Millard approx 1976 M46913

[kylarama]

Thanks bobt,

A tool box on the front would be good. I wanted to make a triangle shaped one that would fit inside the centre of the A frame, problem is there is no room now that the handbrake cable is connected.

I've got a spare toolbox like this one lying around.

It's 750mm wide x 350mm deep and 250mm high.
Providing the rear door on the tow car clears it, I'll bolt it just in front of the gas bottles/jerry cans.

Speaking of which.

Picked up a couple of these at Aussie Disposals yesterday.


My cheap trailer parts guy is out of stock of holders and places like BCF want $30ea for the folded flat bar type. These ones were $50ea, are powdercoated, lockable and have holes in the sides so you can screw in the taps to the water containers.

Welded a piece of 65 x 35 x 3mm RHS to the drawbar, welded the 2 gas bottle holders in the middle and will bolt the jerry can holders.

More weight on the front, which is a good thing.

[kiwijim]

"MAN ALIVE", Will you look at this bloke go!!!

"CRIKE" Kylarama, have you got plans to take the van some-where for Xmas

At the rate you are motoring Mate, it will be finished well before then.

I would say with-out a doubt, you are heading for the "TOP GUN POSITION" of having a Classic rebuilt in the shortest time.

Now doesn't that make all you other people,.....
head for the shed and get stuck in to that near complete (two year old) projects. ;D ;D ;D

Any-one seen that other Millard owner lately..............
MILLARD 1399 "WHERE ARE YOU"
probably to embarrassed to show up

Great effort Kylarama, The Great Great Grand kids will have a ball in it, Co's it will still be around then. ;D ;D ;D

Cheers kiwijim

[kylarama]

Thanks for the gee up Kiwijim.

Yeah we want to take it up to Yarrawonga along the Murray River for a bit of bush camping, the day after Boxing day. Although that will depend on the better half as she is pregnant. Two years ago we had about 5 days in a row over 40deg up there, she ain't doin again that again.

So all this hard work could be for nothing.

However getting this much done is easy when you have two people working on it.

The aim is to tow it to the inlaws new place this weekend, where I can get to work cleaning and painting the chassis, cleaning the interior and a good cut n polish.

We still has to registered it tho. Won't get a chance to do that until the 22nd.

[kezzbot]

Hi Kylarama, looking good! geessh thats a mean looking rear bumper, i dare someone to run into the back of you!

Those new brake lights look really nice are they LED?

I just got a friend to weld a couple of bars to the draw bar of my viscount to mount a split system air con which should add about 38kg to the front.

Do you plan on taking her off road?

[bobt]

Hi kylarama

Yep have to agree with the others. You sure do win the race for the pace your progressing this at.

I gather there are some longer term longer distant travel plans what with the jerry cans on the front and the twin gas bottles.

Bubs on the way.... _{hmmm now do I say congratulations or other wise...................}

when is the little one due?

My kids literally grew up in/around caravans. We did lots of travel in them. daughter use to get withdrawal syptoms if we didn't go away at least once every month................

Now I just wish she would get a life and stay home............more occassionally ;D

[kylarama]

Dec 9, 2009 20:25:05 GMT 10 @kezzbot said:

Hi Kylarama, looking good! geessh thats a mean looking rear bumper, i dare someone to run into the back of you!

Those new brake lights look really nice are they LED?

I just got a friend to weld a couple of bars to the draw bar of my viscount to mount a split system air con which should add about 38kg to the front.

Do you plan on taking her off road?

Thanks Kezzbot, You've certainly got your work cutout, it's a great looking van.

The rear bar is a massive overkill, thats what happens when you build it out of scrap lying around. Kind of regret using what we did, but the price was right.

Yeah, taillights are LED's, same as these ones.
cgi.ebay.com.au/PAIR-12V-LED-SLIMLINE-BOAT-TRAILER-AUTO-LIGHTS-150BAR_W0QQitemZ360215759733QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_product_Trailer_Parts?hash=item53de884b75

Don't know if I would recommend them for a caravan as they took a bit of head scratching / butchering to make fit.

The only offroading planned is the 5km dirt track into the Murray River. The original plan was to fit some Pajero 4X4 rims and A/T tyres with an axle flip. To get that size tyres under meant removing the existing wheel tubs, making larger ones and cutting the wheel arches bigger. Still can be done as I fitted a longer axle to take the deeper offset wheels, maybe next year?

[kylarama]

Dec 9, 2009 20:46:05 GMT 10 bobt said:

Hi kylarama

Yep have to agree with the others. You sure do win the race for the pace your progressing this at.

I gather there are some longer term longer distant travel plans what with the jerry cans on the front and the twin gas bottles.

Bubs on the way.... _{hmmm now do I say congratulations or other wise...................}

when is the little one due?

My kids literally grew up in/around caravans. We did lots of travel in them. daughter use to get withdrawal syptoms if we didn't go away at least once every month................

Now I just wish she would get a life and stay home............more occassionally ;D

No current plans for a big trip just yet. We did a 3 1/2 month 4WD trip 3 years ago, went up thru the centre to Darwin, across the Kimberley's to Broome and back home. Most of this was offroad, didn't tow anything, just the 3 (partner and step daughter) of us in my trusty Hilux dualcab with a southern cross single pole tent.

In the last 3 years we've had full use of the inlaws offroad camper trailer, but this was lost in the bushfires . So the caravan will be good with a young family. Soon as there's a bit of spare money a caravan adventure sounds like fun.

As there will be a few people using the van at Rosebud we fitted 2 gas bottles as one will be used for a BBQ. The van has a 70 litre water tank, so a bit extra water is always handy. Plus the tow cars a V6 Pajero so towing will be thirsty work.

Would you believe bubs is due on the same day as my other daughter! 24th April.

I never did any camping growing up. My fathers idea of roughing it is 4 star accommodation! Since I turned 18 camping is all I've done, however I prefer the ute, swag and esky type camping. So a caravan is 5 star stuff for me.

[Deleted]

Hi and welcome,

She's a real beauty and congratulations on the restoration work.

What type of skylight does the van have?

John k

[kylarama]

Thanks wahroonga,

The Skylight is a 4 seasons hatch like this one.
www.caravansplus.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38_99&products_id=473&osCsid=a11a501c9a7c0fe0dd100b1779f7df17

I just ordered some more bits and pieces from CaravansPlus.

Some replacment seals for the hand pump, a tub of that tank cleaner (the water in the tank is very murky), some new 12v switches for the interior lights (old ones were burnt out) and some end caps for a pole carrier.

No luck with getting any PVC pipe for the pole carrier from my plumber mate, so just brought a 3m length from Bunnings for $39.

[Deleted]

The 4 seasons hatch is still used today in the best vans.

There is a skydome version available.

[kylarama]

They must be good hatches wahroonga, they look unchanged in 33 years!

Hav'nt got much done in the last few days. Had a stomach bug during the week, then had a couple of big days at work yesterday and today.

We did get some painting done.

Drawbar and rearbar with a couple of coats of Killrust 'aluminium'




The rearbar is only out like this to paint, although it's got me thinking about a bike rack.

Welded an extra jockey wheel clamp on.


These brackets are for the pole carrier.


The old step cleaned up and repainted. Along with the old ID tag, complete with rust holes.


New rear stabilizers fitted.






Hopefully get a bit more done tomorrow.

[kylarama]

This getting up at 4am, working all day, then working on the caravan and getting home at 9.30pm is killing me.

Thank god I finish up work for the year this Friday ;D

Fitted the LED no. plate light. Same deal as the taillights, fit it to an ali plate, then rivet that to the van.



Rear of van all complete, less spare wheel and the all important number plate!



Pole carrier fitted.



Couldn't get my sheetmetal mate to whip me up a new front window cover this year. So I knocked up one for the time being.

The existing top hinge has a 10mm U channel for the cover to fix to. So I got the joinery guys at work to cut me a piece of select grade 9mm ply to size and cover it with some blue laminate (as you can see in the photo's I should have been more specific when saying blue) and fitted this inside the U channel. Then fixed 25x25x3mm ali angle to the other 3 edges. It's come up pretty good, other than my colour match.










And most importantly! It's booked in for rego at Vicroads next Tuesday.

Now I need to fit that brake controller and get some wing mirror extensions.

[kezzbot]

Unusual awning you've made yourself there. It looks really good but best of all it will do the job.

Drawbar fully loaded and looking sharp.

Good luck on Tuesday!

[kylarama]

My head hurts!

I'm a bit ill today. I had my work break up party yesterday. It kind of started at midday, rumour has it I got to bed at 2am and a product named 'Makers Mark' may have been involved.

Dragged myself outside after lunch and managed to fit the brake controller to the Pajero.

Reckon I did a pretty neat install too. Pulled apart the dash and removed the ashtray and its bracket. Screwed the brake controller bracket to the existing holes from the ashtray bracket and wala!



running all the wiring, fitting an auto reset circuit breaker and splicing into the stoplight switch was alot eaiser than I thought it would be. Even in my current state.


Get to test it out tomorrow. The van gets it's first run since the rebuild when I take it back to the Inlaws from my mates place.

I'm a bit worried I've forgotten something, so I'll run a spanner over every nut and bolt before I head off.

[kiwijim]

Howdy Kylarama,

I've gotta say, you've done an excellent job on that Restoration of your Millard,

Ever thought of going into caravan repair full time ?
with your talent mate, you would have a better chance than half the "Dip-Sticks" I know who call them-selves trades-men.

You've done a real neat job of installing the brake controller,
looks like it was made for that hole,
it's good to see there isn't any butchering to make fit as I have also seen done by these so-called experts.

Yep it's a good idea to "take 5" and double check everything before heading off, I think two of the most common things that can come loose are the trailer plug and the jockey wheel if it is only raised in the clamp and not removed.

Have a safe and happy tow mate.

cheers kiwijim

[kylarama]

Thanks Kiwijim,

Don't know about caravan repairing full time. Just doing one is starting to do my head in.

As usual today wasn't all smooth sailing. Picked up the van, but my mates away so I had to push the van out of it's little corner on my own so I could hitch it up, which was a mission in it's self. Then the brakes wouldn't work, so a quick rewire of the van sorted that. No shackles for the safety chains, hunted around mates workshop and found two. The swing up jockey wheel is to long, so I had to jack up the drawbar, swing it up, then let it down onto the towbar.

Finally got underway, the van tows really well, doesn't move around much and the Paj pulls it with ease. Problem was the brakes don't work to well, even at full voltage it barely pulled it up. Got to the inlaws and noticed a burning smell and discovered the hubs were to hot to touch. Worried I had cooked the bearings I pulled the wheels off.





In my haste to put the axle together late at night I didn't pack enough grease into the bearings and then probably over tightened the hub nut. Luckily the bearings aren't scored or blue and the grease isn't cooked. So I've packed a heap more grease into the bearings but now have to get new rear seals as I trashed the old ones getting the inner bearings out.

Turns out the hubs were so hot cause I was riding the brakes trying to get them to bite. Problem, as I said in my haste I never cleaned the machine oil off the inside of the brake drums (drums come oiled to stop them rusting). Now both drums and linings have a nice glaze on them, so I'll hit them with a bit of emery paper tomorrow and a good clean with a solvent. They then should bed in okay.

Still lots to do. Only a day until rego inspection and less than a week until we head off.

Fingers crossed.

[kezzbot]

Its doing my head in.

Bad luck with the bearings and the brakes but glad you got it sorted.

Good thing you have a bit of time between your inspection and when you have to head off, just in case you have to fix anything that doesnt pass/

[bobt]

Hi kylarama

You have a done a nice bit of work there.

Hope it all works out ok... Good luck with the rego tomorrow.

Do brag once its done.

bobt

[kylarama]

I'll be shocked if it doesn't pass first time.

Shocked because VicRoads actually inspected something properly!

VicRoads inspections are a bit vague. My mate who helped me do the caravan built himself a huge tandem trailer earlier in the year. 12 x 6 ft, 3T capacity, weighs 1T empty, did everything himself. He read the National Code of Practice for Building Small Trailers (see here www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/publications/pdf/roads_vsb_01.pdf) cover to cover and followed the code to the letter.
Took it to VicRoads for Rego (no engineer's inspection in Victoria required), they measured the width, the length and asked him to turn the parkers on, that was it!
Didn't check tyres or test the breakaway system, let alone check to see if it has one.

Not to mention the cars me and my mates have registered over the years. One dropped a 350 chev into a 60 series cruiser and simply took it to VicRoads and had the engine number changed. Was never questioned about the V8.

Having now said all this. I'll get the resident 'Mr By The Book' and fail badly.

It shouldn't fail, I've done everything they ask for, including loading it up with reflectors. 4 white on the front, 4 red on the rear and a couple of yellows half way down the sides.

Pretty much done everything now except for the water tank and plumbing.

Refitted what was an extremely rusty step.




Fitted some nice catches to my homemade front screen.






Most importantly I fixed the problem of the to high jockey wheel I spoke of yesterday.
I never liked the pump up tyre, they always go flat. I asked for the large semi solid wheel but that was all they stocked.

So I took the insides of the Millards original jockey wheel complete with 5 inch solid wheel and swapped it with the swing away wheel.



With the smaller wheel I can get the drawbar 120mm lower, which is more than enough. I have fitted another jockey wheel clamp on the inside of the drawbar so I can use the pump up tyre if I need to move the van around on the gravel driveway.

[Deleted]

She's raring to go for Christmas.

Great work!

[kylarama]

REGISTERED AT LAST! ;D

Good old reliable VicRoads.

Went down today with the Father inlaw. He went inside and sorted out all the paperwork while I waited with the van in the inspection bay.

VicRoads inspector came out, checked the VIN no. measured the length and width and didn't look or check anything else.

The brakes work a treat now. When we headed off they didn't work to well, once they bedded in however I started locking them up until I wound the voltage right down. They only need about 3-4 volts to work effectively.


I stuffed up on the drawbar length however.




WOOPS!

Miss out by about 75mm.

Oh well, door still opens enough, just have to watch I don't bang the door into the gas bottle.


And the $ cost so far.

$2,366.00 including rego.

Another $50 or so for bits and pieces and thats it!

At least until the next list of items requiring my attention ;D

[Deleted]

Bugger!

Simply back in and leave the car at a bit of an angle

But congrats on the rego. Did you need a weighbridge certificate?

[kylarama]

Dec 22, 2009 15:17:26 GMT 10 @wahroonga said:

Bugger!

Simply back in and leave the car at a bit of an angle

But congrats on the rego. Did you need a weighbridge certificate?

Na didn't need a weighbridge certificate as it was a re-register and the van is pre 1989. All trailers built after 89 require a VicRoads assigned VIN no. and weighbridge certificate.

She asked me if I knew the tare weight, I said I think it was around 850kg, which she seemed happy enough to put on the rego label. I told her the gross weight was 1400kg as this is what the axle is rated at, but she was'nt interested in that.

[kiwijim]

Howdy Kylarama,

Congrats on the new license,

Talk about an easy examination, It's no wonder so many people here, take their rebuilt cars over East for rego's.

If you took the van here for examination, it would be off the ground first thing, full bearing and brake examination,

Then turn on all the lights one at a time, allow 10min for the inspector to check every light and lense.....any discoloration, your out of luck.

Next out comes the depth Gage for the Tyres inspection, then if there is one knock-back......you've done your dough.

Back home, fix the fault then buy another permit and pay for another examination.

The name of the game here is called "Revenue Raising"

cheers kiwijim

[kylarama]

A part of me wishes they were strict like they are in WA Kiwijim.

At least all my hard work would get recognized.