Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[david_rachel]

You can get a really great finish from a brush; it just takes care. As you say, a really good brush is important - for enamel paint can I recommend a Purdy Monarch? I doubt you'll get any better!

It's not a caravan but here's what I achieved in the engine bay of my car....the whole lot was brush painted. It mainly had two coats and obviously had to dry between coats. Then I gently flatted it starting with 600 grit in the highly visible areas progressing 800, 1000 & 1200. By which stage some places needed another coat and then 1200 grit again. Then cutting compound and finally a polish.

http://s1322.beta.photobucket.com/user/david_rachel/media/120624EngineBayFinihsed_zpsf39b11da.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
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David Rachel
1972 Triumph 2.5PI Est Royal Blue
1968 MG 1300 Sal Connaught Green
1978 Carlight Casetta
http://carlightrestoration.blogspot.co.uk
1995 Lada Riva 1.5 Est Red

[Stirling-in-Oz]

I bet. I am brush painting the interior and it's coming up beautifully.

[Clarina]

We also own a Stirling Caravan, it is 10ft in length and is unusual as it has L shaped seating. I am interested in the discussion with regard to the age of your caravan as I have dated ours as 1958. We originally went to see Dick and Tony (they are only app 15mls from us) and they never questioned that it was late 50's. We also have a photocopy of sales leaflet for 1960/61 showing the various Stirling models, and a photocopy of a sales leaflet for a 10ft Stirling.
Ours has the number 81023 stamped into the draw bar, and having compared it to others it certainly is not a late as 68! so for this reason I have dated as 1958. It does have the Stirling badge on the rear.
I am attaching a link to some photos, as you can see it has the spare in the position as yours, however grab handles are different. It only has one rooflight, and all the cupboards have wooden handles, not metal ones.
It has two gas lights (not original shades in photo) The sink is pink, and we have a hand operated pump between the sink and cooker.
The upholstery and curtains were re-done after we purchased it.
It did have quite a bit of damp in it when we purchased it.
We have enjoyed many Summers in this caravan, I am sure you will get great fun out of yours.
Regards
Gill
http://s65.beta.photobucket.com/user/Clarina_2006/library/1958%20Stirling%20Caravan

[alan 869]

That is a really nice van. 50s oak cabinettes and windows. Not sure about the cooker though

[Stirling-in-Oz]

Well, I guess Dick may have been a couple of years out on the date that Stirlings came out. Maybe yours (the 1958 model) was the very first year for Stirlings. It certainly looks older than my interior, which had lighter woodgrain.

[Stirling-in-Oz]

Took the fridge out yesterday and it is sitting with 'The Gas Man' who is testing it. Will be fitting a thermoelectric shut of valve operated by a thermo couple, and new Piezo Ignition. He will need to remove the existing valve which requires the wick to burn on it for a couple of minutes for the valve to release and allow a gas flow. All in all, he believes it will be churning out ice in no time because it is well insulated with rock wall insulation, an earlier and more effective form of insulation than modern fibreglass insulation.

[alan 869]

Just the job. They can usually be renovated-modernised. That should see you know. I would still be warey about leaving it on over night. That used to be the last thing I did with our old SMV vans before going to bed, when we toured the UK when the boys were small.... Go outside and turn the bottle off.....

[Stirling-in-Oz]

Yep, that's exactly what the Gas Man said - never leave the fridge on at night because carbon monoxide is a killer when you are not aware of its effects. He said the fridge was so well insulated that it would stay cold overnight as long as the door remained shut. As for going outside - not necessary - there is a little cubby hole in the benchtop that you open up, reach in and turn off the gas bottle from inside the van - it has one of those corner chambers for the gas.

[alan 869]

Our old SMV didn´t have a stop cock inside the van. I thought it even safer with the actual bottle turned off. We had 2 x 2kg bottles in a wooden box at the front. Enough for 3 weeks on the road

[img][/img]

[Stirling-in-Oz]

Have posted a new post on the website www.stirlingcaravan.wordpress.com showing how the interior is progressing.

[Stirling-in-Oz]

Loving that shot, where and when is it taken?