1975 Millard 15ft - M41474 (Anthony)

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Hi, im new to this forum and the proud owner of a recently aquired Millard caravan. The inside has all the original fittings and was owned by a bloke who bought it in 1976, from a lady who had owned it from new for 2 years. This was his reasoning to assume that it's a 1974 model. I bought it without any paperwork to identify the model or year of manufacture, and it was unregistered. Im currently stripping out the walls and ceiling that were peeling away from water damage, but the cabinet modules are in relatively good nick so i carefully removed those first so i can reinstall them after the interior is re-skinned. Im also going to replace the floor, which has some soft spots and rot in it. It has 1 inch aluminium framework channel walls and a cedar wood ceiling.

So far i've found 15x7 scribbled in black marker pen on the inside of the front upper aluminium sheeting, and the front right wall panel had "15 7.4m" and "Don" written on it, maybe it was built by Don? The chassis number is M41474, which is written with a welder on a steel plate affixed to the draw bar next to the jockey wheel bracket.

I'd like to know if anyone could tell me the model name of this old girl? I've found a few similar looking vans in advertisements that were called Florida's, but there seems to be a few differing names about so i don't know for sure. I'll take a few pics and post them up here soon.

Thanks, Anthony

[ForumMod]

G'day Anthony, and welcome to the forum!

In my history research, it seems that Millard gave up allocating model names to their vans in the very early 1970s. After that, the vans are always advertised as just "Millard".

It's possible your van is actually from 1975. If you click on this link, it will take you to all the threads on the forum that have the word Millard in the heading. The Millard with chassis number M48180 has paperwork showing compliance dates in Nov '76, and your van is only approx 7,000 chassis numbers before that one, so I'm thinking perhaps yours might be more likely 1975. Millard would have been building up around 5,000 vans per year around that time. They were up in the top four manufacturers then.

Obviously, the 15 x 7 markings relate to the size of the van - 15ft cabin length x 7ft width. Don was probably the bloke the wrote the info there - just one of the many assembly workers. The '4m' in the other marking might relate to the number of berths - four - although I don't know why they would use the letter 'm' there (unless it meant "four model" for four-berth model??)

Yep, show us some pics of what you've got.

cheers,
Al.

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Ok, i've figured out to click the 'reply' button, but i never did understand URL and what it wants me to do. I think i've managed to attach pics so here goes.

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Beauty, that went ok. There's a double bed in the back, and the front has the horse shoe seat that takes a double mattress with a bridging board used in place of the table space, so that makes sense as a 4 berth. Oddly, the original table that came with the caravan (i assume it is, as it has the identical edge trim to the van's benches) is too large to fit in the gap, and the previous owner has cut out a board and screwed a timber ledge around the seat edges to support it, for making a flat bed surface.
Maybe im missing something here, it's 40 years old after all. I thought it would have made good sense for the table to fit the gap as the bed base.

Here's a pic of the chassis number which was half concealed under a heavy lump of angle iron, used to re-join the draw bar after it was cut off during a lengthy stay in one location. I had to cut the iron back to read it, although the angle has to come off completely so i can cut and weld the draw bar back on straight as it's been joined at a crooked angle.
I haven't tried placing the table over the gap, i just measured it with a tape. Now that i look at the pic, it appears from the ribs on the underside that it may sit over the gap and just stick up by the table top's thickness. I cant check at the moment as the modules are removed and stacked up in one end of the van while i work on the other.

Thanks, Anthony

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[ForumMod]

That table looks like the type used in Viscounts, so I wonder if it's actually the original table? Is the laminex the same pattern as the benchtops?

The Millards that I have on file in my computer, that have the U-shaped lounge, have a table that sits on a single adjustable pedestal, with four radial legs on the floor. I can't see any means of supporting the table around the edges in my photos, so I presume it's done as you say, by resting the table on top of the surrounding seat bases. Makes for a bit of a lumpy bed on that side, hey?!


cheers,
Al.

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It looks like it isn't the original table. It will only fit into the gap by placing it over the edges so it's raised up, sounds like a very lumpy bed indeed. Here's a pic of the steel lugs in the floor (ignore the surrounding units, they are just free standing bits and pieces) and the van came without any type of post that will locate into them, and there is no provision underneath the table top to affix any such support. Using this table would also mean that the folded legs, when in the collapsed position, protrude out the front side of the walking space where they can be tripped over. The laminate top is different to the rest of the van as well.

Cheers, Anthony

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[ForumMod]

Yeah, I suspect it might be a table from a Viscount. And yes, I could never understand the design of that type of table, where the legs poke out when it's collapsed down for the bed requirements. There's probably been many a Viscount owner who has cursed the designer of that table.

cheers,
Al.

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Anthony you refer to tables as being too wide? for gap between side seat/cupboard. I think that my M50624 millard table is also too wide for flush fit with side seats. I assumed it must sit on top of side seat bases , maybe making a lumpy base to sleep on. NB my seat is just each side of table,( not u shaped which I take to be sides and front). Maybe tommorrow Mon 23 June I can get my photos posted on forum. It is very similar to your pics. rgds Gordo

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 G'day Gordo.
Here's a pic i found of an old millard table, like Al said it has the single adjustable stand under it. It would appear that i dont have the original table, but a viscount model. This is the same style of U seat, only mine is a brown vinyl. So i dont know if the original table could be made level with the seats, i would presume so though, it would make sense.
Not to worry, i have an old coffee table that i've used since i first met my wife, and im going to shrink it a little to become the new caravan table/flush bed base.
I like the idea of the pedestal, it certainly would make for a quick change between bed and brekky table. I might look at a few old office chairs to find a suitable gas strut leg for it. Ill post pics of it when i get to that stage, i've only just finished stripping out the ceiling and walls, the next step is waterproofing the van before the new floor and insulation, ceiling and walls go in so they dont get destroyed straight away. Im in Canberra and it's raining at the moment, and the caravan is proving to leak like a sieve.  I knew that when i bought it though, and i liked the idea of having a good restoration project. The price was right, so im happy to throw a few dollars at it.

Cheers, Anthony

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Jun 24, 2014 16:32:48 GMT 10 @anthony said:

 G'day Gordo.
Here's a pic i found of an old millard table, like Al said it has the single adjustable stand under it. It would appear that i dont have the original table, but a viscount model. This is the same style of U seat, only mine is a brown vinyl. So i dont know if the original table could be made level with the seats, i would presume so though, it would make sense.
Not to worry, i have an old coffee table that i've used since i first met my wife, and im going to shrink it a little to become the new caravan table/flush bed base.
I like the idea of the pedestal, it certainly would make for a quick change between bed and brekky table. I might look at a few old office chairs to find a suitable gas strut leg for it. Ill post pics of it when i get to that stage, i've only just finished stripping out the ceiling and walls, the next step is waterproofing the van before the new floor and insulation, ceiling and walls go in so they dont get destroyed straight away. Im in Canberra and it's raining at the moment, and the caravan is proving to leak like a sieve.  I knew that when i bought it though, and i liked the idea of having a good restoration project. The price was right, so im happy to throw a few dollars at it.

Cheers, Anthony

Hi Anthony, that's called a telescopic table leg, I was lucky enough to buy one for $15 off the old guy I bought my Viscount (S88038) off. They are quite expensive to buy new, around $200. I don't have a table top for mine yet but was thinking of finding an old retro Formica table and cutting the top down to fit, or buying a panel of bench top from Bunnings and using that. I do have other bits I want to match so will probably do the Bunnings option, we'll see. I like your idea of using an old coffee table top

I have rebuilt all my dining area seating as it was beyond saving. Once I've sourced a table top I will add a lip to the front of my seat boxes at the right height to steady the table top once it is lowered into bed position. I think these style tables are great.


cheers
Karen