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Post by cobber on Mar 12, 2015 13:59:20 GMT 10
G'day Miranda, If you click on the link HERE you will notice your Tow Coupling is missing the bit that locks the handle in place.... the AUTHORITIES won't accept it as it is ... otherwise it would be legal. You could easily knock up another catch out of an old milk container, plastic not cardboard, but don't let akeepsake know I've given you that tip Somebody who has those awnings over the windows will be along to advise you about them, there are a few of them on the forum..... there may even be somebody who has one of those catches they don't want Cobber.
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Post by ourgirllannie on Mar 12, 2015 21:57:01 GMT 10
Hi Cobber, I do have the lock. I have taken it off to clean the old paint off from underneath it and to give it a bit of a polish, that's all. It looks to be copper? But thanks for the reminder...had better pop it back on. Miranda
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Post by ourgirllannie on May 12, 2015 22:50:52 GMT 10
Lannie is almost complete. She was registered yesterday and our family is SO excited! She just needs her undercarriage painted and checked and her stabiliser legs reattached. A little bit of touch up painting done inside and the cupboards secured. Her mattresses/seat cushions will be back from the upholsterer before the weekend, and the awning is being built complete with Marconi clips (thanks to Cobber Bob ) over the next two weeks. Her tow hitch has been modified and made safer and the external wiring has been done. New tyres have been fitted - unfortunately the white walls had to go to make way for small light truck radials, but she'll be nice and safe, and with the spatts, she'll still be charming. We still don't have a hatch or internal lighting, power, nor a fridge or gas. A friend is going to help build the hatch this week - and if we are at Cooly in the dark, we can always use a torch! Almost time to move things in and decorate. I will upload some pictures very soon.
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Post by ourgirllannie on May 19, 2015 16:32:06 GMT 10
So upset yesterday, tears and all. I had Lannie at a friends (as they have a level yard, which makes it easier to work on the underneath) and I had her covered in a tarp and then the caravan cover. Yesterday after her being there for just a week, I took the covers off to find that paint had blistered on the eyebrow above the front window!! I am thinking it is because she was under the covers and it got too humid. The paint has been on for quite some months now and she's been sitting uncovered beneath a patio roof with the western sun blazing on her front for the most part of a year. I have spoken to the paint manufacturer - Northane and they haven't heard of this before. I will be speaking to someone else there next week who hopefully will have more knowledge. Just so frustrating as the painting has been long finished and I am so afraid after so much time and money it may happen in other areas. The bubbles are HUGE - like coffee cup size HUGE and there are many of them. Another setback for our Cooly date. The 2-pac paint was custom made and sent from Sydney (it cost a fortune). I am thinking I may have to paint it with the black that I have on hand. Still feeling sad...not wanting to work on her at the moment. Miranda
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Post by cobber on May 20, 2015 14:23:52 GMT 10
Don't dispair Miranda, although it does seem to be an unusual thing to occur. Is the eyebrow timber or metal ? Either way it is most likely to have been caused by some sort of contamination under the paint.
I assume the tarp under the caravan cover was a canvas type material ? I'm sorry, I know nothing about Northane paints but maybe somebody who has experience with it can offer advice. Let us know if the 'expert' you talk to next week has any ideas.
Cobber.
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64falcon
New Member
Owner of a 1973 Viscount Ambassador & 1967 Hardy Fiesta
Posts: 26
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Post by 64falcon on May 20, 2015 16:44:45 GMT 10
Wow your caravan looks amazing ...sorry to hear about your paint dramas that would be very upsetting considering all the hard work you have done already. Hopefully it can be remedied and you will be on the road soon. Can I ask you please tell me where you got the tail lights from. Thanks Dawn :-)
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Post by seeshell on May 20, 2015 18:07:47 GMT 10
Hi Miranda Your van is looking amazing, so I was sorry to hear about your dramas with the paint. I appreciate how upsetting it would be, because of all the work, sanding and expense - as well as the emotional investment, hey? We had a similar issue before using Northane. Nothing stuck to it at all, and the old paint just peeled right off! We detailed our issues on our van's page - it might help. We used Northane too - and have had no issue with it. But we got a lot of caveats. We were warned about watching for moisture wicking out of the wood - we painted in summer to make sure the van wood was good and dry. Another thing we were cautioned on was the type of sandpaper used - some non-clogging papers have "silly-con" in them and that deposits on the wood when you work and ultimately fouls the paint - the regular non-clogging kind is preferred. Also we were warned not to "admire our handiwork" by running our hands over the sanded wood - oil from your hand can deposit and then ultimately result in a paint failure. They recommended wiping the whole area down with metho/spirits before painting. Though it wasn't anything they insisted on, we needed to paint the van many times with the Shipshape primer undercoat. Mainly we did it because we had had difficulty getting paint to stick to our van - a very LONG story. Our van's wood had clearly been treated with something back when it was built that made it repel paint like a son of a gun. The ONLY thing that worked for us was using the related primer which really grabbed the wood and then the paint - and I think we did quite a few coats (not because it is needed, but it does fill grain well). So if that wasn't part of the regime last time, I can recommend it - from someone who has been there with the bubbling and peeling - and the crying! Chin up - really, it will all come good! Seeshell
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Post by ourgirllannie on May 20, 2015 22:54:32 GMT 10
Thank you all for your lovely words of encouragement. Your support means a lot. I still haven't been able to look at her today. Tomorrow I am picking up the annex roof, so hopefully it will fit nicely and will turn in to a good day. Seeshell, I did the three step process too. The Norseal water proofer, Northane undercoat and the Northane paint. I was really careful too and also used the non clog sand paper (luckily, as I didn't know that they can contain silicone. I don't like the stuff either!) It seems like no many months or even a year ago that I painted ....but it really isn't when I looked back at my photos and I painted in the Summer, finishing the last part in March. The wooden eyebrow was painted in colour in February. Show's how busy I have been I suppose. I will let you know what the Northane man says next week and hopefully post some photos up of my lovely new annex roof too! (If I can work out that photo bucket once again! ) Thank you once again for your support and encouragement. Miranda
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Post by ourgirllannie on May 20, 2015 22:59:44 GMT 10
Wow your caravan looks amazing ...sorry to hear about your paint dramas that would be very upsetting considering all the hard work you have done already. Hopefully it can be remedied and you will be on the road soon. Can I ask you please tell me where you got the tail lights from. Thanks Dawn :-) Hi Dawn, I honestly can not remember who I purchased the tail light from, but I do know they came from America. I have to search my e-mails to find the information anyway, as I think it would have been a good idea to buy a couple of spares!! - So when I make the discovery, I will let you know. They are pretty neat lights. Miranda Edit: Hi Dawn, it was easier than I had thought www.closertowholesale.com They were a great help via e-mail in ordering in the exact lights we wanted and then sending them on to us. They have quite a variety of different fittings on their site - including Ford and Chevy.
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Post by akeepsake on May 20, 2015 23:31:05 GMT 10
Hi Miranda So sorry to hear about your dilemma Its a real shame you are having paint troubles . You have such a rippa of a van and you have put your heart and soul into getting it the way you want it Nothing good ever usually comes without a struggle so I'm sure when you are camping by a river somewhere sipping on a billie tea ( or something stronger) it'll all be worth it ! Hang in there! Cheers Andrew
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