy orange and charcoal for the interior. We used the ribbed texture of the cupboard doors for inspiration, with ribbed flooring and the use of ribbed aluminium doorwaystrips to join the original laminexe splashback. The strips went along way to covering scorch marks there from the previous owner.

Your imagination is the only limit to what you can do, think outside the square, install whatever pleases you to look at and have around you, and remove whatever you find distasteful.

There are no rules, everybody restores their van to his or her tastes. Have fun and enjoy the process, and if possible share your journey with the rest of us.

Cheers and the best of luck,
retro64

[hocking4]

Hi again Penni,
Resto mentioned something important regardless of which path you head down and that is one of safety.
Get a sprky to check your wiring, and anything that runs on 240v like fridge and stove.
I had to discard the latter 2 items as they were just a risk. I love my stove but it kept tripping the circuit so she is a museum peice now.
I kept my old tyres just cause they look sweet...they are only for show, and I would not drive on a set of crossplys ever.
all the best
Cheers
Bruce

[penny61]

Hi,

I was lucky with my Propert... all the hard work as pretty much done. But when my Dad went to pick Penny up for me he smashed one of the running lighs on the front when he jacknifed her... So I went looking for a matching replacment to replace it with, because from what I can gather mine is rather original compared to many of the others that have been tinkered with... as you do with a Propert.... so I wan to keep her that way. Anything I do to "modernise" her for comfort when I travel, as I plan on going away for long periods of time I want to do as unobtrusively as possible.. such as the fridge/stove/fire extinguisher/mybe extra lights etc.
It's the same with cars, definately.

I have Chester, my 1974 1300s VW Bug.... and I fight often with guys who think they know better than me about "what I should do..." a sentence that usually ebds with something outrageous like ut a Subaru motor in the back to make him go faster.... and yes I know a little 1300cc motor probably makes him the slowes Bug i the whole of Darwin... but he's a special edition and he still has all his special features like fabric uppholstry (he's missing one button and has a cigarette burn on the front seat ad that's all the marks, the rest is pristine) and brown doorcards.... and is suposed to have a small motor... so I want to keep/restore him as he is... and the rev heads out there don't get it.

Then there is Sophie, a 1970 Bug someone turned ito a convertible.... I don't mind changing things with her like new seats, because she has already been changed.

And others are too hard to save original.... I have one of those too... his name is Herbie.

Then there is Abby my VW Kombi... who started out life Wattle Yellow (an Australia-only colour.... would have been nice to save it) and has basically been slowly butchered ever since. A really ugly blue at one point... then white.... and there's some orange donor pats from where she had a bingle at some point... didn't know that when I bought her.... so since the uppholstry was almost non existant.... the seats weren't hers anyway, and didn't math, one was from an erlier model... we have redone it to my taste... purple... partly beause it's cheaper than tracking down everything original, and partly because it's harder-wearing, as she will be my work van (did someone mention coffee van?!) However things like the motor and the das are easy to put back to stock.... and actually work better that way too, so they have been put back that way by my very talented boyfriend.... And she looks like a brand new car now.

It just comes down to personal taste, cost and whether it's even possible.... If you like the end result then ultimately it doesn't really matter what anyone else might think. Good luck with your project look forward to seeing the pictures!

Vanessa and Penny

[pennim65]

Hi All
I am absolutely overwhelmed by everyone's responses and left to ponder both sides of the discussion. Twin Number 1 was bought new by my parents and is in quite good condition every time I step inside it just reminds me of my childhood memories and our big trip across the Nullabor in 1975. The foam and fabric on the seats has rotted but the vinyl is in excellent condition. Such a tough decision as to whether to replace and go funky retro or keep original. Twin 2 I bought whilst looking for light covers for the first so I don't have the emotional attachment but I know it sound silly but I would like them to "match" almost like dressing twins in matching outfits. Now I am starting to sound insane!!! But thanks for the tips particularly the safety ones I am going to have to put a great deal of thought into the process.
Cheers
Penni
I will take some pictures and post them in 2 weeks time

[atouchofglass]

Hey Penny
Matching caravans.... now that is a great idea ;D

So many of the older vans have been changed by the numerous previous owners and so it is very difficult to know what was original....
If you want to go that way.

But

If you have two close to original vans and you can make them match....
WOW
No one as far as I know has done that before on this forum.
Go for it.

Keep the safety of new wiring in mind and hide any new safety stuff....
You will be the talk of the town.
;D ;D ;D ;D

As one regular here says "It's your van - do what you want with it"
Start a new trend of matching vans and perhaps..... tow vehicles.
;D ;D ;D

Cheers
Atog

[retro64]

Hi penni,

How lovely to enter your van and be transported to childhood, and from your post I'm guesing a happy trip with your family.

Perhaps theres room for compromise in the refurb. an eclectic mix of retro and funky, keeping some of your favourite features and updating others.

If they're twins, maybe a boy and a girl? Then you can have all the really pretty stuff in one and more blokey in the other.

Anyway,

all the best retro64 .