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Post by millard1399 on Apr 29, 2010 11:47:28 GMT 10
Sorry guys, I've confused you with all my waffle about restorations, rego, and weighbridges. The van has never been out of rego. It was passed a year ago, in the middle of its restoration, by a remote telephone call.  I didn't want to beg the favour again this year, and the Vintage Nationals are a week and a bit away, so I was spurred on to having the van completed in time for a proper inspection by May 1. So, all is honky-dory with the rego side of things. The only reason I went to the weighbridge was to see what the van now weighs after the restoration. I just needed confirmation whether the weight on the rego papers was still correct or not, and I now know it isn't. ------------------------------------------------------ Hey Phil, if you and I ever cross paths, it's MY SHOUT!! ;D ;D A few days back you asked me if the Millard came with an annexe? That triggered my mind to go have a look in the bag to see what crappy annexe might be in there. Dragged the bag out into the backyard, gingerly opened the top a bit, peered in to see cobwebs, dirty looking canvas, mud stains, etc. Opened the bag up and pulled out two lumps of plastic. Spread them out on the ground to see what they were. And thought, "Hmmm...something ain't right here!. These don't look like they've been used very much. What are they?" They were the windbreak cover for the bottom of the van, and a large sewn floor that could only be an annexe floor...  There were some mud stains on them, but a swish with a broom and soapy water cleaned them up ok. Certainly hadn't seen much use in their life. Back to the bag. Delved in and grabbed some more bundles and spread them out. "Sh*t! Brand new canvas walls! Bloody heck!" Emptied the bag out on the ground, and out came the awning. A khaki colour canvas, which is what made me think it was crappy canvas. On the contrary, it was in just as good a condition as the plastic bits!...  The annexe looks like it's been used maybe once or twice. It's a super heavy duty one, judging by the amount of stitching around the seams, and how well it's been made. Interestingly, there's no maker's label anywhere on it, so I don't know where it's come from. But, it would certainly qualify for a Category 5 cyclone, by the look of it. Must have cost a fortune! So Phil, thanks to your question, I now have a really good annexe made for the Millard! ;D ;D And I've been able to turn my whole attitude to the Millard right around! Instead of cursing and swearing at the previous owners for selling me a crappy caravan, I have now changed my thinking... Two years ago I bought an annexe for $1525, and got a caravan for FREE!! ;D ;D ;D Onya Phil!!  cheers, Al. |
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Post by millard1399 on May 2, 2010 22:18:18 GMT 10
G'day All, Today's question: How much does it cost to restore a caravan?Answer:  Ok, here's an easier question: How long is a piece of string?Answer: Depends. Well, the Accountants have finished crunching the numbers for the Millard, and the final report on the restoration costs is now available. $1525 = cost of buying the van off ebay (or should I say, buying the annexe ) $3078 = cost of buying parts and materials for the restoration. --------- $4603 = total Bear in mind this doesn't include the insulation, the pink primer paint, and the metal primer paint, which I already had in the shed. I also haven't included rego and insurance costs in the total. Cost of my labour?? Well...let's not go there, eh?  The "Top Ten" costs were: $460.00 - Brake system overhaul $388.38 - Caravansplus parts - window rubbers, window foam, handles, water filler, kitchen tap, power inlet, etc etc $265.50 - Plywood decorative panelling sheets $207.10 - Screws, nails, rivets, washers, brass pins $203.58 - Cans of spray paint; primer paint; cold gal $178.58 - Sikaflex cartridges of sealant $151.36 - Poptop canvas materials $134.00 - Spare wheel, tyre, tube $100.48 - Curtain rods, brackets, and curtain material $89.70 - Gas twin regulator and hose Depending on what you need to do to your van, your costs might bear no resemblance to these, but it'll give you a ball-park figure to help you with budgeting.  cheers, Al. |
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Post by atouchofglass on May 3, 2010 9:35:24 GMT 10
Hey Al Mate if you can do up a van for that sort of money Power to you Cause I didn't even come close to that. Glad to see her up and running NOW IT'S TIME TO USE IT !!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  Cheers Atog |
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Post by millard1399 on May 3, 2010 19:22:22 GMT 10
G'day atog, my restoration was more about just getting the Millard back to looking something like it did when it was new. Your van, on the other hand, is a work of ART!! ;D So I can well understand that all the rosewood, the cabinetry work, the stainless steel fittings, etc, added up to quite a bit in your restoration. As for using the van, over the weekend we started packing bits and pieces into the van in readiness for the trip away to the Vintage Nationals in Mildura this coming Thursday or Friday. After a number of times climbing up and down from the van, SWMBO realised the 520mm ground clearance was too much for her short legs and dicky knees to do in two steps. So, I went off to Bunnings today to "fix it". Bought some treated pine decking, and spent a couple of hours this arvo doing the "cut-drill-screw" routine...  ...and ended up with this...  Now we have a much more user-friendly set of steps, requiring 3 steps of 170mm height (about the same as house steps). The step treads are now 500mm wide x about 300mm deep, so there's a surer footing instead of the small, slippery caravan step. As you can see in the photo, the steps fit inside the doorway during travel, and only weigh 5kgs on the bathroom scales, so 'the boss' can easily lift them in and out as well. Cost me just under $20 for the timber and screws, so it was a pretty cheap fix, and she's now happy as Larry. ;D ;D cheers, Al. |
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Post by millard1399 on May 4, 2010 23:15:31 GMT 10
G'day All, After earning my stripes sewing the canvas for the poptop, I looked around for other things to do to make the jumbo sewing machine earn its keep. I decided I would have a go at making a canvas awning for the Millard. I bought a length of canvas off ebay, which was not my preferred colour, but it was the only colour available in the size I was looking for. I cut the large piece into a proper rectangle. Then I sorted through the leftover bits of canvas from the poptop, and found enough to make the scalloped fringe. Cut all the bits out and sewed the lengths together to make the complete fringe. Then the fringe was sewn to the large sheet. Interestingly, it took me 16 days of stuffing around with the poptop canvas, but I managed to make the complete awning in just TWO days!  Talk about a fast learner!! Today I took the awning over to the local canvas-maker, and had the eyelets stamped into it for the tent poles. I can't show you what it looks like on the van because the van is parked the wrong way round in the front yard. But, I've tested that it threads along the sail track ok, so that's a start. I'll have to wait until we're out on the trip to see if it all works properly, and then I can send a photo through. Here's the awning in the stages of being made. Cost me less than $60 for the materials ...  And of course, I couldn't stop at just the awning, so I made carry bags for the awning, the ropes, and the poles, out of other canvas I bought off ebay as well...  That jumbo Singer has been worth its weight in gold!! ;D ;D cheers, Al. |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 1:50:23 GMT 10
Hi Al,
Fantastic work again mate,really love those caravan steps,
I,m off to Bun Lings tomorrow,to get some timber for ours,
The "Short legs,and,Dicky Knees,apply to both Kathy,and me",so your Steps,will do the job just fine.
Caravan Steps have always been a problem for us,the 1st one from the ground is fine,but the step up from that into the van,is just too high for us Shorty's.
I have also bit the ground,when coming down late at night for trip to the
"Little Boys Room".
Regardless,of what Kathy Says,
It was NOT,the home made Beer,and Bourbon,that had me rolling around in the dirt swearing,
It was that bloody caravan Step..........
Regards.
John
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Post by atouchofglass on May 5, 2010 6:26:31 GMT 10
Hey Al More fantastic work from the canvas man So now..... Lift up ya skirt ..... eeeeerrrr I mean Show us ya skirt  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D You'll be making shoes and such next. Hey Honey do you need any Wellingtons? .... I can make em Thanks for sharing Al Now ..... How about that Canvas work 101 in the tech section? Cheers Atog |
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Post by tassietiger on May 5, 2010 8:16:09 GMT 10
Cripes Al I'm really starting to worry about you I think you've been bitten by something Your just over awning me with your talents. It's good to see your not tentative though when it comes to having a go at various stuff. You certainly don't need to canvas support to get things moving and its good to see that you and SWMBO are not poles apart otherwise she'd have you on the ropes and that's not good for a guy. Looks like you've got it in the bag though Terrific job and thread and I still think there are some royalties out there for that DIY Caravan Reno Manual. |
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Post by millard1399 on May 5, 2010 11:20:58 GMT 10
Here's another little canvas dilly bag I knocked up last night. This one hangs on a hook just inside the door, and holds the little spirit level, as well as the locking pins for the front weathershield...  There are also various reports of grasshoppers/locusts in plague proportions in the Mildura region, due to recent good rainfalls. So I cut up some aluminium insect screen in the shed, and whacked some eyelets in the corners, and made a 'portable' insect shield for the radiator. When we get closer to that area, we can tie it on the front of the car...  I think we've just about got everything sorted now, so we'll probably head off tomorrow and take our time getting over to Mildura. Haven't tested whether the poptop canvas leaks in the rain, especially where I've sewn seams around it. But I bought a large tarpaulin to cover the poptop roof area in case the skirt is a dismal failure. Could be plenty of adventurous days ahead of us!! ;D cheers, Al. |
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Post by philouise on May 5, 2010 13:05:08 GMT 10
Hey Al.
Bon Voyage.
Good Luck on the Classic Trip to the Nationals.
etc.etc.
Phil.
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Post by myblueheaven on May 7, 2010 0:23:42 GMT 10
Hi Al, and everyone, sorry I've been MIA..lol....life gets in the way when we've made other plans...Well, I've canceled the Millard purchase, and I think I'll just keep my eye open till I find one that has been garaged most of it's life. I saw one a year ago, and should have bought it. It had been stored in a huge barn since purchased....
I agree with Al..Ebay is a nightmare, and unless the van is local, it's a big ask making a 3000.00 decision on a hand full of photo's
I've given a few friends the link to your site and they have found it fascinating...One friend in Victoria did the same thing you did but with an old boat....fabulous job...and took him two years. He advised me the same as you, spend more and I'll have less headaches.
Millard I'm amazed...I figured you had to have some experience with either wood or steel, because you had so many clamps....lmao....(who has that many clamps unless they're a serious kinda handyman?).....and of course the more clamps, the more complicated it looks...lol.
Actually come to think of it......I don' think we could afford that many clamps let alone the materials...lol
You must be one of those blokes that can build a small village with a chain saw and nail gun while enjoying a cold Melbourne bitter....lol....or two?...
I've taken a look at that Tips Thread and have already learned heaps....One thing that seems to be an overriding rule is to run from anything that has water damage.....or leaks. So I'm going to make sure i go over everything with a fine tooth comb take pics and post them here for a score out of ten...lol...
Night Night.
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Post by millard1399 on May 11, 2010 21:19:25 GMT 10
G’day All, The Millard has made it to Mildura ;D ;D. We arrived yesterday at lunchtime after spending 5 days zig-zagging our way westward from home. 1030kms later and we’re here! The van has performed magnificently during the trip, sitting very comfortably behind the car at speeds up to 95kph. Once we push it above that, though, the van starts to tell us we’re going too fast for its old bones. A few photos from the trip so far… 1. At Yass in the NSW Southern Highlands, we played “Spot the Millard” in amongst the line-up of modern white boxes (hint: look for the blue bottom half)…  2. At the Yass caravan park, someone’s pride and joy…  3. On the outskirts of Yass, a limited edition Viscount motorhome …  4. Tumbleweeds blowing across the road near Temora, NSW…  5. A surprise attack from the grasshoppers, much earlier than we’d expected, near Temora…  6. The Millard won a tough encounter 6-4, 7-6 against Evonne Goolagong at Barellan, NSW…  7. Sunrise at Balranald Caravan Park, NSW…  8. The grasshoppers showing no respect for a classic Millard van…  9. Arriving at the Mildura caravan park…  10. All set up, including the home-made awning…  There are about 50 vintage caravans from the Vintage forum here, so we are flat out trying to meet everybody. Have caught up with Bob and Jacqui (very friendly people!) from this forum. Prior to leaving home we were contacted by a member of the Vintage forum who, with his wife, are freelance photojournalists submitting stories to six caravan magazines, including Caravan World. He asked if he could meet up with us at Mildura to do a photo shoot and interview about the Millard for possible inclusion in a future magazine issue. After we arrived yesterday, we had to scrub all the grasshopper crap off the Millard, and set it up to be photographed while we told the story of its restoration. And so, forum members, the Classic Caravans flag might be flying in a magazine some time in the future. Talk with you again soon… Cheers, Al. |
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Post by kezzbot on May 11, 2010 21:37:53 GMT 10
Mmmm.. Grasshopper soup.
Darn, why didn't i think of that with my Viscount. Bit of a first step out he door tho. lol ;D
Love the photos and the Millard looks great!
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Post by millard1399 on May 12, 2010 22:25:53 GMT 10
G’day again, Just a couple more photos taken today… This one showing how ingenious someone has been, to build a mezzanine sundeck on top of their 1980s Viscount weekender in the park…  And this giving us a timely warning. This 5th wheeler came into the park late yesterday afternoon. During the early hours of this morning, someone going past the van noticed smoke coming out of the wall. They knocked on the door and got no response. Then they banged on the door to wake the (female) occupant. Seems something fell on the heater and shorted it out, which then shorted and burnt out the power inlet. Fire brigade came to check everything out. As I type this the van is still sitting over in its spot in total darkness, with an extendable side section in the “out” position. I presume they wouldn’t be able to retract the section without power. I hope the occupant wasn’t at the start of their trip, because the trip has now been “cancelled”. First photo shows the full 5th wheeler, and second photo shows a close-up of the burnt power inlet…   Don’t quite understand why the electric safety switch on the van hasn’t tripped out when the heater overheated. The van looks like it is quite new, so you would think it would have all the latest electrical safety equipment built in. See you again soon… Cheers, Al |
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Post by atouchofglass on May 13, 2010 6:32:42 GMT 10
just goes to show you .....
The more stuff you have to go wrong....
Sad to see the trip for them has been cut short
But at least it is minor damage and not a news item about loss of life.
A timely warning for us all
Thanks Al
Cheers
Atog
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Post by ronaldjohn on May 13, 2010 7:24:32 GMT 10
That picture of the "Drifter" is a real worry!
They are an import from the USA, so who knows what type of electrical system they have. Could be 110v with a 240V tranformer the blew out.
The real worry is the tow vehicle!
Those huge fith wheelers weigh 3 tonne empty! Load it up, fill it with water and it will far exceed the tow weight of that 3 ltr diesel Nissan.
Most of those things are towed by F250/Chev/Dodge that can pull ovet 4 tonne.
Cheers,
Ron
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Post by millard1399 on May 20, 2010 15:13:32 GMT 10
G'day All, I'm still alive and kicking. I'm typing this in the Ballarat library, where I've been spending the last few days researching the history of Franklin Caravans in the 1950s.
We've lost our internet connections to the laptops in the van, so I have to resort to "Plan B" to keep in touch with you. Today is our 15th day away from home. The van has been towed 1600kms so far, without so much as a hint of a problem. The big unknown is still whether the canvas poptop is waterproof, because we haven't had ANY rain in any of the places we've been since we left home. No wonder there's a drought around these places.
After an enjoyable week at the Vintage Nationals at Mildura, we set off to meander down to Ballarat, staying at various places along the way. The best night we had was in front of a fire at the council camping ground at Sea Lake in Vic. There was only one other van there besides us, and he was an itinerant worker keeping to himself. Most of this "outback" area is pretty monotonous flat land, with many of the towns along the way resembling 'ghost towns'. I don't know what keeps them going, to be honest.
Tomorrow we pack up and head east through the Melbourne region, aiming for the east coast of NSW. Still another 1200kms to get home, so fingers crossed it all keeps going as perfectly as it has so far. The only downside so far has been the number of times I've banged my head on the poptop roof opening. My height at 6ft is not compatible with the lower caravan ceiling height of about 5ft. Often when I go to do something at the front and back end of the van, I forget to bend my head low enough, and my noggin cops a whammy.
When we get the laptop internet connection sorted out, I'll post some more of the photos I've taken along the way.
Till then,
cheers,
Al.
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Post by atouchofglass on May 21, 2010 6:39:23 GMT 10
Hey Al Yes I know what you mean about mashing your melon on the roof of the van. Even the Olympic has a short section of low ceiling at the rear of the van. So guess who hits the light fitting when he forgets.  I too am 6ft+When I took my van to the Cairns show last year I had a couple of know alls standing inside the van with boots on complaining about being 6'4 and not able to stand inside vans without ducking. I pointed out that their heads didn't touch the hatch they were currently standing under...... Still didn't stop them complaining though ;D ;D ;D ;D Your van should have plenty of head room with the top up though? Just takes a little time to get use to the issues all vans have I guess..... Hope the trip is all you wanted it to be And the Franklin history bin is full to the brim. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Cheers Atog |
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Post by tassietiger on May 21, 2010 8:19:29 GMT 10
Morning Al, glad to hear all is going well on the "maiden voyage"  The Tiger Hunter and I are looking forward to all the history details you have on the Franklins. Have a safe and enjoyable journey home |
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Post by bobt on May 21, 2010 21:34:54 GMT 10
hi ya millard 1399 Glad to see your out and about enjoying the fruits of your labour.... yep very mundyne around sea lake.. Ballarat is real coool this time of year. Lots and Lots to see and do, so long as you do not freeze Hope your surviving it ok.. The owner of the Drifter was real lucky by the look of it. Tip if they are travelling in the same direction as you...let em go in front... Are you coming any further south? bobt |
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Post by millard1399 on May 26, 2010 23:24:59 GMT 10
G'day All, We arrived home late this arvo, after 21 days away for the maiden voyage of the Millard. The van was towed for a total of 2807 kms, which is a pretty good test, and it performed unbelievably well! ;D Mother Nature was also able to give us a couple of days of severe rain yesterday and today, so I can now confirm the canvas poptop skirt has passed the waterproof test with flying colours (it was my biggest concern). But, guess who left his driver's side window down all last night?...and guess who now has to dry all the water out of the car seat/floor/door??!!  It was raining when we packed up this morning, so everything was just chucked into the van willy nilly, and I've spent this evening spreading stuff around the garage floor to dry out properly. The poptop will need to be put up as soon as the sun comes out, so that it can dry out properly as well. But, all in all, a really good workout for the Millard, and it performed beyond all my expectations, with absolutely no problems whatsoever. And the 1979 classic Porta Potti provided exceptional service to boot! We received a number of complimentary comments about the Millard during our travels, so I must have got a few things right in the restoration. It seems that people find a bit of colour on a caravan to be rather eyecatching and attractive, rather than the boring ol' white stuff that is everywhere these days. Even the young girl in the caravan park office yesterday thought it was a "cute" little van. It was interesting that apart from the Vintage Caravan rally at Mildura, we only saw two vintage caravans and two classic caravans on the road during our travels. The other interesting thing is that this "Grey Nomad" rumour is a furphy, at least as far as the area we covered goes. Apart from the main highway from Melbourne back east and up to home, we came across very very few other travellers. Maybe everybody avoids country Victoria during May?? Tomorrow when I get myself organised, I'll post some photos of bits and pieces of the trip. cheers, Al. |
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Post by millard1399 on May 27, 2010 12:08:44 GMT 10
Ok, here are some photos... 1. A misty morning on the Murray River...  2. A cute little vintage car that towed a cute little vintage teardrop...  3. Two of the six superbly restored Roadmaster caravans, owned by employees of the Roadmaster factory in Adelaide...  4. The vintage vans we could see from our spot...  5. Hot air ballooning in Mildura...  6. A paddlesteamer on the Murray River...  7. Historic "Big Lizzie", the timber and wheat hauler, at Red Cliffs, Vic...  8. Fighting for space at the Sea Lake showground camping area...  The 1975 Viscount Supreme van on the left looked like it was an on-site caretaker's van, but it was all locked up and nobody was home. Fees were $18 per night for a powered site, including amenities. The "honesty system" operated, where you put your money in an envelope from the box, and drop it in the slot in the door. 9. A monster rig at our Stawell caravan park! 16 metres (52 feet) total length of van and prime mover. Set up as a permanent site, the owners spend six months of the year at Stawell, and six months at Bendigo, seeing their children/grandchildren. They also function as relief managers of the Stawell caravan park...  10. A secret fairy garden near Ballarat...  11 Autumn leaves at Warragul, Vic...  12. Boys and their toys at Traralgon...  13. This 1976 Franklin Arrow was one of only two Classic caravans we came across on the road during the trip. The woman had bought it in her home town of Wangaratta, Vic, in a deceased estate sale. Shedded all its life, it was in magnificent condition , and came with a roll-out awning fitted. She said the asking price was too good to pass up. They were also on their maiden voyage with the van, when we met up with them at a rest stop at Cann River, Vic...  and finally, 14. The canvas poptop waterproofing test, at Eden, NSW...  We are now converts to the cheap Showground camping grounds (if only we could find where they all are). Cheapest we paid was at Sale, Vic, at $16 per night with power and amenities, followed by $18 per night at Sea Lake. 30kms away from Sea Lake, at Lascelles, it would have been $10 for the night, powered site and amenities. Regular star-rated parks were costing us anything from $22 up to $32 per night, with no real extra benefits over the camping grounds. Biggest disappointment of the trip? The woman with the '76 Franklin Arrow wouldn't swap for the Millard! cheers, Al. |
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Post by bobandjacqui on May 28, 2010 13:42:47 GMT 10
G'day Al, Glad to see that your maiden voyage was a success We've just arrived home ourselves having clocked up 4400klicks in the four weeks. We travelled a lot of the back roads through NSW on our way home a passed through some loverly old towns . It was sad to see that a lot of businesses have closed their doors in the smaller communities. It was nice to meet up with you in Mildura. We had a great time meeting everyone and looking forward to the next one in 2012, Cheeers Bob and Jacqui |
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Post by millard1399 on Jun 8, 2010 11:32:23 GMT 10
G'day All, Here's an interesting little story that shows how something can be staring you in the face, but you don't notice it... All the way through the restoration of the Millard, I was conscious of the Millard not being "level" from side to side. I put it down to the spring on the offside perhaps sagging a little from age. I knew the plastic mudguard on the offside had a crack in it, and at some stage a new mudguard had been trimmed and pop-rivetted inside the old one. A couple of days ago, I was looking through ebay and noticed someone local had listed a couple of spring sets and stabiliser jacks, cut from a caravan chassis. I'd always had a bit of a dream to one day build a caravan from scratch, and I thought these might be the start of succeeding that dream (...like as if I need more projects... ). Anyhoo, this morning I'm under the Millard comparing the springs and jacks with what the bloke's got listed, to see how they measure up. And what do I discover?? The spring on the offside of the Millard has only six leaves, but the spring on the nearside has seven leaves. So I'm now thinking that the Millard has been involved in some sort of "accident" in its life, where the offside wheel has shot up and cracked the plastic mudguard, and a replacement spring has been fitted. Whatever happened, it hasn't affected the stability of the Millard on the road, as the recent trip proved. Funnily enough, I was discussing the out-of-level appearance with my brother [my mechanic] recently during the brakes overhaul (...he'd noticed it too). He never spotted the spring difference then either. Looks like this forum has got something else to add to our list of things to check when you're inspecting a van for purchase. Here's a photo of the Millard nearside spring, showing seven leaves...  ...and the offside spring showing six leaves...  Always learning something new in this game, ay!! cheers, Al. |
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Post by philouise on Jun 8, 2010 16:24:40 GMT 10
G'day Al. Glad you got home o.k. and that you had an enjoyable time. (and anyway - the franklin looked too big ;D) I had a similar experience with Millard Springs - i have a fridge and large oven on the offside (which would be the low side on the road) and was told by an "old" repairer that there would be an extra spring leaf on that side from manufacture. Crawled under and counted an extra leaf Thats where the similarity ends - crawled under sometime later and found someone had taken the extra leaf Reminds me of the time i thought i had a 75 model till i read the label better and saw 78 Cheers. Phil. |
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Talk about a fast learner!! 
