Tracking down my caravan history. Another clue.

[millsy]

Well I finally started to restore the old van a few days ago. Making some good progress. All my friends tell me it is too far gone - take it up the dump!

I was just working around the window frame and went to tear off a bit of 'rubbish' stuck to the bottom of the window frame. Lucky it did not come off. I looked again. It was the manufacturers label - "Window manuf by L. O. Roberts & Sons Pty Ltd"

Would anyone know of this company. Maybe what town they operated from. Maybe in what years they were in business. Might give me a bit of clue.

I am just guessing that the van is between 50 and 60 years old. I bought it in about 1977 and although it was in good condition then, it seemed to have a very antique look about it, as if it was already about 20 years old. But it does have old aluminium window frames with very simple locks and fittings.

Need to get back out in the cool morning air. Will post a few pics later in the day when I need a break. Cheers.

Oh, the other clue was that the Registration sticker said it was a Newlands caravan. But I don't recall ever seeing a Newlands badge on it.

By the way, what would be the regulations about me getting it re-registered. It has been off the road now for about 15 or 20 years. One of my mates suggested I am probably wasting my time and money because it will have to be checked out by 'Regency' before I could get it registered. Does 'Regency' have a check-list that they hand out to people that are just embarking on a big rebuild?

[DC3Td]

There was a foundry owned way back by an L O Roberts & Sons Bendigo which either closed down and/or was bought out circa 1920. Wheather this company was resurrected & continued under the original name & had anything to do with window frames i don`t know.

[murray]

Millsy,
I have just gone through the hoops to get my 50 year old valiant royale re registered after a break of 45 years without any.
The certification needed from the gas and electrical is extensive after that period of time.
The gasfitter only needed to do what I thought was minimal work as I only had a gas cooker and had installed vents and new bottle holder . No new tubing needed. Ended up 3 hours work.
Also the electrician needed to instal an RCD and a new double pole power point (with shrouds as an aluminum van) , no new wiring needed.
These would have costed around $1000-$1200 .Still waiting on sparkie account.
Then there was a registration check , new chains, new tyres etc so you could end up paying up to $2000 to get registered .
Hope this doesn't put you off. Done over time it softens the pain.
And you get to know the tradies very well for next time
Cheers
Murray

[millsy]

Thanks for the replies DC3Td and Murray. 1920s - wow! I don't think my van could be that old. But you never know! May be it is! Must get those picks up today. I have not seen anything else like it and I have been scrolling through dozens of threads on this forum. No wonder there is so much rotten wood lol. But really, that is because since i bought it it has never been under cover! And some years when I should have fixed the cracking plywood - I didn't. Water inside wooden wall cavities = wood rot! Anyway, I have been cutting out sections of walls over the years and slowly replacing the damaged timbers, and ply. Still a fair bit left to do. Need to make a new door. It is really cracking up, especially around the bottom.

And the other unfortunate aspect of the van is that about 20 years ago I turned it into a closed trailer. I chopped the back off and gutted the inside. All that lovely handcrafted furniture destroyed! I know, I should be locked up for life. I am ashamed. But at least I still own it, and have not taken it up the dump, like all my mates, and my wife, tell me I should. I would love to get it back on the road. At the oment it is just used as a spare storage 'room'. Full of junk that my wife sells at garage sales once or twice a year.

So the biggest wood-working part of my resto is to give it a new back wall. I must admit I have bought a new window for the back wall, but it does not match those lovely old windows from yester-year. But if I do find a nice old window from somewhere I can alwyas take out the modern Jayco window and replace it with a 'proper old one' lol.

So as far as a roadworthy goes, I don't reckon I will need to be worrying about electricals or gas. I don't plan on installing gas or 240V power. The old wiring is very old. Instead of plastic insulation it is actually cloth insulation! Never seen that before. Will see if I can get a pick of it. Maybe that's what a lot of these old vans have.

I don't plan to do a full restoration. I just want to get it back on the road. I will just put lightweight house furniture in it, and screw it to the walls. I already have lots of 40mm x 18mm pine stripping screwed to the walls that I set up as tie-off rails for when I used the van to collect and deliver furniture. We had a couple of SH furniture/bric-a-brac shops in the late '80s and early 90's.

I am taking lots of pics of the rebuild so if I do have to take it 'over the pits' I can show them all the re-reinforcements and new wood that I have done inside the walls. I am particularly concerned about the strength of the fixtures that hold the walls to the floor pan. It has a very heavy duty steel chassis, and a really thick plywood floor base. But if the wall to floor joins are not strong . . . disaster on the road!

So, since the internal lining is 'shot' in most places anyway, I will be taking off most of the lining, especially where it meets the floor, and putting in lots of new bottom framing wood and new screws fastening it to the floor.

The other aspect I guess will be the hitch and the brakes and wheel-bearings. That is where I think I will be having most of my headaches. In the end I might have to fork out some big cash for a new axle, hubs, rims and electric brakes. And a new hitch.

Have a great Christmas day every-one. I will be playing with wood and glue!

[akeepsake]

Dec 24, 2013 19:54:54 GMT 10 murray said:

Millsy,
I have just gone through the hoops to get my 50 year old valiant royale re registered after a break of 45 years without any.
The certification needed from the gas and electrical is extensive after that period of time.
The gasfitter only needed to do what I thought was minimal work as I only had a gas cooker and had installed vents and new bottle holder . No new tubing needed. Ended up 3 hours work.
Also the electrician needed to instal an RCD and a new double pole power point (with shrouds as an aluminum van) , no new wiring needed.
These would have costed around $1000-$1200 .Still waiting on sparkie account.
Then there was a registration check , new chains, new tyres etc so you could end up paying up to $2000 to get registered .
Hope this doesn't put you off. Done over time it softens the pain.
And you get to know the tradies very well for next time
Cheers
Murray

Murray next time (and I know there will be! ) betta get me down your way or bring van up on a permit and I'll sort electrical for you!
Merry Christmas!

[King Fisher]

Here in vic registering our old van was too easy. 1. Weighbridge docket 1040kg 2. Appointment 3. Ring vic roads and get a vin no. And stamped onto draw bar. 4. Inspection checked vin and length and lights only. 4. Was asked what the gross weight was and answered 1700kq (which is now recorded on the rego) 5. Paid money and recieved plates. No electrical or gas checks or even a look inside or underneath...

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Millsy and everyone,

For those who are wanting to get an idea of the van Millsy is working on, click here. His current project is 'van number one' on that thread.

Millsy, regarding the requirements for re-registration in relation to the hitch, etc, you should read a thread Cobber started in the Technical Stuff section on this topic - click here. The basic message is that in most states if you are restoring a van, you don't have to meet most of the regulations for modern vans, just the regulations that applied when the van was built. However, you may need to argue the point because not all the registration inspectors are aware of this, or alternatively will try and bluff you into meeting the modern regulations. The obvious qualifier is that the original equipment needs to be in good condition and be capable of operating safely.

Hope that's useful info for you.

Don Ricardo

[millsy]

Dec 26, 2013 19:28:22 GMT 10 King Fisher said:

Here in vic registering our old van was too easy. 1. Weighbridge docket 1040kg 2. Appointment 3. Ring vic roads and get a vin no. And stamped onto draw bar. 4. Inspection checked vin and length and lights only. 4. Was asked what the gross weight was and answered 1700kq (which is now recorded on the rego) 5. Paid money and recieved plates. No electrical or gas checks or even a look inside or underneath...

Yes, that does seem easy over there! I was reading a post on my 4x4 forum (4x4 Earth Australia) tonight about registration checks for vehicles in the various states, and how they compare. One post was saying that they have become quite strict on the change of ownership vehicle check in Victoria now. But surprisingly, they seem a bit slack on checking out old caravans. Amazing, considering their age.

Maybe you have obviously done such a wonderful job on the restoration, at first glance of the shiny new paint etc, that they thought you obviously are the typr of person that would have done a 'spot on job' on all the mechanical side as well!

I just need to find the time to give them a ring and see what they can tell me. I hope they can point to a checklist and then I know what I have to do. Rather than take my van down there hoping I have done everything and getting a nasty surprise. A simple phone call should solve the problem I hope. Thanks.

[millsy]

Dec 26, 2013 21:54:07 GMT 10 Don Ricardo said:

Hi Millsy and everyone,

For those who are wanting to get an idea of the van Millsy is working on, click here. His current project is 'van number one' on that thread.

Millsy, regarding the requirements for re-registration in relation to the hitch, etc, you should read a thread Cobber started in the Technical Stuff section on this topic - click here. The basic message is that in most states if you are restoring a van, you don't have to meet most of the regulations for modern vans, just the regulations that applied when the van was built. However, you may need to argue the point because not all the registration inspectors are aware of this, or alternatively will try and bluff you into meeting the modern regulations. The obvious qualifier is that the original equipment needs to be in good condition and be capable of operating safely.

Hope that's useful info for you.

Don Ricardo

Thanks Don. I am having a bit of trouble with my various computers. I shall try again now to get some pics up of my initial progress over the last few days.

[beetlesbailey]

Hi Millsy
I am in the same boat as you with my restoration project here in Adelaide and it is interesting that your windows are L.O.ROBERTS as mine are L.O.BAKER and are from Brisbane.
Re the rego; firstly, do you have the old rego papers. I have not so will go to rego mob now and find out the process and let you know.

[beetlesbailey]

HI MILLSY
After 3 attempts my van is now registered in S.A. YAHOO!! P.M. ME TO FIND HOW.

BEETLES