21' Olympic Stardust Rescue

[stephen&Julie]

Hi All,
Just a few pics of the 21’ Olympic Stardust Julie and I rescued on the weekend. It’s a shame she was guttered out but Julies happy with a clean slate. Some young blokes who lived in her decided that blue paint was a good thing (half outside and all inside…yuc) looks worse than it really is, should come up great. Chas Num: 1948,Boblor says it's a 1970 model. More pic’s as she recovers








Cheers Stephen&Julie ;D ;D ;D ;D

[bobandjacqui]

G'day Stephen and Julie,

Congratulations on a great pick up their getting a bit thin on the ground those 21 footers so you were lucky to find one so close to home ;D ;D ;D

We'll look forward to the progress pics.

Cheers Bob and Jacqui

[atouchofglass]

Hey S&J
Great to see one of these larger Olympics rescued.
They are a bit like rocking horse...... you get the idea.

For just a moment my heart sunk when looking at your photos.
You see ... that van is veeeery similar to the one my parents had back in 1972/73.
Oh no have I missed out and lost the chance to restore my families old van

The outside light is in the same position as theirs or so I thought until I checked the only two photos of the van I have.
Phew... not the same position and one gas bottle not two -- so different van.
;D ;D ;D

I'll keep searching for my family van and hope yours turns out to be as lovely as you intend.

Keep the photos coming and looking forward to the interior shots both before and after. ;D ;D

Cheers
Atog

[cruisindoug]

Nice van Stephen and Julie that looks to be a great start and a clean slate too!

Cheers Doug

[stephen&Julie]

Hi fellow Vintage Vanners, well I’ve shown the good side now check the inside, very scary as they painted the bedroom in a spray can black and the rest in oil based house blue thinking I might wet and dry the walls and respray the whole lot also the windows need replacing and the wiring looks like they had a grew a crop in there ..ha


Removed air con

Towards bedroom,no kitchen

Wardrobe

Bedroom

Towards dinning

Dinning

Well that’s it for now, better get some rest as I think where going to need it..yeeeHa

Cheers for now Stephen&Julie

[stephen&Julie]

Big thanks to Kim and Graeme (Kimbo) scored a backload on there tilt tray from Bris to Cabarita for the Stardust at the right price
Cheers Stephen&Julie

[stephen&Julie]

Hello again all
Further progress today as the Stardust is loaded on to the tilt tray for the long trip home, looks in good condition underneath considering it hasn’t been on holidays for many a year. Does anyone know a good method for removing paint from fibreglass before I start testing?
Cheers for now
Stephen&Julie



Going



Going



Going



Going



Gone

[richard]

Aug 4, 2011 18:05:09 GMT 10 stephen&Julie said:

Does anyone know a good method for removing paint from fibreglass before I start testing?

Sandpaper, a dual-action sander and a lot of elbow grease appears to be the standard method.

Paint-strippers are generally bad for fibreglass.

[stephen&Julie]

Hi All, we had a productive w/end investigating and cleaning to see where we are at or up for. Found some surprises as you do and some worries but overall we think there maybe a future in this old girl.



Test Sand



Not Bad



Years of Dust















What’s This





Olympic Madness has set in!

Watch this space

[stephen&Julie]

Greetings VVer’s
Spent the afternoon playing with the painted Olympic Clock with a bit of patients and persistents have removed all the lovely paint added a battery and presto a ready to go clock



Wasn’t sure at first what this was on the wall





How goods that!
Cheers Stephen&Julie

[bobandjacqui]

G'day Stephen and Julie, Love the clock ;D but you'll have to do something about those slot head screws before Slot Head Bob wakes up and logs on ;D ;D ;D

Cheers Bob

[stephen&Julie]

Hey Bob, would you believe i thought of that when i put it together....Ha...Ha
cheers Stephen

[boblor]

Hi All
I spent a couple of hours with Stephen this afternoon checking out this latest edition to the fleet. They say you can alway learn something, well this van has an unusual suspension system compared to other Olympics and brake cable mechanism. The tandem wheels are placed very close together (50-75mm from memory), a single heavy duty spring each side, each end of the spring sits on the axles with radius rods attached to brackets above the axles back to the chassis. the chassis has been 'beefed up' considerably to take the load/shocks. I would think this van will tow very well on this suspension, the van is well balanced, when Stephen walked into the back of the van , we tipped it on its tail.
This van will look a treat in 2-3years time when restoration has been complete for retirement.
Congratulations Stephen and Julie on a good find, and are lucky to be living near Olympic HQ's and I look forward to helping where possible. You are doing well for some one , who only 12 mths ago found Olympic vans.
Cheers boblor

[stephen&Julie]

Hello all, well on holidays and Julie’s gone to Melbourne so time to do some work on the Stardust, firstly take the door off and start removing paint and then sand the painted side of the van, it’s taken me all day so here some pics for your perusal.Still heaps to do













Cheers Stephen&Julie

[mgandwartz]

She should come up a treat - love the clock. will look forward to the progress in pics. Don

[stephen&Julie]

Hola Como Estas, well another day on the Stardust, straighten and level the chassis onto jacks then build frames and lift the whole body up and level the floor inside ready for ply, big thanks to Boblor who dropped around to say hello and left 3 hours later after helping to get the frames spot on.
It was amazing how you jack the frames under the mould line levelling the floor inside then secure.

















secured the top rail at the rear from the inside so it won’t pop out




Adios for now, Stephen&Julie

[atouchofglass]

Hey Stephen&Julie

Before you start on your floor replacement it is worth having a look at honeycomb and fibreglass.
The honeycomb is made of plastic and if it is fibreglassed both sides forms a non-rotting flooring
Comes in various thicknesses.
It's used in boats and you know how much water those cop.

www.fgi.com.au/?q=honeycomb

Even the stringers can be replaced with resin and fibreglass coated foam instead of ply. Just depends on how bad the under floor is.

Worth considering.

Oh and one of the other things that could be used from boating is underfloor water tanks.

If you use honeycomb and fibreglassed foam for stringers and flooring, then it is possible to build in your watertanks.
They would be fibreglass tanks made to the sizes of the gaps between stringers and with baffles in them.
Could put one in front and behind the axle cavity/gap in the underfloor.

Have wanted to do that some time in the future with another Olympic.
The one I rebuild didn't need the floor redoing so never did it.

Cheers
Atog

[stephen&Julie]

Thanks Atog, i will way up the ease of application and price compared to overlaying with wind brace ply
Cheers Stephen

[stephen&Julie]

Hi all well hold me down another great day on the Stardust with the help of a truly top bloke Bob Taylor who knocked on my door early and inspired me on a rainy, thundery morning to go on the attack. Here is some pic’s of our days work.
Bob’s idea was to clean out the rotten bits, clean, glue and seal two layers of bracing ply over the good ply so far looking fantastic then finally fibreglass the edges to the wall…..pew



















Cheers Stephen&Julie

[1954homemade]

Oct 15, 2011 19:48:50 GMT 10 stephen&Julie said:

Hi all well hold me down another great day on the Stardust without the help of a truly top bloke Bob Taylor

Hi Stephen,

Looks like you are getting right into the Stardust and doing a fantastic job.

Luv Di

[stephen&Julie]

Hello once again hope your not sick of me yet well today we finished cutting, screwing and gluing the new floor down ready for glassing I must say once again if it wasn't for Boblor I would be stuffed a gallant effort with excellent rewards, any how’s here’s the finished pics. If a majority of your floor is in good condition than this could be an easy alternative it’s solid under foot and quick to do.

















Thanks Bob, cheers till next time Stephen&Julie

[boblor]

Hi All
He had to hold me up to take the above photo,because he worked me so hard for an old bloke. Anyway we had an enjoyable and productive two days, and i found Stehen does not mine me dropping in to check the project out, -- but I must bring the tools.
I wonder what will happen next week-end .
Cheers boblor

[dawso]

Hi All,
I have been watching your floor reno with great intrest, I take delivery of my Stardust on Wednesday and I know there is work to be done on the floor.Dawso

[olympicriviera]

love the refit...........looking forward to the end result......... what thickness ply are you using on the floor? my floor although not rotten is soft and just want to brace it up a bit

[stephen&Julie]

Hi, F27 brace ply about 4mm thick,added 2 layers for strength
Cheers Stephen&Julie