Cobbers ( now Strugglebrooks ) aluminium caravan

[cobber]

What am I doing with an aluminium caravan ? ?

Well from a distance you might think it is plywood but it is another of those few examples we have found of vans made in the late 1940s from war surplus aluminium.

Unfortunately there is very little known about it's history so I can only tell you about the here and now.

About ten years ago forum member Graham 'Beetlesbailey' spotted this van while he was touring around the Wisemans Ferry area.
It was not for sale so Graham left a card and said if they changed their mind give him a call.

He got the call a week ago.... they wanted it gone in a hurry as they were moving house. Circumstances have changed for Graham during those ten years so ...... eventually I got the office to go get it.

Sitting in the driveway for twenty years or so, wheels buried up to the rims, put air in the tyres and ..... they stayed up ?


Another unusual tow coupling.


You see what I mean, almost looks like a plywood van ?
All aluminium, even the window frames are aluminium.


At first glance it appeared to be riveted, but up close it looked like the panels were screwed together with all the slot heads 'dressed' ( lined up ) all over the van.


But inside we see the panels are actually bolted to the aluminium framework.


All the fittings, cupboards, shelves etc. are made of aluminium.




Even the refrigerator..... Yes refrigerator ? is aluminium.

Do you like all the sticky back paper somebody stuck on all the lids ?


Will be interesting to see if that still works ?

It came with a very basic awning with MARCONI CLIPS ?


It is lined with plywood panels that just clip into the aluminium framework, any that are water damaged will be easily replaced.


Suspension is some sort of tension rubber system, similar to 'Dynatorque' suspension.... appears to be working still (I hope)
The friction type scissor dampener.


The axle.

Yep, lots of surface rust to clean up ?

It has a space for a gas bottle to supply gas to the 'Jetflame' cooker.



We'll see how all this aluminium polishes up aye ?

Cobber.

[akeepsake]

Similar Cobber?

This is penguins 40s Ali van ( late forties by the look of the fittings) it has typical aircraft features ( dual rivits, hatch and door)
So you've got yourself another project! Start buffing!!

[DC3Td]

Hey great score Cobber.Better it oxidises than wood rot.Ha You definately need a big shed now.I hope the polishing process works out well.Pretty good looking van overall & even has ali shelving/doors. Lucky man.

[Deleted]

Hi Cobber,
I have one word to say,WOW!!
What a find!
Cheers
hughdeani

[griffin]

Nice one Cobber, veeery interesting! Should we be concerned though? Do your meds need reviewing? At least it has slot heads.

My mum used to put that sticky vinyl paper on all sorts years ago. I even had some left over rolls which I finished up turfing last time we moved, what possible use could it be?
How was I to know our bondwood would have an identical pattern for shelf liners???

George

[cobber]

Andrew, I remember that van of penguins, he had a mate who was going to help him restore it, they had some sort of reciprocal arrangement planed if I remember correctly 

Gordon & Hughdeani,
As we know, the way this van was neglected, out in the weather, sitting on the ground, she would be a wreck if it was plywood, that's why I like saving plywoods ( even if I sometime let other people do the actual saving )
I forgot to mention this one is 11'10'' long X 6'0'' wide with pretty basic sleeping arrangements, so once again I've got something that's not a great touring caravan, but it is of some historical significants I think.

George, the sticky paper has been removed already, to reveal the plain aluminium on the walls and the nicely painted aluminium on the refrigerator doors ( same colour actually without the wrinkles), all I need to do now is remove the sticky glue residue.

The original lino is beyond "usefulness"


But this mighty "useful" gadget came with the van.




Has anybody used one of these?

Cobber.

[2up]

Hi Cobber, never seen one! Does it work like a zig-zag walking foot? Push down on the lever, move sideways, lift lever and take another step and so on? Cheers Les

[DC3Td]

Gday Cobber. Well your MY-TEE Mover has a patent app number/address so at least you can track mnfg although as postcodes were effected in `67 it at least makes it vintage too!.After all the years of bondwood skills you`re going to have to learn some sheet metal ones too! gordon

[griffin]

Cobber, I find Eucalyptus oil takes off most of those sticky type residues.

No research results on the coupling yet?

George

[cobber]

G'day Les,
I think you could be right, we'll see how well it works. Mr Google has never heard of the 'My-Tee van mover' so I don't think it set the world on fire.

About the only sheet metal skills I'll need Gordon is.... how to get paint off it

Thanks George... Eucalyptus oil works well when you're removing sticky Band Aids off a boil too ..the coupling has no brand marks on it.
It operates a hydraulic master cylinder but I can't see how it connects to a tow ball...... work in progress

Cobber

[Deleted]

Hi Cobber,
Many years ago I had one of these,as a van mover it made a great static jockey wheel!
hughdeani

[newbug]

Hi Cobber,

I'm squealing with envy over this one so remember me fondly if you find you don't have enough sheds for it in future!
Only picked up my first van 6 days ago but definitely bitten by the VV bug somewhere soft and vulnerable.

BTW... thinking I'll name mine 'Wanda' but would that be doubling up with anyone else's VV?

[cobber]

Thanks Houghdeani, I had a feeling it would not work real well as a van mover
A search of IP Australia shows the patent application dated 1979

And George, thanks for reminding about eucalyptus oil before I started on it... I probably would have worked my way through kero, metho & turps before yvonne came along and said "why don't you use eucalyptus oil stupid " ?

Anyway.... it worked on the refrigerator doors.


A bit more about the fridge, polystyrene as insulation between laminex and the Aluminium doors ....and you can see the controller on the left mounted externally under the front seat/ bed.


The compressor is mounted behind this shroud on the 'A' frame and the condenser is behind it back under the van.




Does it work ? Well, with great trepidation I connected power and expected the whole caravan to light up but, the lights worked and a slight humming noise issued forth from the condenser.............. after about three hours, not cold.... Yeah I know, turn the caravan upside down ..... I know a bloke up the road who'll be able to fix it.


G'day newbug,
" I'm squealing with envy over this one "
You noticed the pink table right ?

Wanda ? we do have a forum member with the handle ' Wanda' but I don't know of a van with the pet name Wanda... could be, somebody will know.

Cobber.

[shesgotthelook]

Greg (gregh?) & Marions van (with the Hizz & Herz cars) is called Wanda.

[DC3Td]

Gday Cobber.If yours has been clad in aircraft aluminium it should be able to be stripped by a fine media such as Soda blasting.You may also find that you can use a normal non caustic paint stripper to remove the paint then machine buff/polish with Purple.With mine being 2 Pak`d over the aircraft ali i`ll be doing it the Soda way & Purple. gordon

[Roehm3108]

Hey cobber! I thought I was reading an old thread and then realised you've stumbled onto another treasure!! Is this a case of "old" attracting "old"? I'm even more amazed that you're actually working on a material that doesn't give you splinters!!!!! NEXT YOU'LL TELL ME YOU'VE FIXED THE SHED ROOF TO ACCOMMODATE THIS NEW FIND!!!!

At least now Santa won't have to visit the cobber household!!! Look forward to seeing the finished result old chap!

Ray

[cobber]

Thanks Gordon, I'm thinking I'll use an appropriate paint stripper then blast it with a presure water spray.
The paint on the front was flaking and I used the Karcher on it with good effect.


Ray..... my shed roof still sheds water (sorry ) it's just hanging a bit low that's all.
Anyway the vans Aluminium, they don't need a shed............ do they 

Cobber.

[cobber]

Well..... with all the great vintage van restorations going on in this forum here.... where restorations actually happen, I thought I'd better contribute something.
As we often find, what looks like small jobs and preparation takes up a fair amount of time. I haven't actually got into the preparation yet but have done a few of the 'small' jobs and a bit of research to acquire some bits to restore this van back to how she was built.

Spent almost two days getting the rear stabiliser legs to work without breaking them, both pivot points,top and bottom, and the sliding action on both legs were frozen solid.


The windows are held shut by little swivel things I hadn't seen before, somebody on the forum no doubt could have told me what they are but..... I went looking.


Discovered they are called 'Aircraft Two Lug Anchor Nuts'


I need six of 'em and fortunately they are available from Skyshop.com.au as are the 'piano hinges' that are used throughout the van. Sky shop have a branch at Bankstown airport, I'll go there just to have a look around.

Another unusual way of achieving the end result is the track on the floor for what I imagine would have been sliding aluminium doors.


One end has been damaged


On close inspection it can be seen the track is actually made up by riveting three individual pieces of angle aluminium together then screwing it to the floor.


The roof hatch was another thing that took a couple of days to sort out.


Aluminium leg things with an iron pivot point... Frozen solid, as were the bolts and nuts holding it to the roof.
Appears to work OK, the above photo is of it open straight up or... it can open front edge only or rear edge only.


All the ply across the rear of the van has been replaced. I insulated with polystyrene behind the ply but it will be to no avail because all other inside ply lining (except the roof) is flush up against the aluminium exterior.... no gap.






I was rather pleased with the Bakelite knobs on most of the cupboard doors, very similar to those fitted in Ol '36.


There were three missing but I have made do with three the same style but.... in a different colour.


I'm rather impressed with the two burner 'Shields Jetflame' cooker.


Work in progress, not what you would call beautiful, but a bit of paint might tart it up a bit.

The aluminium splash back has been polished up a bit.... giving the appearance of a window where there isn't one

Cobber.

[akeepsake]

Looking good Cobber! This 'l be an interesting thread to follow!

[cobber]

Fair go Andrew, no way can I match the other great restoration threads
happening on this forum, but I'll plug on   

When I placed the 'little house' on location to work on it, plenty of shade in the morning and late afternoon


I didn't realise I was invading the space of another 'little house'

Eggs in the nest to start with that have now hatched.... so far they seem to be tolerating me OK.

The rear and front windows on this van don't show signs of ever having sissy curtains on 'em .....instead they have aluminium covers on the outside


Held in place by a screw passing through the cover and secured by .... the top off a spark plug


The front covers are missing and the aluminium piano hinge is all seized up solid so I'll get some of that when I go to 'Skyshop' ?

Cobber.

[DC3Td]

Gday Cobber.Very fortuneate that the seller had the foresight to hold onto Beetlesbailey` note.Although simplistic at first look the build is of a very good standard.I would say even better viewed up close.Neat & attention to little things like the dressed screw fixings,ali tracks (same way done as my front peaked window),window covers,ali cupboard lining & doors.And spark plug connector caps - ha,who would`ve thought of that? Love the 'number plate' btw.Happy renos. gordon

[cobber]

Thanks Gordon,

As you say, the people who built these one-off war surplus aluminium vans were not into 'close enough is good enough'.... I wonder if they were projects performed by apprentices in their final year ?

The internal lining in this van has been done to 'show off' the way the frame has been constructed, if I were not of the genus 'restorer' I would have been tempted to reline the van with ply covering the framework and thus provide a space where insulation could be inserted.


Just wait until I get the chassis cleaned up and post photos of it, she's a work of art too.

Cobber.

[akeepsake]

Cobber with a location like that to renovate I wouldn't get much done apart from sippin on a frothie and snoozing!
Don't play it down its a super Reno thread! NO PRESSURE!

[DC3Td]

Jan 9, 2015 18:53:20 GMT 10 cobber said:

Thanks Gordon,

As you say, the people who built these one-off war surplus aluminium vans were not into 'close enough is good enough'.... I wonder if they were projects performed by apprentices in their final year ?

The internal lining in this van has been done to 'show off' the way the frame has been constructed, if I were not of the genus 'restorer' I would have been tempted to reline the van with ply covering the framework and thus provide a space where insulation could be inserted.


Just wait until I get the chassis cleaned up and post photos of it, she's a work of art too.

Cobber.

Gday Cobber.You could of course glue insulation to painted/stained ply panels that unclip/unscrew any time you wish to 'show off' the original frame thereby keeping it authentic.Perhaps utilising the window clips in a secondary manner in keeping the panels secure? Does it have a water tank? gordon

[cobber]

NO PRESSURE !   ....... What I need is pressure 

I've exposed the fridge compressor, looks a bit rough aye?
Makes a humming noise but that's all, it's got no pressure
A job for down the track, no pressure


It does have a water tank Gordon. Under the floor, across the width of the van behind the axle, it's 48'' long 18'' wide and 3'' deep, holds about 9 gal. = 42lt. Made of aluminium naturally. It does have a slight leak along one of the seams near the drain plug.
A job for down the track, no pressure



Cobber.