I Joined the Club!

[bjmate]

Hi All,

New member, first time poster!

I have been looking for a caravan for a little while now. During the week I came across a van I just couldn't say no to.

It needs alot of work, but that's ok I like a project.

After stumbling across this site I was able to gather information to determine I had purchased a 1965 Viscount Ambassador (at least that lines up with the pictures and chassis numbers I saw listed)

I am super excited to get started on the refurbishment of the van, but thought I would ask some advice first.

1.how do I find out the history of the van? It doesn't have a vin plate so says to me it hasn't had rego since before 92? (Wasn't sure if that was a fair assumption) I really just wanted to know if it has been deemed a write off or stolen in the past. (Or anything that will cause me issue when I go to get rego)

2.I read the frame came in alloy or wood. Mine has a metal frame but appears to have surface rust from stone chips. Is the draw bar steel? Or am I mistaking dirty blemishes for surface rust?

3.what is the process of getting a vintage van rego'd after having no rego for so long?

4.are parts hard to get? The main parts would be the windows as a number of them are broken.

Thank you for any advice in advance. Please wish me luck on my journey 😋

[aussieute]

Hi and welcome. What state are you in in Victoria it is easy to get rego if number on draw bar can use that to get registered. If it is only broken glass most window glaziers can do them Easier if you take window out and take in to them the screws are normally at top to separate frames. The draw bar would probably be steel looking forward to you posting pictures on the members pageread though the forum how to post pictures cheers chris

[bjmate]

Thanks Chris, Apologies for the late reply had a nephews birthday party today ☺

Sorry that might help. I am in QLD. Should I be worried about it being on a write off register or anything? Or am I just being too cautious? Just didn't want to spend time and money on it just to find out there is some issue stopping me from getting rego.

I have signed up with the appropriate site to post pictures 😉 will add some in here, or is there a better place to put them? Mind you in it's current state it is looking a little sad, but so much potential!

When it says wood or alloy frame is it talking about the frame of the van body not the chassis? (Stupid me thought it ment the chassis)

Thanks for the info on the glazier. Will probably be my first fix as there are a number of broken windows.

Cheers BJ.

[aussieute]

Hi Bj post pctures In members photo area check the draw bar for a number but most old vans are in poor condition and are not on a stolen register if there is a draw bar number or a old rego number check with QLD roads don't worry about it looking sad I am restoring a 30 foot jennison I call the beast it is in very poor condition but it is good to see it as the progress comes along an average window costs me about $40 to get 're glassedcheers chris

[bjmate]

Hi Chris, yep draw bar has chassis number on it. I am probably being paranoid. But was a good deal so must be an issue haha.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Bjmate,

Just to add a bit to what Aussieute has already told you - and from what you said, you may already know this - VIN’s weren’t applied to caravans until 1989, so a van built before that didn’t need to have a VIN number or a VIN plate to be registered, and still doesn’t. So that may mean that your van has in fact been registered more recently than 1989 or 1992.

As Aussieute has indicated, you should be able to register your van now using the serial number on the drawbar. You may have to be prepared to argue the point with the rego officer you talk to though, because not all of them are familiar with the rules applying to older vans/vehicles. Another Queenslander is the best one to advise you about the rego procedure, but it won’t be too demanding.

To check whether the van is stolen, you should be able to do so via the PPSR website here. For a vehicle built before 1989 you can enter the chassis/serial number.

Also, if you tell us what the serial number is, we can confirm whether it is a Viscount Ambassador, and the build year.

You also mentioned that your frame is metal but then went on to talk about the drawbar. When you say the frame is metal, are you referring to the chassis, or the frame of the caravan cabin? I am not entirely sure what you were meaning. Apologies if I’ve completely misunderstood what you were saying.

Don Ricardo

[bjmate]

Hi Don,

Oh ok so if the van was already registered in 92 it wouldn't of needed a vin plate attached?

That site worked a treat. I did try another revs check site but it wouldn't allow such a short chassis number. Thanks heaps. It also told me it is indeed a Viscount built in 1965.

Number is E824

Yeah sorry Don in my head when I read frame I was thinking the chassis. So I am not sure if the frame is alloy or wood. Was me being naive.

Cheers BJ

[Don Ricardo]

Mar 4, 2019 7:16:05 GMT 10 bjmate said:

Oh ok so if the van was already registered in 92 it wouldn't of needed a vin plate attached?

Hi Bjmate,

Correct, or even if it had been re-registered at some point after 1992, it still wouldn't have needed a VIN plate.

I've checked your serial number against a Viscount register kept by Twocutekelpies, and that confirms that it is a 1965 Ambassador, as you've already stated.

Regarding the chassis, that will be steel. Is there an Ambassador sticker on the front of the van? If it says 'Ambassador Alumvan' that will indicate that your van has an aluminium frame. If it doesn't say that, then it may or may not. If the cladding on the van is attached to the frame (from outside) with screws, it will have a wooden frame, but if the cladding is attached with rivets, it will have an aluminium frame.

Don Ricardo

[bjmate]

Hi Don

Thank you for confirming the van is indeed an ambassador. This site has been so helpful at identifying my van with very little information.  

No stickers on the van however the cladding is riveted on! so that's a win.

Now to start the restoration! from what i can tell it probably won't take as long as i was initially think to restore it. it isn't a very big van.

Thank you so much.

Cheers BJ.

[bjmate]

It might upset a few people me asking this question, but would everyone recommend stripping the paint back to bring it back to the aluminium finish? or just prep and repaint? 

From all the pictures i have seen the original would be the Aluminium finish with the accent pieces on the side. but not really sure if stripping the paint off would be viable. 

However from looking at your restorations it looks like i may need to strip the paint off if i wanted to paint anyway? maybe this is going to take long then i thought hahahaha

Cheers BJ


20190303_073808 by BJ O'S, on Flickr

[shesgotthelook]

Go for it! But... notoriously difficult to remove paint from aluminium.

[bjmate]

Mar 4, 2019 20:41:35 GMT 10 shesgotthelook said:

Go for it! But... notoriously difficult to remove paint from aluminium.

That's the part i was worried about. i'm only new to this stuff and not at all a perfectionist. but feels sort of terrible to own a vintage van and not try get it to as stock as possible.

however i also don't like the sound of stripping paint for weeks/months hahahaha