newbie question about storing a classic van

[Deleted]

Hi all,
        Please help me make my decision. i may get a bondwood or a metal clad van (what is the metal? aluminum?) If i buy a metal clad van will it need to be kept under cover like a bondwood or is it okay to leave them out?
what i dont understand about bondwoods is that they need to travel in the weather too so how do i pretect it (but i might be asking that question in the wrong forum...) Anyway i am happy to build a little carport/caravanport for whatever van i buy but i just cant decide which one...
any advice or shared knowledge? thanks!

[ForumMod]

G'day deeva,

Metal clad vans are clad in aluminium. Provided the van is sealed properly, there's no problem leaving them out in the weather. You'll get accelerated corrosion of the aluminium if you live in an industrial area and the atmospheric fallout in that area is laden with corrosive chemicals. You'll also get accelerated corrosion if you live within 1km of salt water and your area experiences gusty winds from time to time. If those two situations aren't an issue for you, then the van should happily stay out in the weather for a number of years. The occasional washdown to remove any dirt will keep the aluminium spic and span.

Bondwoods are a different kettle of fish, and need some sort of enclosed housing to protect the timber from expanding and contracting too much. Once the plywood layers start to break down (the terms bondwood and plywood are interchangeable), water will find its way into the timber and eventually rot it out (and that can happen within a year or so if the weather is extreme where you live). Even having a bondwood van under a carport is no guarantee it won't start to deteriorate on parts of the van exposed to the weather at the sides or rear of the van. Bondwoods really do need to be enclosed in a shed/garage when not in use. It's ok to have them out in the weather for the usual caravan trips of 2, 3, or 4 weeks at a time, but it's the continuous exposure over a year or more that brings them undone.

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

thanks Al. i really appreciate that info!