andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Mar 30, 2015 16:40:33 GMT 10
Just acquired our first 'vintage' van, although confirmation as to the actual date of construction may yet deem this not to be a vintage van after all !! The van is a Olympic Riviera. Initial inspection suggests that she is structurally sound, there's a bit of dry rot in the doorway, but the van needs a awful lot of work on the aesthetics and the undoing of previous owners 'improvements'. The vin number (on the underside of the draw bar) is 2020, and whilst the van was advertised as a 1967, it appears to be more likely to be a 1969/1970. The two single beds are both molded fibreglass and there is a panel between the kitchen and the beds that provides (I am assuming) addition structural support for the fibreglass body.
I have lots and lots and lots of questions already, so I'm hoping that some of the very talented members of Vintage Caravans can help as we begin to refurbish this old girl.
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Post by atouchofglass on Mar 30, 2015 16:58:44 GMT 10
Congratulations on buying an Olympic! Many of us out there with these lovely old caravans.
Boblor will be able to confirm the build date for you. You are right it will be a later build with the fibreglass moulded bed and seating. Might just scrape in as a vintage van. If not - Classic Caravans is the sister forum and you will be just as warmly welcomed there.
Might want to look under some of the draws or in the wardrobe. Sometimes they put dates in them as well as the build number.
Cheers Atog
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Post by bobandjacqui on Mar 30, 2015 18:39:08 GMT 10
Welcome andys, Your van originaly was a double bunk model hence the two small windows on either side. each bunk had it,s own window for ventilation. Chassis number I,ll leave for our resident Olympic guru to work out but looking at the furniture ie laminated ply doors and chrome push handles you might just have a 1969 era van. dosen,t matter really as we all know that glass is class.
cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Mar 30, 2015 18:49:06 GMT 10
Thanks for the information guys. Any idea how the upper bunks on these were attached or constructed, given that the lower beds are formed fibreglass ?
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Mar 31, 2015 15:21:30 GMT 10
The more you look...... when we bought the van, a queen sized bed had been installed over the top of the two molded fibreglass singles, with marine ply screwed down over the single bed frames. So after removing the bed (nasty stuff !!) and the ply sheets, I've discovered that this end of the van has considerable rot in the floor extending possibly as far as half way. The rest of the floor is very solid.
Given that we have two single fibreglass beds, I had a look at how these were fixed to the van, and it looks like they are simply fibreglassed onto the floor sheeting, so is the best way to remove then to simply cut them out where they join the floor sheets ?
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Post by boblor on Mar 31, 2015 20:26:48 GMT 10
Hi andys Welcome to the Olympic family, and it good that recognise 'glass is class'. Your van was manufactured around Oct. 1970,prior to the wind-out window models that followed. I need to get your details so that I can add you and your van on my register. Send me a PM or give me a call on 0428 850 666. We can also chat about any problems you have with restoration, products to use,and where to obtain bits and pieces. Cheers boblor
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andys
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Apr 11, 2015 16:54:47 GMT 10
So after the buzz of buying the new van had worn off a little, I decided to start investigating what we had actually bought. The van came with a queen sized bed, courtesy of some ply screwed down over the original single beds.
Removing the bed and the ply revealed substantial floor rot at the bed end of the van.
This is limited to a section of around 2 feet from the wall, so new flooring will have to go in. We also have rot at the doorway (a common problem - so I have been told), and after removing the kitchen, yet more rot under the fridge.
A review of the rest of the van revealed some pretty dodgy stuff having been done;
And a lot of makeshift repairs etc. Rather than ripping the floor out, the first job was to remove the kitchen, most of which fell apart as it was removed and pull up the vinyl. I then decided to make sure the windows were all properly sealed before any interior work began (as I don't have a shed big enough to house the van whilst works are underway).
Each window was then removed, almost all have broken clips, damaged stays, non existent sealant and the window frames are badly oxidised.
Almost all of the windows have fallen apart as they are removed, so after completely disassembling each window, I have built new brackets, each part of the frame is polished, new clips and stays will be fitted (one they arrive). New felt installed and new glass and window rubbers installed.
Its only a small job, but at least I'll be confident that windows are in good condition, are water tight and everything works. Then I can finally start on the floor !!
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Post by atouchofglass on Apr 12, 2015 10:14:04 GMT 10
Great to see things underway. As is expected with the older vans - people do dodgy cover up jobs and quick fixes. Never really works, does it. Looks like you at least got $2 for your trouble - under the fridge. As for your windows - I tried the felt at first and it was a real pain to stick to the aluminium frames. Instead I now have a 3mm self adhesive soft rubber "D" seal. It works great. You should be able to buy it by the metre from any rubber supply place. Might want to think about replacing all the rubber seals around the glass in the frames as well. Over the years the glass can become brittle as well as harbour all sorts of mould between it and the frame/seals. Your windows are actually a really important part of the restoration - keep up the energy and great work Andy. Atog
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Apr 12, 2015 11:40:13 GMT 10
Looks like you at least got $2 for your trouble - under the fridge. As for your windows - I tried the felt at first and it was a real pain to stick to the aluminium frames. Instead I now have a 3mm self adhesive soft rubber "D" seal. It works great. You should be able to buy it by the metre from any rubber supply place. Might want to think about replacing all the rubber seals around the glass in the frames as well. Thanks as always William I have all new rubbers for the windows so in effect all the windows will be brand new when they go back into the van. The rubber D seal is a good idea, I'll check that one out.
Only bonus under the fridge (apart from the $2, years of dust and garbage and yet more floor rot) was the original fridge manual:)
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suem
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Post by suem on Apr 14, 2015 2:13:00 GMT 10
Where did you get the rubber seals from Andys - we have to replace them in our Olympic. The rubber D will work well around the door, which has felt at the moment.
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Apr 15, 2015 0:44:02 GMT 10
Where did you get the rubber seals from Andys - we have to replace them in our Olympic. The rubber D will work well around the door, which has felt at the moment. I got the rubber seals from the Perspex supplier, we test fitted it before hand, it was smaller than the original seal, but the needed to be as the Perspex was marginally thicker.
The seal that was in the windows before was the exact same as a profile sold by Camec by the metre
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Apr 20, 2015 19:04:48 GMT 10
So after a few days down south, I came back and decided to get back to work on the Olympic. First job, remove the moulded fibreglass single beds (I'm putting in a queen sized bed anyway), this will allow me to replace the rotten floor down that end of the van.
I've also removed all the ply that lined the walls around that end of the van. This wasn't original and looked awful. The kitchen was pulled out a week or so ago to inspect the damaged floor under the fridge, and will be replaced with a new kitchen unit/cupboards etc
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Dec 31, 2015 13:58:17 GMT 10
Its been a while since I last posted or recorded any forward momentum with the Olympic. The lack of somewhere to store (and work on) the van in wetter months means that I am limited to getting as much done as possible once the rain disappears.
Over the last couple of weeks I have concentrated on the body of the van.
The whole of the van was painted at some stage with household paint, every attempt to use paint stripper, heat gun or other form of paint removal failed miserably, so the only option is sanding the whole van back using a combination of hand sander and elbow grease.
Panel by panel piece by piece we are getting the van from something like this:
To something like this;
The stripping of the van has also revealed several areas of previous damage, and evidence of some 'interesting' additions to the van over the years !!
The rest of the sanding will take another 4-5 days I guess, and then I can get onto the removal of the rotten floor, filling the dozens of screw holes in the body and repairs to the damaged fibreglass sections. All sounds like a chore, but to be honest I am enjoying it immensely and its great to see the old van taking a step every day towards her new lease on life.
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Post by atouchofglass on Dec 31, 2015 18:22:43 GMT 10
Wow... that's a lot of work Andy A lot behind you... and a lot ahead of you. Keep it up mate - you will get there All the best and here's hoping the weather is kind to you. Cheers Atog
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andys
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Jan 6, 2016 19:13:43 GMT 10
So despite the 36C day today, work continued on the Riviera. Finally finished sanding the last of the panels on the van, and after yesterdays shopping expedition I have the filler, glass, cloth, resin, hardener and tools, plus two types of primer. So after the floor is replaced, work can begin on the holes and repairs.
Late in the day, dead on my feet, I thought what better way to finish than to start tearing up the rotten floor - quite a therapeutic exercise, I highly recommend it. With 39C forecast for the nest days, I've decided to have a day or two of rest
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Post by atouchofglass on Jan 7, 2016 7:17:10 GMT 10
Keep at it mate. All those "additions" the previous owners put in just show she has been well used. Cheers Atog
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Post by boblor on Jan 8, 2016 15:14:47 GMT 10
Hi Andrew I recommend you that before you renew the floor that you suspend the van in a frame from the waist line, lift the wheels just off the ground. This will allow the chassis to pull down the floor area, and you then use a straight edge across the chassis / floor bearers to line up with the original floor marks on the walls. This will also bring your wheel arches into a horizontal position. I would also recommend that you use a 5 x ply floor of 10 or 12 mm thickness. If the existing floor ribs are little tatty on the top edge you can add a piece of timber by glue/screwing it to the side/top edge. When the base is ready for laying the new floor, I always place a string line down the centreline of the van and measure all my floor sheets off this line and they will fit perfectly.Aim to leave a 3mm gap at the walls, so that there is no pressure on the side walls. I have used Sikaflex 252 for gluing the floor sheets to the walls, and this later followed by using a fibreglass angle bandage around the walls/floor (50mm up the wall and 50mm on the floor), you may like to apply 2 x layers. We will follow your progress over the coming months. Cheers boblor
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andys
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Posts: 27
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Post by andys on Jun 24, 2016 23:30:26 GMT 10
Well its been a while since I posted, and whilst I wish I could say that much has been achieved, quite simply its hasn't Having no undercover work space for the van limits the working period of the year to days when its not raining, which have been few and far between of late it seems. Anyhow, with grand plans of getting back into the work ahead as soon as the clouds clear, I've been trying to work out what to do with a particular problem. When the floor of the van was removed, I found an area of the van that had been very strangely constructed. In the left hand corner of the van running from the bottom LH corner to the wheel arch, the traditional fibreglass construction had been removed. I first realised something was amiss when I found I could move the bottom of the van (in this section) simply by pushing the floor up and down !! Further investigation revealed that there was no fibreglass, but instead a couple of layers of very thin ply with a coat of flow coat on the outside and a very complex system of ribs and timber bracing on the inside. When we took the bracing apart (it was rotten) the manner of construction and the types of staples used was absolutely identical to the stock framing found elsewhere in the van. So, I asked my fibreglass and Olympic caravan guru Greg for his opinion (thankfully he lives down the road), and he felt the same as I, that this was done at the factory, perhaps the body had been dropped or otherwise damaged so a quick patch up job was done to 'get it to sale'. This section isn't really a problem as I intend to re-glass over this entire section, HOWEVER, I need the advise of the fibreglass gurus in the forum for a more technical section. The whole left hand bottom corner of the shell was made up of a hard foam on the inside (similar to florists foam), with a layer or two of flow coat on the outside. This system simply won't do in the long term, so I've removed this foam and want to re-glass this section. My question is therefore, how best to create a form or shape over this part of the van, on which I can start building up the layers of fibreglass again. At the moment it is a gaping hole, so I can create a 'shape' inside or outside of the van to then lay the new skin up against. If it helps, I can put some photos up tomorrow, but its sort of dark at the moment Any advice would be very well received
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