|
|
Post by retro1 on Feb 2, 2005 23:12:11 GMT 10
Thanks Jim Sorry to keep you up all night I hope it was worth it. The chassis is all original as is the coupling, brakes and springs. All I did was replace the bearings and overhauled and painted the frame and guards. One spot at the front had a little rust in it but it wasn't major so I left it in. As for the joinery problems I saw in my van was the lack of use of suitable joints. Most of the joints were butt joints. I used half-lap joint on the outer frames. Most of the internal joints are either half lap or dowel joints. Don't forget that 50 years ago the glues were mainly animal based glues and don't have the same strength as modern glues. I also found that some of the timbers were very heavy or not suitable for the use iin a caravan eg:meranti was used in the outer frame which is not a good timber if any moisture is present. I made my outer frame in laminated marine ply and outer and inner skins are also marine ply. In rebuilding my van I have made it to last but back in the 50's caravanning was a lot more popular and the van would have been mass produced and made to a budget hence the use of a lot of different timbers. I hope this helps you out and thank you for asking    |
|
|
|
Post by Beverly on Feb 4, 2005 9:05:26 GMT 10
What type of Lumber did you use for the framing of this project? I was wondering how you got it to bend .
Great work!
Beverly
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Feb 5, 2005 19:09:56 GMT 10
Thanks Beverly
Just read though the pages of " My Castle Caravan"
and you will read how it was built. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Feb 7, 2005 5:58:09 GMT 10
I had these canvas blinds made to make it darker inside. It will also keep it cooler in summer and stop the fabric inside from fadeing. It will also keep the water of the windows if it does rain. The pictuer is not the best but the strips match my car. It was taken under the caravanport where Diner2 sleeps awaiting her next big adventure.  ![]()  |
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Feb 20, 2005 19:57:16 GMT 10
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Mar 1, 2005 23:13:36 GMT 10
A couple more picture taken by another caravan buff  Inside shot of Diner2  |
|
|
|
Post by trev and carrots on Mar 2, 2005 0:59:24 GMT 10
retro, your x-trail & van sure make a nice pair.. i think ray would agree with that    ;D trev (after several cups of plonk) |
|
|
|
Post by will bayley on Mar 2, 2005 10:06:23 GMT 10
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Mar 5, 2005 20:19:26 GMT 10
Love to share that bottle of Johnny's with you one day mate ..  The Coke stuff we used in a display for All Americn Day. Took the van to Burra SA for the Jailhouse Rock Festival and had about 30 people look at it in a short stop as we pulled over on the side of the road. These old vans have a heap more pulling power than I thought I would ever get. |
|
|
|
Post by humptydumpty on Mar 7, 2005 19:05:58 GMT 10
The more I look at your Castle van the more I think my latest aquisition is the same, but the interior layout is more conventional, ie table to front, convertible divan at rear. Where were they made?
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Mar 7, 2005 21:22:36 GMT 10
It was made in 1957 in Castle Hill NSW but I rebuilt it last year.
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Mar 28, 2005 20:58:02 GMT 10
Hope everybody had a great easter I took the van for its longest trip so far since the rebuild. We went down the south-east coast of South Australia to Robe, a distance of 350km from Adelaide. Had a great time and was very happy in the way the van towed. The first picture is at the Obelisk and the second is in front of the giant lobster at Kingston. I was travelling with 3 other couples in new vans and they were amazed at the amount of people who asked to look at it. I copped a bit of flack that I had a fan club but it was mainly people who had old cars that were interested in the van. It is a little funny to see vans worth $35,000 plus in the parks and its the little old vans get all the attention. Keep up the good work in preserving these old girls. Can't wait to see what the rest of you did at easter. Happy Vanning ![]()  ![]()  |
|
|
|
Post by willandlyn on Mar 29, 2005 9:02:43 GMT 10
Dont look know Retro theres a 20 ft high crayfish following you up the street ...... have you got a giant cannon? I love Crayfish !! You have heard about share and sharing alike, think of how many vintage caravans we could buy if we sold the monster? Good photos retro .... hope you had a great easter Will ;D ;D |
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on May 1, 2005 21:02:56 GMT 10
Took retro1 ( the PT ) and diner2 ( the van ) along the River Murray in SA on the weekend and took this great shot. ![]()  |
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on May 1, 2005 22:05:55 GMT 10
This is the PT and van in the parade at Waikerie SA on Saturday for the rock'n'roll festival ![]()  |
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on May 12, 2005 22:34:36 GMT 10
Just a short note for all the SA vanners This long weekend May 14th to 16th at the Royal Adelaide Show Ground is a car show called Australian Motoring Expo in which the van will be there for all to see. So if you live Adalaide come and say hello and have a guided tour of DINER2 The motor show site is www.ameshow.com.au |
|
|
|
Post by scootman on Jun 1, 2005 23:46:45 GMT 10
Heya Retro,
Just a cupla quick quessies.
What sort of glass did you use in your windows? normal window glass or was it hardened stuff like in a car?
Also how thick was the ply that you used on the exterior walls and roof?
thanks dude
Scoot
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Jun 2, 2005 0:01:18 GMT 10
Hey Scoot
I think toughened would be better but it is expensive.
I used 4mm laminated on the openning sashes and fixed glass and a textured finish in 3mm for the portholes. The one on the door is the original glass.
The external walls and roof are 4mm with 12mm polystyrene foam in between and 1.5mm interanal ply.This method lightens the van but also increases the strength while also providing insulation. All the ply is marine grade.
Hope this helps you out with your project and if you have any further questions please feel free to ask.
Cheers
retro1
|
|
|
|
Post by scootman on Jun 2, 2005 0:09:03 GMT 10
Let me check that I understand in idiot terms.
The outer skin is 4mm thick. underneath that is 12mm polystyrene, then the inside walls are 1.5mm thick?
Next question , can you come up her to Cairns and finish my van for me?
Thanks Scoot
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Jun 2, 2005 0:20:19 GMT 10
|
|
|
|
Post by scootman on Jun 2, 2005 0:30:33 GMT 10
Ok have sent them the credit card details. However they told me that I cant claim it back on medicare under mental health or any other reason. So sorry I had to cancel it. Shame the weather is stunning here at the moment.
Re Idiots. I went to buy some timber yesterday and to make sure I got the right amount I handed the guy a piece of paper on which I had written the exact amounts of lenght that I needed. He looked at me and said " TEXT"?
It was my fault, the plans I have are in imperial not metric. I didnt know what it was in metric so I told him to get the tape measure and we would do a quick transposition using the tape itself. When I showed him where feet and inches were on the tape he said " TEXTRoffle.
|
|
|
|
Post by scootman on Jun 2, 2005 0:32:35 GMT 10
Ok have sent them the credit card details. However they told me that I cant claim it back on medicare under mental health or any other reason. So sorry I had to cancel it. Shame the weather is stunning here at the moment.
Re Idiots. I went to buy some timber yesterday and to make sure I got the right amount I handed the guy a piece of paper on which I had written the exact amounts of lenght that I needed. He looked at me and said " Whats a foot"?
It was my fault, the plans I have are in imperial not metric. I didnt know what it was in metric so I told him to get the tape measure and we would do a quick transposition using the tape itself. When I showed him where feet and inches were on the tape he said " Oh, I've often wondered what those numbers were"!
Roffle.
|
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Jun 4, 2005 10:18:48 GMT 10
Here are two pictures taken at a recent Australian Motoring Expo (AME) show in Adelaide. We went with the PT Cruiser car club of SA. Loads of interest in the van and lots of comments on how they knew of other vans in the families history and of the grand adventures they took these old girls. The rear curtains were removed so people could look in the back (2nd picture sorry about the flash refelection) and as the van is themed Coca-cola we went all out. I hope by doing displays that it may promote the vintage caravan movement in Australia.   |
|
|
|
Post by retro1 on Oct 10, 2005 23:58:06 GMT 10
Did a PT Cruiser show day in SA where 60+ PT's went and the car club asked me to take the van. I got a set of Moon disks at Wintersun so I put them on the orginal rims to give it that older look. The steel rim is painted the same as the van to give it that whitewall look. I also got a trophy for the car on the day. I'm going to Berri this weekend with some rock n' rollers who also have old vans. The way I see it the more that people see these old vans the better as it gets some of the old ones out of the sheds and padocks and back on the road.  |
|
|
|
Post by Roehm3108 on Oct 11, 2005 13:33:31 GMT 10
|
|
