Our 1961 Harris Caravan Project progress

[retro64]

Hi jamesandbell,

You're right as to the brightness of your van .

Its' sunny bright colour and shape remind me of those little rubber ducky bath toys ;D .

I'm sure the bystanders would have been smiling as you went past with it.

Now that you have had it weighed, hopefully all goes well and you have a registered van soon.

We have enjoyed watching your journey, thanks for sharing it.

cheers and good luck,
retro64

[jamesandbel]

Belinda started the interior decorating today.

She has great taste.

She has picked all the colour schemes through out the whole process.

here are some pics

[retro64]

Hi Belinda,

Good on you for your efforts in decorating your van and choosing the colour scheme etc. It's very rewarding watching all that hard work pull together.

It looks good and as long as you love what you've chosen you will be even happier to spend time away in it.

cheers retro64

[jamesandbel]

Bought some electrical goodies today

And installed Telly.

[jamesandbel]

hi All,

tidying up a few bits and pieces, booked in for blue slip tuesday. I have done some of the flyscreens, but still have 2 to go.

Plus make a small shelf for charging mobile phones etc.

made a table today, as well as small panel right of sink, made edging out of 12mm flat bar from work. Aslo got the flyscreen from work as well.

Made a bed rail for the top bunk so the girls don't fall out.

Here are some pics.

[seeshell]

Hi Jamesandbel

We're thoroughly impressed with your project - one I'm sure many people wouldn't have been game to take on!

The cheery touches like the table, and the curtains cap off quite a mammoth effort. And you'll have comfort knowing that you've touched/fixed/improved every part of your "buttercup". No surprises for you, that's for sure.

I hope all goes well with the rego, and you get to enjoy your first trip away soon! Make sure you post some holiday snaps with the Sunny Harris in action!

Cheers
Seeshell

[Roehm3108]

I think it's time to congratulate you both on a job well done for this restoration. Many of us (including myself, when I first saw cobber (I think it was) pin up pics of this van) thought it would be an impossible task, as the van seemed too far gone.

But you have both proved us wrong and come up with a van that's well done, safe and very individual. I hope you get many years of pleasure out of it.

Ray

[cobber]

G'day jamesandbell and Ray too,

You're right Ray I did post photos of this van in the "for sale" board
when it was still in the Fulchers shed and they were itching to get rid of it ..you can see those photos
Here

Anyway.... Somebody else picked it up and found it to be too hard a project so it got passed on to James and Bell ...and what a credit it is to them to have turned it into a useable van for their young family to enjoy...... Pity is Fulchers don't appear to be at all interested in knowing anything about the rebuild

Don't lose sleep about that James, you can be proud that everybody on this forum knows what a great job you have done... Get out an enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

I'll look around and see if I can find another wreck for you to work on ;)u

Cobber.

[willow5075]

Yes, a lovely cheerful little van with her sunny colouring, every holiday will be fun before it even begins!

[jamesandbel]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the nice words.

It has been a big effort to rebuild the van, but the outcome is pleasing and rewarding.

Cobber, THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER PROJECT.

according to the wife.

Anyway. Blue slip tomorrow. See how we go.

[humpyboy]

Nov 26, 2012 19:57:40 GMT 10 jamesandbel said:

Cobber, THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER PROJECT.

Ha Ha Ha, heard that before ;D good luck for tomorrow, not that you will need it, will come through with flying COLOURS yes, Pun intended ;D

[jamesandbel]

Blue slip passed.

See how we go at RTA tomorrow with rego.

[cobber]

G'day James and bell,

You're home and hosed mate.... Well done
Once you get passed the blue slip man all the RTA want is your money

What did the blue slip man have to say..... Was he impressed ?

Cobber.

[jamesandbel]

Hi Cobber,

Yeah they all were, but some woman upstairs asked the inspectors who owned it, she said she would love to take it home and turn it into a chook pen.

The inspector bloke said I won't tell the owner you said that.

All good though. Once again got a few stares on the way there and back.

[jamesandbel]

14 months of work. Comes down to this

SUCCESS.




Only down side.

Put van out in rain last night. Small leak in one window, but I think it's the rubber is used on the windows. I will sort it out though.

I am a happy man.

[Geoff & Jude]

hi jamesandbel

congratulations. ;D ;D ;D ;D

don't you love it when the plan finally comes together.

enjoy the new toy.

geoff 'n jude

[seeshell]

Hi Jamesandbel

And the added bonus - it matches your colour scheme.

Congratulations,
Seeshell

[hilldweller]

Congratulations! You've done an amazing job and I hope you have many happy holidays in her Thank you for sharing the story.

[Franklin1]

G'day Jamesandbel,

It was almost 14 months ago that you started this thread. I was one of those people who thought, "Pffft...if this guy ever finishes this project, I'll eat my ..." Well, 14 months later and I'm STILL working my way through the Akubra (darn things are tough on the teeth! )

Considering six of the 14 months were the winter period, where most sane southerners go into hibernation, you've probably done the majority of the project in the other 8 months.

All of which leads me to bow deeply from the waist, in honour of what you've achieved. I doff the remains of my Akubra to you, and congratulate you and your good lady on the outstanding effort you've achieved.

I can well understand your good lady's directive that there will be "no more restorations". It's also possible you wouldn't find another project as challenging as this one, so you'd probably get bored with it anyway.

Congratulations once again. You've certainly demonstrated there's nothing that can't be resuscitated if you blow air into it for long enough. Well done!

cheers,
Al.

ps. Just as a side note... I wonder what NSW are planning to use for the number series on trailer plates once the Z-series is used up? You got a Y-series plate, and a van I rego'ed in 2008 got a U-series plate, so that's about one letter each year. In another year or so, the Z-series should be all used up. What's after that??

[MRFJ55]

CONGRADULATION ON THE REGO , GREAT FEELING HEY

HOPE YOU CAN GET OUT & ABOUT OVER THE CHRISSY BREAK AND ENJOY A FEW PEACEFUL DAYS RELAXING IN YOUR VAN .

SWANSEA VAN PARK ON LAKE MAQUARIE IS A GREAT SPOT AND NOT TOO FAR FOR YOU TO TRAVEL.

A GOOD "SHAKE DOWN" TO SEE WHAT YOU NEED AND DONT NEED ON FUTURE HOLIDAYS .

SEE YA ROUND THE CAMPFIRE !

REGARDS,
8-)MAURIE

[Rattles]

My only complaint is you have finished.
Congratulations on a job well done.

Rattles

[cruisindoug]

Well done James and Bell its a credit to all your hard work.

Amazing reno.

[humpyboy]

Good felling getting the plates aint it? now I know why you painted it Yellow! to match the plate ;D ;D

[jamesandbel]

Hi All,

just a few very small odds and ends to finish now, the only main issue I had was where to mount the spare wheel, ended up underneath at the rear, as we have toolbox on the draw bar.

I think this will be the final post of the rebuild, the only pics from this day on will be of our trips.

Thankyou all for your support, advice and well wishes on this journey, we will be hanging around and look forward to all of the other reno's and rebuilds.

[hilldweller]

Beautiful!!!