Thread: Caravans - new V old

I have a Golf Pop Top that is over 20 years old - its built like a brick outhouse. Very heavily galved chassis and semi offroad clearance. Everything fits nicely and finish is excellent - very good cabinet making. BUT you have to like teak veneer. If you dont, you will look for lighter coloured modern vans. Personally I like the darker coloured wood - massive amounts of light can be let in. It has a tropical roof that you can unzip all around and all the usual windows in addition. Excellent to tow with rugged independent suspensions. If you get these 16 footers in good condition they go for around $10,000 - $15,000 depending on gear and maintenance and they are an absolute bargain. The original fridge is Sweedish and a cheap seal replacement on the door seal sees excellent performance. The paint is in excellent condition. The 12 volt wiring to the fridge was light on - I had to increase gauge to get it from 11.volts at Fridge to 13v when connected to the vehicle - I dont know if modern vans are better wired for 12v. I have added solar panels, RedArc DC to DC charger and FullRiver bat in a bat compartment. It has LPG standard and accepts 240v. The double bed is comfortable and well built. There is heaps of cupboard storage space. There were no 12v sockets as standard, but they are very easy to add and I have added 2 and 2 double adaptors for each. It doesnt leak. I doubled the space with an Aussie Traveller annexe with anti-flap.

Personally I dont see the benefit in new vans of the same length. I certainly dont imagine a new Jayco pop top having the same life span as the old Golfs.

Cheers

Sometimes you have to wonder .... We went an looked at a big early 80's twin axle caravan for my brother yesterday. It has a bunk room at the front, main queen sized bed room at the back..... We have a good look around it... I notice the lack of over-run brakes, so ask if the electric brakes work well..... Get this ..... This guy said "Oh, I've never worried about that, we just tow it with our modern 4wd and it's fine".............. Yes, he's hurtling down the roads, towing a caravan that would tare way over 2tons ................ Without brakes He's never had a brake controller in anything, so just doesn't worry about it

Why more poeple don't die on the roads really is beyond me. Is it just me, or does everyone else think towing a massive full sized twin axle caravan without any brake is utter lunacy.... You'd never stop that bloody thing, infact just merely slowing it down would be incredibly difficult.

seeya,
Shane L.

That is crazy, but then you get the other end of the scale where people are so anal about towing I am surprised they get out the driveway.

I was following a big twin axle van, being towed buy a Paj(early shape) I noticed that he had no brake lights, so when I got the chance I pulled up next to him to tell him and as I did notice all the wiring was tied up around the draw bar, so I informed him of this also, thanks mate, he said, I didn't realise, and then this comment, I knew I forgot something

How could you not notice something like that

Baz.

Originally Posted by Redback

I was following a big twin axle van, being towed buy a Paj(early shape) I noticed that he had no brake lights, so when I got the chance I pulled up next to him to tell him and as I did notice all the wiring was tied up around the draw bar, so I informed him of this also, thanks mate, he said, I didn't realise, and then this comment, I knew I forgot something

How could you not notice something like that

Baz.

It must have had over-ride brakes........... 'cos you sure as **** would know without a doubt the 2nd you tried to stop the 'van brakes were out. Gee's I throw the bloody box trailer on and realise at the first touch of the brakes the reverse lever is in when I try to stop.

Even lightweight unbraked trailer feel "ok" to stop without brakes........ Try a crash stop though........ There's nothing there, you just lock everything and slide for bloody miles... It's not until you have to stop in a hurry you notice even a 6x4 will massively impact your stopping distance.

One gentle stop with a 2ton+ caravan behind you would heat your cars brakes so much you wouldn't be able to do it twice.

seeya,
Shane L.

How many people have you told they have a flat, I told 3 people in 2hrs on a trip south one day

Even I could hear the thump, thump, thump of the tyre from our car in the next lane

Baz.