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Post by Koala on Sept 12, 2014 16:32:12 GMT 10
Did you see that sign writing when you were sleeping in there Geoff??  Koala |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Sept 12, 2014 17:06:36 GMT 10
very humorous ken. judy lets me sleep in the doghouse from time to time, not in the boot. the last time i was in a boot was back in the 60's heading for a drive-in-movie.  geoff 'n jude |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 13, 2014 13:57:58 GMT 10
G'day Geoff 'n Jude, It's amazing - and exciting - what can be found hidden away under paintwork, behind panels underneath drawers, etc on our V V's isn't it? Fantastic to see the 'Aerolite 15' signage in all its glory, and very close to pristine after being hidden away after all these years. I note in your first post on this thread that you referred to the bay window as being optional. If that's the case, then it certainly seems to have been a factory option. Here for example is an advert from the 1967 Winser for a 27 ft Aerolite with basically the same bay window (although the corners on the "boot" are rounded not 90 degrees, and there is no sign of an opening door, at least on the side the photo was taken from):  Given the advert, it makes you wonder if in fact Aerolite at some point added the bay window as a standard fitting to make what was basically an older bondwood design look more edgy and contemporary? (Which it did.) When I look back at your posts, it is clear in this photo where the upper and lower parts of the bay window have been added:  Without the bay window, I presume the profile of your van would have been pretty much like a longer version of Aeroliteej's 12 ft 6 in Aerolite:  Don Ricardo |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Sept 13, 2014 14:17:08 GMT 10
hi richard i think you're right. i reckon the bay was put on by aerolite after it was made and modified before it was delivered to the original owner. they did advertise that they built their vans to custom specs if required and the photo below also shows one with an original front and one with a bay window but without the storage box incorporated into it. just another reason they're so much better than a don or a roadhaven. geoff 'n jude |
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Post by firefighter on Sept 13, 2014 14:58:25 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 13, 2014 15:13:13 GMT 10
just another reason they're so much better than a don or a roadhaven. Straight through to the keeper with that one, I think!  Don Ricardo |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2014 15:16:50 GMT 10
nice find Geoff .....original signwriting still in good condition. I was amazed by the Aerolite and it's features and comforts when I first viewed it at Cowra.....something different, and not many around. How about an update on that awesome yank tank of yours ....the Conti ? Is it still going, or did you "spit the chewie" with it's ongoing idiosyncrasys Mark |
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Post by supreme78 on Sept 13, 2014 19:20:47 GMT 10
 This old girl might be looking for a home if someone is keen. It's in the yard next to my sons house in country Victoria. I hate to see it like this and could talk the owner into letting it go if someone is keen. |
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Post by supreme78 on Sept 13, 2014 19:21:37 GMT 10
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Sept 14, 2014 13:02:31 GMT 10
hi supreme
now that would be worth the effort to do a full resto on.
do you know what the inside is like?
we'd give it serious thought if we had a shed to do the job in.
hey mark, here's a chance for you to get a very rare and unusual van into your collection.
geoff 'n jude
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2014 18:48:19 GMT 10
hi supreme now that would be worth the effort to do a full resto on. do you know what the inside is like? we'd give it serious thought if we had a shed to do the job in. hey mark, here's a chance for you to get a very rare and unusual van into your collection. geoff 'n jude I agree totally Geoff.... I have a "soft" spot for the Aerolites, and if I was to own one, that'd be the model of my choice Do you a deal.... I'll buy it and haul it over to WA, if you and Colin agree to fly over and spend a few weeks / months in the Beverley shed restoring it The Beverley shed has a comfy flat attached, and the meals at the Beverley pub are the best!  Mark |
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Post by overlanda on Sept 14, 2014 19:07:59 GMT 10
Now that would be a good candidate for a make over would not be hard to do either it is just getting the time to take on another project as it would look good behind the 49 Studebaker pickup that we picked up in Sydney and all it needs is a towbar . There is room in the shed to looking to get filled
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 14, 2014 20:25:52 GMT 10
Hmm....I'm surmising that the Aerolite Supreme has discovered is a 15 foot 'Sunseeker' model.
It would be great to see someone rescue it. Aerolites are pretty thin on the ground, and none of the ones we've seen on the forum have had the vertically curved glass front windows like this one.
Looks like a bit of work, but what a show-stopper when it's done!
Don Ricardo
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Post by finkvanfc on Sept 14, 2014 20:28:55 GMT 10
Howdy Geoff & Jude, l just found this extra link on your Aerolite. Looking great with the new paint and trimmings re-fitted. Very exciting to see. We have had some trouble with the edge tape as well,so might borrow your idea of using Calico(hope you havent patented it yet). I havent noticed anyone else talking of owning an Aerolite,so may well be a rare survivor. We are using a sander/polisher on our van,not going too bad, but not as much acreage to cover as yours either. See you at the Aerolite Nationals,h haa-Pete. |
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Post by finkvanfc on Sept 14, 2014 20:31:33 GMT 10
Nice van,luv yor work,Gaz!
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Post by supreme78 on Sept 20, 2014 14:49:11 GMT 10
I would love to tackle the van myself but I don't own a shed and it would need a shed for a resto. I have an almost finished 1978 viscount supreme and a 1971 viscount royal in good original condition.  I want to tackle this one as it's got a shower in it. The aerolite looks good on the inside and has the different coloured doors like standard. The owner traveled around Australia in the old girl in the 1970's.behind a diesel landrover. That would have been a slow trip in a 70's 4 cylinder Landy towing the old aerolite. Might see if he has some pics to post. The van is in country Vic near mount Buller |
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Post by King Fisher on Sept 23, 2014 8:17:54 GMT 10
hi all a couple of years ago we stripped the aerolite back to bare plywood and repainted it, including the roof, with oil based Australis Stain Block Undercoat and Norglass Weatherfast Opal White. 2 years later and the paint had cracked so much that the timber surfaces were beginning to show signs of deterioration so we have just about finished redoing the whole of the roof area again. ... ps - as an aside, a couple of days ago, i stuck two pieces of timber together (without clamping) using only the bondcrete and when i split the join with a chisel today, the glued faces kept the bond and the timber split just beside the join, so bondcrete will not only seal the plywood successfully but will also glue any tiny faults in the surface of the ply. (thanks kingfisher for your research)It's been over 2 years since we did ours ( fisher's resto). And Bessie has 'mostly' been stored under a caravan cover. So far she is not showing any signs of wear. I think you have made a good decision callicoing and sealing the roof and using plastic paint. That bondcrete is great stuff. |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Oct 1, 2014 14:35:02 GMT 10
hi all been doing a bit of work on the chassis over the last few(?) days/weeks. cleaned up and painted the drawbar and replaced the jockey wheel.  being up on the ramp makes it a bit easier to get under and do the work but only on one side, it's a bit too low to manoeuvre on the other side. a bit of scraping, wire brushing, rust converter, and primer so far but only on one side at this point.   once i get the 2 top coats of enamel on, i'll turn it around on the ramp and get under the other side. here's a bit of a teaser of the striping we put on it to help disguise where some paint was removed when i sideswiped a truck on the way to lane cove a few months ago.  geoff 'n jude |
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Post by gregw on Feb 1, 2015 8:00:29 GMT 10
Fantastic informative photo Geoff ' Jude. the addition of the boot was a pretty good idea and made the van stand out
Greg
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Post by akeepsake on Feb 1, 2015 11:39:14 GMT 10
great Job Geoff & Jude looks like the old girl is coming up a treat! With regards to the original signwriting you found behind the front bay window box have you considered copying it and adding it to the front box panel ?
Cheers Andrew
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Feb 1, 2015 12:01:22 GMT 10
hi andrew we've contacted daggsey to make vinyl decals identical to the originals but he's tied up in north wa making some money off the mining boom (?) at the moment, so when he's returns home rich and famous he's going to make a set up for us. i thought about painting them on as you did but with all the shadowing etc i don't reckon i've got a steady enough hand to make it look good. an old bloke up the road told me many years ago not to rush into anything, so i'm happy to sit and wait until daggsey is ready to do the job. he did stickers for the roadmaster about 8 years ago and they're as good now as the day he stuck them on, even though the van has never been garaged, so it'll be worth the wait.  geoff 'n jude |
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Post by akeepsake on Feb 1, 2015 15:47:00 GMT 10
Sounds good guys ! Self adhesive vinyl is easy to remove if you want to remove them down the track. It'll really set it off I'm sure!
Keep the progress pics coming!
Cheers Andrew
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Mar 27, 2016 11:02:53 GMT 10
howdy all well, it was a bit of a sad moment this morning when we watched the aerolite being towed away by her new owners.  they are part of our vintage caravan family so we'll probably get to give her a hug from time to time. she's gone to live in sunny, south east queensland. geoff 'n jude |
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Post by cobber on Mar 27, 2016 13:11:14 GMT 10
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2016 16:58:10 GMT 10
Glad to hear she's gone to a good family,
Not too many Aerolites left!
Cheers
hughdeani
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