enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 16:24:36 GMT 10
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enidb
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Posts: 39
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 16:40:15 GMT 10
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enidb
New Member
Posts: 39
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 16:45:04 GMT 10
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 16:48:29 GMT 10
I need to learn how to re seal the windows. The rubber is perishing and there are gaps. I wonder if anyone out there knows how to do this? I have put more paint on her since this photo was taken and she is much more colorful. She has to be colorful so the traffic can see it way in the distance. The yellow color makes them slow down to pass us safely.
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 16:53:47 GMT 10
Oh just thought I would mention, this little van was going to the tip and she was rescued big time. Her front had completely rotted out and she was that far gone. So she got turned into something useful - and now she is a better wagon than a real wagon. Now, Steel framed front supporting new car seat area. Door changed. Fire burns toasty inside with a fire proof wall. She was put on a horse drawn base. She is a very comfortable Wagon now. We have named her "The Carawaggon" because she is really a cross between a Caravan and a Wagon.
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Post by Roehm3108 on Feb 20, 2013 17:22:58 GMT 10
How fabulous is that!!!  Love the feature deco in the hatch ceiling. Ray |
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Post by Franklin1 on Feb 20, 2013 18:24:02 GMT 10
G'day enidb, What an amazing van! Way back when I joined this forum and started to research the history of Franklin caravans, I scoured the internet for anything and everything I could find that related to the Franklins. Funnily enough, I came across a news story about a couple of fellas doing what you're doing, and with a Franklin to boot...  And forgive me for being "nit-picky", but the 'Supreme' tag is not historically correct. The van would have been either a 'Premier' if it had wrap-around front windows, or a 'Safari' if it didn't. Hope you don't carry any horse feed in the van, otherwise it could technically be labelled a "food van", which can lead to apoplexy in certain quarters of this forum.  Clippity-clop! "Git along there, Dobbin'!"cheers, Al. |
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Post by seeshell on Feb 20, 2013 18:28:12 GMT 10
Hi Enib Now how nifty is that - a real 'deux cheval' that isn't a Citroen!  Love your accommodation, and the speed of your trips. Sounds like it would be quite relaxing. I'm guessing you don't take the Monash - how do you plan your routes? Look for paddocks on route? Freecamp? Very interested to hear more! Seeshell |
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 20:30:28 GMT 10
Hi Franklin 1 Yes that is the very same van. That is our good friend Lyle Drayton who converted it. He did the many trips in the van. We bought it off Lyle and changed the front to make it easier on the legs, we stripped the inside and re lined it. No, we DO NOT put horse feed in the van (its too lovely inside). See the tow ball on the back of the van in one of the photos? We added that. We also tow a trailer when we hit the road and that carries our bike, horse feed, water buckets, electric fences and our sooty camp oven and camp kitchen. We look like a road train! The horses do it well. One horse could pull that van. We have two who weigh a ton each and can draw three times their own weight. Im not sure how heavy the van is, but I think it may weigh a little over a ton fully loaded. I will add some more photos when I get a chance. Clip Clop!
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 20:40:24 GMT 10
Hello Seeshell. We love our little CaraWaggon. Yes it is nice to travel to that of a natural heart beat. No we do not take the Monash although we would probably move faster ha ha. We go around Healesville a lot cause we can just drive out our gate and get to where we need to go. But for bigger trips we like to go with other wagons with The Victorian Working Horse Association. We do drives up around the Broken Creek from Echuca, Barmah, Nathalia. Last year they continued up to Dookie and back again. Its a nice quiet drive along the Broken Creek and the fishing can be quite good too. We go there in Spring when there is a lot of green grass along the route. The horses come back fatter and fitter! Other drives planned are around the Cobobonee Forest near Portland. There is talk of doing one up around Newstead later in the year. A lot of our roads these days are planned for motor vehicles, but if you look in the history books you can plan routes along the older roads that had a better gradient (old Cobb & Co routes for example). Its funny you know, the people you meet along the way. Some people come and offer for you to come and camp at their farm or come and have a look at the wagons in their sheds etc. We like to be independent and try to stick to rivers where we can easily water the horses. Anyone can come on the drives, even if you don't own a horse. Many follow in caravans and just camp. It is all through the club. Over Easter we will be going down to Churchill Island near Philllip Island and I know that it is a regular spot for a Vintage Caravan Club who all take their vans and cars and camp and play 50's music. They are always a lot of fun. They collect all the trinkets of that era and display it in their caravans. Clip Clop!
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enidb
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Posts: 39
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Post by enidb on Feb 20, 2013 20:48:22 GMT 10
Hello again Franklin 1. Yes you are correct. I just checked the sticker on the back (which I painted over but you can still see it) and it is a Premier. I don't know what windows were on the front, Lyle would know since he converted the van. He said they were rotten through and through. Lyle took everything out of the van except for the back bed/lounge. So it is pretty open inside except for the addition of a cast iron gypsy stove/fireplace and we added a kitchen sink up the front behind the front wall. I would love to know what the original layout was, I am assuming it had a wardrobe in the middle next to the old side door and chairs and drop down table near the front where the windows used to be. I would love to see a picture of one if someone has one. I recently bought a 1970 Viscount (my next project) and the aluminium on the Franklin is much stronger/thicker. The Franklin is a lovely van. Clip Clop!
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Post by Franklin1 on Feb 20, 2013 22:53:19 GMT 10
enidb, you can look through the Franklin history thread in our DHL section and see what the Premier and Safari models looked like. For example, in Reply #29 you'll see a Safari model, and in Reply #31 a Premier model. Notice how the Premier model had the wrap-around windows at the front. cheers, Al. |
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Post by cobber on Feb 21, 2013 5:27:54 GMT 10
G'day Enidb, What a way to go ! ...thanks for showing us the way you're doing it. Takes us way back to the man credited with starting the whole leisure touring concept in 1886, Dr. Gordon Stables in the UK in his Land Yacht "The Wanderer" .... and now you're doing it In My library I have a couple of books that deal with travelling by horse drawn caravans and it has often struck me as a nice way to spend a week or so on holiday ( not that I will ever do it  ) so good.on you, great experience. In one of the books, "The Whole Art of Caravanning" written in 1907, the author Bertram Smith, tells us that the caravanner who does not walk beside his horse for the best part of the day will not be able to " look our horse in the face at night if we have sat inside". What do you do, walk beside your horse or feel shame at night  Regarding your leaking windows, only right way to fix 'em is replace the rubbers Click HERE and go to the bottom of the page.. "window rubbers" . I think I would start with the ALFAB people first for the windows on a Franklin...... Al will know for certain sure..... when he gets his mind back on the job  Cobber. |
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Post by Roehm3108 on Feb 21, 2013 7:13:36 GMT 10
I seem to recall that many years ago there was a business started in Vic, hiring horse-drawn gypsy style caravans for people wanting to do what you guys are doing, just clip-clopping along. There were very specifically designated roads they could travel on, and no, seeshell, the Monash wasn't one of them!!! Does anybody out there know what ever happened to that?
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Post by firefighter on Feb 21, 2013 9:05:02 GMT 10
  G'day Ray I thing they were up in central Victoria you could hire them out......austin 125 will know as he works with the farmers in that area ........his office is in Bendigo ....have to talk to Alan soon re our tour to Bendigo and a vist to his collection ..and i will ask him about the horse drawn caravans f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 21, 2013 11:42:59 GMT 10
Hello again, Yes read the Land Yacht Wanderer just last month. I read it nodding my head, yes we do relate to those tales since we have also travelled in a similar fashion. I grew up reading "The Famous Five" and they always went off on adventures in horse drawn caravans like our one. Yes we do walk beside the horses sometimes. It is not good sitting there hours upon hours - as anyone would know sitting in a car on a long drive up to Qld or the like. My husband and I both drive and we also take bikes if we are going on a long drive. We all rotate on the bikes. The horses like it if you walk with them though- they like the company - they also like the work too, they are bred for heavy haulage. The old bow top wagons had manual winding brakes, one had to walk to operate them. Our wagon has car brakes and a hand brake - but you don't really need them if you run an American harness with britching as the "bum strap" or britching is the brakes and the horses slow it with their "bums". They are useful for steep declines though. Brakes won't slow fresh horses though. The more you apply the brakes, the more the Clydies are bred to PUSH onto the collars therefore drawing heavy load behind them with the chains. And believe me, they will PUSH to get past the weight of the brake, so you can effectively "do a burn out" if you are a nervous driver or brake handler! Also, best to walk with the horses as trotting wears out the shoes. A set of Clydie shoes put on by a blacksmith = $220 and 200 kms x 2 - so if you take it easy you get more milage and can reset the shoe to get even more miles. On the subject of Caravanning with horses that anyone can do. Patrick runs "The Coloniel Way" up in the Victorian Goldfields and it is an excellent get away for novices wanting to learn the art of the old caravanning ways. His horses are good and like mine, they all come with built in GPS units - meaning that the horses know the way and will tell you with a toss of their heads if you are doing something wrong. Any novice or inexperienced person could caravan with Patrick's horses without any worry. I bet you will love it! Website: www.colonialway.com.au |
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Post by firefighter on Feb 21, 2013 12:09:57 GMT 10
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 21, 2013 12:22:43 GMT 10
Hello FireFighter (are you CFA or DSE or ?)
Thanks for the invitation. I think we will be up at Coryong during those dates (Man from Snowy River Festival) but I will check. Its nice of you to invite us (we might be a bit slower than you guys though ha ha).
This is a great forum. I have been reading through the restoration references that cobber sent me. Fantastic - just what we need! Again thanks!
Clip Clop
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enidb
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Posts: 39
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Post by enidb on Feb 21, 2013 12:38:04 GMT 10
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enidb
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Posts: 39
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Post by enidb on Feb 21, 2013 12:43:14 GMT 10
I made new seat covers the other night  |
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enidb
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Post by enidb on Feb 21, 2013 12:57:11 GMT 10
This is what she looked like at the clearing sale. Lyle did a good job of converting her to horse drawn. But she needed to be bright so cars can see it coming up on the road.   |
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Post by Roehm3108 on Feb 21, 2013 14:15:33 GMT 10
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Post by firefighter on Feb 21, 2013 14:30:13 GMT 10
Hello FireFighter (are you CFA or DSE or ?) Thanks for the invitation. I think we will be up at Coryong during those dates (Man from Snowy River Festival) but I will check. Its nice of you to invite us (we might be a bit slower than you guys though ha ha). This is a great forum. I have been reading through the restoration references that cobber sent me. Fantastic - just what we need! Again thanks! Clip Clop G'day enidb (are you CFA or DSE or ?).......nop MFB Sorry you cannot catch up with Vintage caravans .com Victorian tour If you start now .....you might make our 2014 Nationals at Broken Hill ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by jenniewren on Feb 21, 2013 21:35:16 GMT 10
Now guys....that interior looks quite...exotic...romantic...full of mystique...and you know I think I have seen you clip clopping along not that long ago......where do you live?
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Post by Franklin1 on Feb 22, 2013 9:00:24 GMT 10
Ah-ha! Now that I see the van as Lyle had it, I can see what they did to it. Couldn't quite make out how the front driving section matched with the original van, but I see now how the front was extended by a few feet. Clever! I'm guessing the original van would have been the 12ft 6ins model, and it is now about 15 or 16ft? Your wagon reminds me of a couple of other caravans I've come across during our travels, where people have put a van on a flat bed truck...sort of like making a home-made "motorhome"...   Looks like you can do all sorts of creative things with old caravans. cheers, Al. |
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) so good.on you, great experience.
