And so it begins ...our Sundowner ..and now a Holidaymaker

[willow5075]

Ok so we've been pretty quiet but there has been progress!
Cushions currently being manufactured - lovely red colour with white piping
The MOTH has been able to get a stencil made so we can repaint the "Sundowner" logo
Plans in place for a basic rear bumper for now to hold the tyre then a better stainless steel number later on.

Looking forward to the November meet here in SA!

[willow5075]

Thank good ness for the list of past posts in the profile - looked through the threads a couple fo times and couldnt find this one!
Pics of cushions to follow shortly!

[willow5075]

Nice new cushions


2013-10-13_0479_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr


2013-10-13_0480_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[willow5075]

So the MOTH has been away working but now he's back and he's had some time to work on Sunny - we've also had time to go away and enjoy the new cushions this weekend
Quick trip for one night to Burra - already out of practice getting organised - forgot the tea towels, nearly forgot the bed linen! But all good fun.


2013-10-19_0455_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[willow5075]

Other work completed on Sunny

A new bumper to hold lights and number plate

2013-10-20_0488_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

A bit hard to see but new power point for the fridge with a compartment to hold the fridge steady and provides a niche for induction cooker to live in

2013-10-20_0491_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[willow5075]

And now we have the spare tyre mounted at the front - you can also the results of the MOTh's diligent polishing!

Also have a tube for all our annexe/awning poles etc - makes for more space inside


2013-10-20_0486_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

In other news we are having the hub caps re-chromed - should have those at a pinch for November meet in Normanville

[willow5075]

On the way to Burra we stopped in at Saddleworth because we heard there was a VV there. This one is in the museum - the owners who run the museum said they paid $100 for it - some time back but they don't know what brand it is or anything


2013-10-19_0478_edited-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Willow and MOTH,

Congratulations on an excellent job on the Sundowner. It looks fantastic. Love the upholstery and the shine on the aluminium. Great job. And so nice to have the van that played an important role at an earlier stage of your life.

I'm looking forward to seeing the van "in the metal" at Broken Hill.

Regarding the van you saw at Saddleworth, I'm pretty sure it's a Globetrotter based on the shape of the front, the porthole window and its placement, the little lip (brow?) over the front windows, and the additional bracing under the A-frame. Have a look at some of the vans shown on the Globetrotter thread in DHL and tell me what you think.

Don Ricardo

[willow5075]

Thanks Don we are really looking forward to Nationlals

More progress this week
- new floor covering
- new curtains done and matching cushions almost complete
- should have rechromed hub caps tomorrow
- Sundowner sign repainted
- gas bottle fitted to a frame
Still more polishing to do before Normanville meet then it will be rest time until after Xmas
Well by rest I mean the MOTH will have to stop to do actual paid work and he has a couple of sculptures to complete as well

[tcb056]

Great job willow and moth, wish we were going. Maybe next time. BTW love the 'catseyes'. Cheers, Ann

[willow5075]

Sunny on the road over holidays


Sunny on the road by Willow5075, on Flickr

[griffin]

Congratulations on your efforts with Sundowner, wonderful photo.

George

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Willow5075,

That's a great photo of the Sundowner - it looks terrific. You obviously have some great photographic skills.

Don Ricardo

[akeepsake]

Very cool van ! Love the pic!

[willow5075]

Thanks for your kind comments! Photography is a bit of a hobby for me!

[willow5075]

The line of VV's at the Rock and roll Rendezvous, Birdwood, SA weekend of April 12/13



This was the afternoon before when the vans were able to set up - before all the other cars came on Sunday. We all got together for the evening meal and a good time was had by all.

Some of the glamorous people who visited Sunny

Fifties-Couple by Willow5075, on Flickr

Sunny-Model-1 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[willow5075]

I have been very remiss in posting some Nationals pics - we had a lovely time there and met lots of very nice people. So her are some pics to start of our journey along the way

Morning tea in Riverton, SA - hometown of SA artist Robert Hannaford

On the way by Willow5075, on Flickr

Burra - this chimney holds special significance for the Moth as it was his father who moved it from its original home to this site in the 1970's
On the way by Willow5075, on Flickr

And at the boarder - our first time taking "Sunny" out of SA!

Nationals01 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[willow5075]

We stopped for the night along the way at Yunta in another first for Sunny (free camping) and we we emerged for breakfast here was a lovely sight

Nationals02 by Willow5075, on Flickr

[moth]

Hi all
a bit of an update on sunny the vintage van.
well up until now we have put sunny's age in the early 50s ,it would appear she may a bit older than she firstly admitted to with her shiny aluminum skin ,as Don Ricardo suggested the cladding has been installed in the early 50s , when bondwood skin off , roof off . Reno was undertaken , I have gleaned this info while undertaking a extensive update of sunny , I discovered strips of the outside cladding layered up in between canite and canvas , as to her age well ,going on ,her 12volt Art Deco light switches , early 30s, light globes ,last made in 1939, age of tow hitch ,cupboard handles , the 30s , I suspect the hinges we're changed , the s/steel cooking area has had a section cut out and most of the cupboard underneath it removed ,I suspect the ice box and door to take the 50s three way fridge that was once fitted and then removed aprox 34 years ago , this suggests to me that the cooking area was in existence before the 50s Reno .and so not exclusive to Rowan as has been a line of thought .
Summing up I see a lot of pointers indicating sunny comes from the mid thirties ,but I am open to different opinions ,Enough history , what does the future hold for sunny . A 2014 update , new 240volt electrical system , new 12 volt hidden led lighting system incorporating the 30s light switches once again ,new in van battery system set for free camping ,a new soft board and loom state canvas roof ,heat reflective roofing paint ,new interior paint scheme reflecting an earlier paint finish ,that's about it for now ,photos to come ,cheers the moth

[willow5075]

And now some pictures of the aforementioned reno's

Tucked in the garage ready to start

Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr


Stripping begins

Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr


Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr

The worst bit of damage


Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr


Roof

Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr

Hatches off

Untitled by Willow Images

All gone!

Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr

[willow5075]

And here is David and Goliath at the Nationals in Broken Hill AKA Sundance and Sundowner!

Hopefully you can see this now!

Untitled by Willow Images, on Flickr

[willow5075]

The aforementioned renovations are progressing with all new electrics completed - we now have LEDS throughout with cupboard lights as well. Full 12v system,deep cycle battery and charger thingy as well as an inverter to run 240 chargers etc (gotta keep the phones and ipads operational!) and then also the ability to switch over to normal 240 when in a park. Our friend Perry has been an absolute brick with his hard work to do all the tricky bits of this for us!

So now Steve is busy cleaning up the aluminium around the edges that were hard to do with the edge strips and getting the 25 year old tar off the other bits.

He has also taken the opportunity to paint the interior so the 80's grey is now gone and we have a nice warm pale butter yellow. I'll take some pics when it's all back together again.

Next job is to get the roof back on - soft board and canvas, I think he's a bit nervous how that will go but I have faith he'll do it just fine

[willow5075]

This week Sunny finally came out of hiding in the garage - she's not quite finished yet but getting very close



Sunny released from the garage by

[Aussie]

willow5075, what a great thread!

Sunny looks great, you guys have done an awesome job.

Polishing is on my list, and not to far away so thank MOTH for his trial and error, in which im sure will help many more than just myself. Straight for the 9" and purple.

Oh, i agree with most too re your coupling...def much older than ive ever seen.

Great work!

[moth]

Hi Aussie
The Moth here ,about that polishing ,in the end I found the best finish was achieved by hand ,I tied fast and slow machines but came back to cleaning the aluminium with fine grade soapy steel wool pads ,rinsing ,drying then purple polish as per directions . cheers Moth