millard M39201

[Deleted]

Hi guys, my wife and i have decided to buy our first van, one we can restore together and we picked up this little beauty for $400 mechanically sound, fair bit of work interior wise but its exactly what we wanted. Its a millard m39201 i really want to find some info on it, if anyone knows anything please inform us. And watch this space for our reno...

[tasmillard]

Brendo - welcome. You will need to link photos to the site as opposed to uploading them. I use flikr and then link the URL to my post.

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[tasmillard]

Looks like its been sitting there for a while. Would like to see interior pics when you can. This will determine how much work you are up against. It could be a full rebuild like Bruce (78466nom - look at this thread) has on at the moment.  Sometimes a full rebuild is easier to do than to work around original pieces.  Seeing as these vans are build inside out, it usually means removing interior fixtures (kitchen, dinette, wardrobes etc) to get to the wall ply to replace...  Either way, you will have some fun in bringing back the Millard to life.

[captivenut]

Hi Brendo, that should keep you occupied for a while. Going by Shelley's facebook list I'd say it's a 75 model. Are you in Vic? I think I saw it advertised somewhere - was it located in east Vic? Sounds like you got it at a good price. It will have an aluminium frame which is a huge plus. Those louvre windows can be bothersome but they can be found on ebay & gumtree. I'm doing a reno on a 71 York which was made by Millard with much the same frame & chassis construction. I've almost finished resealing & painting the outside, fixing windows, and just recently had the chassis sandblasted, primed, and top coated in charcoal hammertone. About to start relining the inside & building cabinets & beds, etc. You can buy new internal caravan lining from Uptons from $10 a sheet. Also available from Robot and Dandenong Demolitions. Best place for aluminium edge trim is Capral and Action. Internal fittings (lights, handles, window clips, etc) can be bought online from CaravansPlus, Carac, and a multitude of other suppliers.
Good luck with your project!
Cheers, Arthur

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[Deleted]

Hi guys yes it was sitting in sth east vic in a paddock for 2 years, there are a few leaks and i will be replacing the whole interior trying my hardest to save some original cabinetry, weve rennovated a few houses but never one on wheels, im a maintenance fitter by trade so hopefully i shouldnt have too much trouble, i appreciate your advice on the van and places to buy stuff from it will be very handy, i cannot find a picture of another of this model anywhere! Ive already stripped the whole interior to reveal the beautiful alloy frame its a work of art.. ill keep you guys posted. And thanks for welcoming me to this awesome forum.
Cheers
Brendan

[atefooterz]

Great project Brendan, you going to modernise the interior or go for a compromise of original looking fitout with modern features?

[Deleted]

There will be few hours of work on it but it is very nice to see them on the road again.
Great project.

[Deleted]

Hi, im leaving the interior design up to the mrs, but ill take care of the layout, i think were going to completely modernise the interior and make it a trendy comfy home away from home, but with a limited budget we'll also be looking to upcycle alot of items with unwanted furniture.

[greedy53]

i have a 1976 viscount and spent a lot of time getting stuff cheap ended up dragging a set of timber draws home and finding out there thinner than caravan furnature and with a bit sizing they look great ,so after that i found a kitchen that was on the kerb so had all the furnature i needed.and i used a small king size bed and put wheels on one side and clamps on the other so my wife can move it to get around it to make and more room for dressing and stuff
you mite find a bit of help from this
good luck

[greedy53]

i have a 1976 viscount and spent a lot of time getting stuff cheap ended up dragging a set of timber draws home and finding out there thinner than caravan furnature and with a bit sizing they look great ,so after that i found a kitchen that was on the kerb so had all the furnature i needed.and i used a small king size bed and put wheels on one side and clamps on the other so my wife can move it to get around it to make and more room for dressing and stuff
you mite find a bit of help from this
good luck

[78466noM]

looks like you have a bit of work ahead of you greedy53 is right recycle and up-cycle what you can on a tight budget before you go too far and start on the inside climb underneath and check the chassis for rust and the draw bar yours most likely would have had the galvanized chassis so shouldn't be a problem also check welds while you are there occasionally some welds can crack mostly on the outer extremities and in the day some spots got missed by the welder this is all easy fixes unless it has rust like mine had. the draw bar being covered in at the front makes a good home for ants to drag in the dirt for their home mine looked reasonably good until I gave it a very close inspection it had rusted from the inside out it still had the strength but only had a short lifespan left so I replaced it and the front chassis rail with new 3mm box steel and left front open to stop the ants. all of this is easier and will be cheaper if you have to  get a qualified welder in to do if you can lift floor. It has taken me over twelve months so far but have only had Sundays mostly to work on it.

All the best with it and when finished should last many years to come.
To save money read what people have done here and do research on what you want I know first hand it is disappointing buying something only to find out you can't use it for some reason my big one was a 240volt bar fridge then found out if I used the inverter while traveling and a short happened stepping out of the car a family member could be electrocuted by earthing the unit.