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Post by nitesurfer on Jun 6, 2012 8:35:51 GMT 10
The van looks great..... but i am absolutely drooling over this chopped top ford...... I know we are supposed to go ape over the vans... but I gotta congratulate you on one of the best cars i have seen for ages... Looks almost like it has driven off the pages of an old batman comic.... I would love to see some more pictures of it.... I bet you create a whiplash effect everytime you drive down the street in it ... Cheers
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Post by nitesurfer on May 9, 2012 23:49:46 GMT 10
Thanks foxy.... I remember maranti was pretty common back in the 80s ..... And yes it seems like sustainability etc has curtailed its sale... I was thinking western red cedar but i am told it is corrosive to iron nails and screws.... And then someone has mentioned tassie oak.....which sounds expensive but looking at the frames really might work out ok as there is not so much timber in the frame And good advice on fungus spores.... I read somewhere that meranti is very prone to rot as it has a lot of spores in it just waiting to get wet... If it stays dry it is great but seems like it rots quickly when wet...which considerng its rainforest origin is probably what it is designed to do... Well i guess i need to do a lot more research.. but we're not in such a hurry.. like you say it is better to do a good job once than have to redo several times a bad one..... I will let you all know what i end up with..... In the meantime all ideas still welcome
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Post by nitesurfer on May 9, 2012 0:14:43 GMT 10
Wow dave are these pictures of the hatch in curtis??? If so it looks like it is made of wood.... The reason I dont know what a franklin freeway hatch looks like is because i think mine is one of the liberated ones flying free by some highway long ago..... So maybe a brief description of the hatch.. and maybe a shot from outside would be appreciated.... then when i make new hatch i will surely attach it as you have... ;D ;D ;D
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Post by nitesurfer on May 8, 2012 23:41:11 GMT 10
Thanks guys for this very handy information.... At least I have a clue now how to operate the fridge.... As my fridge is old I have one question... Do we just try it on 240V and then see if the thing doesnt blow up we try gas??? I know about gas lines etc being cracked etc... but what about the ammonia or whatever inside the fridge? I was thinking of checking frige works whilst it is out of van when i do the reno.... My sister told me something about just turning the fridge upside down for a few minutes then righting it and then lighting it.... her ex was a fridgey so maybe there is something to it.... Anyone heard of this???
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Post by nitesurfer on May 8, 2012 23:03:30 GMT 10
Thanks for the bed advice foxy.... I like the pegboard idea.. it will match the pegboard on the side of the fridge.. Actually we will be making new bed frame or at least lowering it back to the original height because we lose too much valuable space with the extra height of the base... I kind of want to go back to the click clack divan..... I know they might be uncomfortable but i like the idea of the couch.... BUT i also hate sofa beds cause they are so uncomfortable... so i am agonising over authenticity versus comfort...... ( if anyone in brisbane has a click clack divan in their van and wants to let me have a bit of a lie down on it let me know lol ;D ) [/quote] Hi Mike, The 12'9 Freeways tow like a dream. We are towing Curtis with a V6 Holden wagon, and have just completed 1500km to the Nats and back with zero issues, not a sway, not a movement. We traveled at between 85 and 95 km/h. When I say cheeky, I have an issues with Curtis getting on this forum and making comments that his Mum and I don't really approve of!! A good way to get your restoration done in a timely manner is to book a van park 12 months from now!! Good luck Read more: vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=post&thread=9964&page=1#ixzz1tJUxFNCl[/quote] Glad to hear it tows well Dave... I was beginning to worry she might handle like a wet fish all over the road...hahha And i think the 12 month in advance booking is a great idea.....looks like you guys really had fun over christmas new year.... lots of good pics of yr van and the annexe in action...no wonder you are proud parents At the moment restoration is on hold while i wait to finish kitchen....in the meantime i am studying restorations and working out an approach.. I figure to make a couple of laminated curves to support roof and then remove aluminum cladding a bit at a time and replace wooden frame in sections....feel free to comment if this is wrong way to go about it all,... I am trying to work out timber for framing.. seems like meranti was the original timber but also seems like it is no longer readily available.. so what to use as a substitute? ? Also what size section inch and a half???which i gues would be close to 40 mm.... Look forward to your comments and advice Cheers Mike
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Post by nitesurfer on May 8, 2012 22:38:11 GMT 10
Congratulations on your acquisition.... 66 was a bloody good year. Looking forward to the pics coming soon. Mine I think was silver ali to begin with but someone painted it.. Im not sure if it was a factory job but someone has enhanced it with crappy top coat... Plans are to strip the paint back to bare ali or at least a good primer coat.... I like the silver aluminum look but the misses likes the concept of the white so we are still yet to argue that one out..... Have fun and hope to see some pics soon
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 29, 2012 23:14:40 GMT 10
Thanks Dave.... rest assured i will be picking your brains at some stage if you dont mind the odd pm.... I love your van it looks great and the annex on it is beaut too.. I notice that we ha e the same length but there is a fair it different in the layout.... I got the divan bed at rear ( or used to have) and you guys have the twin beds sort of layout. Also my dining suite looks a little wider...(does tht mean the doors are set back a little different??) Also I have a rear mounted water tank whereas i notice yours has one forward of the axle.... Stil I have to say that you guys have to be congratulated for a fantastic job in restoration and if i can do half as well i will be happy. I'm looking forward to the challenge just waiting to find the time to start lol Hi Mike, Ya gotta watch these 12'9" Freeways, they can get a little out of control if ya don't watch them. Curtis is really cheeky some times, but we just love to get out and about with him. Such a great feeling using the van you restored. Hmm does this mean it likes to wander around on the road a little??? As it is it is a very bouncy van.. seems i need to fit some shock absorbers... lest i get seasick moving around inside..
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 23, 2012 23:29:46 GMT 10
Actually Don when i was young if you lived in Ararat you either worked for the government.. mental health, prison or railways or you worked in the private sector .. prestige textiles or gasons.... I never knew how many they employed at one time... but it seemd like they employed a good slice of the town...And certainly they did have a monopoly on the cabin business so they seemed very prosperous at the time... Saying that they did have a great product...... I remember touring the factory and seeing their latest cabins.... air-conditioned with 8-track or cassete player.... and I would go as far as to say they were trend setters on the world stage..... Gasons cabs represented comfort and luxury... well as much as you could squeeze in 12 square feet lol..... But if you were harvesting or plowing/ grading etc in 40 degree heat sitting next to a hot engine..... Gasons cab was a luxury beyond compare.... I was impressed with the history because i was impressed with the versatility of the company.... It is not many companies that can so successfully reinvent themselves so many times to stay abreast of change.. and you gotta salute them for their successes.... That is the sort of spirit we all dream of possessing.. but few actually do....
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 19, 2012 22:36:10 GMT 10
Thanks Gerald, I look forward to seeing the pics.... brings back a lot of memories.....
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 19, 2012 15:15:44 GMT 10
Great history Don.. I used to live in Ararat back in the 70's and I know the name Gason well as manufactureres of tractor cabins.. I never knew they did vans so this is a great bit od extra for me... also thanks for the information a bout how the company continues to this day... I have often wondered what happend to gasons because their cabins used to be used for all sorts of things like tractors graders etc and then suddenly you stopped seeing their almost iconic designs....
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 19, 2012 14:31:18 GMT 10
Oops, photo didn't seem to attach Page 1 of Chevrolet Caravan Competition. George You know there was a unit just like this ( or very close to it from memory) in brisbane 18-20 years ago.. It used to live in commercial rd newstead/tennerrife near the ferry terminal ( for anybody who knows brisbane and may have seen it)...... It was browwn in colour.. like some left over railway colour... When i used to see it it was outside this guys house.. but i did see it driving once or twice..and think it was still all registered etc.. Many people offered him to buy it.... but he never wanted to sell.... then one day they started to redevelop the area and then the van..and possibly the owner... left the area.... It was a really cool van and certainly evoked images of a bygone era and gypsies etc,... I would love to know what happened to it.. do any of the members know the one I am talkng about???
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 18, 2012 17:56:39 GMT 10
What a time capsule..... This is an awesome find... And it all looks in such good condition I really love the stove... it may no be so streamlined as some but it is quirky and stylish to the max... l I really hope that the fridge and stove can still be used because they lend such an air of uniqueness to the kitchen and certainly make for one of the most interesting caravan kitchens i have seen.. I also love the little push button handles on the cupboards... and the lary red lino really sets it all off Congratulation on your piece of caravanning history.. hope to see it on the roads around brissy one day
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 10, 2012 23:21:46 GMT 10
G'day nitesurfer, I can't think of too many other Freeways that have had their restoration story told in detail on this forum. There's one thread I'm aware of that may help you to understand what "surprises" you might find: Franklin FreewayThis was the van that allowed us to crack the code for the Franklin chassis numbers, so I've always had a "soft spot" for this particular Franklin. We haven't heard from its owner for quite some time now, so I'm not sure whatever happened to it. cheers, Al. Yeh this is one van i would like to see more of.... I am aware of another couple of franklins of my vintage on the forum... the one that is used in the chassis number post for the 66 freeway- chassis number 1661-6 belonging to forum member marray....- looks almost exactly as mine should or could.....including the little 3 inch deep cupboard just inside the door.... and i would love to see more pics of that van also... As for surprises.. there are a few great posts where people have shown where to expect rot etc and how they replaced it and i gotta say these are brilliant posts and so helpful...... In fact it is the work of others on this forum that inspires a lot of confidence in guys like me.. As well as encouragements from other enthusiasts of course
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 10, 2012 17:21:48 GMT 10
wow love the old can-o-matic opener.... almost worht the price of the van i'd say ;D Nice to see the layout.. very similar i guess to my franklins original layout ...and so nice to see a divan in action.. I think you've got a real gem and it looks like it is in superb condition... Congratulations and enjoy it for all you can
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 8, 2012 23:50:44 GMT 10
PS Grey thin woodgrain on chipboard cupboards was standard. hughdeani Hoping to find a similar product to coat new doors when i make them as some of the chipboard is prettty swelled in places.. but i do have a kitchens-worth of this sort of laminate i am hoping to recycle.. although it is a bit thicker than what was used on the doors originally... I figured the divan was the original idea.. and good to know i can still spot a terrible sleep when i see one ;D so i guess we will be sticking with the lowering the bed idea and keeping a permanent bed set up....
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Post by nitesurfer on Apr 8, 2012 21:23:18 GMT 10
Well here is my first venture into vintage van restoration…. 1966 Franklin Freeway 12 foot 9 Chassis number 501-6 As you can see she is in great condition….. We got rid of the ubiquitous pile of crap and the rats nest from the cutlery drawer… Now I just gotta give the ants the heave-ho and it will be all mine. We’re pretty stoked with it and look forward to the process of rebuilding her… Overall I am happy with the condition.. it will need some repairs to rotted frames.. replacing of plywood and masonite..stripping of badly peeling paint oh and there is no roof hatch I had to make a plywood one covered in plastic as a temporary.. but still it was love at first site.. The stove is in excellent condition as is the sink… The fridge looks good for its age…(well excellent if it is as old as the van)..but seems to protrude beyond the cupboards by about 8 – 10 cm… this seems a bit of an odd design because you have to lean over the fridge to wash up… were gas/240 fridges the norm for a 66 model or is it a later addition..? Okay well now for a few questions…. No so obvious in any pic but there is a gas line and tap in the bottom cupboard under the wardrobe/closet…. What do you guys think??? Central heating?? -The blurry dark bit on bottom right is a gas tap...- The gas goes to the fridge and stove but there is a junction and line to the other side so it is the gas…but what would they use it for… The double(?) bed base has been rebuilt and raised at least.. As you can see from this picture the lower of the two wood slats is the original height… -current bed base.. too close to window- -undeframe of bed showing original height rail and matress base under the existing one- -Bed base.. note the height.. seems to have been raised 15-20 cm- I will be probably lowering the bed back to its original height so we get a few extra inches of width for the mattress.. and I don’t wanna roll out the window… I have seen some other franklins-(including later models) of about same length as mine that have a divan arrangement that folds down into the double bed… Can anyone tell me if this was the original arrangement? Or was it an option to have the double bed permanently set up (hard to tell as the original lines could be a full bed frame or a support frame for the divan… And on the subject of the divan…. Can anbody who has one or has experienced one tell me if it is comfortable to sleep on or would a permanent bed be better.. I am all for taking the van back to showroom condition… but I am also keen on a good sleep and hate half hearted sofa-beds that are neither one nor the other… The cupboards doors are covered in fablon –(contact..maybe I am showing my age haha) of a wood grain but there appears to be an under layer of very thin laminex in a grey wood grain….It could possibly be another contact but seems stronger.. but it is just as thin.. The other freeways I have seen all have painted doors… what was the go for the ‘66 paint or laminex/formica? And the doors and drawers I have are all chipboard by the look of it.. is this the correct wood? So that should be enough to begin with…. Look forward to hearing your feedback and insights into doing this project… I hope to do as good a job as Dave and Sue did with Curtis….. Cheers Mike
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Post by nitesurfer on Mar 30, 2012 1:00:26 GMT 10
Welcome to the forum mate, it is good fun ;D You can't go wrong with you new van. Good luck with it. Not a bad idea to post up where you are from, cause who knows who may live around the corner from you. Do you have an interesting tow car Cheers Rod ;D Hahahahahaaaaa are you ready for the irony Rod..... Got the van but nothing to tow it with yet... (got a tow truck to deliver it ) I have a hyundai excel that doubles as a general freight carrier but i dont think it will handle a tow bar lol....
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Post by nitesurfer on Mar 30, 2012 0:55:37 GMT 10
Hi nitesurfer, your van is a Franklin Freeway,looks like it originally had silver aluminium thats been painted white at some stage(lot of vans were painted in the 70s!) Caravans are measured 12inches above the floorline front to back of the body. Hope this is of some help to you. Cheers hughdeani Wow thanks a lot.. I have beeen loooking at hillendales cause they looked similar (but wheel arch was different).... and then viscounts because of a faded 'viscount' on the rear roof ( but i couldnt find any reference to a 12 foot viscount with the same windows).... but the pics i see of the rankilin freeway 1966 model looks an exact match... but now i know its a freeway i can go and suss the number on the chassis to get the year.... And thanks for the tip on measuring.. at least that is a constant Looking forward to posting pics when i make them
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Post by nitesurfer on Mar 29, 2012 11:05:32 GMT 10
Thanks guys.. i figured it was pretty much cabin length but i come from a boaty type background where every little bit that sticks out is an addition to the length.. I have finally got myself a fixer upper.. hopefully vintage.. otherwise you will see me in the classic section lol I got this off of ebay cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320870150578&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:AU:3160and i will post some pics when i take them... It is an old viscount.. or at least has a very old viscount sticker on it .... I am already in love with it.... but like the ad says it needs some tlc ;D It is a 12 footer or just over ( need to get that longer tape measure) and i will post about her when i know a little more and have some pics.. In the meantime a pleasure to be here.. been reading around at some of the stuff you guys do and its great... I am an avid caravan lover.. especially the old eggs.... and im also a hoarder so i think i am in good company lol ps any hints at model or age would be helpful
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Post by nitesurfer on Mar 28, 2012 20:45:58 GMT 10
Hi all.. stupid question from a newbie time.... but exactly where do people measure when they measure caravan length....?? Is it just the length of the body?/the floor length of the body?/ or does it include the draw bar as well??? And do different manufacturers measure differently Thanks
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