RocketRod's 1970's Viscount Reno

[Deleted]

Found this beauty on ebay and purchased for $500 with full intentions for refurb. Picked up on tilt tray and had delivered to my front yard.



Same night ... ripped everything out all electrical cupboards walls ceiling, and it took 3 trailer loads to the dump.



Finally, a bare shell excluding cladding at this stage, even the polystyrene insulation gone



Strengthened up the chassis with some extra side bearers, and rust-proofed whole chassis



Ready for the new heavy duty ply floor affixing down and screwing



Making all the new cabinets out of Fijian Cedar, this pic is the kitchen bench I am constructing.



This pic is the feature bar I am constructing



This pic is the overhead cupboards with built in speakers for the surround sound, above club lounge



Just fitting the new ceiling



This whole van...I have fitted pink batts to the ceiling and all the wall cavities, instead of the standard polystyrene



This Pic is the overhead feature curved cupboards that are a part of the feature Bar...This will have a 22” lcd tv with built in dvd player, and an awesome amp to run the system



The feature overhead cupboards for the kitchen a nice curve to marry with the Bar overhead cupboard



Here is a pic of the front end of the van just been stained and clear coated,all the club lounge overheads etc...



Here is the double bed I constructed with the top of bed on hydraulic struts for easy lifting and storage underneath...all stained and clear coated



Here is the feature curved overheads on top of Bar, stained and clear coated



Directly opposite the kitchen feature overheads, mirror image of the Bar.



Just removed all the old cladding, chased down the original log cabin profile and purchased, full pink batt insulation inside all walls



Just finished all the exterior cladding just leaves me to cut the last window out



Finally I have been waiting for this stage, I have airbrushed the rear end of my van, and I airbrushed our slogan above it....ONE PERFECT DAY



I brought this roll out awning off ebay for $30 one arm was destroyed, so I brought a second hand set from a caravan dealer as the roll out awning was made by Faulkner and they are no longer in business and parts are obsolete. I 2 paked the awning in white clear coated it...then had a new skin made for it.....



Today I airbrushed the start of the decals on the side of van to blend in with my sea theme on the rear, this is the dark blue I will shade in 3 or 4 more tonings of blue through this decal to match my skin on the roll out awning..

[millard1399]

G'day rocketrod, and welcome to the forum! ;D

I've modified the information in your post above, so the photos now show on the forum (they were missing the code in front of the http... bit).

That would have to be one of the most AWESOME jobs on a caravan I have EVER seen!

Absolutely STUNNING!! ;D ;D

And to think that only a week ago, you were reading up on how to drill and saw timber.

I hope you've reinforced the framework on the sides. That amp and those speakers are gonna have that van vibrating to the MAX, ha ha!

And what about that artwork on the rear? Man, you're never gonna get any peace with people rubbernecking inside and out of your van!

Amazing stuff!

Onto the more mundane subject of the age of your van...
To be more accurate, I would need to see a photo of what the Viscount logo looked like above the front and rear windows when you bought it. However, the side stripe, and the wind-out windows puts it at 1974 or later. If it originally had a starlight four seasons hatch, it would be 1975 or later. If the Hella tail lights are original, they were phased out about 1977, so at the moment your van sits somewhere between 1974 and 1977.

Crikey mate, you make the rest of us look downright amateurs.

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Hi Al

And thanks mate for those encouraging words, Yes she is a beauty alright just about ready for my motor trimmer to upholster the lounge etc. Al it is not a 4 season roof it is a square ONE piece wind up hatch. The viscount emblem was the bar shield with an R in the centre of it. have attached a pic i have found on the net is the same as mine but i am sure i had an R in the centre instead of the C.

Attachments:

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Oh and im sure the halogens would be original, as this van was sitting under a dirty big tree for the past 20 odd years unused. A dam shame when i saw it, that made me want to rebirth this "OL-SCHOOLER" real bad.....i just love em.

[tassietiger]

Wow

How long did it take you to do all that

Just wondering where you got the wheels from? Are they alloys or dare I say plastic wheel trims? They are the same as the ones on my tow vehicle and I have been trying to get three more for the Hunter but can't find them.

Magic job. Where will you be taking her first?

[Deleted]

Hi

in between work and everything else i built this on my own, a few months i suppose....Has been a hobby but if i worked non stop on it would of taken me approx 8 weeks i reckon....As for the wheels i have in a box brand new original H.J holden chrome hub caps im not going to put them on until i register this baby.....the ones on caravan now are just plastic from Supercheap Auto were $4.00 each.

[Deleted]

Hi al
Sorry mate ive looked at this sticker again and again i definately had royale written under the shield, not supreme but now i cant be sure if it had the C or the R in the centre of the shield as it was all deteriated......

[Deleted]

thanks in advance Al. ;D

[millard1399]

Hi rocketrod, everything points toward your van being from 1974. The Viscount Supreme logo you found was used in the early '70s, but there were two different types. The one you found was the earlier version, cut into a triangular shape, with either Supreme, Royal, or Ambassador printed under the yellow 'V'. In late 1973, Viscount changed the sticker so it was now on a rectangular background, but with the same logo design on it. I suspect your van would have originally had the rectangular sticker.

Your memory is playing tricks on you in regard to the 'R' inside the yellow V. There was only ever a black 'C' inside the V. The 'C' is in recognition of John Carr, who started building Viscount caravans way back in about 1957. Some of the plastic fittings in Viscounts during the '70s have the 'V-with-the-C-inside' moulded on them, particularly in the later Supreme models.

8 weeks you could have done this job in?? Man!

cheers,
Al.

[kylarama]

WOW!

Love the quality of the workmanship.

I don't know if you've read other thread about some of us derusting and painting the chassis's, but your method is by far the best!

Out of curiosity, what did the new aluminum cladding cost per metre? and where can you get it from?

[atouchofglass]

Hey RR
NIIIIIIIIIIIIICE work there
Well worth a hearty " Well Done" from us all.

Love the brass bell for dinner service
;D ;D

Your quality of workmanship is excellent
Doing that amount of work of that quality in 8 weeks.......
Very impressive

Glad to have you aboard...

Cheers
Atog

[Deleted]

hahaha. thanks guys im glad to be on board. Yes definately 8 weeks i could of had this done by, but keep in mind i would of worked on this very late at nites as well. I just love these OL-SCHOOLER vans i put them in the category of the SANDMAN panelvans...A piece of history. I am buying another van soon to refurb it.....The aluminium sheeting took me ages to source but i found it at the guys in Virginia Brisbane (ARROW) was roughly by memory $1100 worth every cent for these old vans hehehehe:)

[Deleted]

You cannot beat the wire wheel on a drill for taking off the surface rust off the chassis quick and easy,and i felt by welding a few more box tubes outriggers on the side makes this van so much more sturdy,and then deaden the whole chassis while she was bare so definately covered now from the elements.....and the wire wheel is the best tool to use for ripping out the old silicone as well;D

[Deleted]

Have a lol day between work have the day off today,I will finish the airbrushing on the side of the van and post on pics tonight ;D

[philouise]

WOW2
i'm a bit dumbfounded.
that is remarkable.
(these are one set of photos i wont show the misus - well, maybe not till after i retire).
you must have worked like a rocket.

Great job, R'rod.

Phil.

[Deleted]

Hi Phil
yeah i have worked on this baby like a rocket...but i just love em....today i had the day between jobs so i airbrushed the sides of the van to blend in with the arse end and the roll out awning....now i am stripping the late model door i brought for it i am taking out the late model cladding and replacing it with the new original cladding i brought for this old jigger so it will blend and mould in with the exsisting....i will post pics later 2nite.....i am just about finished this one then i am gunna buy another and do it up...mate i just love the old Viscounts as i said earlier a great part of history.......I LUV EM......

[Deleted]

Hi Al...hey mate i forgot all about a rego label that was mounted in this old girl way back from 1987 which was tyhe last year she was registered....The label does not say much baut sth Adelaide MOTOR REGO DIVISION it has a serial # which reads TE 5246 would this mean it is a 1975??? and if so what would TE stand for...I have also the original owners name but it is an endless battle tracking him down.

[Deleted]

As promised here is a couple of shots of the work I did today on my day off....airbrushed the side of van to blend in with the arse end of the van, and the tonings on the roll out awning...



I stripped the new late model door I brought, and took the cladding out and replaced it with the original log cabin cladding I cladded the van with...now it looks all good...yay



Showing the tonings of the airbrush to the roll out awning.....

[Deleted]

After work today ... made this bar mirror with Marante frame, stained and fitted ... looks awesome on bar

[kezzbot]

Wow, truly a fantastic job you have done there! The van looks really awesome, and to think that you did that all in a few months, you must be some sort of superman. Or more likely flash gordon.

Just a couple of questions:

Have you heard that pink batts are better insulation then foam sheet?
What sort of panels did you use for your cabinetry making?

ps. love the artwork on the back. is that your handywork?

[Deleted]

Hi
I asked around about the pink batts for the insulation but nobody new why anyone hasnt used batts.and every person i asked said the same thing "we use polystyrene have never done pink batts". So i thought bugger it im gunna do it after all thats what they are used for so i did u seriously walk in and feel it instantly very cumfy and sound....All my panel work i built from FIJIAN CEDAR PLY very light and a great grain when stained. Artwork is mine yes...

[kezzbot]

Nice.

I did some research on batts and Styrofoam and i had the same problem, no one could tell me which was better for maintaining internal temps. One guy did tell me that batts are only better if you have allot of it like in a house roof but i don't really count him as a reputable source, he did seem a bit full of it.
But i did find out that pink batts can hold moisture in your roof and wall cavities when condensation forms, were foam sheet does not. How much, i don't know and shouldn't be a problem but its something to watch out for.

The Fijian Cedar Ply does look great, I take it cost a fair bit more than your standard paper overlay ply?
The paper overlay stuff i used in my van is costing me $32 a sheet but looks no way as good as your stuff.

[Deleted]

I used the batts very wisely they are very thick and every time i walk in the van can definately feel the difference and very quiet in the rain.... Thats the problem with some caravan places when i ask a question dont know if sometimes they play dumb or just dont know,but being in the building game sometimes we got to try these things out for ourselves so far so good , As for the Fijian Cedar, the pics dont do justice it looks awesome and yes a 2.4 x 1.2 sheet of the 12mm cost by memory $150 + g.s.t and the 3mm wall fijian cedar was about $50 + g.s.t...I wanted a different look than the standard sheeting....i am looking forward to putting the curtains, and having the lounge upholstered mattress and doona etc...will look unreal when finished i hope,as i say sometimes we have to try different things. will post more pics soon....

[Deleted]

YAY.... I finally cecoded my 1976 viscount royal caravan.....The chassis number was so badly rusted you couldnt make heads or tails from it. With the crusual digit being the 1st number i spray painted the whole section and it was finally a 6 putting my van as a 1976 royal i have made out what the last 4 numbers are so i have decoded this little baby.... the "R"at the front is actually eaten away but i know it is a Royal so that is easy that missing letter would be an R. Now i will finally put that to rest and weld a brand new draw bar on my van and weld this chassis number back on yay... time for a bourbon

[kezzbot]

well done Rod, you deserve it!

What are the differnt types of Viscount? eg. Royal...

I have no idea what mine is. only that it has been dated at a 77 Viscount.