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Post by dosse on Jun 26, 2007 13:33:19 GMT 10
G'Day All Well now the fun begins. This is how we found the Don in an old carport in Maleny Qld. We first thought the build number was 944 but in fact it is 844. We towed the van as it was to the Glasshouse Mtns, untill we had finished a new carport at home and obtained a permit to tow it home.  -1With the professional help of earlee we repaired the lights and repacked the wheel bearings for the trip home. Earlee drove behind us in the hope that good bits may fall off, but no such luck this time. We got home without any drama.    Restoration has started and we have found dry rot and white-ant damage.   |
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Post by sportsman 1 on Jun 26, 2007 14:22:32 GMT 10
Hey guys,
It will be a treasure when it is finished but I'm glad its you and not me.
All the best, hope you enjoy the journey.
Cheers,
Leigh.
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Post by kingy on Jun 26, 2007 14:52:18 GMT 10
Good one Dosse, another one on the road to recovery. looks like you have a few hours work ahead of you re. the rot etc. brings back memories one my 1st. bondy. It's certainly all worth it in the long run though   ;D  Kingy |
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Post by tinnie on Jun 27, 2007 0:04:16 GMT 10
Great to see another piece of Aussie caravanning history saved!
Good luck with the resto and please keep the pics and story going.
Cheers,
Tinnie
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Post by scootman on Jun 27, 2007 8:23:15 GMT 10
Sorry Jailbar, didnt mean to stick my nose in. I just happened to have that site in my favourites.
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Post by dosse on Jun 27, 2007 18:44:36 GMT 10
G'Day ALL
I did some sanding on the Don today on the good side, yes I here you all
say the good side, yes it does have one. Purchase a 3m sanding disk and it works well and only $17.00 from Bunnings, more photos later. Regards David dosse.
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Post by Roehm3108 on Jun 27, 2007 20:14:54 GMT 10
You finally have gone public on this one Dave. When I heard from the owner that you had actually carted this van away, I had real reservations about your sanity, Dave, but now I find that Earlee was there, I can understand ;D ;D ;D Could not believe that this van wouldn't have fallen to bits on a trailer, let alone on its own wheels  This certainly is a challenging restoration folks and worth watching with interest. Good luck with the whole work - a bit beyond my abilities!!! By the way Dave, did you rake the ground around the van to try to find the missing front badge, or was it in the van?  Ray |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 27, 2007 21:41:08 GMT 10
G'day Dave, A bit more work needed on this one than was even apparent from Libbeerose's photos. But great to see another Don on her way to being restored to her previous glory  Interesting about the build number (844). That means it's not as late as we previously thought. Probably more like 1953 or 1954 than late in 1954 or early 1955? Is that about what you're thinking? We'll all be interested in watching the progress on the restoration and cheering you on. Don Ricardo |
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Post by aussietanker on Oct 28, 2007 22:15:19 GMT 10
hiya David .... any progress on this one at all ? ... i've looked at the pics of your Athol many, many times ... if it comes up looking half as good as that one this Don's going to look a treat ... regards A|T BTW - do you still have the athol? |
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Post by dosse on Nov 5, 2007 7:00:44 GMT 10
G'Day A/T
Thanks for inquiring about the don. Yes heaps of progress on the van.
All ply on out-side has been re-moved and all timber that needed re-placing
has been re-made. The three windows that open have new frames, the five
leadlight windows are being re-made and will pick-up this week. We have
polystyrene to go on before the out-side new ply sheets go on. The mate
that was helping has not been able to give the time needed, so I advertise
in our local paper, I now have a retired Man on the payroll, he wanted to
work on the van at his place so Earlee and I moved the van, As I do'nt
have the time or some of the skills required. Regards David dosse
PS we will put some picks up shortley.
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Post by Don Ricardo on Nov 5, 2007 7:40:42 GMT 10
Sounds like you're making great progress, Dosse. I suspect Libbeerose will get as much pleasure out of the finished project as you will. Good to hear you've found someone to help you with the restoration. There's a few of us that could do with someone like that. Some of us have no time (you) and some of us have no skills (me) Maybe your chap would like to set up a franchise? ;D ;D Looking forward to the photos. Don Ricardo |
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Post by don257 on Nov 5, 2007 16:56:31 GMT 10
dosse great pics of your DON i noticed a reply from ray about the badges we only ever had one on the back of ours & looks like it has never had one on the front good luck with resto work & can't wait to see more pics Doug&Vicki
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Post by earlee on Nov 5, 2007 19:46:52 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on Nov 5, 2007 21:08:48 GMT 10
The van is looking a lot better than a few months ago, David. Good going.
The original photos on this thread made me wince, but these pics already show just what can be achieved.
I see you can hang clothes in the wardrobe from either inside or outside the van. Nice innovation ;D ;D ;D
Don Ricardo
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Post by aussietanker on Nov 7, 2007 0:14:20 GMT 10
Don said .... i have to agree with Don .... i really felt a shudder run down my spine when i saw the initial pics David ... and secretly crossed my fingers hoping that my 120 doesn't look like that when we finally get it over here from Melb and "open it up"  ... but you are doing a great job .... it's really starting to look as if it's coming together .... well done ...... i am following this thread with great interest ... pls keep the pics coming .... and do you think that it will be ready to take to the mount in 2008 ? ... it would be great to get a pic of all the Dons together ;D ;D ;D.... regards A|T |
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Post by dosse on Nov 10, 2007 17:38:10 GMT 10
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Post by willyn on Nov 10, 2007 19:15:15 GMT 10
;D Gidday Dave great project you have there what is the time frame ? looks like a good 6 to 12 month of restoration there mate !! but what a great looking Vin Van and what a great van to own genuine aussie history all the best to the family Will and Lyn
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2007 20:08:48 GMT 10
Hi Dave You guys are doin a great job. I particularly like the 2 "Flying wall ducks" in photo 4. Mum use to have a set of 3 larger ceramic ones on our kitchen wall when i was a kid . They are worth a fortune now...... refer ebay  You are lucky to enlisted professional help. It is a big restoration . Go you good thing Reddo |
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Post by earlee on Nov 10, 2007 22:16:43 GMT 10
that is a great van dosse.
you are now one of the VC elite owners.
pity there aren't more Dons to share around. 
earlee.
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Post by dosse on Nov 16, 2007 19:00:23 GMT 10
G'Day All
Well we are still making good progress on our don 120. The external ply sheets are being fitted and my good wife has acquired some period curtain martial this week. One issue we have encounted is when the don were made the roof was just one long
large sheet of ply ( no joins) we are only using 4 foot sheets. What this means is that
we have had to put extra bows or timber in the roof frame where our new sheets join. Other than this every-thing is going well, we feel that the don will be ready for the next south-east qld week-end in feb 08. Regards David dosse.
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Post by aussietanker on Nov 16, 2007 22:15:28 GMT 10
Keep up the good work David .... it's great to see the progress being made here ... thats what i call a "real resto" ... and very brave of you i think and boy, you sure have done a lot of work ...it's a real credit to you, to earlee i mean ;D ;D .... you said ... please send him down here when you have finished ;D ;D ;DRegards A|T BTW - i got your post re the two Don badges ... i will let you know what the go is once i hear back from FF |
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Post by willyn on Nov 16, 2007 22:20:31 GMT 10
Great stuff Dave looking forward to the end result Regards Will and Lyn
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Post by dosse on Dec 27, 2007 13:42:45 GMT 10
G'day All. Well all timber-work has been repaired, both inside and out.  |
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Post by dosse on Dec 27, 2007 13:53:46 GMT 10
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Post by JBJ on Dec 27, 2007 19:16:14 GMT 10
hi dave,
Thats looking great. Its fantastic to see something resurrected from the dead, & your van was pretty close to dead.
Looking forward to seeing it when you & Ilse finally finish it.
Jailbarjuice
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;D 
Kingy
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