Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

That´s great. Things unfortunately were never rigidly standard. Most times they used what they had and if the supply dried up then they got something similar to tide them over. Car manufacturers have been doing it for decades. PM me your email address and I´ll send over some more sides of the 2 catalogues for your file. I´ve emailed one of the intendents at the Technical Museum in Stockholm about early Elextrolux fridges for caravans. Hopefully get a reply soon....

darren7303 · Joined: 28 May 2012 Posts: 23

Hi we think ours is a 1966, its hard to tell the plate is in a but of a state.

Alan I'd be be interested in any info, if you get a reply about the fridge!

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

I´ve got the instruction books for most of Electroluxes caravan fridges from the 60s. They are in swedish (of course Wink

) Here are the front pages, you might recognize yours Smile

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Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Well hello again. Alan, thanks again for your amazing catalogs and owner manuals. I am in the process of acquiring a 1968 Owners Manual for the Stirling caravan and will share as you have generously shared your stuff, if you are interested.

Now onto the renovation. Yesterday I stepped it up a notch by removing the front left hand side panel. It was a moment of two emotions - anger and relief. Anger at the disgraceful fix up job some "hack" had performed on her. And relief that the damage in the front left is isolated to the corner itself. The upper panels and those back towards the centre of the van were pristine and new.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic1_zpsbeb09fb0.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic2_zps9588d0d2.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic4_zpsf34f1bcd.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic3_zpsf11f547c.jpg

This shot below shows the story well. A giant slab of builders bog has been crudely slapped into a large, rotten gap. This forced the front curvature of the panel to sit away from the frame, creating a large gap for the entry of water and spiders.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic6_zps042d7d91.jpg

The photo below is a great contrast, don't you think. Clear blue skies sit beyond the damaged corner, shown in sharp relief. The actual tin was split at the seam, and construction adhesive was used to bond it all together. Hardly a long-term solution.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic5_zps67f8b33c.jpg

It became apparent that the bed frames and chest of drawers cabinets had to be removed to allow access to the corners. And so, work at stripping this end out continued.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic9_zpsb6947c4b.jpg

And as the light ran out and nighttime was upon us, we took this shot showing her all stripped back at one end, ready for more repair work.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic7_zps5069515c.jpg

I also wanted to include some close-ups of the actual corner and the damage to the floorboards at the edges. Clearly this is a weak point for all old caravans, particularly this one. I will have to remove the entire length of floorboard (the first three boards) which are tongue and groove and I believe they look like treated oregon pine, but I could be wrong.

This is the actual gap where the front lower curved metal panel curves down around the underside of the lower front piece of the frame. There was a yawning gap, ripe for the entry of bugs and water.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic10_zpsf3ee9bf4.jpg

The photo below really does show the extent and scale of the patch-up. This was what made we very angry, and triggered me to write-up a fairly scathing letter to the previous repairer. This had not fixed anything. Were they hoping she'd hold together by hope alone?

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic11_zpsd6f998ed.jpg

And lastly, a couple more showing the what I will have ahead of me - replacing frame timbers!

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic12_zps8c6498e6.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/leftfrontrenopic13_zps7e6d1432.jpg

Would welcome your comments and thoughts and advice. Thanks in advance.

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

You´re doing well Very Happy

Doesn´t seem too bad, the rot that is. Could have been much worse (the aus climate I suppose is to be thanked for that Wink

). Haven´t had any reply from the Technical Museum in Stockholm yet but with all the cut backs I would think that there is probably only one man doing 4 mens work. A copy of the Owners Manual would be great. They are quite often works of art in themselves. Keep us posted Very Happy

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi all,

Progress continues and I will post some new photos very soon. The entire front panel is now removed, but the new floors have replaced the rotten ones and I have installed fresh hardwood side joists and various other bits and pieces. Structurally, she is coming back together. Now I need to rebuild all of the front framing timbers (most are salvageable) and get the front alum panels ready for resealing so they can go back in.

One nice little shot showing her opened up like a can of baked beans.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/frontendisgoneandfloorsarebackin.jpg

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Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Thanks Wilson, appreciate the following. Yes, I have a few trusty helpers and also a number of spring-loaded hand clamps for locking things into place when no volunteers can be found! My main concern is the J-Moulds - it was hard to get them off without buckling them in places, so will be interesting to see if they are up to the task of re-sealing it.

p.s. if you haven't already, my blog www.stirlingcaravan.wordpress.com has heaps more detail and photos of the reno - feel free to check it out!

Regards

Nick

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

That looks great mate. Should last another 50 years Very Happy

Info on the lights would be nice.

Thing with caravan fitments. They were much like car fitments. Like all lights made by Lucas, Bosch or Hella. Caravan manufacturers especially used stuff from the car industry. Kept the cost down. My Vogue has Austin 16 inch rims off the Devon. They must have been very cheap in 1956.
My Swedish made Carmen has Opel rims which were produced in millions for not just Opal but for many German made cars. Most trailers over here used them in the 60s to 80s. The Carman should have 12 inch Opel Kadett rims but the 13 inch Opel ones fit and the van runs behind a lot better Very Happy

Your lights were probably made by a firm in the Milands who specialized in this sort of fitting. The van with 12 inch rims behind the PV and with 13 inch at Stuarts place in Gt Yarmouth...
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alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi all,

Things are progressing really well and I will shortly post up some pictures of the renovation. Just on the lights, now that they are removed I have found their manufacturer's label. They are Morco gas lights - made in England. The little reading lamps which were electrical have no markings on them at all, but are original lamps according to Dick at Stirling Caravan Services.

A picture of them below:

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/removedlightscloseup_zps3833139d.jpg

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi all,

It's blazing hot here at this time of year, but despite the heat I am labouring on and making progress. The entire exterior has now been re-sealed - what a horrible task! I am most likely going to brush paint the entire exterior with a really good quality enamel paint (Dulux Weathershield Epoxy Enamel) - I did the front panel and got a really good finish. I can't afford to have the entire van re-sprayed, so I will just have to ensure I do a good job and use good brushes. I used this to start touching up and re-painting new metal and wood and despite the best colour matching efforts, is still noticeably lighter than the older paint.

I have started sanding back the interior and am hating it, but nothing is as bad as removing the old mastic sealant from the joining strips. That task wanted to make me pack it in.

Anyway, on with the photos:

Front end rebuild:

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/insulatingthefrontrightcorner.jpg

Completed exterior shot:

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/latedecember-exteriorisfinallycomplete_zps6a8ee928.jpg

Sanding back interior:

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/latedecember-sandingbackinterior_zps0eae975c.jpg

The last fourth corner, which I call "The Gas Chamber" was hideous - the worst of them all. Almost undid me. But at least I now know that she is all good inside and out now.

On with the interior painting - will probably be off-white against sage green panels for the cabinetry done with a hard-wearing acrylic paint. No more woodgrain - its all going.

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Looks great nick. First class job. Love the -swing. on the patio roof Wink

I would seriously reconsider painting all of the inside. I don´t know what it was originally. Painting it might depart from the originality quite a bit. I would strive to keep it original. The colour scheme you suggest sounds very good but it´s all down to taste. If it´s original then the question of individual taste usually isn´t raised. If you decide to sell it, say 10-15 years, down the line then having had it painted in none standard colours might affect it´s worth. As much as 50% I would think. If it´s -original- inside then you can´t get much better as a selling point. Just my view of course. Your van and you have done such a lot of good work on it. Pity if the interior decore didn´t gell with the rest of it......

Morco is the same name in my catalogues so they are from the same firm..

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

I did strongly consider leaving the interior in woodgrain but have chosen to paint it for a few reasons. Ultimately if it affects the value I don't mind. I can't match the woodgrain panels here in Australia to the oak veneer ply used on the original - so I would end up with two different looking grains where I have replaced panels. Also, we really do like the look of fresh white paint inside as it makes it look bigger.

You will be happy to note that I have put the original toilet cabinet back in - I was going to leave it out and modify the bench, but thought better of it. Have even managed to salvage the original Formica benches, using an adhesive to rejoin a few cracked pieces.

Got the original hand-pump working again - it was plugged up tight with mud! It is a Whale hand-pump made in Belfast, and I am positive it is the original. It works a treat now.

Does anyone happen to know what they used as original floor coverings? Assume linoleum which was popular in the 1960s.