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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2015 23:05:18 GMT 10
Hi everyone. It's been a long time since I last posted here. My original caravan has gone to a good home; providing storage space at a half way house. I now have a new-old one. It's a 1973 Viscount with an air conditioner on the draw bar, raised suspension and electric brakes. I have some work to do on it, replacing the electric stove with the gas one from my old van and fitting a more modern electrical system with twin batteries and a good charger and an inverter etc. I also have a new tow vehicle. It's a 2006 Holden Adventra V6. I had to get the suspension replaced due to sagging so I got a 50mm lift. I have to fit an electric brake controller to the car and get the van registered yet. Another restoration project I've bought is a 1939 Pontiac Sloper in excellent condition for a 76 year old car. Just a little surface rust here and there but otherwise in pretty good condition. I'm going to be busy in my retirement in a couple of years time.
Cheers,
Ross.
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Post by doublechevron on Sept 7, 2015 15:06:53 GMT 10
So where are the piccies of the Pontiac  ........................ Your going to need a bondwood to tow with it! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2015 16:08:34 GMT 10
Here are some pics of the Pontiac.     As you can see she's in very good condition for a car her age. The original owners, two spinster sisters in Brisbane drove her around for fifty years without putting a mark on her and some hamfisted bozo dropped something heavy on her roof just above the LH door in the 2 week trip down from Townsville. As to caravans, I think a teardrop would be most appropriate to tow behind this old girl. She has a 3.6 litre engine that puts out 85hp. My Adventra has a 3.6 litre that puts out 255hp. Cheers, Ross. |
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Post by doublechevron on Sept 7, 2015 16:30:53 GMT 10
The old girl will have down low torque though ... she'll plod along fine no doubt. That is absolutely amazing. Your not restoring I hope! It's such a unique survivor I'd leave it alone and just enjoy Can PDR work with the super thick metal on that car and get that dent out of the roof (though I can't imagine how you will remove a 70year old roof liner without destroying it  ). seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by Mustang on Sept 7, 2015 16:52:01 GMT 10
Hi Ross,
What a honey of a car, especially with history like that. I have never seen a survivor that good ,that old.
I recently heard on the TV show the "Pickers" .."they only look like that once, so think carefully about a restoration".
I'm a bugger to restore though.
Look at that start button the printing is still in tact!!!!!
Oh by the way did you mention you had a caravan?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2015 17:04:12 GMT 10
Yes Mustang I have a 1973 Viscount Royal. here are some pics of her.       I have a new frost free fridge now in there which I just have to bolt down to the floor. The fridge is on the RHS and the kitchen on the LHS. The batteries will go in the storage locker just in front of the fridge area or perhaps in the rear storage area under the bed and the charger and inverter in the cupboard below the fridge area. She'll also have a modern safety switch and a solar panel mounted on each vent cover. Cheers, Ross. |
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Post by Mustang on Sept 7, 2015 17:09:05 GMT 10
Its as good as the car, did the spinsters have it too? What a unique step. Tell me that air con is going to a new home?  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2015 17:15:05 GMT 10
Ah. No mustang, the aircon is staying. That's one reason why I bought the van. I'm now in my 60s and like my creature comforts I'm afraid. She also has a raised suspension with the axle below the springs and shock absorbers also mounted. The old fellow I bought her from like to go bush occasionally so did these mods to her.
Cheers,
Ross.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2015 17:26:39 GMT 10
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Post by doublechevron on Sept 7, 2015 19:54:41 GMT 10
That car is absolutuly fabulous...... I love that aged patina it has. Only the old laquer does that. It does it even if the car never sees the sun... The ugly pink car here has a similar patina....I just coated it in polish and don't use it on rainy days  I can tell it's the original paint as the factory used that red primer you can see through it. 12volts is a smart move. I bet the 6volt starter works fine on 12volts and just spins the old motor over at a million miles an hour  The fuel gauge will probably be the biggest issue! 6volt wiring should be far heavier to carry the current so will be fine. The dash and windscreen surround in that car is amazing. Is that really the original 75 year old veneer  seeya, shane L. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2015 20:45:43 GMT 10
G'day Shane. That woodgrain isn't wood at all. It's what's called faux or false woodgrain. It's actually painted onto the metal. Back in those days there was a process by which this was done and it's still done that way today. There's a man near Maitland who does this in his workshop and he's given me a quote to do this and repair the steering wheel. I have a friend who has a 1939 Oldsmobile Sport Roadster, also built in Adelaide by Holden. They built 85 Pontiac Slopers in 1939 and only 10 Oldsmobile Sport Roadsters. There are 3 '39 Pontiac Slopers left and just 1 Oldsmobile now.
I do intend to replace the wiring. You can buy wiring looms from a couple of companies to the original specifications. The original wiring is deteriorating and needs to be replaced. The 6V starter would turn the engine much faster but there are apparently problems with this according to my friend with the Oldsmobile. You can buy small resistors for the electrical gauges and I'm a qualified auto eleco so this car has a simple electrical system compared to a modern one.
Cheers,
Ross.
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Post by doublechevron on Sept 7, 2015 21:04:29 GMT 10
G'day Shane. That woodgrain isn't wood at all. It's what's called faux or false woodgrain. It's actually painted onto the metal. Back in those days there was a process by which this was done and it's still done that way today. There's a man near Maitland who does this in his workshop and he's given me a quote to do this and repair the steering wheel. I have a friend who has a 1939 Oldsmobile Sport Roadster, also built in Adelaide by Holden. They built 85 Pontiac Slopers in 1939 and only 10 Oldsmobile Sport Roadsters. There are 3 '39 Pontiac Slopers left and just 1 Oldsmobile now. I do intend to replace the wiring. You can buy wiring looms from a couple of companies to the original specifications. The original wiring is deteriorating and needs to be replaced. The 6V starter would turn the engine much faster but there are apparently problems with this according to my friend with the Oldsmobile. You can buy small resistors for the electrical gauges and I'm a qualified auto eleco so this car has a simple electrical system compared to a modern one. Cheers, Ross. Oh Wow ... your an auto-elec ..... I'm off to compile a list of questions for you (I remember running an old 6volt Renault 4 with a 12volt battery ................... Wow that starter motor could spin the motor over  ) I'm amazed you can get wiring harness for anything american and RHD of that era. I wish I could remember who it was in the Citroen Classic Car club that had the sewing machine that made the woven wiring harnesses. Imagine the unique oddball stuff you could make up to look factory if you could stitch the harnesses up. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by Mustang on Sept 8, 2015 16:37:13 GMT 10
The glove box lock, door lever & window winders were used on much later model Holdens.
Re The tail light switch, my uncle had a 46ish Vauxhall, in Melb at dusk he would get out at the lights, car running, walk to the back to switch the tail's on.
Boy I wish I had that car now, it was mint as he had a supplied work car.
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Post by bobt on Sept 8, 2015 16:47:31 GMT 10
Gidday Ross
Don't try an save any projects for retirement you will find you do not have enough time.. trust me I learnt.
Nice looking caravan you have got yourself.. Ya gunna need a towbar on that car.
bobt
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2015 21:59:09 GMT 10
G'day Shane. Apparently in some states the switch near the tail light was mandatory. For what reason I don't know but it makes it easy to drive with the headlights only on during the day.
G'day bobt. I will get a tow bar made up for the old Pontiac but I won't be towing the Viscount with it. If I ever get to build or buy a teardrop I'll tow that with it. The intention is to tow the Viscount with the Adventra.
Cheers,
Ross.
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Post by doublechevron on Sept 8, 2015 22:48:43 GMT 10
My grandfather has told me a few times about painting the old dashboards ( he was a motor mechanic ). For many years there was only one guy in town that did dashboards..... He would only paint if the weather was right. He'd heat his paints to the exact temperature, and *brush paint* them. Apparently they were impossible to pick as brush painted and there was no brush marks in them. He got them perfect including all of the highlights painted over the top.
I wonder if they brush painted that "wood look" onto your dash. It sure does still look remarkably well preserved.
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2015 2:54:08 GMT 10
G'day Shane. There are a number of different ways of doing this. In the factories they used to roll the woodgrain on. They'd spray the whole dash a base colour and then use a series of rollers to paint the grain on then spray or wipe a clear gloss coat over the top to seal everything. There are some video clips of this being done on youtube. Obviously this will be done as part of the repaint while the windows are out.
Cheers,
Ross.
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........................ Your going to need a bondwood to tow with it!
).
The fuel gauge will probably be the biggest issue! 6volt wiring should be far heavier to carry the current so will be fine.
)