Our Touring Past

Brilliant job Reddo. Got a shed down here it can be parked in - permanently! lol gordo

Hi Reddo

I got it from Robertson's Paint Barn at 6 Christie St, St Marys, ph 96230900.
They used to have a shop near Penrith and I used their gloss black on a car chassis after someone recommended it. Great stuff, almost self levelling and when I wanted silver I found the shop had closed. They don't seem to have a web site with any details and I've not seen their stuff about. A quick phone call might do the trick.

I wanted some paint recently and went to Bunnings on two occasions, and after standing about for 10 minutes without being served each time I left and went to a local family run paint shop and got much better service and advice. I'm sure they needed my money more than Westfarmers anyway.

I think I actually dropped the can! Although I am known to be a bit heavy handed.

George

Speaking of swap meets Reddo are you going to the Coota swap next weekend. I'll be there
Vans looking great mate
Regards
Jenno

Hi Jeff
No not going to swapmeet.
I am having trouble with a couple of my ribs
"Popping" out of place. No one canm give me a reason for it happening??....All i know is its Bloody painfull and hard to breath when it happens.....so im not venturing too far from the osteopath / physio and hot water bottle...... I'm falling apart at the seams lately.

Thanks for the heads up on the paint mob George. Will see if i can find a local Robertsons or similar.

Reddo

One more milestone today...

I got the annexe back from Charlestown Canvas.
The brief was for a new roof in Olive greenand detachable walls using nylon zips... but leave the lace up corners and half panel front wall and long side etc.
I took the van over last Tuesday and the bloke i spoke with was very enthusiastic about doing the job on the old annexe for me.
He took a heap of measurements and i left with that feeling that things where gunna turn out good... and they did.

Only problem was... i has since lowered the van about 50mm by removing 2 leaves from the 6 leaf spring stacks.
End result was when i fitted the annexe the walls sat just a bit too long.
So.. back under the van and replaced one leaf.. it gave the van just the right amount of lift so the walls sat neatly in place...
Was a bit hard to check them exactly as our backyard has hills and hollows everywhere... but i am sure it will all sit right on a level van site..

all walls are detachable.. will be handy on overnight stays when on tour..
I can also just use the back wall on the front to block out drafts ... it is reversable... just end up with olive green inner wall facing outwards instead of blue stripes.

Obviuosly if i am planning more than 2 nights somewhere .. like Shellharbour i will put the whole shooting match up .


Other minor issue was the eyelets they had installed for the poles where too small.. i mentioned i was gunna use timber poles and they said they would use the larger eyelets... but they still only allowed the pole points to stick through about 20mm... so... off to the bench grinder and reduce the taper so they sit down full depth of the taper on the eyelet

Other thing i find interesting with annexes is the makers address and phone numbers.Back in the day of phone exchanges operated by switch operators you had to dial the abbreviated exchange letters then the number you wanted..
in this case it was "LX".. somewhere near "Rockdale" i would imagine??


Perhaps someone can enlighten me where that exchange is or should i say was...Cobber will have the answer no doubt !!
Hmmmm... might be a cue for starting an annexe manufacturers info thread somewhere???
I remember The supalite..."Öld Blues" annexe was made at Leichardt

I have the number for what was the local Golden Fleece service station back in 1964 on the side of my panelvan.... Bool 514 . Local Boolaroo exchange and 514 for was the servo.

Anyway.. getting close to finished on the Supalite... its gets its first "Sea trials" this weekend at Broke fair...
Time to start enjoying the fruits of my labour

Hope it all holds together.. wish me luck.
All wrinkles ironed out in time for Shellharbour.
Reddo

Like your idea on the Annexe Reddo, I plan to do the same but thought it best to wait till I had the van finished first

Hi Humpboy
Good to hear from you again.

When i got the van it had 14"HK wheels with 70 series tyres on it. This combined with the new 6 leaf springs made the step up into the van about 18". Even with the lowered step well that supalite fitted to thier vans it was a big step up.

So... i elected to run 13 inch wheels with 6 ply light truck 60 series tyres ... this improved things but was still a big step up intop the van.
Hence the removal of 2 leaves ( after the bloke at the canvas joint had measured it.. doh !!) . This lowered it to exactly where i wanted it..but i had my doubts about the softer springs with only 4 leaves .. would it handle the rough stuff without bouncing around too much and flogging the springs to a point where they would break ??. It rocked over a bit when climbing in. So 1 leaf back in .

Stiffened things up again ... raised it just enough for the annexe to fit neat.... and the old fella with the gammy left knee and stubby in hand can get in and out now without too much grunting.

Its raining here this morning so it will be getting the leak test and inspection before i head off to the Broke Village Vintage Fair for the weekend...

Reddownandbackupagain

Simply awesome Reddo.

Again, thanks so much for placing detailed information regarding your resto. It looks fantastic. Really well done.

HALPS

As usual looking awesome Reddo, just have to keep it long enough for the Autumn tour next year.

Ho Ho.. veeeeerrrrryyyyy funny.

Actually... You would have been proud of me on the weekend. I took the van to Maitland Swapmeet for overnight accommodation .. Got pestered by at least 4 people wanting to buy it off me.

Knowing full well just how thin on the ground the old vans are becoming
I stood my ground and resisted all offers.... only just... but i managed .
Still getting use to where i have stored stuff in the cupboards .

Also .. I sat down on saturday night in the van and wrote out a "To fix n Do list ".. needs to be completed before Shellharbour get together in a couple of weeks.

Its never ending ... but... its all fun.

Reddo