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Post by murray on Jun 7, 2016 22:09:00 GMT 10
The story so far .... It was Good Friday Eve and we were in Devonport waiting for the day crossing on the ' Spirit 2 ' to attend the Nationals in South West Rocks. We were having a pub meal with Mr and Mrs AKeepsake when he happened to mention that I wouldn't be interested in a 13 foot Sunliner,now would I. Five seconds of contemplation and some reflection and I had Andrew on the phone to organise an immediate inspection. We had the torches and mobile phone lights primed and ready ( ....chew faster Andrew, lets go !! ) A 15 minute drive up the road and we were crawling around ,under,over and through the van ,checking in ALL the cupboards and drawers. Put that bottle of scotch back in the cocktail cabinet ,Andrew
Get under further , Murray
Damn ,no razors in this one either !!!
Andrew in his natural habitat (inside a VV ) I think that could be the hatch
There has to be a REAL coffee percolator here somewhere , Andrew
All this inspection work is very tiring I was after a new project and although premium priced it was registered and in the state (no road trip, sorry Andrew ) Upon our return from the Nationals we returned for another look (in the light !!!) and our commitment was finalised which lead to our drive north for the pick-up a few weeks ago
Pick-up day before the relocation to Seven Mile Beach. This photo taken outside Akeepsake's vintage caravan and lantern emporium at Ulverstone with Raelee, Andrew and Rodney (another vintage valiant owner, so he's cool) Lots of looks from other road users - was it an admiring look or a look of horror for all the tape began unravelling out along the midlands highway New home tucked away tightly behind 'George ' After some research I came across a guide to dating sunliners on the "Our Touring Past' forum . This it seems, is a contentious issue in the VV community There was no chassis number just an ID number for registration purposes It has the mould of the early sunliners, the tubular pipe space frame with independent suspension, wrap around windows ,spats ,painted stone guards (painted over) and fibreglass ceiling . This all fits the 1958-59 model except for the aluminium frames on the windows Consequently I have put it down to late December 1959 .....to be continued
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Post by Mustang on Jun 8, 2016 9:32:46 GMT 10
Well Done Murray, now you have one of each, tin & glass!!! Looks in reasonable order to start with. One thing we found with a small van, the sleeping arrangements are rather cozy
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Post by murray on Jun 8, 2016 12:59:50 GMT 10
Well Done Murray, now you have one of each, tin & glass!!! Looks in reasonable order to start with. One thing we found with a small van, the sleeping arrangements are rather cozy One of each , I don't think so !!!! Andrew almost had me looking at a bondwood while I was picking the sunliner up..... ......he is a man on a mission to get me that bondie eventually. I have been measuring up the beds in all the vans . Sunliner is by far the cosiest apart from a single . But hey, Cosy is GOOD
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Post by mel on Jun 8, 2016 16:59:08 GMT 10
Always an entertaining narration from you Murray. You should be a journalist and start your own vintage caravan magazine!!
It was great to come over and meet the new addition.
Looking forward to future photos and updates.
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Post by murray on Jun 8, 2016 19:16:24 GMT 10
Always an entertaining narration from you Murray. You should be a journalist and start your own vintage caravan magazine!! It was great to come over and meet the new addition. Looking forward to future photos and updates. Thank you Mel. I need to be careful what I write otherwise I will be sleeping in the new addition - permanently that is I don't think Andrew has seen this thread yet - if it doesn't meet with his approval, no more GREAT coffee on my next visit Cheers
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Post by akeepsake on Jun 20, 2016 0:45:54 GMT 10
Well I have just read the thread and the bottle of scotch has disappeared? The razor still hasn't been found and I'm still sporting the ug boots ! I was expecting to see a coat of paint on that piece of glass by now but I'm sure that southern weather has slowed you up!! Well done and I'm looking forward to some interesting posts in the near future !! Hurry up and get it done so you can tackle a bondwood!
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Post by murray on Jun 20, 2016 9:27:39 GMT 10
and I'm still sporting the ug boots ! I wasn't going to mention the safety 'Uggies" if you didn't mention my suit
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Post by akeepsake on Jun 27, 2016 19:40:15 GMT 10
and I'm still sporting the ug boots ! I wasn't going to mention the safety  'Uggies"  if you didn't mention my suit What the track "suit"!
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Post by murray on Aug 12, 2016 22:57:30 GMT 10
I was reading my facebook feeds and up pops this retro table at the Glenorchy resource centre. Hobart comprises 3 cities, Hobart,Glenorchy and Clarence all with tip shops 15 minutes drive time apart Pondered for a few seconds then phoned up and put it on hold and quickly went to have a look ....and I had to have it for the reno . Table is faded in the centre , priced at $125 with 4 chairs . Any better condition and I was told it would be sacrilege to cut it up. My favourite pattern from the 50's - politically incorrect but hey....
Table was made in Nu Steel factory, Launceston.6th Sept 1956 Nu Steel was established in 1946, this family business was the original distributor of "Laminex" and the first maker of steel furniture in Tasmania. It became the state's largest manufacturer of domestic and commercial furniture before going into receivership in the early 1990s. The principals were James Guy (b.1916) and Laurel Guy who began designing and manufacturing tubular steel work, later moving into timber and upholstered furniture. advert is from Australian Women's weekly April 11th 1956 (trove NLA)
Drew up a plan to cut the laminate into a table, cooktop cover, bench and splashback. Will all fit comfortably .....dreaming Have seen this laminex n somebody else's van, but can't remember where ? cheers Murray
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Post by shesgotthelook on Aug 13, 2016 9:08:39 GMT 10
Good score!
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Post by Mustang on Aug 13, 2016 17:24:42 GMT 10
Go for it Murray, recycling is better than sitting!!!
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Post by mel on Aug 14, 2016 19:49:13 GMT 10
Wow what a find. It will certainly be a talking point.
I have now added Glenorchy Tip Shop to my Facebook (thanks for the idea).
Fisher's resto has the same pattern but in white.
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Post by murray on Aug 30, 2016 21:02:49 GMT 10
Greetings from Hobart 16 degrees today - sunny and still mostly .Little bit of drizzle between 5.30 - 6 pm (0.4mm) Honestly the forecasts don't do us justice , often rain is forecast which never eventuates. A fair percentage of mainlander visitors envisage snow/ wind and rain every day. Well the latest developments Just to be different, none came with the van and because they look 'cool ' (and because I can) ,I have been trying to find an old hand pump for the van. No joy I realise they did not come out with them (maybe with the lowboy hand pump - boring) but thought this may be my last chance to justify buying one . I decided to advertise for one on gumtree and low and behold I had a reply within a few hours . One was in Launceston !! Studied the photo's supplied and recognised it as a fynspray . Thought I probably will never find another one . Contemplated a road trip to go have a look but decided a day travel , food and fuel would not be worth it so decided to purchase 'off the plan'. Settled on $80 + freight ,transferred money and waited patiently Buying on Gumtree can be a bit unsettling after you transfer money to someone you haven't met. I'm sure we all have stories about purchases gone wrong and other scams. Parcel arrived in the morning post, days earlier than I expected Opened it up and I was very happy with my purchase I thought I should buff it up a 'bit' before the other half got home so she could see my bargain purchase at it's best Put sunglasses on now ( not the 3D ones ) I told you it was sunny in Hobart !!!
Pretty schmick ...huh !!Even had time for a test fitting and a trial pump. With a non-return valve in the line she works okay. Will probably install a 12v pump in the line. I thought that was enough excitement for one day ,so had to go and do some gardening to calm down Just thought I would share my 'shiney" purchase with you all
Cheers for now Murray
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Post by tasmillard on Sept 1, 2016 12:09:19 GMT 10
Damn Murray, im going to have to ask you to start looking for me, you seem to find this stuff! Also, I like to drop by sometime and check out the van collection
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Post by Mustang on Sept 1, 2016 19:33:27 GMT 10
Great accessory Murray
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Post by smiles on Sept 2, 2016 8:09:13 GMT 10
Hi Murray
re your Fynspray...there's an old saying: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! Why bother putting a 12v pump inline if the hand pump works? Part of the joy of vintage caravanning when you're out in the wilds is not knowing if the f...ing pump will work!
We have old Fynspray-like pumps in our vans & they work well (most of the time) if you follow a few basic notions such as, keeping the leather or rubber washers greased, cleaning out your tank after use, & possibly replacing old stuffed galvanized tanks.
Rob put non-return valves in 3 of our pumps but has taken the valve out of the Castle pump as that one seemed to leak air & it works OK without it. It just means more arm wrestling with the pump to get water if you don't have a non-return valve.
Anyway, just my 2 bobs worth. We like to experience vintage camping with original functioning items such as using iceboxes with ice in them. It's all about expectations: as long as you don't expect the icebox to behave like a modern fridge, then you have a great feature. Same for pumps: don't expect the old pumps to behave like a swish 2016 modern tap, then you have something special to experience!
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Post by shesgotthelook on Sept 2, 2016 8:38:51 GMT 10
Oh Smiles, you made me laugh. The tap in our Viscount is extremely moody & unpredictable & I always have a container of water for when it's in one of it's non giving moods! As for the ice chest in the Phoenix, well they are a bit disappointing aren't they? I guess it's called 'suffering for your art'. But hey, I wouldn't swap it for all the Jayco's in the world
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Post by murray on Sept 3, 2016 9:29:29 GMT 10
Hi Murray re your Fynspray...there's an old saying: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! Why bother putting a 12v pump inline if the hand pump works? Part of the joy of vintage caravanning when you're out in the wilds is not knowing if the f...ing pump will work! We have old Fynspray-like pumps in our vans & they work well (most of the time) if you follow a few basic notions such as, keeping the leather or rubber washers greased, cleaning out your tank after use, & possibly replacing old stuffed galvanized tanks. Rob put non-return valves in 3 of our pumps but has taken the valve out of the Castle pump as that one seemed to leak air & it works OK without it. It just means more arm wrestling with the pump to get water if you don't have a non-return valve. Anyway, just my 2 bobs worth. We like to experience vintage camping with original functioning items such as using iceboxes with ice in them. It's all about expectations: as long as you don't expect the icebox to behave like a modern fridge, then you have a great feature. Same for pumps: don't expect the old pumps to behave like a swish 2016 modern tap, then you have something special to experience! Smiles, Not "this little black duck "
I thought I had gotten away with it !! Fynsprays weren't originally in sunliners. Unfortunately this pump doesn't work ....it draws up okay but won't hold the water and exit it through the spout. With the non-return valve it works I put it in the vice to undo the barrel from the spout to take out the plunger tube but scratched the barrel and had to polish it out . I am unsure as to whether heat will free it up and allow me to replace the washer etc in the plunger tube and get it operating. I am running 12v wiring through for the disco ball and strobe lights as well as the widescreen TV's ,audio system and surround sound so I thought one little old line for a discretely hidden pump wouldn't matter . With the purple flock wallpaper , atomic curtains , lime green laminex and shag pile carpet I should be able to place a discrete button placed somewhere . No, just kidding, be assured the renovation will be tastefully done just a few mod cons hidden around to make for more comfortable caravanning We keep the valiant van for roughing it . Cheers Murray
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Post by akeepsake on Sept 4, 2016 8:34:47 GMT 10
Don't forget the microwave Muzz!
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Post by King Fisher on Oct 27, 2016 8:11:16 GMT 10
That table laminate is the same as I have in Bessie. I was lucky as it came with my van. And we love it to bits. The only difference is ours is in blue. Shure is a talking point and I love the pilitical incorrectness of the period pattern which perfectly depicts the traditional Australia.
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Post by murray on Feb 10, 2017 6:50:14 GMT 10
Well I have been doing a lot of planning over the last few months on how to approach the renovation. Have been doing a bit of filling and sanding alternating with thinking about internal fitout. Slowly stripped the caravan back to a shell and installed more insulation (fibreglass of course) in the walls and ceiling after running wiring through. I am in the process of emptying a carport so I can raise it to fit van under before winter. I had a spray painter visit and have arranged to paint in May/June to give me plenty of time to sand out the 'orange peel'. He will visit again to see how I am going and guide me. Also a friend who has done a few fiberglass boats has given me a few tips I modified a cheap bonnet scoop to act as an external light. cut it and made it wider fiberglassed it to strengthen it , attached to van with a few screws, and fiberglassed in place some filler , sanded and primed
There was a lot of small damage on the van which needed patching. Here is impact from a friend's towball(good thing it was a 'friend'). I fiberglassed behind and filled in . I relocated a few lights so needed to fill in holes
The corner of van had been impacted and thus created concentric circles of cracks which needed removing and filling. Underneath on the edge of the shell there had been impact causing cracking which needed reinforcing and filling. So now I am filling...sanding...filling ...sanding. Have burn't out one new cordless sander still under warranty and have swapped to a corded one to finish Cheers for now Murray
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Post by Mustang on Feb 10, 2017 9:05:45 GMT 10
Your last image appears to show you are using a "Steptone" plastibond product? If so I will "ring a friend" & ask what we used on Vincent. I found the plastibond stuff a real bitch to clean up when it set hard!!! brent
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Post by murray on Feb 10, 2017 9:39:27 GMT 10
Your last image appears to show you are using a "Steptone" plastibond product? If so I will "ring a friend" & ask what we used on Vincent. I found the plastibond stuff a real bitch to clean up when it set hard!!! brent cheers Brent
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Post by Mustang on Feb 10, 2017 18:48:26 GMT 10
Your last image appears to show you are using a "Steptone" plastibond product? If so I will "ring a friend" & ask what we used on Vincent. I found the plastibond stuff a real bitch to clean up when it set hard!!! brent cheers Brent Because of hail damage we used a body filler called "Evercoat" . It is brilliant to sand back, might pay to check if it is ok with fiberglass. That pink stuff is horrible to sand back to a smooth edge!! Cheers.
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Post by murray on Feb 22, 2017 6:43:19 GMT 10
Oh dear, don't know what has happened Admin people !!My account must have been hacked and some unknown has posted a photo of our CUTE puppy , Rolly the miniature dachshund Will try and remove (once everybody has seen it or i get 10 thumbs up ) Consequently no work done on van for last week ...to be a full time dad ,again
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