1978 York 16'

[york098]

I'm new to this site - joined a couple of weeks ago but only just figured out how to make posts etc.

This 1978 York (chassis # Y11650) was bought in near new condition by my parents in 1982. They towed it around Australia a number of times and their last trip was planned for late 1996 - Dad replaced wheel bearings and fitted new tyres but before they set off he got sick and they never used the van again. It sat in the weather for 10 years and when dad died in 2007 mum asked me to get rid of it as it was an eysore. Anyway, I checked it out and even though it was rough in appearance - bare metal showing through, surface rust on drawbar, lichens growing on the roof, lashings of silicone on all the seams etc - structurally it seemed sound. I decided to take it home and do it up.

I put new tyres on, checked the wheel bearings, freed up the hitch with CRC and towed it 300kms from Perth to my place. I admit my heart was in my mouth when I first set off in peak hour traffic but once I got gowing all was fine and I had an uneventful trip.

Spent the next 3 years slowly making repairs - it was my intention to make it as far as possible to original although Mrs york098 insisted I changed the inside colours to something less seventies.

Virtually finished the job about a month ago and celebrated with an 800km round trip to Esperance on the south coast of WA. Towed beautifully and proved to be a very comfortable van.

Here are some before and after pics:

[millie]

Hi York 098,
As I have said elsewhere on this forum we have a late 70's Millard, bought new in early 1978.
At the beginning of this year we started refurbishing it after it had been thankfully under cover for about 15 years. Before that it was always out in the open before we moved house and had a little water damage but nothing too drastic.
We have been on couple of trips up the north coast of NSW since we re-registered it with no worries so far. Still to get a roll-out awning for her plus a few bits and pieces.
I couldn't seem to get your pictures of your van up, it just showed image so don't know what I am doing wrong.
We remember York vans being around when we first had ours and think maybe they were associated with another brand?

We travelled through Esperance via WA coastline from Port Hedland in winter of 2009 before heading back across the Nullabor. Unfortunately I was crook and so was the weather in Esperance but we did manage to see some of the coastline there which looked beautiful.

Cheers Millie

[york098]

Hi Millie,

The York van was made by Millard and it is difficult to spot any differences. I have heard that the York was a budget version of the Millard. A friend of mine has a 1978 Millard and he thinks the York was an up market version! Who knows. His van is very similar to mine and when you look at them in terms of shape, materials and fittings it is obvious they are related.

One thing for sure - there appears to be a lot more 1970's Millards around than Yorks. This could possibly be because the York was inferior and didn't sell as well or on the other hand perhaps it was dearer but didn't offer sufficient differential to justify paying more.

Regards York098

[millard1399]

G'day York098, and welcome to the forum! ;D

That is one beautiful, beautiful job you've done on your van!! ;D ;D Goodness me, it looks like it's just rolled off the showroom floor! Am I right in thinking you've only polished the exterior, and not repainted it? Amazing result!

As far as the York history goes, you have to go way back to 1969 when the York was first launched onto the market. In the late '60s, the caravan industry was booming, and everybody wanted a piece of the action. An investment company bought Franklin, Monier bought a share of Chesney (Who would have thought there was a connection between concrete pipes and caravans?? ), and a major Sydney car dealer decided to sell a caravan exclusive to them. That's how York started..."York, by Suttons", made under licence to Millard.

Find the first York with chassis number Y01 and you'll be worth a million! ;D ;D

The car dealer didn't hang on to the brand for very long, and it became available through the normal Millard dealership network. The main difference initially was the Yorks had a timber frame, and the Millards had an aluminium frame. So the Yorks were a "budget" version of the Millards. The other difference is the shape of the roof above the front windows. Millards always have the rounded "nose" and Yorks have the cut-off nose. Other than that, yep the vans look almost identical.

As the years rolled on throughout the '70, both the Yorks and the Millards became closer in features and design. Both aluminium frames. Same sort of fixtures and fittings, etc. But still that shape above the front window prevailed. To this day, that's how you immediately tell which is which, even before you see the name sticker.

How wide is your van? Are these 7ft or 8ft?

Great to have you with us. ;D

cheers,
Al.

[york098]

Thanks Al,

I wish I was aware of this site before I started - would have saved a lot of trial and error. I live in a small town with not much professional advice available so most of the fixes I came up with came from sitting on the back patio and "nutting it out." I will post a bit of history of the project if anyones is interested. Some of my fixes may not be orthodox but they seem to work OK.

The history you provided is very interesting and helps clear up some questions I was wondering about re Millard and York.

The "before" pics I posted do not show how bad the paintwork was before I started - roof was completely bare metal and there was bare metal starting to show through on most of the cladding. I re-sprayed it.

Van is 8' wide.

Regards

Ray

[millard1399]

By all means, Ray, post some stuff about your restoration work. We enjoy reading about other people's projects, whether successes or "failures". There's always something we can learn from the way people have worked through some of the challenges in their restorations.

cheers,
Al.

[atouchofglass]

Hey Yorkie ;D ;D
Your van looks real shmick..... eeerrr nice
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

As Al said it looks like it just rolled off the factory floor.

I think some of the issues wives have with our projects is -
They can't see the end results at the beginning..... funny thing that.

But by the time we have finished it, the complaints and criticism fades away and the nagging to go and use it starts.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Looks like it didn't take you long to test out your new toy.

More photos would be a great encouragement for those just starting out on their projects.

Love the idea of your curtain divider. Very nicely done.

Cheers
Atog

[Deleted]

Hi and welcome

She's a pearler alright!

And thanks Al for the York Sutton motors connection.

[bobt]

Hi Yorkie

Welcome aboard. You sure have done a nice job with that van.

I am sure the doubters are now all impressed with what you have done to it.

Yep love to see any photos you have of the Reno.. We all love that sorta stuff.

Then of course you need to get out and about in it too.

bobt

[kiwijim]

Howdy Yorkie,

It's great to see another West Aussie joining our ranks, ;D ;D

A Big welcome to you,

You've done a great job on your caravan,

I can safely bet it will be still going strong, years after today's modern junk, has collapsed in a shrieking heap, on the first bit of un-sealed road they come across.

cheers kiwijim.

[Russell]

Hey I just bought a 78 York and am in need of door catches any idea where to get them??

[ForumMod]

Russell, click here . Most Millard and York parts would be interchangeable.

[smithy]

i have a 1980 york been redone by myself tows nice 16ft and very sturdy