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Post by First Glass - Tory on Dec 7, 2012 12:55:37 GMT 10
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 1:20:38 GMT 10
Trish M checked out the Glamper Gals and would love to be a new recruit. Sent you a FB inbox msg Cheers Tory
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 1:49:34 GMT 10
Okay VV Peeps, Had the first trip away with the Vintage Caravan. Was a blast, we went up to Tarra Valley Best Friend Retreat with the hubby & fur kids. Packed the van, hooked it up and towed the van up there with the fur kids by myself (hubby meeting us up there after work), was just under three hours of travel, the van towed like a dream, had no probs doing the road speed, however just a bit of a slow down on the hills however since learnt to put my car into 2 shift going up & down hills, learn something new everyday. Got up there, parked the van (didn't have to reverse as it was a drive thru caravan site), unhooked the van, did the jockey wheel, stablised it and everything else that your to do and was really pleased with myself, well yes proud and so was hubby, go girl power. The only thing I'd do better next time, is I've bought some front stablisers for the towing frame (draw bar I think it's called?) so that i can get the right level of the caravan to be flat but overall you learn these things as you go, don't you, it's all experience. The dogs loved the van and they didn't want to get out of it at all, they were very cushy on their beds with their blankets in tow LOL. We were there for around four days and had a great time, got to get the feel of the caravan and what (if any) i need to add to the van or change. I have decided the single beds are staying as it gives you more legs room and movement in the van, which is important given it's only 14 ft, so a small space. Bought a new internal / portable air-con vap cooler, it worked a treat, we piped it out of the vent (put in by previous owner) and it really did cool the van down given one of the days was in the high 30's......the only thing that went wrong is the fridge decided to pack up on us, not sure if it's a fuse, batteries or it's given up the ghost, have to look into that. So on the leaving side of it, again hooked up the caravan, venturing home with van in tow yesterday, forgot to put the reverse lever back over on the drive position lol but anyway that does matter too much for the first trip, however onto a bigger note forgot to put the door latches over on the hook, mind you it was pissing down rain with lightning & thunder storms, so after an hours drive i hit a pot hole so i pulled over just to check on wheels, they were fine but luckily i did cause the small part if the door that you can open up was hanging on by one top bracket lol thank god i'm handy got my screwdriver set and put bottom bracket in with screws and tighten it all up again. Got home after three hour trip and did my first reversing of the caravan, by myself (think it was better that way, no hubby around to get annoyed & frustrated at me cause he hates parking lol) took me about 15 mins to get the hang of it and reversed it into the driveway, pretty chuffed with myself without jack knifing the car. Even the neighbours came over & said well done for parking the caravan myself, Corrie over the road said i'm really proud of you for doing that, you've got guts. Isn't that nice dear lol So all in all, great little adventure. ;D ps the curtains are starting to grow on me LOL
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 2:04:52 GMT 10
Looking relaxed with the girls and a camping fire, what else is better than that
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 2:07:45 GMT 10
The fur kids, loving and relaxing in the van
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 2:11:45 GMT 10
Reversing in driveway, first attempt
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 6, 2013 2:12:56 GMT 10
Reserving in driveway & parking van. First time pretty good, didn't jack knife or hit anything ;D
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Post by atouchofglass on Jan 6, 2013 7:21:24 GMT 10
Sounds like a great start to your VV adventures. ;D ;D
You will always find something that needs adding or fixing or ..... Part of the experience really.
The trick is to keep using it, loving the van and lifestyle.
Quick trips away will be easy and you can now reverse with all that practice. ;D
All is looking good for the next adventure.
Cheers Atog
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frank
Junior Member
Posts: 60
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Post by frank on Jan 6, 2013 10:23:20 GMT 10
sounds like you had a ball, we do to when we take the van out.. and hopefully we will have our first v.v soon. as for the fridge, we thought ours was faulty to, but found it to be in good order.. if it is a proper caravan fridge, (not compressor fridge) it has to be standing very level otherwise it wont work, we were ready to purchase a now fridge from Dometic at the caravan show in melbourne early last year, but the sales guy told us to try that first and WHALA it worked and is still working perfectly. use a level on top of the fridge to check if its level. hope this helps you as it did us thanks frank
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jan 6, 2013 20:52:02 GMT 10
Hi Torrich, Great to hear about your trip to the Tarra Valley in your van. It's a lovely part of the world and it sounds like you had a great time, and managed the trip really well - including the reversing back at home. Some people seem to be able to do reversing without even thinking about it, but the rest of us have to learn it. Maybe you're in the first category? Anyway hopefully this trip will just be the first of many happy times away in your van. Regarding the fridge, what Frank told you is good advice. If that doesn't do the trick and the problem isn't resolved that way, there is a reference in the technical section of the forum to a guy in Melbourne who is able to fix caravan fridges. Enjoy your van! Don Ricardo
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 8, 2013 0:23:55 GMT 10
Cheers & Thanks ATOG, Frank & Don,
It was a blast, had fun with it. We (myself, hubby & the furkids) will be doing a bigger trip for a few weeks in April / May this year for our 20 year wedding anniversary and heading from VIC up to NSW / QLD, so I'm really looking fwd to that.
Thank you for the advice on the fridge Frank, that would make perfect sense cause we were on a big of a downward angle LOL but I've just bought some free standing stablisers for the front draw bar / frame and a spirit level, so I'll be able to get my levels right, it's all experience isn't it but totally loving the working it out and experiencing part of it.
Yes I can say I'm totally obsessed with my VV, I've got the bug.....Even roping my bestie into going away for weekends, if the hubby isn't free. I've got the hang of it all, as i can hook it all up onto the car myself and unhooking it and set it all up, and yes I think I did get the knack of it straight away on the reversing thing (bonus).
Frank, hope you get a VV soon....Good luck with it, once you get it, you won't be able to stop, it's fabulous.
Cheers fellas, Kind Regards, Tory (First Glass - Torrich)
Yes Don
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Jan 9, 2013 1:15:43 GMT 10
Geoff & Jude (True Blue)
The curtains are growing on me LOL
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Apr 12, 2013 19:25:58 GMT 10
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Post by First Glass - Tory on Apr 13, 2013 21:47:05 GMT 10
Okay all of your fellow VV’s who commented on the curtains, my first initial thoughts when I got the Debonair van was to get rid of the curtains and the mustard coloured seats and bed cushions however I never thought I’d say this, there staying as they have grown on me LOL I've done some work on the van with the following: 1/ I've lined all the under storage bench / seat areas with matting and the sides of the fibreglass to give it extra protection with the storage of items in there and in the top cupboard areas also 2/ I've bought all new baskets to put into those areas to keep things in place and to keep it neat & tidy, 3/ Bought a new lightweight microwave and it fits nicely in underneath the seat in the storage compartment for when I need it 4/ Ripped out the contact that was coming off in the cupboards & draws, gave them a good clean to get the sticky residue off and then painted inside them 5/ Ripped out the carpet, tiles underneath in pretty good nick apart from four tiles around the door area, next thing is I’m going to put in vinyl flooring which has a woodgrain effect and match the colour to the cupboard wood grain, it’s a light colour so it should come up a treat. Bought all accessories for the van, camping table(s), umbrella / stand, moon chairs, vintage bench seat, all the plates, glasses, pots, pans, cutlery, etc, air conditioner for the cupboard and vented it out to the vent hole / slats, microwave, bug zapper, board games, fire extinguisher, fire blanket, tool kit with spirit level, stabliser stands, gas guage, solar lights, extension lead roller and all the peacock accessories for when I go glamping for my theme (it’s great fun), etc. Next summer, I’m going to sand the outside shell of the van and give it a repaint and sand back the black that’s on the trailer frame & step and give this a repaint in rust guard in a grey colour, once this is done it will look fab. I’m slowly getting the knack of reversing the van, it’s so good to just give it a go and stuff being embarrassed about it, I don’t cause it’s called learning….if you don’t give it a go every time, then your never going to get there. It’s so fun as I’ve joined the Glamper gals group and we went away in March this year to Echuca and I took my mum with me and she has now since got the caravanning bug unfortunately she didn’t go down the vintage route (bit of a shame as I think vintages are the bomb), she said she wanted the mod cons and has gone and bought a Windsor pop top with all the works (oh well good for her, each to their own as I say). Anyhoo, back on track with the reversing thing, mum wanted me to pick her van up and tow it back to her house, this would have been fourth time towing and now probs, I reversed it into her place after a few attempts to get it in the right place, yes I’m a bit of a perfectionist as I wanting it straight and it was perfect but that’s what it’s all about and I was very pleased and proud of myself…so fellow new VV’s, just give it a go and take your caravan to a quiet car park / factories area and just practice, cause that’s what it’s all about….i was going to go do a course but I looked into it and most of them where around the $500 mark, not everyone can afford that, so I’ve been getting in as much practice as where possible....just give it a go, I did. And YES, I’ve got the VV bug, I’ve just bought another Olympic to do up, pick it up this week, road trip to Qld with my mum and were looking forward to the adventure. Here a link to pics on the new acquisition. vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=11768Cheers and Happy Travels. Tory (Torrich – First Glass)
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