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Post by Franklin1 on Sept 19, 2018 20:53:58 GMT 10
Hi Molly, The Viscount chassis number A7233 could be either from the late 1960s, or from 1977, so check the appearance of the van to be sure. Shelley has been keeping a database of Viscount chassis numbers and the related year they were built. cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Sept 17, 2018 21:49:55 GMT 10
G'day redwing,
Spotlight stores will sell and ship calico to you. See this link for the different types of calico. Change the "Select Style" box to the right of the picture, to see what widths are available. Seeded calico has remnants of plant seeds caught in the threads, and is available in 3.0 metre widths. Bleach White calico is clear of impurities and is available in 2.8 metre widths.
Calico should ideally be washed twice before applying it in position. The washing process shrinks the material length before using it, rather than have it shrink on you when fixing it into position with paint or bondcrete-type products. See this post (and continue reading down the page) for one example of how the calico is fitted on a flat roof (flat meaning side-to-side).
When I made the curtains for my "Walsh" van, I backed them with calico. I washed the calico first, and it was shrinking about 150mm for every metre, so if you need 3 metres for your roof length, buy 4 metres to start with.
cheers, Al.
Edit: just adding in here that if you want to read all the threads on the forum that contain the word 'calico', here is the search result list: calico links I would suggest you start reading from the bottom of Page 4 and work your way backwards to the top of Page 1. You'll be an expert by the time you finish reading all that lot!
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Post by Franklin1 on Sept 14, 2018 20:45:51 GMT 10
G'day sgtl,
There's an interesting post in 2013 about different coloured tiles... Wonder where Mark and Leanne got them from??
Plus these other threads...
Following on from what Ray Roehme said above, my memory from years ago on this forum, is that someone said they had cut 300mm x 300mm vinyl tiles down to 9"x9" squares using a table saw. But, I'm blowed if I can find the post relating to that.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Sept 11, 2018 0:01:47 GMT 10
G'day sgtl,
Heck, I don't think you and Mr sgtl need any help to fix up this van. You guys have OCD (obsessive caravan disorder), and seem to get through your projects at a cracking pace!
Have you found the chassis number on the drawbar yet?? Judging by the tail lights, I'm thinking you'll be finding some numbers followed by the letter C or D.
Congrats on finding another great example of an early Franklin. Can't readily think of any other early Franklin tandem van on the forum over the years, so it is your solemn duty to bring this one back to factory condition!
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 23, 2018 8:58:55 GMT 10
G'day surftragic,
Gosh, this thread continues to be such a great story! You keep finding more evidence to prove the history of the van, and you find a windfall along the way!
This project definitely needs to be finished, so no mucking about...get stuck into it!!
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 23, 2018 8:52:18 GMT 10
hee, hee, yeah...
When they do a remake of "Picnic At Hanging Rock", guess who they'll contact for period picnic sets?!
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 23, 2018 8:41:04 GMT 10
Hi Ray, excellent job on remodelling the shed roof!
Ahhh, yes, the old "windows first?" question. I well remember working through my 'Walsh' van project, thinking..thinking (Oh, the thinking that went into that project!). The only thing that kept me sane was the mental picture I had of what I wanted it to look like when it was finished. And I think that's the key to these sorts of "fly by the seat of your pants" projects. The final picture will steer you towards putting the windows in the right positions; putting sufficient power points in the right positions; making sure there's enough clearance to get in and out of the dining table seating; putting the bed high enough to leave usable room underneath for storing a 300mm high plastic tub (and not discovering you've made the height 290mm ); and all the rest of the design features you want in the final outcome.
If I was to do a project like yours, I would think I'd definitely do the windows first. You then know exactly how to build the walls to accommodate the windows, but you also get a chance to sit and ponder about where exactly you position those windows for maximum benefit. For example, do you want to sit up in bed and gaze directly out the window? If so, the centre of the window has to be at eye height for the best result. And it's this sort of thinking and planning that gets you to the steps required to do the job (and gets you grey hair as well, but that won't worry you now, hey?! )
The three opening windows in my 'Walsh' van have a brass rod at the bottom for the window stay. The window stay at the pillow end of the bed sits just above my head when the window is closed or slightly open. I have to remember not to suddenly sit up, otherwise I'll bang my head on the stay. I ended up shortening the rod so it doesn't hang over the pillow as much, but that means not being able to open the window as much as before. If I'd realised that would happen in the design, I would have shifted the position of the window. This issue is probably the only bugbear in my whole project, so all the thinking and planning I went through was 99% successful.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 17, 2018 19:17:01 GMT 10
Hi DonR,
Yes, it appears in this case that only the first page has been archived. I tested the Wayback machine using the URL for my Walsh van project, and that thread hasn't been archived at all, so the capturing/archiving process must be a bit 'hit and miss'.
The following link will show you that 886 URLs have been captured from the Vintage caravans forum so far. You'll notice in the first half dozen results that multiple pages from a thread are sometimes captured, so I don't know why the archiving system doesn't do that all the time: web.archive.org/web/*/http://vintagecaravans.proboards.com/thread/*
More to learn about how it all works, methinks.
cheers, Al.
Update: According to the list of 886 threads that have been captured, Pages 1 to 6 plus page 15 of my van thread have been archived. Pages 7 to 14 and anything after P15 must have been too boring...
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 17, 2018 10:18:30 GMT 10
G'day sgtl,
Obviously, anything added to the thread after 4 Nov 2016 won't show in this archive copy. I couldn't readily see when the 2nd capture was taken, but could track it down if it was later than 2016.
Our Vintage Caravans website homepage has been captured 202 times between October 22, 2002 and August 8, 2018, but not every sub-page is captured at that time. It takes a bit of detective work to find when each sub-page was archived. It's heaps easier to find an archived thread if you know the actual thread URL, but that's not always easy once a thread is deleted. At least we now have a way of tracking down some of the old threads that have fallen off the edge of the planet.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 16, 2018 22:03:19 GMT 10
Hi DonR, well thank goodness you were able to recover the original thread. I was dreading the thought of having to reconstruct the archive copy into a live thread again. Yes, I can work with you to reinstate whatever photos I posted throughout that thread. I think it is very worthwhile, considering the number of vans out there that would have a pump tap. In Cobber's list of parts and suppliers, under the PUMPS... heading, there is a comment: "To see a great thread on the workings of these pumps - Click here". That link goes to the deleted thread, so we need to amend that link. Well done to you for 'saving the day', DonR! cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 15, 2018 22:28:05 GMT 10
G'day all, One of the frustrations when searching for info on the forum, is to discover that the thread you wanted has somehow been deleted/lost/gone missing. The internet has a number of computers that trawl through all the websites on the internet, and capture a record of what the websites/pages looked like at particular times in the past. Apparently there are over 335 billion websites/webpages that have been copied and stored in 'archives'. One of the well-known archive storage computers is the "Wayback Machine" ( web.archive.org/ ) Elsewhere on our forum, there has been a discussion about Fynspray pumps, and we now know the original thread about these pumps was inadvertently deleted a year or so ago.
However, the Wayback machine captured the "Fynspray Galley Pumps" thread back on 20 April 2014, and the archived copy can be viewed here: web.archive.org/web/20140420081044/vintagecaravans.proboards.com/thread/2960/fynspray-galley-pumpsUnfortunately, whatever photos are missing from the archived copy can't be replaced into that copy (ie. you can't edit the archive copy), but it would be good if we could somehow copy that whole thread and recreate a new thread on the forum containing all the original info. cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 15, 2018 20:57:09 GMT 10
G'day sgtl, Ah yes, I remember that bloke. Wonder whatever happened to him?? cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 13, 2018 22:42:30 GMT 10
The other useful thread is this one from your old mate Ken Koala:
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 13, 2018 22:38:26 GMT 10
G'day kerri,
There used to be a comprehensive guide to refurbishing these pumps in the Techo section, but that thread seems to have disappeared. If anybody knows how to resurrect the thread, here are the details:
Apart from replacing the washers/seals in the pump, you also have to polish the two brass (copper?) balls and the metal seats they sit in. This will remove any build-up and allow the balls to sit snugly into their respective dish-shaped holders, giving a much better seal against backflow of water when the handle is pushed down, and will give better suction when the handle is pulled up.
Too bad the techo thread has disappeared...it was quite useful info.
cheers,
Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 13, 2018 21:46:41 GMT 10
Hi murray,
Adding to what DonR has already said, the ribbed cladding on the sides was used for lightweight roofing on outdoor areas of houses (eg. undercover entertaining area). Assuming it's aluminium, I used a small piece of similar profile to make the 'ice tray' in my ice chest (too bad my photos have all disappeared again... )
The powder-coated aluminium windows would have been specially made to fit the original window openings in the van. People usually do this to their old 1970s on-site vans they use for their 'holiday homes'.
Looks like the sort of van somebody would cobble together to use as a fishing hut, for when the salmon are running.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Aug 3, 2018 22:48:45 GMT 10
Hi Ray, Sooo...giving up caravans via the "cold turkey" method doesn't work, huh?! I just KNEW it would be hard to keep a good man down! Back in 2013, a trip to Canberra for a 'week-end away' led to a stay in the Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC). One of the 'vans' there was this one... I never did get to catch up with the owners, so I don't know any more about the story of its creation. It was certainly an eye-catcher in amongst the modern white boxes. No doubt the end result for you will also be another eye-catching creation! And yes, do whatever is necessary to get the height you need in the van. As a previous owner of a 1970s pop-top van, it's no fun banging your head numerous times on a lower ceiling. Great to hear you are back in the 'shed' again! cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Jul 9, 2018 23:53:03 GMT 10
A big thanks to John and Pam for organising another great weekend at Murrurundi. Those of you who didn't attend this event missed out on the following breathtaking adventures:
1. A winter wind that cut through you like a sharp knife. Brrrr!! And still JD Strugglebrook got around in his footy shorts! 2. Feasting on hot soup, stew, and pancakes put together by various MKR chefs. (or maybe they were just vintage tucker-mucker-uppers ) 3. A rip-roaring night on Sat night with a concert in the camp kitchen by a great young lady singer named Chloe. (...Alice...Who?...Alice! Who the ummm is Alice??!!) 4. Great entertainment on Sat night watching Reddo down nearly a whole bottle of scotch and still be standing at the end. 5. Even better entertainment late Sat night watching Reddo demonstrate how peas and carrots can be arranged to great effect on the lawn. 6. Winning one of the many valuable raffle prizes that Mr Strugglebrook put together for the Sat night event. 7. Getting a jar of award-winning tomato relish made by MKR honorary-chef Pam. (it is to die for! )
and... 8. Being with a great bunch of friendly people in vintage caravans. (Where the bloody hell WERE you?? )
ps. In 2016 I paid $10 to sponsor a brick, in the Vintage Caravans Forum's name, for improvements to the caravan park. This year I did the same, so another acknowlegment plaque will be fixed in position to show our Forum's support for the fabulous hospitality shown to us by park owners Doug and Carol (and our sincere best wishes to Carol as she fights her way through a current medical situation).
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on Jul 9, 2018 23:10:09 GMT 10
G'day chrisall,
You'll get a lot more info about your van on our sister forum for 'Classic Caravans' built from 1970 to 1979. Click on this link: ditzygypsy.proboards.com/
Look for the chassis number on the nearside (door side) of the drawbar, just beneath the coupling somewhere. It should be the letter 'S' followed by some numbers. The first number after the 'S' is the year of build (eg. 8 would be 1978). The rest of the numbers are the consecutive chassis build numbers for that year (eg. 1234 is the 1,234th chassis built in that year).
Don't be surprised if you haven't found another Viscount Supreme that perfectly matches your layout. At one stage in the 1970s, Viscount were advertising the choice of 65 different layouts in their range of vans!!
You can register on the Classic forum using the same UserID as you've used here, if you wish.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 21, 2018 22:57:41 GMT 10
G'day Jane, This is where Booboo really earns her keep! A warm doggie down the bottom of the bed is heaps better than a hot water bottle!! Plus, just focus on John Strugglebrook getting around in his footy shorts, and your brain will tell you it must be summer! cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 21, 2018 22:49:23 GMT 10
In October last year, I spent 16 manhours (personhours ) uploading and relinking all 732 photos in my "Walsh" thread using Postimage.org Six months later, they disappeared when Postimage.org became postimage.cc and the links no longer worked. Do I want to go through that whole exercise again, and reinstate all the P/b links into my thread? Ummm, NAH!!!... I think the recent Federal Budget should have allocated money so we could buy some server space somewhere. It's always the Govt's fault.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 17, 2018 21:16:42 GMT 10
G'day GnJ,
Carol rang me back 2 hours later, and said she had a powered site for me, so something must have changed within a short period (??).
Anyway, we are good to go now.
cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 17, 2018 15:22:33 GMT 10
G'day Mr Strugglebrook, I tried to book in today, but Carol said there are no more powered sites available, so she has put me on a waiting list in case there is a cancellation. Carol said there are still unpowered sites available at the moment. Saturday 7th July 2018: Aberdeen Highland Games ( www.aberdeenhighlandgames.com/ ). Aberdeen is 55kms (43mins) south of Murrurundi. Sunday 8th July 2018: Singleton Sunday Markets ( www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/Calendar.aspx?EID=6026 ). Singleton is 114kms (1hr 36mins) south of Murrurundi. cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 17, 2018 10:06:31 GMT 10
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Post by Franklin1 on May 17, 2018 9:59:03 GMT 10
One of the photos shows "Built by Smiths Caravan and Joiners Works...Shepparton". I can't see any reference to this builder in our Down History Lane section, so Don Ricardo might be interested in adding this van to our records. Good discovery, sgtl. cheers, Al.
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Post by Franklin1 on May 7, 2018 21:01:57 GMT 10
G'day kingfisher, One possibility for the rebadged brand on your van is a "Roma". The painted line around some of the early Roma vans had a distinctive shape. If you look at the photos in this post in the Roma DHL thread, you'll see how the painted design looked on the front, sides, and rear. The red "R" in one of your photos might also point to the Roma name. Some of the early Roma vans had a chassis number welded on the drawbar which started with the letter 'R', followed by numbers. Keep in mind that Roma sourced their vans from a number of different manufacturers, so you'd have to do some more research to find out the original brand of your van. Hughdeany might be able to shed a bit more light on where your van could have come from. cheers, Al.
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