Buying an old Viscount caravan - circa 1978

[twr7cx]

A while ago someone planted the seed in the wifes head about buying an old Australian made caravan. She's found this 1978 Viscount about 3 and a half hours drive away that she's got her mind set on:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UOQAAOSwVmJfONpT/s-l800.jpg
s-l800.jpg (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UOQAAOSwVmJfONpT/s-l800.jpg)
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NwsAAOSwpgtfONpq/s-l800.jpg
s-l800.jpg (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NwsAAOSwpgtfONpq/s-l800.jpg)
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FrEAAOSw9wpfONpv/s-l800.jpg
s-l800.jpg (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FrEAAOSw9wpfONpv/s-l800.jpg)
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QtYAAOSwv2FfONp0/s-l800.jpg
s-l800.jpg (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QtYAAOSwv2FfONp0/s-l800.jpg)
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/M68AAOSwe1xfONp6/s-l800.jpg
s-l800.jpg (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/M68AAOSwe1xfONp6/s-l800.jpg)

What can anyone tell me? What do I need to know? What should I look out for? Common rust or failure points? How to identify if wooden framing or aluminium framing? Should I be running in the other direction?

Given it's age, 42 years old, it looks pretty neat. They're asking $9,000.00 but...
It looks like it's an aluminium body but due for a new paint job, one side worse than the other. It also looks to be missing the flap panel for the front window (I assume this protects the window from rocks flicked up by the tow car and/or wind pressure when being towed) that can be seen open ajar in this photograph from the internet:

https://www.timetoroam.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/viscount.jpg
viscount.jpg (https://www.timetoroam.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/viscount.jpg)

In regards to intended use, it wouldn't be much. We wouldn't tow it off the island (Tasmania) so a trip would probably only be a maximum of 800km return, usually less. I assume the weight and aerodynamics of them is not great compared to more modern offerings, but I'd assume the MY12 D4 TDV6 with BAS remap could handle it. We've got a 2 and a half year old and 6 month old so, jobs and mortgages so not getting away often either - then again with COVID and no interstate or international travel for a while...

[justinc]

Can I send your number to a friend if mine that has restored a couple?

[twr7cx]

Can I send your number to a friend if mine that has restored a couple?

Most certainly, please and thank you.

The one in question above is up in Ulverstone.

[Homestar]

I’ve restored several old vans and my latest is a 1969 Viscount - yours would be an aluminium framed unit almost certainly, I would take up Justin’s offer to speak to someone who’s done caravan restorations - they can be like falling down the rabbit hole so to speak, but there are certainly still plenty of good old vans out there that would require minimal work.

That said, unless you really like camping in the 70’s there will be things you’ll want to do, like fit batteries and solar panels, an electric water pump, maybe a better fridge, a diesel heater, etc etc - whatever floats your boat, but that’s all part of the fun.

I would also check out the Classic Caravan Forum - maybe make a post there and post the chassis number as one of the members there will be able to tell you a bit about it based on that - she keeps a Viscount register.

They can be found here - Home | Classic Caravans (https://ditzygypsy.proboards.com/)

At $9K it would want to be complete and towable, in reasonable condition. You can get much cheaper ones but you generally get what you pay for and cheap vans will almost certainly need a lot of work. A fully restored and immaculate van like that of that year would command around $15 to $20K if you found the right buyer - old vans are getting very popular.

Good luck, by the pics it looks in good condition, but they can be misleading - I’d check the chassis for major rust (surface rust is fine), the the axle, brakes (probably U/S unless rebuilt, drawbar and coupling, etc. Water ingress around the J moulds along each edge could see some timber rot in the corners (although the wall farms will be aluminium, the roof crossmembers will be timber). You may see this in the paneling on the roof particularly if this is the case. Windows and J moulds will almost certainly require resealling if they haven’t been done as the mastic goes hard over time. This isn’t a particularly hard job, but is time consuming. New rivets to hold the skin on could also be needed - check to see if they are coming lose - again, an easy job, just takes some time - use weatherproof rivets when doing this.

[twr7cx]

Received via PM:


Hello, I was reading your posts (for some unknown reasons to me I am not allowed to post a reply on it) and I can give you some inputs based on my experience in purchasing and renovating old vans.
My son and I have purchased in total 4 vans, His first van was an old Millard and his second one an old Viscount (we do not consider purchasing a van timber-framed)
My first old van was a Franklin Arrow and my second one and present a Coromal 18' pop-up roof.
On the first 3 vans, we have to do a comprehensive restoration and repairs due to water leaks.
Based on that experience I bought my present van making sure that any repair was done properly and that the van is up to date registered and all is in good working order.
In the 3 vans, we have invested lot of hours of work plus about $4000 in each.
Carlos, my son, has uploaded many videos of the restoration and repairs of his 2 vans plus my old Franklin here: Rover Tasmania - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu3RwTvV8BtsNIuTyGkAo5w/videos)
...

[Homestar]

Yep, know who that’s from - nice guy and his Son is too, and lots of experience with older vans - some of Calos’s videos would be worth checking out.

His build threads are on the Classic Caravan forum too.

He won’t be able to post here as his Supporter membership has lapsed is all - I’ll zap him an email about that. [emoji106]

[JDNSW]

Just a comment about towability with the D4 - when that van was sold new, your D4 would have been considered one of the most powerful cars on the road. I suspect that most buyers would have towed it with cars of less than half the power.

[twr7cx]

I suspect that most buyers would have towed it with cars of less than half the power.

And half the gears - 3 speed autos used to be the standard vs 6 speed in the MY12 D4.

[JDNSW]

Actually, I suspect most cars sold in Australia and used for towing caravans in 1978 were still three speed manuals!

[Bigbjorn]

Actually, I suspect most cars sold in Australia and used for towing caravans in 1978 were still three speed manuals!

Cars like Holden & Falcon 6's, Austin A60, Hillmans, and so on. Drum brakes and 60 horsepower. People bought box stock Holden HQ which were manufacturer rated for towing a small box trailer then put a heavy van on the tow bar which nearly sank to the ground. Complaints to dealer and GM-H went into deaf ears. "You should have got one with the correct options for towing, the Gross Load Package, Heavy duty suspension, superlift shocks, heavy duty radiator, etc." This brought on the urban myth that "coil springs are no good for towing". Nasco offered a towing package for existing cars. Dealers would sell their stock vehicles in preference to taking orders for custom build cars so the client got manipulated by silver tongued salesmen into taking one from stock, available now, or waiting for a custom build for 6-8 weeks.

[JDNSW]

Did any of the models you mention actually have coils at the back in 1978?

[Bigbjorn]

Did any of the models you mention actually have coils at the back in 1978?

Holden from HQ and Torana from LC. THe base model HQ sedan was the small engine, three on the tree, drum brakes. Few were built to these specs. Most plant stock were with the 202, Trimatic, disc brakes. All V8's by then were disc brakes as standard equipment. HT were the last V8's I can remember being built with drum brakes and discs were an extra cost option.

[3toes]

Fitted pump up shocks to the HJ Kingswood as was cheaper than the suspension upgrade. Was a 186 (the original 202 piped a piston in Beenleigh on way to MT Warning) with 3 speed auto had 4 wheel disc brakes although these were an option not standard