Thread: Here we go again 86 RRC

Originally Posted by tony66_au

Gave the old girl a bit of work last week hauling my old site van around the yard, a bit low in the bum but the Van weighs heaps and isnt meant to be hauled by anything less than a truck so I think she did well.

The caravan is just a baby .... tow it around for 5minutes and the rangie should lift back to height

It was hooked up with recovery D shackles and the previous owner extended the chassis at the front a good foot and a bit past the old point so its well out of balance.
Early 60's Jennison Pathfinder commercial.
I had a play with the balance using an engine crane and electronic scales and using the original A frame location she is almost 230 kg lighter so she will be returned to original chassis length before she goes in for rego again.

Im also going to use early series Land Rover tail lights etc for the resto as they fit and look the part.

Interesting, Do you mean the previous owner shortened the drawbar. Wouldn't lengthening make it easier to lift. (think of lifting the same weight, but with a much longer helper bar. Or trying to lift the from from half way downt he AFRAME).

It sounds like it has some seriously heavy gear in the front of the 'van loading the drawbar. Isn't the load leveller designed to lift 450kg ( think loaded back of car, people in the back seat and what ... 150kg ? on the drawbar). so should lift the trailer ok after a 10minute drive.

I wonder where the drawbar weight is coming from ? Does it have full underslung water tanks forward of the axle ?

I moved my fathers caravan a while back with the tongue I welded to the rangies bullbar. I flattened the springs like pancakes..... the axles on the 'van were waaaaaayyyyy to far back. I reckon it must have had 300+kg (empty) on the drawbar. Absolutely ridiculous. I had to use a trolley jack to get it back off the hitch.

seeya,
Shane L.

No they lengthened it about 16 inches using rolled flat bar 5mm thick and then welded a huge ring to the end to try and fab a pintle hook setup, the water tank which was at the front is gone but theres quite a bit of junk on the front wall including an old sink, the interior is Masonite and the roof at the front has been patched with sheet steel and id guess a carton of J cart silicone.

The A frame is like a truck chassis in size and gauge of steel too and I have to jack it up to hook on with a trolley jack as I cant budge the thing.

Im stripping it out in a few weeks to store parts, tools and my Work benches so I'll find some of the weight drops but as a single axle and with an epic spec frame im not holding my breath.
Either way the jerry rigged extension comes off so I can make it look legit.

This shows a bit more.

Originally Posted by tony66_au

No they lengthened it about 16 inches using rolled flat bar 5mm thick and then welded a huge ring to the end to try and fab a pintle hook setup, the water tank which was at the front is gone but theres quite a bit of junk on the front wall including an old sink, the interior is Masonite and the roof at the front has been patched with sheet steel and id guess a carton of J cart silicone.

The A frame is like a truck chassis in size and gauge of steel too and I have to jack it up to hook on with a trolley jack as I cant budge the thing.

Im stripping it out in a few weeks to store parts, tools and my Work benches so I'll find some of the weight drops but as a single axle and with an epic spec frame im not holding my breath.
Either way the jerry rigged extension comes off so I can make it look legit.

This shows a bit more.

Now that is pretty cool... It's an old bunk 'van ! How on earth is a single axle holding it up if it's that heavy

It tows straight enough but the chassis is huge, has a fairly decent set of leaves under it too but not knowing a lot about late 50's to early 60's commercial vans all I can go on is childhood memories of MMBW and PMG vans of the era which also had one large wheel with a ring welded on the rim for chaining down.
You say its a Bunk Van which gives me something to look for inside re mounting holes etc and I'll take some interior shots in a few days for more clues if you like but unless they patched the holes well theres no signs of any bunks having been fitted although the window config definitely suggests it.

What an absolute ripper of an idea!
I've been contemplating a similar storage/workshop/hobby storer situation but had no clear cut solution until now.

What is the length and width of such a caravan if you don't mind please?

Originally Posted by Grumbles

What an absolute ripper of an idea!
I've been contemplating a similar storage/workshop/hobby storer situation but had no clear cut solution until now.

What is the length and width of such a caravan if you don't mind please?

Its 2360 wide by 6350 in the body and the internal height is a good 6 1/2 feet at my guess.
On wheels no permit required and it will be more secure than a shed.

I will be tidying it up externally too and will try to keep it 60's ish (Hence series LR lights on the rear and sides)

The windows are mostly perspex and if they come apart easily I will replace them with slightly smoked perspex, the front and rear windows are glass though and seals are stuffed so I'll get creative with them in Perspex too.