Coronet Crown Prince - approx 1975 I think

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On the weekend we picked up our Coronet. It's 17ft, approx 1975 we think, and in remarkable conditions for its age. We paid only $500 for it and we're really looking forward to getting it back registered and on the the road and ready to use. Here are some photos.

Hopefully the chassis number (E 10826 I think) might assist some clever forum member to confirm (or dispute) our suspicions that it's from 1975. We think this due to some paperwork that 's in the van. I haven't had a proper look at it yet, but am planning on going through it all tonight.

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A couple more pics for you all.

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And a couple more. :-)

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Hi KyliErin,
nice looking van you have there,looks like a 1974 or 1975 model as you thought.
Does it have a stippled finish ceiling (like little pebbles)? or a flat woodgrain look?
the pebble finish started in 1973,but I dont know when it finished.
Cheers
hughdeani

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Hi Hughdeani, it does indeed have the stippled finish ceiling, (which I've been calling "pebble dash" 'cos it reminds me of those driveways you used to see). At this stage I'm in two minds as to whether to paint the inside, including ceiling, or not. Not sure what paint to use on a ceiling like that. But that will come later - first jobs are to ensure that all the appliances work and are safe and to get the wheels and brakes running smoothly. Then will come the battle of wills between myself (who wants to keep it looking like a 70's van and therefor to source appropriate bits for it) and the hubby (who wants to modernise it with Sunraysia wheels and checker plate!). Either way, it should be fun. :-)

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Hi again,
pleeeeease dont paint the interior!Looks so much better as it is.Just my opinion of course.
ok to put safer wheels on though.
Cheers
hughdeani

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I'll let the hubby know that he's now out-voted 2-1 in favour of keeping the 70's look, :-)

[supreme78]

Well done very neat old van. Please don't paint the inside. I see it all the time and it looks horrible. Purple lime green and canary yellow. Look on eBay at how many vans are ruined with paint so please don't paint it. I do also think it would look nice with some sunrasia wheels fitted.
Just my 2 bobs worth.

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Well, after a busy Christmas and New Year we've finally had the chance to start work on the van! We have imposed a deadline of the first week in Feb for having the van roadworthy and registered, as we want to take it away for the weekend, so it will be full steam ahead to reach that. I've given it a good clean, pulled out the bed and all the cushions and taken the back off the club lounge. The padded bed-head has been removed, carpet has been ripped up and the vinyl floor will be next. All the curtains are out and also the plastic/vinyl concertina door between the kitchen and bedroom area.

We've tested the appliances and are delighted to find that the gas burners, oven and grill work and that fridge works on both 240v AC and gas.

We've checked the chassis and floor and they are in good condition, with only surface rust on the the chassis. So the next job is to give it a light sand, a coat of kill rust primer and then to paint the whole underside and chassis with bitumin coating. Our local trailer place has quoted what we think are pretty good prices for new wheels and tyres, stabiliser legs and a new tow hitch (the old one seems to be pitted with rust inside the hitch), so that's where my next pay will be going. :-)

Here are a couple of pics during the process on the weekend.

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Here is a pic of the old hitch. It seem so have been hooked up with air brakes at one stage (according to my husband that's what the big round thing relates to.)

Also the oven which has some pitting in the chrome surface, but should polish up okay. Hubby is thinking of re-chroming it, but I wonder if that would be overkill?

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We've gotten a little bit further now. The old vinyl and carpet has been pulled up (always a nice smelly job). Last weekend the hubby and I got the wheels, suspension, axle and back bar removed. I then got the delightful job of spending the better part of a day and a half on my back underneath the van with a wire brush tidying up the chassis in preparation for an anti-rust primer and bitumin coating. Here are a couple of photos of this fun process.

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We were surprised how well it came up. The chassis is definitely in good condition with only surface rust. Thankfully no sand-papering was needed as I had well and truly lost the desire after just the wire-brush job! Here's a pic of the a-frame after being brushed down.

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Whilst I was having all this fun, hubby pressure-washed and undercoated the axle, leaf-springs and back bar. Here is a pic of those (with cameo appearance by our cat).

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[ForumMod]

G'day KylieErin,

Great progress!!

I think cleaning and repainting the complete chassis is one of those jobs that once you've done it, you swear you'd never do the same EVER again! Well, at least that's what I decided after doing it to the Millard poptop I restored.

I think you've done an excellent job on the van so far. Congratulations to you both (oh, and the cat for helping out as well )!!

cheers,
Al.