Caravan restoration?.

Hi Axle,
As you say, the price is right and you are obviously thinking about the idea.
While I've never done a rebuild, I've had a mate who did under much the same circumstance as you, (the van was very delapidated inside and out but it WAS free).During the job he reckoned it was a bit like owning a wooden boat, it soaked up funding at a great rate.
In the end he had a fabulous caravan with absolutely everything as he wanted in it, shower, toilet, big fridge and stove/oven, Solar and genset, even had an inbuilt 240/12V lcd tv and needless to say he was extremely proud of his handiwork.
Not so, his Mrs. She said that for the time (about 3 years) and money expended they could have bought a brand new one with the same facilities and she couldn't really understand his feelings for his creation.


They are still married.

Sounds like a great challenge if you're up to it. Good Luck!

Disco.

Axle,
Before you start, there is no such thing as a cheap van rebuild!
I went through this last year with a 16ft van. If you intend to keep it, go ahead but don't ever expect to get your money back.

With respect to how they are built. It should be aluminium framed and the frames are attached to the chassis, through the floor, using 3/16" rivets. The floor is also attached the same way throughout the rest of the van. Expect there to be waterleaks throughout the van. Millard used a meranti top plate on top of the aluminium frame so that they could also use timber cross stringers for roof security. What happens is the putty they used in constructing the vans dries out and lets water in. Expect the top plates to have dry rot in them and this is where the water gets into the walls. Many people attempt to fix the leaks with silicon but it flexes off the J moulding and water gets in. The only real way to fix it properly is to remove the J mouldings around the van, clean it all up and then reseal the whole lot. The caravan manufacturers use a silicon called V3 that has about 40% flex in it so that it won't crack when the van moves.

If you are new to vans, you need to take all of the caravan outside sheets off before you can start pulling the internal furnishings out as they are all stapled from the outside in - through the internal wall sheet. Its a pain in the ........... but that is how they get there strength.

If you have the time and patience, there are heaps of these types of vans at wreckers and bits are readily available. It does become a labour of love and the old Millards are very well built. If you have any Qs, feel free to ask and I will try to oblige. None of the rebuild process is rocket science. Unfortunately, caravan outlets, like boat stores, charge like wounded bulls for bits. To fix the walls in my van, I ended up using normal ply around the bed as it was about 1/2 the proce.

If you have the time and space, do it BUT go into it with a view to spending unrecoverable $$$$$$.

Cheers
Rob

Hi Axle,

Some years ago I did exactly the same thing, however I paid for my van, still it was cheap..

I found out that it was wooden framed and most of the lower 'bits' were rotten.

It was a lot of work, and I mean a lot.

Being old probably means that there are more hidden problems, such as wiring ( to bring it up to scratch and comply with new regs) even things like the roof will need close inspection for leaks.

Even tho you think that the majority of cupboards are OK once you start you will find that most of them are attached to bits that are not so good.

Labour of love..yes, worthwhile project..depends how deep your pockets are and how much time you are prepared to spend. At a rough estimate it took me at least four times longer than I expected.

Would I do it again..NO

However it gave good service for many years as a spare room in the back yard, and when I sold it I almost got my money backi.

But..don't let me put you off:))))

Cheers
Michael

Axle,

Sounds like a major project, I was just wondering how much does it weight now ? and in the end will you have the vehicle to tow it.

On the build side of it. I dare say you need to get friendly with a local caravan place and or a caravan wrecker. To me it sounds like you will have to strip down to bare frame and I assume the suspension and brakes will need to be replaced. What can be reused from what's there, the outside sheeting, windows, sink, sky light (if it has one). If you remove carefully and mark the sheets they can be used as patterns to replace newer sheeting or put back where they came, if that's the path you intend on going.

Do you have a budget in mind? cause renovation is something I am fully aware of .... as a carpenter people do the sums but forget many of the unknown which can EAT funds quicker than a tax man.

How do you go with say getting a roadworthy will it need an engineers cert and what about the new regs to get to the current standard.

I'm not trying to be negative, if I had the room and welding equipment if its a steel frame? I would give it a go but one needs to keep in mind that the heart and will does not override the $$$$$$$$ and time involved that it becomes a chore of love.

Mind you at least you can build what you want with all the good stuff as you go.

Good luck and if you go for it, love to see the build photos:)

Brian

Millards of that era were definitely aluminium frames. I believe they havel always used them. My van was a mid-70s and the design went into the 80s. It was aluminium framed.

well..one thing is for sure...
the replies given herein have talked me out of doing something i was thinking of

Well Axle, if you are capable of doing it yourself, so you are not paying tradesmen, then go for it, most of the huge expense that is talked about is in the fit out, not the repair.
One thing to watch is the style of the outer claddding, it is hard and expensive to get.
I bought a 1980 viscount a few years ago that had had a tree fall across it, and we stripped it down across the back, bought the alumiium c section and repaired it and bought the right cladding and reclad the damaged section.
My son has recently gutted the inside completely and rebuilt it and it has come up pretty good.
It cost a fair bit, but hence most of the expensive stuff has been the fittings.
I wouldnt remove the outer cladding, but yes remove the cover mouldings and reseal.
Good Luck

Cheers Pesty