|
Post by Swellwillys on Apr 6, 2009 8:09:29 GMT 10
The 1st Weekend in April 2009 saw the completion of a major component of "Bubbles" - the corner units. I have posted some of the development photos below. All that remains is the final sand and clear finish to the Sirian and Qld maple veneer. The mock up A front corner unit - sirian timber prior to the gills being installed Qld maple veneer gills cut to shape prior to installation Epoxy glue with insulation colored black to shadow the units. Front units installed ! Rear units in place
|
|
|
Post by DC3Td on Apr 6, 2009 8:19:58 GMT 10
Hi Swellwilly. Well this is certainly different. Adds new meaning to the J curve! I like it. Functional piece of art that could double as speaker grilles too. Coming along very nicely. cheers gordon
|
|
|
Post by beetlesbailey on Apr 7, 2009 12:50:10 GMT 10
Your doing a great job there but if my insulation guys are right you should fill ALL gaps between frame and insulation to lessen heat transfer. I love the surfboard theme and will email my surfer son to check it out.
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Apr 7, 2009 19:14:51 GMT 10
Thanks beetlesbailey for your positive comment ! You are indeed correct regards filling the gaps ! Prior to the final fitting of the GILL units I filled the lnsulation with liquid nails fast set and also filled with slithers of insulation - so we have a nice tight and compact insulation ! We holidayed at Crescent Head and Yamba over the xmas period and found the heat factor in the van a non issue ! Now if I could do the same to the annex ?? I recommend to any one carrying out a full resto to prioritize the fitting of insulation of some type. I would have preferred to have installed a larger thickness than that which I installed but the veneer frame work did not allow me the luxury! Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on May 29, 2009 7:08:30 GMT 10
"Bubbles" has had a new lease on life over the past 3 weeks with her new coat of paint. And thanks to Brad Sellick at El Rancho Kustoms in Kingaroy she now enjoys a bright shiny coat of silver 2 pack paint. Below are some photos of her preparation. Thanks go to Brad and his wife Jo who have been awesome during this period of "Bubbles " development. Stripped in all her naked glory Primed Primed and filled . We used a one inch chisel to remove the original paint so most of these marks are from the chisel. Oops ! We live and learn. First coat of base coat and first clear coat. We are off to Kingaroy this afternoon to collect "Bubbles" and haul it to "The Paint Doctor"in Maryborough for some very special treatment! It could be a long trip with El Rancho's John Deere ! But hey - we've got all weekend! Stay tuned . Swellwillys
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 29, 2009 8:10:59 GMT 10
;D Hi Swellwillys Good to see the van "morphing" from the "undercoat work in progress" stage and into the "Look at me all one colour" phase... Can only guess whats gunna happen to the van when it gets to The Paint Doctor With the all the surf/ sea/ fish theme going on inside the van i reckon it might end up with waves as flames up the sides of it.... I had a real good look around it at Maroochydore and judging by your standard of work so far i reckon the finished paint job is going to be radical ;D ;D ;D There is plenty of stock restorations out there for us to admire and i reckon thats cool too... However there is plenty of room in this world for those that think outside the square ( or should that read bubble) and like to add our own individual touches to our possessions. You van is a credit to you and is full of great ideas ...... Keep it coming Reddo
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on May 29, 2009 11:41:52 GMT 10
Thanks Reddo, Jooles and i value your comments on "Bubbles " and all that is VV. No Flames - No Waves ! Think vintage steel ?? Brad - who painted the van - is the guy with the patina Ponty @ Maroochy ! Meet him - got talking - had a few square bears next I know we're mates his painting the van and going to finish "SWELL"off for us in the very near future! Yet another wonder of Vintage caravans.com Swellwillys Swellwillys
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 29, 2009 14:31:41 GMT 10
Ok Then .. My second guess is Fake rivet heads like and old battleship Reddo
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on May 30, 2009 19:27:39 GMT 10
You da man!
Now you'll have to wait to see it finished !
Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Roehm3108 on May 30, 2009 21:40:32 GMT 10
Hi Swellwilly Have sat here for an hour downloadingyour latest pic - well worth the wait. What a brilliant job compared to when I saw her twelve months ago. Can't wait to see the final finish. Congrats!!! Me think it amazing Ray
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jun 1, 2009 11:33:10 GMT 10
Thanks Ray!
We're nearly there !
Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jun 3, 2009 10:52:00 GMT 10
Hi Guys, Thanks for the positive comment. Picking it up from "The Paint Doctor" over the weekend then returning it to Kingaroy for final fitting of exterior parts and undercarriage painting - then it should be home the weekend of 13/14/6/09 whereby we plan to finish the interior architraving in the following two weeks. We holiday each year at Byron Bay at Clarke's Beach so we are planning ?? to have it completed by Sunday 28th June. But who knows - that was the plan 2 years ago .LOL My regards to the family. Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jun 13, 2009 18:57:42 GMT 10
Well we are just home from Kingaroy and able to post some photos of "Bubbles" Must say we love the outcome and are very excited about the final journey as we complete some small areas on the exterior and complete the architraving to the interior. Deeply indebted to Brad and Jo Sellick of "El Rancho Kustoms" -Kingaroy for their hospitality and awesome paint job by Brad to "Bubbles" also a big thank you to Hans Kreuzen from" The Paint Doctor" in Maryborough who did the great airbrush job to the exterior. Passengers side complete with water tank filler - or is that fuel? Behind Brad's Pontiac outside his workshop . Rear view. We're having a pin striper complete a pinstriped Hula girl to the centre of the rear panel. Passengers side. You may notice the 2 stars above the front- side window. A symbol of the swellwillys family surname Starr-Thomas. Brad donated the Cadillac emblems on the door. Front nose cone which houses the LPG cylinder spare tyre and battery. Currently looking for a shotgun bug catcher to place on top of the moon disc. . Passengers side . Had the windows tinted in black limousine quality film . Looks a treat. The WAVE stickers on the side indicate the size of waves we have both ridden in our many surf holidays and those to which we are still to conquer. Just a take on the WWII bomber pilot KILLS on the side of their planes. Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Geoff & Jude on Jun 13, 2009 19:15:06 GMT 10
unbelievable
geoff 'n jude
|
|
|
Post by JBJ on Jun 13, 2009 19:21:25 GMT 10
Hi Gavan & Julie.
Absolutely brilliant. The only Sunliner to be a non fibreglass egg.
I love things to be different. Thats me, & why I do what I do in life. You guys also think out of the square, & I think thats great
I hope the imitators in life dont copy your original thoughts.
I'll be happy to park my vans near you.
JBJ
|
|
|
Post by atouchofglass on Jun 13, 2009 19:33:50 GMT 10
|
|
|
Post by woddabugger on Jun 14, 2009 7:58:36 GMT 10
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jul 18, 2009 11:12:11 GMT 10
The exterior of Bubbles has just about concluded with the addition of some pin striping. Jooles and I have always enjoyed the Tiki which exists within the Kustom car and Surf cultures. Though we considered a Hula girl our final decision went with the Tiki. Our good friend Brad located a pin striper at Wintersun - Von Pato. What an awesome artist. If you live in SE Qld I throughly recommend him to you if you are considering any pin work - he is a wonderful guy to boot. His contact details are Von Pato Lettering 0411 412 606. He loved the van an we loved the work he did . Laying it down. "He Pule Nalu" is Hawaiian for "We Pray for Swell" The completed art work. We selected a pale blue and tangerine as they represent Jooles and my favorite colors.
|
|
|
Post by peteandtrish on Aug 30, 2009 16:11:14 GMT 10
Well done guys
A credit to you both, well worth the effort. Would like to see some pics of the inside.
Well done
Pete
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Sept 1, 2009 10:22:56 GMT 10
Thanks peteandtrish for the comment, We are yet to complete some parts of the interior so that is why I have not posted any recent photos. Wanted to do a shoot when it was completed . Yet to finish are the door architrave, and the small Sirian beading cover strips to hide the ply sheeting joints and the final interior clear coats. Off to Coolum this weekend, then taking the van up to North Shore ( Noosa ) for the following week for my mum n dad to enjoy then off to Crescent Head for a week after that so me thinks it might get finished in November ? Keep well and thanks again! Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jan 20, 2010 8:55:18 GMT 10
Finally sourced the missing piece of the puzzle for the vans exterior, from good ol ebay. Installed and sucking away. Better than insect spray ! Improved fuel economy with an awesome noise being emitted when the pedal is to the metal!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2010 16:52:54 GMT 10
;D ;D Hiya Swellwillys... That.. is totally sick..... ;D I love your work, Its this sorta stuff that keeps me checking the van forum each day.. Need i say...,.A breath of fresh air amongst the "ho hum"" Its not that i dont appreciate the time and effort that everyone puts into thier vans. Far from it. I acknowledge the skint knuckles and hours of effort that EVERYONE puts in on thier vans .. whether it be a resto, make over , radical custom ... or... a lick of paint and on your way. But every now and then.... something like your thread about that radical sunliner comes along / gets an update and puts a smile on my / our faces. Keep it comin bro. Reddo
|
|
|
Post by Swellwillys on Jan 21, 2010 11:40:26 GMT 10
Hi Reddo, Jooles and I value your comments . So you reckon "we make em laugh or we make em cry " Strange happenings on the road also. We always get various acknowledgments with either a smile :)or thumbs up ;)and sometimes a shake of the head with a look of how ridiculous is that Regardless as you and JBJ have stated previously we have done it for ourselves ! Swellwillys
|
|
|
Post by harko on Jan 21, 2010 11:54:39 GMT 10
I was showing a couple of mates the type of caravan Id like (Kennedy) and we flicked to your build photos Ive saved on the puter , These blokes had no interest in caravans untill they seen yours , they were sputtering and and swearing about how cool it is I feel the same , the best ... Im realy enjoying the updates.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2010 19:38:08 GMT 10
Hi Swellwillys As Sutcac would say.......................... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D and..... i agree with him................................... Reddo
|
|