59 Sun(shine)liner progress

[Hillbilly]

Hi all,

Thought I'd put up a few pics of my 1959 Sunliner ( :'(took a long time to get started) restoration project.

I moved to the Sunshine Coast in QLD a few months back, so there were a few delays in kicking off the project, but now she's happening.

I got onto a mob in Noosa who are going to do the perspex windows for me at a good price and I'm organising the rubbers for them also.

The hard part's about to start, the rubbing back and the painting.

Thanks also to Humpty, Spyder and JBJ for their advice on the tricks of the trade with these lovely Sunliner's.



Oh what a nice backside you've got....................NOT.



The "rippled" internal roof lining could be interesting.......



Built a more permanent double bed base, don't like making up beds late at night....especially after a few quiet ones with the likes of PooBah, Reddo or Daggsey....



The Engel is going to get an old style re-vamp, timber door panel on the front and paint job for the fridge shell.



The view from the shed's not bad .......oops, sorry bout the bin.



Now that tow hitch has definitely got to go............



Just about to get the you beaut ute re-registered in "banana bender rego", the gas has been "banana certified" and she'll be on the road again....



Had fun and games getting the very old rubber window surrounds out....and all the hardened putty and gunk that went with it.



Am getting another fibreglass "spat" moulded for the other side, just love the spats on a van

It's a lot of fun, am enjoying it, a long way to go but cant wait to get on the road in 09.

Cheers, Hillbilly ;D ;D ;D

[Deleted]

Hi HB

That bloody sunliner looks familiar
It has a strong resemblence to one that chased my HR ute all the way to Mt Gambier....

I managed to shake it off after about 4 days of circle work in the Blue lakes caravan park.

Rumour has it that it was left out for the Mt Gambier Council Curb side rubbish clean up , but some desperate type stole it an was seen heading North in the middle of the night..

Now ya tellin me it turned up in your shed in QLD....
Well i'll be buggered......

Geez... i better go and shut the gate before the dang thing ends up finding where i live and does a runner from up in Toadsville.

I started restoring a very similar van a while back......I was about ta show ya how ta light a fire under it... but photobucket is shut for maintenance....... ... something about "delousing the Pbucket of Fgross contamination"

Not too sure what they meant.... . but i suppose they know best aye ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Reddontgetoocheeky

[dorian]

Thanks for sharing. Fab pics mate!!! Keep us all posted.

[Deleted]

Hillbilly,
I'm not seeing all the empty "tinnies" on the shed floor you were referring to in the email you sent ;D

All looks toooo tidy for Hillbilly's shed ;D

Bro

[atouchofglass]

Hey Hillbilly
From the looks of the interior she will need not a lot of work inside
Is that correct?

Have you decided on the paint colour?

Cheers
Atog

[Hillbilly]

Hi Atog,

The interior is a little ordinary, but certainly fixable. The roof lining will be interesting to see what sort of job can be done to reduce a few of the "ripples".

Paint wise.......I am having trouble working out an exterior colour.......any ideas???

Some of the Sunliner's look terrific in their new found colours, but I just cant settle on any yet.

Cheers,
Hillbilly ;D ;D ;D

[Swellwillys]

Nice van Hillbilly

All the very bestest with the project!
I look forward to seeing her progress!

Swellwillys

[atouchofglass]

Hey Hillbilly
The rippled internal roof lining is fibreglass and the ripples are inevitable.

To keep it light they use too little glass and the ripples are the result
All I'd do is polish it with a cut and polish on a polishing pad for a 9" polisher/grinder (slow speed grinder)
In fact that is one of the jobs to be done on the Olympic.

The outer shell will have the same effect.
To remove it is a major job.... just ask JBJ

vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=1195&page=2

So how is the restoration coming along?

Cheers
Atog

[willyn]

Gidday Hillbilly
like your queenslander nice view from the shed
now your almost a neighbor
around 40 ks probably from hervey Bay
good to see you getting stuck into the sunliner Ian
we are all filled up with projects cant take on any more for about ten years

[Hillbilly]

After working on the 59 Sunliner on and off over the past 3 years and many coldies later Donna and I have (almost completely completed) the "old girl", and she came up a treat.

I was told by the guy I purchased it from that I was (allegedly) now the third proud owner......not bad for a 52 year old caravan.



After Reddo towing it from Newcastle to Mount Gambier in 2008 for me (and the bed collapsing on him), I then took it up through the middle to Kununurra WA for 6 months, then back down to the Sunshine Coast, where it needed a nice old going over.....

Last weekend we took her for her maiden (since resto) voyage down to Coolum Beach and it was a huge success. The weather was great, she had lots of admirers and many a nice comment on how a 59 Sunliner has stood the test of time.





Most of the van has been kept to the original look, but we wanted it to be bright and happy inside and out, it's got a nice warm feel to her.......am happy with the sky blue colours.











Had an awning fitted to it and it looks like a million bucks. Thanks to Donna for her time and patience, Daggsey for the nice signage, Steve in Caboolture for his "perspex" skills and to Reddo for delivering it to Mount Gambier for me back in 08. I am a very proud owner.....

We look forward to many a "fun run" in the near future.... ;D ;D ;D

Question: Who started all this madness of Vintage Vans in the first place.......? ....... gotta be crazy....

Cheers

[billytribe]

Well done guys,
It looks really great and I like that you have kept as much of it original as you could. I am still a lot further away from the finish line than that must it certainly gets me motivated seeing one look so good!
Congratulations!
Adam

[Swellwillys]

Gr8 job guys ! Well done !

Swellwillys

[retro64]

Hi hillbilly,

Your Sunliner looks fantastic!!! ;D
The colours are great inside and out, love the seat covers and cushions. It looks like a lovely little beach house, only with wheels ;D ;D very cool .

Hope you have lots of fun travelling with it,
cheers retro64

[sheppo]

:)G'day Hilbilly, love the work mate, she looks fantastic. I'm still fighting the battle with the windows still, if mine comes up half as good i will be rapt. ;D

Sheppo

[Deleted]

well done Mr & Mrs Hillbilly .........the sunny looks a treat

.....the sunny was a tad sad when ya took delivery in March 08, but hard work & persistence with the resto has definately paid off !

Good to see you've stuck to an original looking theme for the externals ......very rare with sunny restos

Mark

[noblesgarage]

;D ;D ;D ;D Well done Mr hilbillious ;D ;D ;D ;D Looks the the goods mate!

And all you need know is the tow car

[1954homemade]

Hi Hillbilly and Donna,

The sunliner looks great - you have both done a great job.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo now that the van is finished you have no excuse not to come away on some of the SEQ VV weekends.

We still need to drink that bottle of wine !!!!

All the best
Di

[Deleted]

What a beauty Hillbilly. I love the fabric you used on the seats and pillows. Where did you get it?
Brian.