Got my Caravan on the road!

[rangie5litre]

G'day All,

Finally got my old 'van registered and on the road! It's an old Viscount Ambassador, a 1973 model. Has had two owners, the last couple had it for 15 years and never went further than the Hawkesbury river in Western Sydney for skiing. Came with a full canvas annexe, working fridge and stove and a broken water tank from being bogged at Ebenezer in Sydneys west last year!
I paid $1150 for it, with two weeks rego left. Put two new light truck 185X14 tyres on it, new lights, painted the drawer bar and got a pink slip.

$220 for NSW rego! Based on weight apparently, at 870kg dry I guess it's not that light, but it's a 16X8 so it's fairly big for a single axle job.....Rangie tows it easy, I'll need polyairs in the rear though or 2" lifted stiffer coils allround for touring as the stock Rangie coils are really mushy. Maybe better dampers might help control the bounce?

All I had to was replace water damaged plywood panels inside, if it wasn't bad I just cut the old stuff out and patched over the top.followed by a coat of matt white acrylic interior wall paint. I took some pix with it hooked up to the Rangie but I can't post them.....same old story!
:roll:

I won't even mention what the 5 litre will use in fuel with the van in tow....................... 8O

Cheers Scott.

[hiline]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>I took some pix with it hooked up to the Rangie but I can't post them.....same old story!
[/b][/quote]

send them on and i'll post them for you style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif


well done by the way style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

so whens your first trip :wink:

[rangie5litre]

Thanks Hiline.........what's your email again? We bought a new desktop PC and I've got no details in contacts yet!

Probably get away for an overnighter Oct long weekend o0n the Sun night, as I have to work on the Sat :evil:

Cheers Scott. 8)

[hiline]

there is a link at the bottom of the page

hiline@optusnet.com.au

[rangie5litre]

Thanks hiline, I found the link.......derrrrr!

You may have to make em a little smaller, cuppla big files there!


cheers Scott. 8)

[hiline]

no problems mate style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

i'll go check now :wink:

[hiline]

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album119/caravan_and_rangie_august_05_001.sized.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album119/caravan_and_rangie_august_05_002.sized.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album119/caravan_and_rangie_august_05_003.sized.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album119/caravan_and_rangie_august_05_004.sized.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album119/caravan_and_rangie_august_05_005.sized.jpg

here you go mate style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Disco300Tdi]

Hey Ray

Our sleeping quarters look allright on the Oct w/end
style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif :wink: :wink:

[hiline]

the paint job looks good style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:green">how old did you say it was....?

that looks like new to me......


and the colour even matches the rangie.......</span>

[rangie5litre]

Thanks for putting up the pix hiline, much appreciated! The interior came up OK, I could have spent a lot more time on it but it'll be getting used for bush camping and dragged over rough dirt roads too every chance I get so I didn't go too overboard! I won't bother getting a water tank for it, I'll just use plastic jerries.......it's all been on a shoestring budget!

I even put a coat of Kitten wax on it, though after 32 years in the Aussie weather there wasn't much paint to polish in places! 8O All that remains to be done is to score a Holden rim from either a HK, HT or HG and put a tyre on it to fit on the A frame for a spare.

I did a springover conversion on a box trailer once, I reckon the van would be a piece of cake, and gain an extra 6 inches of clearance too...might even take it Stockton[northern end] then for a night's fishing!

Has anyone else completed a SPOA on a caravan or pop-top? I wonder how it would tow? :roll:

Cheers Scott 8)

[Disco300Tdi]

I did one to my camper

took about 1hr

tows much better for me,

look at the levels before you start

and make sure the u-bolts are tight :wink: :wink:

[rangie5litre]

Thanks 84RR........I had a quick look and I reckon I'd need a new goosneck for the receiver. I guess the other option is modify the guards and fit 15in rims with bigger tyres. I'd hate to make it too top heavy though as its already much taller than the Rangie is! 8O

Cheers Scott 8)

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">another small problem when lifting the van.....
make sure the support feet are long enough to reach the ground....
or carry some spacers(wooden blocks)</span>

[hiline]

[quote=DEFENDERZOOK]<span style="color:blue">another small problem when lifting the van.....
make sure the support feet are long enough to reach the ground....
or carry some spacers(wooden blocks)</span>

funny you should mention that zook style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

gav and myself had a great laugh at christmas time

watching Hansel & Gretel trying to support their van on wooden blocks 8O 8O 8O

very funny i might add style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">hansel and gretel....?</span>

[Disco300Tdi]

One of them visual things Zook

You had to of been there
style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[hiline]

[quote=DEFENDERZOOK]<span style="color:blue">hansel and gretel....?</span>

we will explain in October :wink: :wink: :wink:

that would be quicker

[p38arover]

Originally posted by rangie5litre
Rangie tows it easy, I'll need polyairs in the rear though or 2" lifted stiffer coils allround for touring as the stock Rangie coils are really mushy. Maybe better dampers might help control the bounce?.

A top buy, Scott. It really looks good.

In NSW, before registering a trailer, get a new weighbridge certificate - after stripping everything out of it to minimise the weight. That may reduce the exhobitant rego costs of NSW.

At 870 kg, I assume it is braked otherwise it would probably be illegal being over 750kg.

Re the sagging bum of the RR, perhaps weight equalising bars/hitch may help - that way you don't have overly heavy springing at other times. I've seen the bars and fittings at swap meets for very low prices.

Ron

[rangie5litre]

G'day Ron,

Yeah, it cleaned up pretty well. I guess the ply patches inside are a bit rough but for what we'll be using it for it'll do the job. It's fitted with cable operated override brakes and they seem to work well enough....I went for a run up to Springwood last night[first night-time drive]and came back down the back way via Yarramundi, the van brakes can be felt when they are activated.

I probably should have had it re-tared as I've removed the top bunk as we only need 3 beds and also water tank that was holed anyway.we'll use plastic jerries and fill em as we need em. I made up an adapter today to plug into the 7 pin plug for a battery pack to run the interior 12v lights, rather than risk flattening the Rangies starting battery. I'll fit a dual battery system at Christmas with a second dedicated cable just for the van.

All I need to do now is source a Holden HT, HG or HK rim and tyre to throw on the Rangies roofrack for trips away.

Cheers Scott 8)

[p38arover]

Yeah, it cleaned up pretty well. I guess the ply patches inside are a bit rough but for what we'll be using it for it'll do the job.

I'm the same - I don't need the latest and greatest - I'd be happy with an older van. Jeez, the savings would more than pay for any registration costs and the extra fuel.


It's fitted with cable operated override brakes and they seem to work well enough....I went for a run up to Springwood last night[first night-time drive]and came back down the back way via Yarramundi, the van brakes can be felt when they are activated.

I think I'd look at retro-fitting electric braking. I've had bad experiences with override braking - admittedly on a loaded car trailer.

Springwood? Too bad you didn't drop in to the railway station - I could have had a look. I was on duty 3pm-11pm.
If the brakes worked down that road into Yarramundi, then they are working OK. I like the road on a motor bike except when you get blocked by cars (and bloody caravans! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif )


I'll fit a dual battery system at Christmas with a second dedicated cable just for the van.

I wonder which is the best way to fit the second battery. In the RR or in the van? Ask Drivesafe. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

All I need to do now is source a Holden HT, HG or HK rim and tyre to throw on the Rangies roofrack for trips away.[/quote]

Wreckers! They'd be cheap enough.

Ron

[Disco300Tdi]

You didnt keep the van for long I see


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...=ADME:B:SS:AU:1 (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4574456260&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:AU:1)

[p38arover]

Bugger! Missed it.

Hmm, my wife might have objected had I bought it.

Ron