Caravan restoration service

[carapark]

There is probably a correct area to put this, so appolgies in advance if it's in the wrong spot

I am looking for someone to give me a quote to do up one of my other vans, preferably within a 100 k radius of Parramatta area, but I will deliver it further afield if someone is interested in doing it up

I haven't the time to do it myself, it's a fugly old thing, but fairly sound....I think

It needs to have the chassis sandblasted and painted, The window frames remade as well the door (wood) it has perspex not glass

The roof vent may also need remaking and it has that calico type fabric on the roof, but it would tear off easily as it has gone brittle

I want to keep all the original hardware if possible

A picture should be attached, and I think there are more pictures of it in the members section

PM or email me at [e-mail] if anyone is interested in taking it on, or knows of anyone else who might

Regards, Gary

[carapark]

I think I have found someone who can tidy up the van for me, just waiting for the quote

Does this van look like any others on here? I have had a bit of a look around it but can't seem to find a makers mark or name, so may be a home made?

Any ID help appreciated, it's single skin, fabric / calico over the top, drop axle with primitive brakes and hitch and it has a chimney

The oldest newspaper in it is 1955 but I forgot to check what state the newspaper was produced in

here are some pics

[carapark]

Right side

[carapark]

The back looks like the front, it has perspex windows, glass portholes

Thanks in advance for any help in ID

[carapark]

Hello all, An administrator may need to move this to the correct area.
The Cobbity Caravan resto has finally begun.

Strip down started



Stripped of all its trim and paint it has revealed some stencils on the ply
It says 25 foot Waterproof Ply



And on the roof it has stencilled Everything You See Has ......S...??



I need some advise now re paint now that it is back to bare ply, should I
just use Dulux Weathershield in say semigloss straight over it...? or should I first use an oil based primer

The bloke at Bunnings said to just do the former, and if I wanted to use a water based primer, undercoat, sealer before hand, what have others done?

The lower sides, front and rear are divided with a half round ally trim with ally & metal sheet below the moulding line, so I was going to paint that lower plus front and back section with Duco to match the tow car

Any advise appreciated, Cheers, Gary

[Roehm3108]

Hi Gary
What paint to use is always a very vexing point. But remember that the quality of your paint job will reflect not only on the life of the ply, but also the final finish.

Have a look through this thread on JBJ's restoration of Lucille.

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=1447&page=1

It's 15 pages long, but a real eye-opener on what some members do. In the threads there is a fair amount of discussion on paint prepping, and the long term benefits, which will be relevant to your resto.

Cheers

Ray

[cobber]

G'day Gary,

I'm interested in the plywood you've found under all the paint.

Can you find any marks that indicate who made the ply and can you tell me if the ply has a reddish tinge to it.... looks a bit like it from the photos you've posted.

We know Ralph Symonds were making sheets up to 25ft in length and we know they had a product called “Reswood” that was a resin impregnated ply, good stuff...... have you found any wood rot on the van ?

PAINT ! One of the most entertaing and conclusive threads on the subject is HERE.... IT'S ONLY TWO PAGES LONG

A more authoritative view than us on painting plywood can be seen HERE.

But of course the choice is yours...... you can paint it with cow poop if you want to .

Cobber.

[carapark]

Thanks for the input Ray, I'm reading through JBJ's resto of Lucille, great read and top job you have done there JBJ

Also had a look at the links you have put up Cobber, I was about half way through the read of Lucilles build and raced out and bought oil based primer/ sealer

I've still got the reciept, so may be swapping it for water based, will finish reading JBJ's big thread first

I did paint my green van with enamel and oil based pre coats and it was ok for a while but is cracking now at the front where it is exposed to the sun.

Would an oil based primer sealer work with say Solarguard or equivilent as a top coat??

thanks, Gary

[cobber]

G'day Gary,

From what “experts” tell me and from what I read (and my limited experience).... if the ply has been previously painted and then rubbed back, as is the case with your van and my Newcastle van and Ol' 36, we don't need any undercoat before painting with water based acrylic.
I reckon this depends on how smooth a base you have after rubbing back, if it needs a bit of filling use a primer sealer to do the job.
Again.... “experts” say there is no problem using an oil based primer sealer under acrylic top coats...... don't try putting acrylic over oil based enamel though, won't work.

With the Newcastle van I just used “Duralex” water based acrylic... no undercoat, I sprayed it on because I'm hopeless with a paint brush

Like you I painted my “Driftwood” van with oil based enamel about 17 years ago and I've been “touching it up” and painting over cracks for about the last 12 years.

I'm not one of the “experts” I mentioned.... I just listen to them

Cobber.

[JBJ]

Hi Gary,

I found that after a while the enamel paint on Lucille cracked where exposed to weather near edges. I was about to repaint a fair bit of the front of the van, but then I bought Deejay & sold Lucille.

I think I would try acrylic next time, if I ever paint another van.

I also believe preparation is everything. I probably could have painted the edges better on Lucille, but it seemed OK at the time.

I guess a lot of luck comes into something as scientific as painting plywood.

JBJ

[carapark]

Thanks again Cobber & JBJ for the input and replies, I'm pretty sure which way to go now

JBJ, I noted in the re-build of Lucille that you had fitted a new? water filler surround & neck??

Last time I used my green van I clipped my water filler neck on the gate post while driving out my driveway (mines not a flush fit one) so I'm on the lookout for a useable metal filler neck, I still have the cap somewhere in the van, but to be sure it would be good to have a matching cap

Regards, Gary

PS Cobber,

the plywood manufacturer of the 25 ft sheets appears to be GIANT brand, although thats probably just part of the description

[cobber]

Thanks Garry, I can now see that it says "Giant Reswood" on the edge of that sheet

I'm pretty sure that was a trade name that belonged to "Ralph Symonds" and nobody else.
I'll pinch that photo and add it to a couple of other threads if that's OK with you, because we know a bit about the plywood but don't actually have a photo of the trade mark.
One of the threads is HERE ...... the other one is
HERE

Cobber.