tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52208066386799715852024-03-05T23:55:40.271+00:00Cool CaravanningAre you a proud owner of a cool classic caravan? Lover of vintage vacations? Check out this blog for hints and tips to maintaining the perfect caravan. Your #1 source for help on all things caravan related. Ask for help as well as trade tips yourself for creating the perfect vintage caravan. Please feel free to advertise your own business - so long as it's caravan and vintage related!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-45956538358715465662014-02-21T21:41:00.000+00:002014-02-21T21:41:16.708+00:00Work Resumes On "Jennifer"! Yes, you read that correctly! Having not really touched my 1963 Sprite Alpine ("Jennifer") since last September when a steady stream of other Sprites came my way and took priority, work is now resuming to finish her.<br />
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A friend contacted me to give me a place on a special caravan rally in March and I was faced with a problem: I didn't have a complete classic caravan to take! I'd just parted with the 1969 Sprite 400 and the replacement 1964 Sprite 400 has no road lights (which I've been finding it impossible to get replacements) and the 1962 Sprite Musketeer is even further away from being completed. As I looked at the empty shell of Jennifer on my driveway, a quick venture inside revealed that I had just about everything that I could possibly need to finish her. On the basis that the Musketeer hadn't even been started on, and I am waiting to source genuine original Sprite road lights for my 100% original 1964 Sprite 400, I decided, what the heck, lets finish the Alpine. BUT, and this is a big but, I had just five weeks to finish her!<br />
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If you missed part one of the restoration (collecting the caravan), <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-new-caravan.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
If you missed part two of the restoration (removing the interior), <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/they-said-it-always-gets-worse-before.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
If you missed part three of the restoration, <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/im-done-with-stripping-paint-that-is.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
If you missed part four of the restoration, <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/a-month-later.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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*CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM*<br />
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Given an impossible schedule of just five weeks, I immediately started on the exterior. I stripped down the front end (using a hand held sander, with around 120 grit sand paper, gradually swapping the pad for finer grades) and dismantling it for painting by removing the windows and any fittings such as lights and grab handles. I applied the paint with a roller and got a perfect finish. As with anything that seems too easy, that's because it shouldn't be. That night the heavens opened and washed most of the paint off, so the mad search began to find a barn to paint her in.<br />
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The decision to move her meant packing her up and getting her ready to move for the first time in six months, minus her road lights! I fitted the immaculately restored hitch (courtesy of my AMAZING Grandad), re-attached the brakes, put back on the wheels and spent two days chasing the black wires underneath to fix up the road lights. I intended to remove them and fit original 1960's roadlights, so stupidly just cut the wires. This proved to be very annoying as Sprite didn't use colour coded wiring on 1963 models! </div>
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Holding my breath, I set off for the 20 mile journey to a friend's barn! Luckily she towed like a dream and made it to the barn in one piece.<br />
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Once in place, work started intensively to get her stripped down ready to paint.<br />
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One of the other jobs that I managed to do was source and fit a replacement roof light/skylight. The original was cracked/split in three places and new ones aren't available. I sourced this charming retro orange one (see on the roof, left) from <a href="http://coventrycaravanbreakers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Coventry Caravan Breakers</a> who, unlike most caravan breakers yards, keep an excellent stock of parts for classic (pre-1982) caravans. Be sure to give them a call if you need anything! The new roof light was an exact replacement, and during the day gives the interior an nice orange glow!<br />
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The original bits of trim that were removed were all resealed and riveted back on.<br />
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And when I removed the windows to sand and paint, I polished the frames up. My tip is to use Brasso and lots of elbow grease! Has them looking like new in around 10 minutes.<br />
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Now for one of those clever before and after shots:<br />
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Amazing what a lick of paint can do, isn't it?! She looks really smart (even if I do say so myself!) and is painted the original two-tone Sprite colours. The paint used is Duluxe Exterior Non-Drip Gloss and I applied it *sparingly* in many coats with a foam roller.<br />
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But the painting didn't stop there! I've completely painted the interior too:<br />
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And that's it for now. I've used two out of my five week allowance. Work will continue in ernest next week and I'll post another update at the end of next week. The exterior needs some finishing off and the interior needs a total fit out. I've some amazing fittings and furniture for the interior though, so keep posted!<br />
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In the mean time, I'd like to thank: my Grandad Stephen for all his help, Rob & Liz for letting me use their barn, Christopher Beresford, Coventry Caravan Breakers and the nice paint lady at Homebase who wanted to hear all about Jennifer!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-51815175303991574052014-01-18T13:39:00.001+00:002014-12-01T22:54:21.899+00:00Happy New Year!Happy New Year to all the followers and readers of my blog. It's been an amazing 2013 and fingers crossed that 2014 will be even better. I started 2013 with only one caravan end ended the year with four! Anyway, thought it was time I gave you all an update...<br />
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Firstly, meet my Christmas Present; a 1962 Sprite Musketeer. She'd been laid up in a garden for 21 years - thankfully properly laid up jacked up off the ground with the A-frame and running gear protected. The owner said it was her husband's pride and joy; he laid it up 21 years ago when he became ill and died a year later. So it sat for 20 years completely untouched. Understandably, the lady was attached to it, but agreed to sell on the basis that it would be getting looked after and would live on.<br />
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**CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM**<br />
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This particular example was pretty much all original, aside from the paint job. She will be getting a thorough restoration and work has already begun to repair the damp inside. </div>
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She was well and truly bedded down in the garden - it took an hour to get her out with the following:<br />
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1x can of WD40<br />
2x hydraulic jacks<br />
4x lengths of wood<br />
2x paving slabs to cover soft ground<br />
1x ruined lawn<br />
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The neighbours soon gathered to witness the day they never thought they'd see: this monstrosity leaving their sights. Their loss is my gain!<br />
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As soon as I got her back to storage the cleaning job began. What a difference a bucket of water and a sponge makes! </div>
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The upholstery is not original, but the original seat cushion material and original lino were lurking underneath! The lino will be cleaned up and salvaged, but I will be putting in new curtains and reupholstering the seats.<br />
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The kitchen comes with a retrofitted 1960's Calor cooker complete with the original enamel grill pan. There's also a footpump for the water tap and plenty of storage! A workable kitchen but it needs a bit of TLC to bring it up to scratch.<br />
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And here's the main feature of this caravan: a fold down double bed! It hinges down from the wall at night and by day pushes back to reveal a dinette:<br />
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Obviously I'll need to get a new mattress!<br />
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But all in all, I'm absolutely delighted with my 1962 Sprite Musketeer. She's a very welcome addition to my fleet. Can't wait to get her finished and get out and about using her.<br />
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In other news, some sad news. My 1969 Sprite 400 ("Dylan") has moved on to new owners.<br />
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But it's not all sad; he's got loving new owners who can't wait to get out and start using him AND they swapped me for their all original 1964 Sprite 400! </div>
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I've saved my 1969 400, so it's time to pass it on to be enjoyed and for me to save this one. Except this one really is a keeper now. She's untouched: was laid up in 1972 and rescued from the same spot last year. The couple I got it from attended to the chassis but never got around to anything else. </div>
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Can you believe it: this Sprite 400 was still on it's ORIGINAL 1964 crossply tyres?! Sadly the roadlights had rusted beyond repair, hence the trailerboard, and also the jockeywheel had rusted solid so needed cutting off with an angle grinder. Luckily I had another 1960's genuine Sprite jockeywheel in my pile of caravan spares. </div>
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Inside she's pretty much as she was in 1964. I made these new curtains as she had none when I got her. The curtains actually came from a 1967 Sprite Major that I saved the interior from, so these are genuine. The gas lamp is also not original, but is a genuine Sprite one so that's okay. The seat cushions and lino are all original and in amazing condition!<br />
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The kitchen is all original - it even has the original Dudley hob. The kitchen will get the woodwork revarnished and I will also fit a genuine Sprite footpump and tap for the sink, which was an optional extra when this caravan was new.<br />
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I also bought this charming gas heater for my 1963 Sprite Alpine ("Jennifer") but look how well it goes in my new 400! This will get plumbed in so I have heating. This caravan will be a museum quality timewarp when it's done - she'll remain unmodified!<br />
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So that brings me up to date. As you can see, it was a crazy few weeks over Christmas for me. Lots more exciting things planned this year, I'm currently booking a few holidays away, so I need to get on and get my caravans finished!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-18583161355618291702013-12-06T00:04:00.002+00:002013-12-06T00:04:44.784+00:00Finally, An Update!Sorry to have kept you all waiting on the progress of my caravans!<br />
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My 1963 Sprite Alpine ("Jennifer") is still here and I am still working on her, albeit slowly. I've got the hitch back from being dismantled and sand-blasted ready to be painted and put back on. I've also sourced quite a few new parts for it from another Alpine which was to be scrapped - so good things all round!<br />
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But my 1969 Sprite 400 has seen the biggest transformation - I've now spent three weekends away in it! The interior has had a re-paint, re-upholster, new curtains, wallpaper, a thorough clean and new window capping. Here's the full story of my progress:<br />
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**CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM**<br />
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The first few jobs started at my storage compound - mainly getting everything working to see where I was at. First job was the water system. The 400 uses a simple foot pump in the floor system that's self priming. I fitted a new length of pipe and connected it up to an Aquaroll. Water was quickly surging though the tap and pushed out 15 years worth of dust! I then ran water purification powder through the system three times to ensure that the water is fully drinkable. I then bought a new gas regulator and length of gas pipe to test the gas - the hob, oven and grill fired up perfectly! The gas light needed a new mantle, but luckily I had one from my Alpine that didn't fit, so I fitted it in the 400 and the gas light fired up too! Work then began on repairing the damp door:<br />
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Firstly, the door was removed and stripped back to the outer aluminium. I had the great fortune of finding an undamaged lower ha;f of the door from my friend Andrew Craven who kindly gave me it to fit to my caravan, so it was more or less a straight swap.<br />
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The old rotten wood in the door - bluegh!<br />
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All finished! Looking much better. The job took about half an hour to complete, but it was a very cold day so I kept sneaking inside to sit around my heater!<br />
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I then took the caravan home and made some new curtains, ready for a weekend away with my friend Christopher Beresford. We went to a local campsite about ten miles from me for a few nights and he recovered the seat cushions for me and I helped a bit, but credit goes to him really! </div>
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And, by the way, we towed it with his AMAZING 1970 Rover P6 - look how fabulous this looks:</div>
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The following weekend I headed up to North Yorkshire to spend a weekend away with my Grandparents with their caravan and I was dying to show them my Sprite 400 as they owned one themselves from 1972 - 1988!<br />
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Lovely views of North Yorkshire! Can't beat caravanning!<br />
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I also found these two great sets in a local charity shop - £6 for both sets! They look great in the 400.</div>
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Following that weekend away, serious work started on the interior stripping the 1980's pink wallpaper out. I chose "Old English White" Eggshell paint to paint the walls with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg_p_TnfKC7Jo1avkhwif86KfBqJU1BrhQd8cpFgHYrEuMhWqd8JKxYNWQ8GSiM5wygzACTPoYVt6xZ42vUgv_snAlc2_m3nl-LTpHY8w3940K1DGu_eFjD0JDIiOcZpn_fWz_QBO5oc/s1600/IMG_1294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg_p_TnfKC7Jo1avkhwif86KfBqJU1BrhQd8cpFgHYrEuMhWqd8JKxYNWQ8GSiM5wygzACTPoYVt6xZ42vUgv_snAlc2_m3nl-LTpHY8w3940K1DGu_eFjD0JDIiOcZpn_fWz_QBO5oc/s320/IMG_1294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Looking fresher for a coat of paint! As with any painting, preparation is the key! Stripping wallpaper off was annoying as the glue left a residue on the walls which had to be sanded and cleaned. I applied the paint with a two inch brush but you can paint with a roller if you like. I only recommend Eggshell paint for use on caravan interiors as the wooden walls need to breathe! Any kind of paint that has acrylic in it such as emulsion will trap moisture and cause damp eventually so be careful what paint you use.<br />
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I also replaced all of the window capping throughout the caravan to replace the old damaged original. This is available by the metre from just about any caravan dealership, but they will have to order it in for you. You need to note the thickness of the caravan wall to give the correct measurements for the capping. Measure the bottom and two sides of each window frame to get a total length - I used 12 metres of 40mm capping, a total of £25. </div>
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The interior colour scheme: the fabric (also used on the seat cushions) is genuine 1960's barkcloth type material, which came from four curtain drapes that I purchased on eBay for £15, and the seller dry cleaned them for me for free! The wallpaper was another thrifty find; a genuine vintage unopened roll for just £1.50!<br />
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I also painted the A-frame which included stripping it all down. I re-greased it all and adjusted the brakes too. I was incredibly lucky to have a stabiliser bracket (on the left of the A-frame) in my parts box ready to fit! The gas bottle holder has been temporarily robbed from my Alpine as I won't be using that caravan any time soon!<br />
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And finally......<br />
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The finished interior! I'm so happy with the end result! Still a few bits to finish, including finding a new carpet and finishing a bit of painting to the ceiling, but all in all, she's good to go!<br />
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So go I did, I've just returned from five days away in the 400, which was a lovely cosy and warm home for five days - even at this time of the year!<br />
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The exterior is the main focus now, but this will have to wait until the new year. It's not that bad, just needs a repaint. I already polished up the window frames. Progress will slow nearer Christmas as my work schedule increases, but I'll be hitting the ground running in the New Year!<br />
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Thanks again to Andrew Craven, Christopher Beresford, Andy and Valerie Morgan and Carole Averill, Susan Loasby, Sally Prosser and Sarah Cassidy for all their help and support!<br />
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Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-947350659771432492013-11-02T20:19:00.000+00:002014-12-01T22:53:29.470+00:00My 1969 Sprite 400 is Home! <div>
Yes, you heard it here first! My free 1969 Sprite 400 is now home - well, in a storage compound about two miles away from my house. My friend Susan kindly let me store it at her house for a few weeks until I found storage nearer home.<br />
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I drove down to Coventry to pick up the 400, meeting my friend Chris on the way to help me.</div>
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After a couple of hours spent at Susan's to get the caravan and fit a proper number plate, we got back to Chris' storage compound. Here we managed to find a few scrap caravans to pull some parts from! What a hoard we managed to get!</div>
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Sprite badges, vents, table catches, a door lock, gas lamp, metal door bin, 12v electric extension, gas light mantles....<br />
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a teapot, 12v vacuum cleaner, tea/coffee/sugar canisters, tupperware bowls, 12v light....<br />
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Junk - err, I mean treasure - aside, it took me longer than expected to get home as there was a lot of traffic. The storage compound had closed for the night so I had no choice but to squeeze the 400 on my drive:<br />
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I also shamefully took this opportunity to sleep in it! A very comfy bed surprisingly! I loved it, although it was a bit cold in the morning. I got up nice and early to clear out the interior and give it a good vacuum, wipe down, dust and general clean. Once done, the caravan looked ready to go away on holiday in...<br />
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And finally, mad rush to get the Sprite 400 to the storage compound before work! But here is it's new home for now. Now to start work on it...<br />
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Thanks again to Susan Loasby for all their help! And apologies for everyone I promised photos to, but here here they are! Enjoy and thanks everyone for the well wishes and interest.Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-64505876692942652552013-10-18T13:21:00.002+01:002013-10-18T13:23:26.800+01:00Oh Dear, Another One... I've been busy enough with my 1963 Sprite Alpine ("Jennifer") for the past month [update coming soon!] but this week I found this 1969 Sprite 400 laid up in someone's garden. A friend of mine, Chris Beresford, spotted it said it looked like a lot of work and it had not moved in 15 years - but here's the deal: the house it was next to had been derelict for two years, and renovations were due to start next week, so the caravan would be scrapped at the weekend. Luckily, the neighbour that was asked to scrap it came into contact with my friend and said he could take it for free! So I found out about it and decided, it's free, why not?!<br />
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**CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM**<br />
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I drove 100 miles to meet Chris and go to see it (from near where I found my Alpine) and it looked to be in quite a sorry state. But, after spending an hour cleaning out the interior, it looked very presentable and all the rubbish inside was hiding a good, solid caravan! All the furniture has been remade in 1980's pine and the cushions recovered and curtains replaced, none of it to my taste. I think the wood is growing on me slightly, but it's very heavy! Luckily, it's all very well made and solid, so no worries there. That said, because of the weight of the wood (the cupboard doors alone are 1cm thick solid wood, the originals were 4mm thick!) I think I'll be replacing it all.<br />
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Curtains open and the daylight flooding in and suddenly the Sprite looked to be in very good condition indeed! I found a receipt from 1998 for a campsite, which must have been the last time that it was used. There's some damp in the lower door panel and damp around the roof light, but both of these are straightforward fixes. Other than that, hand on heart, it's ready to use as is with a bit of a clean!<br />
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Inside there was a lot of junk (four bin bags full, to be precise!) but some of it was useful to keep - two porta-pottis, a bag of old maps, some kitchenware, retro sleeping bags and yes, that is a globe lamp that you see placed in the sink!<br />
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The outside was pretty much the same story - look beneath the grime and it's a good, solid caravan. The hitch gear was all in good order (it had been covered with a bin bag, so wasn't even rusty!), when we removed the wheels the hubs turned freely, so the brakes hadn't stuck on and overall, it looked to be in great shape for a 44 year old caravan!<br />
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I sourced two new part-worn tyres that were supplied and fitted for just £13 each! So with those fitted, the caravan could be removed from the driveway. Me and Chris persevered as the driveway was tight, but we got it out in under 20 minutes! After hitching up to my car, we were amazed to find that the original road lights worked straight away - all of them! And on setting off, we discovered that the brakes were working too.<br />
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We then began a short tour of the midlands meeting some of our caravnning friends whom we've met through Facebook for the first time. One of them, Susan Loasby, kindly offered to let me keep the Sprite on her land until I got storage place. So Susan, I cannot thank you enough! Because of our two visits on the way, it was dark by the time we got to Chris' storage facility to wash the caravan!<br />
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Our solution? Point our cars at the caravan with the headlights on - a novelty for me at least!<br />
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Underneath the green grime, the original green paint looks great! I was really impressed with how good it looked after a basic wash. A bit of elbow grease and polish and it will look amazing!<br />
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Fairly clean and ready to hit the road to Susan's house to store it - a 40 mile drive on country roads in the dark! It was okay though.<br />
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So there you go, another caravan! I'm now up to three. I'm absolutely stoked to get this, as I've wanted a Sprite 400 ever since my Grandparents told me about theirs. So now I can experience one and see how it compares to their stories about how fun it was! It's a straightforward enough fix, I just need to get on with it.<br />
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No names as of yet, I'm thinking maybe she's a girl. Nothing inspiring has popped up though yet. I'll keep you posted though when I decide!<br />
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PS, I'd like to thank Susan Loasby for being such a wonderful host and letting me keep the caravan at her house, Carole Averill and Valerie Morgan and especially to Christopher Beresford, whom without I couldn't have got this caravan, such a massive help and I'm eternally grateful!<br /><br />PPS, sorry I didn't get more photos and in the daylight too, got distracted by visiting people! I will take more and upload them when I bring the Sprite 400 home.<br />
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Now, back to working on the Alpine...!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-50075159377072516562013-09-13T17:23:00.002+01:002013-09-13T17:23:55.521+01:00A Month Later... It's now exactly a month since I updated you all about my Sprite ("Jennifer"). Progress has been slow as I've been on holiday for 10 days and had a few work commitments. Not to mention we've had a lot of rain which has halted progress! Nonetheless, I've slowly pressed on and can proudly say that I've been able to put some paint on instead of stripping it off! The chassis is now really looking smart. I hope by my next update I'll have finished painting the whole chassis.<br /><br />If you missed part one of the restoration (collecting the caravan), <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-new-caravan.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
If you missed part two of the restoration (removing the interior), <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/they-said-it-always-gets-worse-before.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />If you missed part three of the restoration, <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/im-done-with-stripping-paint-that-is.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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*CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM*<br />
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<br />First job was to put the whole caravan on Axle Stands. It was easy enough to do be required some fine adjustment to get the caravan level on my slightly sloping driveway. My top tip to anyone doing this is to place the hydraulic jack behind the axle slightly and ensure that the axle stands themselves are placed near to the axle and level with each other so they support the weight equally.<br />
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<br />So far on this project, the most French words were used while removing the wheel arch covers. The tiny phillips head screws had been tampered with and the top screw head on each screw was completely de-threaded. A lot of persistence with an adjustable wrench eventually paid off. Removing these allows me to remove the wheels easier - which presents a whole other new problem: the wheel nuts are stuck! I broke a socket wrench trying to get them off! I've got two much bigger wrenches and have been putting WD40 on the wheel nuts all week, hopefully later this weekend I'll have the chance to get the wheels off.<br />
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First on my list is fixing up the chassis. Having removed the hitch assembly and brake linkage earlier, I was able to sand off the old paint so the new paint would have a smoother finish.<br />
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I used Hammerite Straight To Metal white gloss paint. It's quite thick but dries smooth. It's also guaranteed against rust for eight years! Great stuff, but stand by with the turps, I'm still washing it off my hands and arms and also out of my hair!<br />
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The caravan looks a million times better already! The new paint looks really smart and I'm very pleased with the outcome. I've painted the chassis underneath the caravan as far back as the axle, and will be continuing with the rest in the next couple of weeks.<br />
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<br />What a difference a lick of paint makes!<br /><br />Can't wait to continue with working on the caravan, hopefully by my next update I'll have something a bit more exciting to show you all!<br />Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-75571565373855359692013-08-13T21:24:00.003+01:002013-10-12T12:53:41.367+01:00I'm done with stripping - paint that isAnother post to keep you all updated. There's not been masses of activity this past week, my time has been taken up stripping that horrible mouldy paint from the interior walls - it is a horrible job! I've just about finished it all though, even though my arms feel like they're about to drop off from all the scraping and my skin is burning from all the white spirit I used! It takes about three hours just to properly strip a square metre of paint (that's including drying time for the liquid paint stripper itself) but it is still a very labour intensive job.<br />
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If you missed part one of the restoration (collecting the caravan), <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-new-caravan.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
If you missed part two of the restoration, <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/they-said-it-always-gets-worse-before.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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*CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM*<br />
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06/08/2013: I started with the wall behind the kitchen. For some reason, here and one small patch on the opposite side of the caravan the paint has refused to budge. The rest of the woodwork has come out quite nicely but the kitchen remains a misty white colour. It looks worse in this photo than it does in real life though. Good job I'm painting over it - with the correct paint this time!<br />
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07/08/2013: I've pulled down the middle section of the ceiling as it was rotten through around the rooflight. This whole section that runs the width of the caravan will replace in one big section and I will be able to upgrade the insulation. I've also discovered some rotten wood in the rear corner where you can see the insulation poking out. This whole section underneath the window will need replacing. In this image I've now stripped the paint from the whole of that side of the caravan.<br />
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I'm sure that should be attached to the caravan! Another worrying stage of the restoration - removing the hitch. This has been sent off to be dismantled, sandblasted and checked that it's all in working order. The paint stripper that I'm using inside takes an hour to dry between coats and needs two coats: so between coats I work on the chassis. The big obstacle this week was not removing the hitch, but the gas bottle mount behind it - it would not budge as the bolts were rusted solid. Some muscle pulling and a few colourful words later and it was removed.<br />
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With the hitch and gas bottle mount removed, sanding the paint off could commence. I started with just sandpaper but quickly got tired and bought in the drill sander!<br />
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Before and after shots of the never ending task that was scraping the algae off the roof! That stuff was well and truly baked on!<br />
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11/08/2013: Got the rear panel, rear ceiling panel and a bit of the offside stripped of paint. These panels have come up much better than those on the kitchen side. I wanted to remove the lower rear panel to access the road lights to renew the wires but you guessed it, our previous owner friend with the silicone gun has been at work again and has glued this panel in place! No chance of getting that off without replacing the whole rear interior woodwork of the caravan so I'm just going to somehow have to patch the road lights up.<br />
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12/08/2013: I've managed to salvage the old sink. It had a wooden frame bolted to it which refused to budge. I tried drilling the bolts out but the wood was weak and the drill kept slipping. I'd resigned to the fact that I was going to have to source a replacement sink so I decided to use brute force to break the wood off, I figured I had nothing to lose - but it worked! The sink cleaned up and looks like new!<br />
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13/08/2013: Finally got the offside stripped of paint. I've also stripped one layer of paint from the front panel and front ceiling section (not pictured) but it needs sanding off to finish it. There's one spot of paint above the wheel arch that refuses to budge. Any suggestions of how to get militant paint off are welcome! I've also pulled out all of the middle section of ceiling to reveal a HUGE dent in it which has been filled outside. It's been suggested that this was done in the factory when it was built - don't you just love the stories these old caravans could tell!<br />
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I've also been doing some research into the model itself, trying to decide if it's a 1961 or a 1962 model. Thanks to some help from a friend who happens to be an expert on Sprite caravans, it's neither! She's actually a very rare "crossover" model from 1963. In 1963 the Alpine was totally redesigned by Sprite to gain a completely redesigned exterior, modernised chassis, slightly altered interior, longer A-frame for more stable towing and the drop down double bed that was standard in 1961 and 1962 was reduced to an optional extra. My Alpine has the 1961/2 exterior with a 1963 chassis and 1963 interior fittings. And there's no evidence of there ever being a drop down bed - making my Sprite a "pre-production test" of some of the 1963 new model features.<br />
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I'm going on holiday next week so work on Jennifer is on pause for now. But when I return I shall be tackling the exterior, chassis, windows and replacing the damaged wood inside. I'll be sure to keep you all updated! Until next time, thanks for reading.<br /><br /><a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/a-month-later.html" target="_blank">SEE PART FOUR OF THE RESTORATION HERE</a>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-16489589266834882252013-08-05T22:33:00.000+01:002013-09-02T22:03:14.672+01:00They say it always gets worse before it gets better... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The restoration of Jennifer began in ernest this week. After spending the weekend getting used to her foibles, I put a restoration plan together. Despite her being in structurally sound, she still needs an awful lot of work doing. The main issue for now is the mouldy paint inside: although luckily there is no damp yet! If you missed my introductory post from last week, see <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-new-caravan.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> </div>
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*CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM*<br />
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05/08/2013: The restoration began, oddly, with some gardening. I had to move Jennifer a few inches nearer the house to allow me to get all the way around her, so I pulled her forwards to cut the Ivy hedge on my drive to give me an extra few inches of room. This was made possible by the now working jockeywheel! In my <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-new-caravan.html" target="_blank">earlier post</a> I explained how the jockeywheel was fixed and only allowed you to move the caravan in straight lines. It turns out that this was a tale spun by the previous owner! The jockeywheel was seized up and after dismantling and re-greasing, now works a treat - just as a jockeywheel should!<br />
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Next came the big clean. Dirt can work in two ways: it can make things look worse than they are or can hide the condition of something. So it's always best to start your restoration by cleaning - even if you're getting rid of the item that you're cleaning. On the left here is the kitchen worktop as the caravan came. On the right is another piece of it after twenty minutes or so of elbow grease! Just hot soapy water and a decent cloth were all that were needed. I also ran a scraper along the glossy surface to chip some dried on paint off the worktop.<br />
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Here's the cooker top during cleaning. It has come up like new! I recommend wire wool for coated metal items as it won't scratch them and wire wool really shifts the dirt. I used stainless steel cleaner that helps to loosen the dirt quicker, but you can also use hot soapy water.<br />
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Now for the scary part - removing the internal furniture! The previous owner had remade these bed bases. I would have preferred for the original ones to have been left in regardless of condition as these new ones weren't even squared up. Not to mention that fact that they had silicone all over them to glue them to the caravan. Annoyingly these took a long time to take out as the silicone did not want to budge. Some bad language, a few cut fingers and a lot of hammering later and the first one came out. It only took 45 minutes!<br />
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Sadly the mould in the rear corner was totally unventilated as the seat cushions were pushed up against it - so damp is beginning to form in this corner. I've now got to replace the wall panelling and I will be making all new bed bases with in built ventilation and I will also fit draught boards to allow air to circulate to stop this from happening again. I've also removed the kitchen unit and above cupboard to properly strip off all of the paint.<br />
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I've decided to remove the modern, out of place laminate flooring. To my amazement, the original lino is still present underneath! It's got a wonderful leafy pattern on it but sadly is too badly damaged to salvage it. I will be putting new lino down. It's a shame I can find an identical replacement as this lino is wonderful!<br />
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The original lino pattern. The green is a little lighter than this picture and the leaves more prominent.<br />
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This is the awful, messy bed base construction that I am having to contend with! This stuff doesn't like to come off and looks horrible. I'm pleased to say that this stuff won't be getting put back into the caravan.<br />
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And finally the front end all stripped out. It's official - there's no going back now! The first plan is to strip all the paint inside and repaint, then add new lino before beginning to reconstruct the interior. Along the way I'll be rewiring the road lights, adding 12v electrics, replacing two damp wooden wallboard panels and constructing a new kitchen, bathroom and bed bases! I've got my work cut out!<br /><br /><a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/im-done-with-stripping-paint-that-is.html" target="_blank">SEE PART THREE OF THE RESTORATION HERE</a>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-78026254586632356282013-08-02T17:04:00.004+01:002013-09-02T22:02:32.183+01:00My 'New' Caravan! Meet "Jennifer"! She's a 1961/2 Sprite Alpine 12ft four berth. To say she's at least 51 years old, she's in great shape! The previous owner had started work on her but sold her as he had just acquired an Eriba Puck and no longer has somewhere to store both caravans, so he wanted rid of it ASAP. Admittedly, he had repaired some damp and painted the inside of the caravan with matt emulsion paint - which isn't breathable and cause mould to appear. So I have to strip all the paint off and repaint her. Anyway, she was an absolute steal at £60! <br />
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*CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM*<br />
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Day one: 01/08/2013: Picked her up from just south of Birmingham. Here we are at the first services as her indicator light had stopped working - luckily only the bulb had come loose. She towed like a dream on the way home, a completely faultless and 120 miles seemed like a breeze.<br />
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Here's a view of her other side - look how green she is! She'd been sat under a tree for two years before being moved out into a yard; but she was never cleaned after being removed from under a tree so the green algae is well and truly stuck on! Lots of elbow grease needed to remove it.<br />
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Back home. I gave the front a quick clean and doesn't she look better already?! I'll be spending the next few days thoroughly cleaning her to get a better idea of what condition she's in and what needs doing.<br />
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The old hitch. Thankfully it's a metric 50mm hitch, but the jockeywheel is imperial. It's the original "Alperson Sprite" branded one that you raise and lower by using the corner steady winder on the nut at the top! Annoyingly, the jockeywheel doesn't pivot. Also the tightening lever is seised. Even though it's original, for the sake of convenience I want to source a better jockeywheel: but finding an imperial sized one is going to be difficult! Because of the jockeywheel's lack of manoeuvrability, I had to reverse the caravan myself with the car - terrifying as there's only about 20cm clearance either side! I managed it though. <br />
NOTE: It turns out that the hitch is a rare hydraulic "special order" hitch. This means that it uses the modern brake overrun system, as opposed to a spring which was the standard hitch. This hydraulic system is much more effective.<br />
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The Sprite is full of quirky features. One of my favourites is this door lock - complete with a proper key! When you open the door, the door catch catches on the handle to hold it open. Great, simple design.<br />
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The interior. There's a dinette in the front corner that turns into a double bed, a wardrobe next to it, bench seats at the rear that also turn into a double bed, a kitchen and in the front corner there was originally a washroom.<br />
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Showing you the front corner and kitchen. Where the table and cushions are should be a washroom. At some point this was removed. I will be putting it back in place. The kitchen is all there but is loose. The previous owner took it out to relay the floor. All the gas and water connections have been cut but they all remain. I will remake this unit and the cupboards as they've warped and been damaged over the years. Another feature I love is the floor mounted foot pump to pump water to the sink!<br />
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The wardrobe is original on the outside, but inside has been modified tastefully to feature a couple of drawers. I'm going to take the wardrobe out and give it an overhaul to restore it as it's looking a bit tired.<br />
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The front dinette area. Here and the rear dinette the table drops down to form the bed base for the seat cushions. I will re-make the tables as the tops have warped. I wish to keep the tops though, see photo below...<br />
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Here's the very 1950's/1960's 'Atomic' patterned formica table and work tops that are present throughout the caravan. Great design! I'm going to clean up all of these and keep them. I'm going for that new age atomic mid century look throughout the caravan for its restoration.<br />
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Finally the seat cushions. These are not original, but are charming nonetheless. They came from a later Sprite (late 1960's or early 1970's) but none of the cushions quite fit properly. I love the material but will have to make new cushions. I'd like to salvage the material but I might not be able to.<br /><br /><a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/they-said-it-always-gets-worse-before.html" target="_blank">SEE PART TWO OF THE RESTORATION HERE</a>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-14517840862410560312013-04-14T00:07:00.001+01:002013-04-14T00:07:26.428+01:00New Pinterest BoardBe sure to check out the '<a href="http://pinterest.com/cameronburns/my-caravan/" target="_blank">My Caravan</a>' Pinterest board. Here you will find pins of my own caravan for your own vintage styling ideas. Of course, you can still check out the <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/p/vintage-styling.html" target="_blank">Vintage Styling</a> page on this blog. There will be a Cool Caravanning Pinterest board coming soon - so watch this space!<br /><br /><a href="http://pinterest.com/cameronburns/my-caravan/">http://pinterest.com/cameronburns/my-caravan/</a>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-69001402467420152232013-03-27T13:33:00.002+00:002013-03-27T13:33:33.923+00:00Happy Easter!Easter weekend is quickly approaching. For many of us, this is the start of our caravanning season. Be sure to make sure that your caravan is fully prepared for use after this long harsh winter; you can follow the maintenance tips on our <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk/p/caravan-servicing.html" target="_blank">Servicing Page</a> to get you started. Take the time now to make sure that you have charged the leisure battery, cleaned out the water system even if you don't drink water from it (powdered solutions are easily and cheaply obtained from caravan dealers), greased the corner steadies, checked the tyre pressures, checked the wheel nuts are tightened correctly and most importantly: inspect tyres for any damage. Be sure to try to ventilate your caravan a little before taking it on holiday if it has been sealed up for a few months over the winter period.<br />
<br />Meanwhile, a friend from the <a href="http://loyalglamper.com/" target="_blank">Loyal Order Of The Glamper</a> shared this wonderful "Easter Egg Camper" tip - perhaps the artsy ones among you would like to have a go at making these cute campers, I know I will be doing!<br />
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Finally, have a great Easter everyone and Happy Caravanning! Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-81676386762014868532012-12-02T22:21:00.003+00:002012-12-02T22:21:42.773+00:00Cool Caravanning Etsy Sale!What an excellent start I've had to the Cool Caravanning Etsy shop! It's been set up now 10 days and I've sold just about everything I listed in the first place. I'm hoping to be adding some more caravan-related collectables this week and also some Christmas stock.<br /><br />In the mean time, I'm having a sale on select items and have reduced their prices. Thanks to everyone who's supported the shop!<br /><br />www.etsy.com/shop/coolcaravanningCameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-16303920564928060062012-11-12T00:44:00.001+00:002012-11-12T00:44:53.536+00:00Cool Caravanning now on Etsy!Cool Caravanning is now on Etsy! Over the next few weeks I'll be listing many items for vintage caravans and indeed some of the rare memorabilia I've acquired over the years. Be sure to head on over to Etsy for a look. I will post worldwide too.<br /><br />Check out the store here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CoolCaravanning<br /><br />In the mean time, happy caravanning!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-80485409560243180472012-06-28T19:59:00.003+01:002012-06-28T19:59:45.744+01:00Mid-Season Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a quick update post. It's now nearly July and the caravanning season is in full swing. I've managed to do a few odd jobs on the caravan in the past few months, and will be adding some tutorials soon. It's been a pretty quiet touring year so far for me, especially with the cancellation of the National Caravan Club Rally in early June, but the Jubilee Weekend made up for this. Above is a picture of my caravan all decorated to celebrate the Jubilee. I'd love to hear from you if you celebrated the weekend in style. In the mean time, happy holidays!Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-81001468168103641962012-03-26T18:49:00.004+01:002012-03-26T20:34:29.569+01:00New year, new season!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBk7tTfmRXFreLjp5Y84wmN3w95pJ3d-s5cwQeQRjTNJl02YlAayxEx0W7nzEaSNy-ieQCEdC_PDfplfJFLHLmFtqihkJaCkpQiQfHw9rvoOCqz6YX9ejsh2PwooikI5S1eennvk6dtek/s1600/photo+%252810%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBk7tTfmRXFreLjp5Y84wmN3w95pJ3d-s5cwQeQRjTNJl02YlAayxEx0W7nzEaSNy-ieQCEdC_PDfplfJFLHLmFtqihkJaCkpQiQfHw9rvoOCqz6YX9ejsh2PwooikI5S1eennvk6dtek/s320/photo+%252810%2529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724290366538844850" /></a><div><span style="font-size: 100%; ">It's almost April now and Spring is well and truly in the air. It's usually this time of year that proud owners bring their pride and joy out of winter </span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">hibernation. Make sure your caravan is ready for the new season after it's well deserved rest over winter...</span></div><div><div><span><br />It's most likely that your caravan has been locked up over winter so before doing anything, open the windows, doors and rooflights to let the Spring air circulate! It's probably best to take the seat cushions and any bedding out (unless you already did as part of winterisation) to let them air. Take this opportunity to ensure that your pride and joy has survived the winter - taking care to check the interior for signs of water ingress.<br /><br /></span><div><span>Try to connect your caravan up to the mains electric (if it has mains electricity) and/or place the leisure battery on a mains charger to top it up to 14 volts. Once these steps have been completed, check that all of the interior electrical fittings work. You can also take this opportunity to check the gas by connecting up a gas bottle. Bear in mind that the gas may take a few seconds to work its way through the gas pipes. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Most importantly, check the chassis and running gear. If you placed the caravan on axle stands and/or jacked it up off the ground, remove the axle stands and jacks and let the caravan sit on its wheels. Check the tyres first. Check that they are in good condition (paying particular attention to the sidewalls) and inflate them to the correct pressure. If the tyres are more than five years old, replace them before taking to the road. Check the corner steadies and jockey wheel and lubricate them as necessary. Also take a moment to check the brakes - give a tug on the handbrake to ensure that the brake cable hasn't stretched or snapped. The brakes should be applied on the third ratchet of the handbrake otherwise adjust them (see Caravan servicing page). </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Leading on from this, it's advisory to book a service at your local caravan dealer. For around £150 they'll check that everything is working on your caravan and they'll maintain parts of it that you may otherwise not think to maintain. If you're a competent DIY'er then maybe you'll feel confident to perform a service yourself - see the caravan servicing page for more details. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Finally, give your caravan a good clean - it is after all Spring cleaning season! Clean inside and out to ensure that your caravan is looking beautiful and clean ready for your first trip out! </span></div></div></div>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-738013978978213532011-11-09T21:33:00.007+00:002012-01-03T21:19:07.906+00:00Remember To Prepare Your Caravan For Winter!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMJ8_I-SD3qbTvgsRfUXC6rG97S1ppa8-zwQim-hAUoDvLUyseNWLMvy7Uo2WrM9p9F54IZkZef5HeGM5EuqY7DPemQzVXz67CkCX4n2EabEr4-pVH9AorK8DESDfjpIzHUBQuzZt8Bo/s1600/photo+%252814%2529.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMJ8_I-SD3qbTvgsRfUXC6rG97S1ppa8-zwQim-hAUoDvLUyseNWLMvy7Uo2WrM9p9F54IZkZef5HeGM5EuqY7DPemQzVXz67CkCX4n2EabEr4-pVH9AorK8DESDfjpIzHUBQuzZt8Bo/s320/photo+%252814%2529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673127359239993058" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's now November and the winter is beginning to set in. Short daylight hours and cold temperatures mean that for the most of us, caravanning has come to an end for this year. Most people will not use their caravans now until next spring, so for the four or five months that your caravan is stood stationary, it it vital that you prepare it for winter storage.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The first thing to do is to decide on a location to store your caravan. At home is ideal as you can keep an eye on it over winter, but we are not all fortunate enough to have the room to accommodate a caravan. The best storage place is undercover and inside. A large garage or barn is great as it keeps the harsh winter weather from causing damage. Should you have no other option other than to store your caravan outside, it is advisable to invest in a specialist winter cover (or tarp) to help keep your tourer in top shape over the winter months. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before committing your caravan to storage, ensure that you give it a good clean both outside and in. Cleaning outside will remove any dirt and marks from the previous seasons' holidays and leave it clean for next season. When cleaning inside, be sure to clean out any food remnants (such as crumbs etc) as these may attract unwelcome guests of the rodent kind over the winter months! Also take this time to repair any damage caused over the previous years holiday (such as tears in the upholstery, marks on the woodwork etc...) as this is less work for you at the beginning of next season.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Now comes the difficult part; the actual winterisation of your caravan. Let's start with the outside:</i><br /> - Decide where is best to park the caravan and lower all four corner steadies.</div><div> - It is advisable to jack up the caravan (using axle stands) so that the wheels aren't supporting the full weight of the caravan - this prevents flat spots on the tyres. </div><div> - Drain off any water systems. Most systems should have a draining plug or screw. If not, with the pump switched off and the water supply disconnected, turn on all of the taps inside until no more water comes out of them. </div><div> - Ensure that the gas system is switched off.</div><div> - Remove the leisure battery (if you have a 12v system) as this will preserve it over winter. Ideally, keep it at home in a cool dry place and charge it periodically (ideally every two weeks or so). If the battery is left in, it will almost certainly be flat by the start of the next caravanning season.</div><div> - Make sure that all windows and vents are closed.</div><div> - Apply all security devices (such as wheel locks, hitch locks...)</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Jobs to carry out on the inside:</i></div><div> - Clean down everything inside, not forgetting to vacuum under the bunks and under furniture. </div><div> - Remove all food items that aren't sealed as these may go off and may attract rodents.</div><div> - Pull out all bedding from underneath the bunks and either store it on top of the bunks or ideally at home. </div><div> - Open all cupboards and doors (and bunks where possible) to allow air to circulate inside. Also, propping open your fridge with a towel or similar will prevent mould growing inside. </div><div> - Ensure that taps are left in the half open position to ensure that they don't stick over winter. This will prevent them from breaking. </div><div> - Pull the upholstery seat bases away from the walls - this reduces the risk of them being damaged by condensation. You can even take them out and store them at home if you have the space to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Advisable tasks to carry out over the winter months:</i></div><div> - If your caravan is stored at home or in a convenient place to use the Electric Hook Up, try to leave the heater on periodically to circulate some warm air. NEVER leave the heater on unsupervised. </div><div> - Charge the leisure battery periodically to keep it topped up. It should read 13-14volts. </div><div> - If the caravan isn't jacked up (using axle stands, NEVER the corner steadies), try rotating the wheels periodically to avoid flat spots on the tyres.</div><div> - Keep checking for signs of damp.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>If you follow this guide, your caravan should survive the winter months. Be sure to make regular checks on your caravan but you should have no trouble with it. You should also find a winterisation guide in your caravan's manual. </div></div>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-73100864656876615362011-08-26T19:44:00.002+01:002011-08-26T19:55:35.030+01:00New feature - Collectors Corner!To begin this month's forthcoming updates, I have added a new feature to the bottom of the 'Vintage Styling' page - <a href="http://coolcaravanning.blogspot.com/p/vintage-styling.html">Collectors Corner</a>. This section will be updated weekly and showcases some great caravan related memorabilia, which makes and interesting read!
<br />Also treated to updates are the 'Vintage Styling' and 'Caravan Servicing' pages, with the 'Vintage Styling' page receiving more images and revamped bunting instructions. The 'Caravan Servicing' page now benefits from details for servicing older caravan chassis types including the B&B chassis (including diagrams) for those with older caravans.
<br />The updates will hopefully all be installed by the end of next week - so keep checking!
<br />In the mean time, Happy Caravanning!
<br />Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-76665761154121049582011-08-02T13:36:00.008+01:002011-08-02T13:59:14.931+01:00Save up for your vintage caravan - with a vintage caravan moneybox!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2OCsFkEulPfaN7e0Qe_jfyRdXFfz3tIm8td52lpxKUrigQSru2f-jx1Suy80U-__c2NPElLZzk92m1t8GU_c2t5RwsJZb-d50bHJ9JDvwuAVQLW-A9DhioFr8TTtBgKO7Zh1itaXZrY/s1600/Caravan+Construction+Kit.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2OCsFkEulPfaN7e0Qe_jfyRdXFfz3tIm8td52lpxKUrigQSru2f-jx1Suy80U-__c2NPElLZzk92m1t8GU_c2t5RwsJZb-d50bHJ9JDvwuAVQLW-A9DhioFr8TTtBgKO7Zh1itaXZrY/s320/Caravan+Construction+Kit.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636242180228356226" /></a><br /><div>Here's something interesting I found last week; it's a 1970's caravan moneybox construction kit. Designed by a company called UDT Finance, the kit pushes out in parts and with the aid of folding and some glue, forms a caravan shaped moneybox. Simply lift the rooflight and insert coins!</div><div><div>Obviously there aren't enough original copies to go around, but should you fancy having a go at making your own, here are the scans of the original; simply click to enlarge and print off to complete.</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPa5sFnae3J-ZPcIuUycm_sAusforD-5ZE97VNX3qLIuW6HtFZNS4jBrEf33xK50KjL7Ew4e40NyLLYp86Q9sfU0VqHo_do3sS0lpf2tFU-iYRq5kuRRDPwgaRBd47dTVTNdfOkRzGLg0/s1600/scan0005.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPa5sFnae3J-ZPcIuUycm_sAusforD-5ZE97VNX3qLIuW6HtFZNS4jBrEf33xK50KjL7Ew4e40NyLLYp86Q9sfU0VqHo_do3sS0lpf2tFU-iYRq5kuRRDPwgaRBd47dTVTNdfOkRzGLg0/s200/scan0005.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636241811156136818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPjbrarrr30A8VIyWXH84EwJXYDiSNnfPvYxffNSI4CVmvWlb4QeB4Y1zFjv9N17NKrnw18PqSsTQbXn2KX8F9eR1Nc4XMv2MPhdq_69rhbn_4eguQY1bJaOQpEh-DrUYYcWcvuz99Do/s1600/scan0003.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span><span></span></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPjbrarrr30A8VIyWXH84EwJXYDiSNnfPvYxffNSI4CVmvWlb4QeB4Y1zFjv9N17NKrnw18PqSsTQbXn2KX8F9eR1Nc4XMv2MPhdq_69rhbn_4eguQY1bJaOQpEh-DrUYYcWcvuz99Do/s200/scan0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636241171040407602" /></a><div><div>Enjoy! </div><div><br /></div></div>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-41093152710441569452011-07-22T16:40:00.004+01:002011-07-23T02:11:45.771+01:00Update, one month on...Well it's almost a month since the blog went live and it's been a very successful first month. I'm still planning some updates ready to be published in the next few weeks and I'll let you know when these take place. So far I've added some more top tips to the Tips page, so be sure to check these out!<div>Thank you for all your support and feedback thus far. Please remember that you can post questions in the comments section at the bottom of any blog post and the Q and A page. I will answer these questions as quickly as possible, so keep checking! Thanks again, Cameron.</div>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-23137389508875330062011-06-26T15:19:00.002+01:002011-06-26T15:26:51.562+01:00Need some help on designing the perfect vintage interior?Check out <a href="http://www.campersagogo.net/#">Campers-a-gogo</a>, a company that can supply you with custom made soft furnishings and must have vintage accessories. Made by sourcing the finest fabrics specially sourced accessories, <a href="http://www.campersagogo.net/#">Campers-a-gogo</a> will be able to transform your vintage 'van with some much deserved love and attention. They cater for all classic caravans and especially VW camper vans. There's something there for everyone. Please feel free to take a look at their website by clicking the green link.Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-33720375700491178992011-06-25T15:06:00.003+01:002011-06-25T15:27:11.361+01:00Welcome!As of today, the Cool Caravanning blog is now live. Please feel free to browse the pages and ask any caravan/vintage related questions as you wish. You can do this via the comments box at the bottom of the 'Q and A' page. Hopefully you'll find something of relevance. Try the 'Caravan Servicing' page for a 10 part guide to getting your caravan ready to tour with, try the 'Vintage Styling' page for some tips on creating the perfect vintage look. There is space to add your own styling tips too. Also there is a page for tips, some of these tips may be of use to you. See the 'Jargon Glossary' for some definitions of some of caravanning's more technical terms and see the 'Towing Code' page for tips on loading, towing and must have accessories. Finally, as mentioned, use the 'Q and A' page to ask your questions and browse at some frequently asked caravanning questions. Thank you for taking your time to view the blog and I hope it is of some use to you. I am still adding articles to the blog, so you can follow the blog by using the followers tool (no Blogger account necessary) or by entering your e-mail address at the bottom of the Blog page to receive notifications of the updates.<div>Thank You and Happy Caravanning! </div>Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220806638679971585.post-32532002365842341782011-06-20T23:46:00.002+01:002011-06-21T02:20:57.958+01:00New Blog - Hello!Just a quick note to say that the blog is currently under development, so please be patient. The blog will go live as of the 25th June 2011. Be sure to follow this blog to receive up to date posts from the blog and to be alerted when the blog goes live. Please be sure to add your comments and suggestions to help improve the blog as I want it to be as helpful as possible. Thank you for your support.Cameronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289068624550003012noreply@blogger.com0