Cobbers ( now Strugglebrooks ) aluminium caravan

[cobber]

OK George, if you can find one of those 'Spotters Chairs' that will set the scene nicely 
Nothing much on TV lately so 

I have spent a couple of days doing a couple of time consuming jobs on this van.

The aluminium piano hinge above the front windows, meant to hold the aluminium covers similar to those on the rear windows had seized up solid and the actual covers are missing.
The hinges are constructed in a way I had not seen before. After remove the rivets that had originally attached the covers to the hinge I was able to separate the leaves of one half of the the hinge, clean and lubricate it and eventually free it up.




Then I removed the bunk above the front seat.
Again the frame of the bunk is attached in a novel way, I think.
"





Then..... I have mentioned previously that the internal plywood panels are retained against the wall by being a tight press fit between the framework. Two small pieces were missing each side up front above the bunk.
Took awhile to make them accurately enough so that they are a nice tight fit as they would have been made originally.

Before.
.

And after.


Tomorrow I'll see if I can find a canvas man to repair the bunk, and chase around to find some aluminium to make the window covers.

Cobber.

[Surf Tragic]

Interesting van Cobber, The shape is a bit familiar & could almost pass for a Don, You have put in a great effort I see, just read through the whole thread. Have never seen one constructed like that before & from reading others comments, it is easy to believe it is a 'Forces' piece of equipment. The Camo finish would certainly be a head turner & create more interest.

I will be keen to see the paint removal method & follow on process to paint, that will be a work of art & no doubt will bring out your artistic skills.

Cheers, Ron

[leeron]

I hope this is still a work in progress... do you still have this one Cobber?

[cobber]

G'day Leon,

I've still got this unique old van mate but haven't done much to it in recent times. I've been feeling a bit poorly so he is on the back burner ( it is a 'he', nothing pretty about this one 😏 )
It has been tidied up a bit in places but still needs painting, lights refitted, upholstery made for it, new tyres, fridge made to work I've had it tested and there are no leaks.

I still dream of painting it in camouflage and camping amongst the trees beside a river watching the water birds and crocodiles float by, dropping a line in to catch lunch and then having a pipe while sipping on a Sarsaparilla, somewhere like Parry's Lagoons would be good 👌😄

It ain't gunna happen so I should maybe move this van on when I get a round tuit.

Cobber.

[strugglebrook]

Mr Cobber,
I might be interested if you want to move the van on.

Mr Strugglebrook.

[cobber]

Dear Mr. Strugglebrook,

I now have a round tuit so I'll send you a PM and we can discuss details.
URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mate/media/IMG_0692.jpg.html][/URL]

[gerrynshaz]

Hi Cobber
love the pics especially the one with the annex set up. Look fwd to the reno. If its anything like the clipper Im sure it will come upa treat
Cheers Gerry

[cobber]

Doesn't time fly 😢

May 2015 was the last time I posted an update on work being done on this poor old van, not because of a lack of interest or because the van hasn't got a heap of potential but because I have a lack of energy 😩

It has now been passed on to a forum member with more energy than he knows what to do with so we can now watch as things happen.

Practically all I have done with it since 2015 is replace the canvas in the front bunk and splash a bit of paint around inside.





Remove the top layer of paint by using paint stripper and then hitting it with high pressure water sprayer, I found the system worked well on aluminium.





Time to move him on 🙁




Good luck with it John 😉👍

Cobber.

[hughdeany]

Was driving through Cessnock today heading North when this passed me on a trailer!
Small world!
Cheers
hughdeany

[strugglebrook]

Been a busy last couple of days.Up and away from a frosty Muscle Creek before 4am Friday to Cobberville on the south side of Sydney. Arr Pennant Hills Road, it just doesn`t get any better! Warmly greeted by Mr and Mrs Cobber and while Mr Cobber was showing me around the estate Mr Cobber junior turned up, nothing like good timing. A nice early morning tea and a good yap then out to the task of loading the van. Much unbolting ,bolting, lifting, pushing, winching and tying down on the trailer and the van was ready for it`s next adventure.A very warm thankyou to the Cobbers, Bob, Yvonne and Tony for making us most welcome and helping us load up. Pam produced the bottle of home made tomato relish about 50 ks up the freeway, I will wrap and mail it tomorrow.We did not get home until after 4, unloaded and returned the trailer.
Yesterday all go again gone by 6am into work and off to the beautiful foreshore of Newcastle for the annual all british day, 350 plus cars. I love looking at the rarer cars like the Bond Bug,Lotus Escorts, the early MGs and some pretty flash Jags and Healeys. Left Pam at home to do the exiting stuff like the work books and house work. Driving down in our little convoy I reflected on the 5 years it took to restore my E Type almost 20 years ago. Like everyone that has ever built/renorvated a home,restored a car, motorbike or vintage van I always say never again, then I get the opputunity to finish a great little van as this one. When I get my jobs done today and am sitting out the back sipping a cleansing ale I will be looking at the van mapping out it`s next chapter.

Thank you Cobber.

JD.

[Roehm3108]

The BIG question - will strugglebrook paint the van in camouflage colours? 😁😄

[griffin]

Hi Strugglebrook

You have high standards to uphold taking on this one, thankfully it's rivetted so not many slot heads to line up! Good luck, look forward to seeing the result.

George

[strugglebrook]

Answering the big question Ray, I am still walking around the van looking at, under ,over and inside.

Yes George, high standards indeed. Look back through the thread it is all bolted and the slot heads do line up.I thought a lot of the slot heads were brass but appears most are steel and rusting. I have a shipment of blind aluminium rivets coming as am surprised it was not rivited at the time construction.

The A frame is the biggest concern as it was buried until Mr Cobber performed the rescue, mabe a new one needs to be fabricated.

Strugglebrook

[cobber]

G'day Ray,

That is a BIG question aye ? ...... we will have to wait and see, although the idea is not unique anymore. Some time after I proposed the idea I noticed a bloke three doors up the road was painting a Millard van that he had placed beside his house for the son to sleep in, in camo colours.


So you are right hughdeany, it is a small world.

Strugglebrook, the bolt heads have only been exposed since earlier this year so it's only a very light coating of rust, easily neutralised I would have thought, much easier than replacing them all with rivets.
I was once known as a slot head screw nut, now I'm also a slot head bolt nut 😝😉

Cobber.

[Roehm3108]

We'll have to rename cobber to Mr Slothead Cobber!

[thegeneral]

Hey Cobber did strugglebrook get a "round tuit" with the van or are you keeping them for your next project.??
Graeme

[strugglebrook]

OK fellow vintage vanners,progress is beginning slowly.Have bonded so now it is just how do I fix. A frame has left the building,just too much rust and the big torsion axel is way over the top for the job so some fresh under pinnings with a lighter period axel leaf springs and some true blue aussie bolt patern hubs.The refrigeration was added later and not a safe or robust instalation so it goes and we are back to a nice ice chest with a lot less poop under and in the van.Hope you have not passed out yet Mr Cobber.I love the roof hatch, so that`s good. Windows I think were a mixture of ideas or were done at different times? why use so many little bolts and scraps of wood to hold the perspex in place ? I am wondering what some nice fresh cut lexen would look like installed with rubber trim ? Windows the eyes to the world , the flaps? what do they do? when rears closed it looks like a big box from behind, when open it has eyes but what do you do with the lids? At the end of the day I want all it`s good bits to shine.Inside cupboards and a top little stove good, sleeping and eating not so good.The frame work looks great and not something you see often, do I uncover more and show it off?

JD.

[Geoff & Jude]

howdy all

john (strugglebrook) has sent us some pictures of the van after a bit of work.

he will tell you all the story once these are up.







geoff 'n jude

[strugglebrook]

Thanks Geoff under Jude`s supervision, First up sorry Mr Cobber,have strayed of the original pathway. Have kept the heavy axel with the period Chev rims, notice the complete hub on the new gal A frame, good for a spare bearing and place for the spare.Lower profile radials lowered the van down to a nice height with the guards filled out nicely. Leaving the heavy axel may also help to keep it on the ground in cross winds as the aluminium body is very light.All the wooden trim has been removed from the side windows with the glass/perspex now replaced with lexen in the frames.Front and rear windows were too small to my eye and made inside feel dark and smaller and outside out of proportion.. Have made them bigger without weakenning the structure. There is now a pull out step. The water tank filler hole has been filled as the tank went to heaven with the refigeration setup allowing van to be all fresh and clean underneath. The new side hatch is for alfresco dinening.The roof hatch is currently off for repaires ,once back on tail lights fresh wiring and rego. A lot of work has been done inside and with a bit more lock down will be posted shortly.I Have got attached to this one off, one day I will count the rivets I know they are in the thousands.

Stay safe and well. Two jab Strugglbrook.

[cobber]

No need for sorry Mr Strugglebrook, we both knew you had different plans for this old van than I did, difference is you are making progress whereas I had run out of gas.
She’s looking neat and tidy with the new A frame window arrangements and new aluminium panels front and rear. Replacing the thousand or so slot headed bolts and nuts with rivets would have been a big job, not something I would have done so I hope you got blisters 😝
Look forward to seeing what you do with its interior.

Cobber.

[strugglebrook]

Good morning Mr Cobber, I hope I haven`t upset you cardio-vascular too much.No new panels mate just a bit of panel beating and cleaning as I go. I could have replaced all the corner strips but the bits of damage I couldn`t repair tell it`s story. I did not want it to be like grand dad`s axe, 3 heads and 6 handles. I made a little jig to drill the heads of on the sheeting, the frame is all still bolted.I am enjoying doing it just time poor. The mouse plague didn`t help much either, even had a dead rat in the e type, that gave my cardio-vascular a good workout.

Strugglebrook.

[Geoff & Jude]

howdy all

john (strugglebrook) has sent us some more pictures of the van after a lot more work.

he will tell you all the story once these are up.











geoff 'n jude

[strugglebrook]

Thanks Geoff, Hope Mr Cobber is happy with progress. I have moved the dining to the front , under the seat is all the 12 volt set up including battery, earth leakage , charger, even have the solar plug under the van so we can take a panel on a non powered site. Full size double at the rear, recycled 2 off the old 12 volt lights just moved to other positions. All the wall lining removed so to expose the frame work.
Kitchen and wardrobe all cleaned up. Longer stove gas line drops out under floor so as not to have boole inside. If using the baby webber, just take bottle around there, all simple and safe. 14 patches in the annex but still loocks good. Made up new period sisal ropes and using the old push rod pegs. Might have to put off commisioning run this weekend as the rain looks set in.

Strugglebrook.

[Roehm3108]

You've done well to get it to look like it does Strugglebrook. Good job. Is there a reason it looks a bit lopsided in that last pic? Annexe guy ropes pulling it over???

[strugglebrook]

Just the lay of the land Ray, only just pushed it out from under cover to try the annex and ropes.

Happy new year.