I got an email last night from Workshop with a few Caravan reno threads so thought I'd add a thread of my own now that I've made a bit of progress on it. I've been working on this little 10ft York caravan for just over a year, mostly just me but hubby helps with the mechanical side (he also rebuilt the chassis as he's a boily) and if I need a second pair of hands like when I put the ceiling up.
I don't have a trade, I am self taught and follow a lot of other renos on FB and Instagram. The only tradie I will get in will be the electrician to hook up a few power points and add a safety switch, I won't be fitting gas so no need for a fitter.
You'll see many items in the below photos from Bunnings, I almost live there. 😏
This is where I'm up to now and will post more photos as I get the next stages done. Hope you like it 😄
Fantastic work @twocutekelpies, many thanks for sharing your first project on the site.
I'm sure our growing cohort of caravan renovators and the rest of the Workshop community will really enjoy seeing your progress. Let me tag @Peggers as I know he will be particularly keen to see your handiwork.
Jason
Thanks Jason 😄
I'm loving the challenges she's throwing at me. Admittedly this is my second caravan reno, the first was a 23ft Viscount which was also a full gut and rebuild but nowhere near to this extent.
Cheers
Shelley
Awesome Shelley (@twocutekelpies). Would love to see photos of your Viscount project if you've got any.
I assume you've seen Rob's How to renovate a caravan series (although you might be too advanced for it!) and some of his projects on the site? I love his Kerouac-themed van.
I have seen his threads, very nice work 😀
I completed this one 3 years ago and it took me about 16mths as I wasn't working at the time and had a lot to learn. I sold it shortly after and bought a smaller Viscount, that one is still a work in progress. 🙂
Before and after paintingComplete reseal done after painting Pre-reno, looks great but a lot of water damage around windows, bottom corners, around hatches etc I removed all of the interior lining, something I wouldn't recommend for a sandwich panel caravan knowing what I know now. Old vinyl floor also taken up in strips
I built an island bed with gas struts and porta potti drawer (for storing only) I made all 35 cupboard doors and drawer fronts
There was originally 2 single beds at the front so I built them back in with an option to change to an eastwest double if required. The middle cupboard has a hinged top so can still be accessed when the bed is across. I did all the upholstery too.
Wow, that photo of the rust and all the things living in the old van is amazing @twocutekelpies!
Looking forward to seeing how it comes together.
Thanks @redracer01 and @Kermit 😄
Treasure found in amongst the thick layer of mouse and roach poo in the overhead cupboards While we had the chassis off, these guys took up temporary residence on a shelf. The mess in the ceiling from the mice, there was also evidence a snake had been living in there.
I still have a few things to build, ie kitchen bench area, bedside cupboard, table etc but who can resist a good sale? I went to Spotlight yesterday and picked out my cushion and curtain materials, fabric choices are not my strong suit but the staff were very helpful so I was in and out of there pretty quickly. And the best part was, they were both on clearance so I paid $5/m for great quality fabric!
Thanks for joining in the discussion and sharing your experience @HandyH. Great to see you make your first post! We look forward to reading more about your plans and projects soon. Please feel free to post anytime you need a hand or have something to share.
Today I've been having fun with the Permastik magnetic insect screens from Bunnings.
Hi There, My daughter has AN OLD CARAVAN that she has been working on now for some time she also has condition called FIBROMYALGIA that stops her enegy leavels .What I would like to know is Do you have a Work shop in christchurch so she can contact like minded people as she sometimes find it a struggle. Sereena is my daughter. Thanks Rosemary [MUM]
Hi Rosemary @echopepper18
I don't know of any work shops as such but I know there's quite a few like minded people on facebook. I'm in a few caravan renovation groups and there are a lot ideas thrown around and everyone is very encouraging. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to put links up but there's 2 main groups (fix it or renovate that caravan and caravan renovations), mainly Aussie but there are a few New Zealanders in there, they may have an idea of other groups over there. 🙂
Hi Rosemary (@echopepper18)
Welcome to Workshop, a community for D.I.Y. and gardening discussion. Your daughter will be more than welcome to join our community. We have wonderful people sharing helpful advice and inspiration every day. I'm sure she would get plenty of support and engagement for her caravan renovation. @Peggers's How to renovate a caravan series would be a good place to start.
A little more progress to report. I've made my own blinds and hung the side ones, I still haven't tackled the big front and back windows with the magnetic flyscreens yet, putting them up is definitely a 2 person job.
I've also built the first lower cupboard. I'll put a bench top on this once I've done the kitchen side. I've used FJ pine stapled together with wide crown staples using the same construction methods as used during the 70s and 80s and maybe still today (I haven't pulled a newer van apart to see 😏 ). I've added a few screws where I couldn't staple both sides of the pieces and I've only used glue to put the ply on, no glue in the joins.
Out of interest, I weighed this cupboard as it stands there with the ply lining and it weighed 6.5kg, a similar sized flatpack cupboard weighs 19.2kg. Weight and weight distribution is very important when rebuilding the interior, I try to stick to the same layout as original as close as I can, I believe that's the weight and distribution that caravan was built to take. I hope this helps anyone embarking on a similar project. 😊 Follow me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/twocutekelpies/ 😁
For some reason, I'm unable to post any more photos on my original thread so I hope it's ok to put this up with before and current photos of my almost complete little caravan rebuild. My boilermaker hubby did the chassis work and I had an electrician fit off the 240v wiring but the rest is all me learning as I went. I hope you like it 😊
I have more details of the build in my other thread.
Many thanks for the comprehensive update Shelley (@twocutekelpies). How exciting that the caravan is almost complete! Do you have your first trip planned?
Sorry that you seem to have had trouble making your post. I've merged it with your original thread so members get all the context and see everything together. I will send you a private message to try to better understand why you weren't able to add photos.
Thanks again,
Thanks for fixing that up Jason. No trip planned just yet, I do have another little caravan in the pipeline ready to have her own rebuild though 😎
What great work on something I would have thought impossible,😲 well done!
You have more skills than me in that reno. I wouldn't know where to start and the confidence to go with it.
Great photo storyline, thanks for sharing 👍
🍻 @bergs
Hi @twocutekelpies,
Hope you are staying safe and well.
There has been a real spike in interest in caravans this year for obvious reasons. Did you complete your renovation project? It would be great to see some final shots if you are able to share them.
Please let us know if you need anything.
Thanks,
Hi Jason, safe and well here in QLD thankfully. I'm afraid I've been AWOL between work and renovating and will have to catch up posts on here. 🤗 I finished the little York last month and she passed registration with no real issues except that because of the new drawbar, she's now registered as a 2020 Homebuilt, which is unfortunate but at least registered and road ready. She was also sold a week after completion to a lovely young couple who bought it as an anniversary present for themselves.
I'm now onto my next project, a 15ft 1977 Millard. Nothing really to report on that yet, at the moment I'm just working on getting outside watertight and painted and restoring the windows.
Original paint removal with a Josco nylon wheel Most windows broken and/or not working Completely disassembled, cleaned and ready for painting Original piece on top, cleaned with nylon wheel in the middle, bottom painted with aluminium spray paint (after etch primer) Not quite finished but looking so much better, only 6 more to go.
Fantastic work @twocutekelpies. I'm sure that lucky couple will have loads of great experiences and make plenty of happy memories with the van. Congratulations and many thanks for sharing an update with the community. We are really looking forward to seeing what you tackle next.
Stay safe,
