Purchased three mid-1970s campers... could use some advice!

[andilucas]

Hi fellow vintage camper enthusiasts!  

Earlier this year I bought two tiny coastal blocks of land in Tassie and am waiting to build.  In the meantime I'm wanting to use the properties for myself, friends and family and also maybe make a few bucks to cover rates and costs from folk visiting the areas who want one step above a camping experience while on holidays. 

With that goal in mind, I bit the bullet and have gone and bought three 1970s era campers.  Two are 4-berth models which have - at least on the surface - been restored.  One is a Viscount Ambassador 1974 and the other I got from my cousin so not sure of exact make, model and year yet but it looks very similar to the Viscount.  The third is a 6-berth Millard (1977) which came with the original annex.  All three look good as far as the body condition and decent tires; two of them tow well (I haven't collected the Millard yet but the seller said she's been good on the road).  There are no signs of leaks including the old sniff test for mold and all have been in use as 'spare bedrooms' or occasional holiday homes in recent times.  The sellers all claim that the fridges and gas stoves all work too.  The nature of the sites mean that the fridges will both stay on power so the only gas would be for the cooktops.  

Hoping that some of you might throw some of your best tips or "...gee I wish I'd known that earlier" advice my way so I can get the best out of these beauties.  Are there any 'must do' checks that you think I need to prioritise?  None of the three have plumbing beyond the water tap so hopefully that reduces the 'expensive things that can go wrong' possibilities.  I'll be putting all three campers on nice level pads of packed gravel at each site but am not sure what other steps I should take if they're going to be stationary for a long time.  Is it best to keep the wheels on the ground to bear the weight or should I jack the campers up on blocks?  I want to keep the maintenance up so they last for a good length of time, just not really sure where to start.

I'm starting to get a little nervous about getting these set-up properly so keen to hear any and all thoughts!

Cheers,

Andi 

[Mustang]

Hi Andi,
I would not put you in the nervous bracket, after going out & buying 3 x vans !!!!!!
If they are going to sit in a wagon train on pads then I would stabilize each corner,some weight on the tires will stabilize the body,allow enough room for annex tops, give the fridges a run & if you are going to use gas inside I would install gas alarms,(if you have 12v batteries).
Sounds fantastic, show us some pics.
cheers
Brent

[Roehm3108]

Hi OP. You've asked a very open-ended question. It doesn't sound like you've actually seen these vans, so you need to be aware that you can't really rely on what a seller tells you about it. They may well have been used as a spare bedroom and not leaked .... under a carport or garage roof.

Up here in Qld, people often fit what is known as a tropical roof over the van, so that it won't matter if the van itself may have a few leaks. In my opinion, if you're planning to have these vans on your bush block for a longer period, I would sit them on concrete blocks rather that their own tyres. It saves the tyres and provides better stability for the van.

You say there is power, but have you considered things like toilets and washing facilities as well as water availability? Also, do you need council approval for these vans? You might be able to get away with one on the block, but what would the neighbours say about three lots of parties happening next to their own quiet haven? I'm sure I would be checking out whether such a thing is allowed.