🖼️
The project:
My husband and I renovated this 1972 Viscount Royal caravan from top to bottom! He tackled all the heavy lifting—stripping the interior, recladding walls and ceiling, painting, and rebuilding—while I led the design and project management. It took plenty of creativity and on-the-go adjustments to turn our vision into a functional, lightweight home on wheels, giving this 54 year old caravan a new life!
We are proud of the result! When finished we named her “Enid” (after Enid Blyton’s Five Go Off in a Caravan), which is exactly what we do now with our three daughters. Adventure awaits!
- Materials:
Lots of Sika 600ml White Sikaflex 11FC Purform
Otter 4.8 x 9.6mm Sealed Aluminium Blind Rivets
Makita 115 x 1 x 22.23mm Inox Cutting Disc
Josco 75mm Twistknot Cup Brush
Josco 125mm Twistknot Wire Wheel Brush
Josco 125mm Purple Multi Strip Disc
Full Boar 115mm 40 80 120 Grit Zirconia Flap Disc
Senso DIY Essential Walnut Clear 2m Sheet Vinyl
Specrite 2400 x 900 x 33mm Timber Multi Use Pine Panel
140 x 30mm 2.4m General Purpose Pine Dressed Board
42 x 19mm 1.8m DAR Pine Premium - 1.8m
89 x 19mm 1.2m DAR Pine Standard
25mm 1.2m Tasmanian Oak Dowel
Sandleford 25mm White Round Flange - 2 Pack
Dulux 4L Vivid White Low Sheen Weathershield Exterior Paint - 4L - Tinted in a bright yellow for the bottom colour and a beige for the top
Dulux 4L 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat
White Knight Rust Guard 250ml Grey Cold Gal Primer Paint - Bought the chassis back to life!
Crommelin 1L Exterior Grade Brushable Waterproofer - 1L - This was a game changer for sealing the exterior
Cabots 1L Clear Gloss Benchtop Timber Finish
Lane 50 x 40 x 1.2mm Brass Plated Fixed Pin Easy Fit Hinge - 2 Pack
Lane 50 x 40 x 1.2mm Zinc Plated Fixed Pin Butt Hinge
1200 x 897mm 7mm Plywood Pine Premium BC Grade
Goliath 325mm 150N Black Gas Strut
Builders Edge 150mm White Gravity Vent
- Tools:
Ozito PXC 18V Cordless Drill and Impact Driver
Ozito PXC 18V Cordless Multi Function Tool
Ozito PXC 18V Cordless 125mm Random Orbital Sander
Ozito PXC 18V 115mm Cordless Angle Grinder
Ozito PXC 18V Paint Spray Gun
3x Ozito PXC 18V 8.0Ah Max Battery
Kango Blind / Pop Rivet Drill Adaptor
Bossweld MST101 100A MIG Stick and TIG Inverter Welder Starter Kit
- Step 1:
First, we removed the "custom roof rack" so the van would fit under the carport. Next, we completely gutted the interior to start fresh and plan our design layout. We then assessed the exterior—noting damaged panels, missing windows and roof vents, paint damage, and needed tyre/suspension upgrades. Luckily, the chassis was in great shape with only minor surface rust,and with this old van sporting a light weight aluminium C channel frame, there was absolutely no damage at all underneath all the water damaged linings!
- Step 2:
Once we stripped the van down to its shell, we shifted our focus to the exterior—making sure it was completely sealed and leak-proof to protect the upcoming interior build. We replaced the old suspension, welding brand new hangers onto the chassis with a BossWeld MST101 Mig Welder we picked up from Bunnings before adding the new rocker roller suspension, this included new hubs and electric breaks, break away safety system and new wheels and tyres. We repaired the side panels, completely replacing others with custom made aluminium sheeting to match the original Viscount log cabin profile, installed new stabiliser legs front and rear, removed all the windows and external trims and replaced every single pop rivet and screw. Finally, we gave the entire exterior a very extensive sand to remove copius amounts of very old silicone sealant and resealed every nook and cranny with UV safe Sikaflex polyurethane sealants to ensure really strong adhesions while maintaining flexability when on the road that would last.
- Step 3:
The van’s body was fully prepped and primed! setting a durable base for the upcoming paint job. To improve safety and keep weight to a minimum, all window glass was replaced with crystal-clear, shatterproof polycarbonate sheeting. We also stripped all trims and window casings back to bare aluminium before being resealed and reinstalled, welded additional support brackets to the chassis to mount brand-new front and rear entry steps, and fully overhauled the doors—removing and reviving the inner and outer hinges as these were a proprietary design that are not longer made, straightened out the door panels that had seen better days, replaced the inner door mesh to give maximum air flow on breezy summer days and fitted new gold plated security locks.
- Step 4:
Painting the exterior was a huge milestone for us. Using a combination of a traditional compressor spray gun and Ozito PXC 18V Paint Spray gun, we were able to achieve a smooth, professional finish, we applied a fresh palette using Dulux Weathershield Exterior paint that ultimately set the tone for our entire interior design aesthetic. Once it was primed and painted, we reinstalled the refreshed windows, doors, and exterior trims, sealing everything up tight. With the outside officially complete, the real transformation began—it was finally time to step inside and start building out the interior!
- Step 5:
With the interior prepped, it was time to lay down the foundations! For the flooring, we picked a timber-look vinyl roll from Bunnings—it gave us the cozy floorboard aesthetic we wanted while staying super budget-friendly, extremely light weight, effortless to clean, and tough enough to handle daily foot traffic. For the walls and ceiling, PVC panelling was the obvious choice. It’s lightweight (which helps keep our GVM down) and entirely water-resistant—giving us total peace of mind against potential leaks or moisture damage in the future. With the decisions made, we jumped right into installing the insulation and ceiling panels first. These tongue and groove style panels gave a super clean look, hiding all fixings within the grooves.
- Step 6:
Next up were the interior walls, and the PVC VJ style panelling completely transformed the space! The panels didn't just elevate the look of the entire van with a clean, cohesive finish—their hollow-core design also provided a surprising boost to our thermal insulation. The tongue and groove system was a breeze to work with, using the included clips and screws to snap each length securely into place. They were incredibly easy to trim down using an Ozito Multi-Tool and the round edges of the windows were smoothly routed out with an Ozito router allowing us to then easily clean up the edges with flexible PVC trim that was rivetted to the window frames. The ability to route the window holes out after mounting the wall sheets gave us absolutely seamless, glove-like fit.
- Step 7:
Then came the moment we had been waiting for: turning our long-imagined interior layout into reality! Bringing our vision to life required a serious amount of creative problem-solving and constant tweaking. To achieve the Hampton Beach aesthetic we wanted while keeping the van's total weight as low as possible, we upcycled furniture pieces into stylish, lightweight cabinetry. Naturally, this meant countless Bunnings runs for timber, hardware, and structural supplies to frame and secure everything firmly in place. We tackled the triple bunk area first. Using modified simple pine single bed frames as our foundation, we reinforced and stacked them using sturdy timber framing. To complete the nook, we built a custom ladder out of thick dowel, and utilised pine creating a neat divider that naturally separated the bunk space from the main bedroom area.
- Step 8:
With sleep space as a top priority, we moved straight to the main bedroom! We chose a double-sized bed frame—specifically picked so the van's second side door would stay 100% accessible and fully functional. To maximize every inch, we built a custom timber support frame underneath and installed heavy-duty gas struts from Bunnings. This created an effortless lift-up bed mechanism, unlocking a massive amount of hidden under-bed storage. To keep the design flowing seamlessly, we used offcuts of our leftover PVC wall panelling to neatly enclose the under-bed area. Once the bed was locked in, we tackled the bedroom cabinetry. We adapted lightweight furniture units, cutting them to fit together in a configuration to suit the exact contours of the space. We anchored everything securely with heavy-duty Tek screws to the strong aluminium frame to ensure nothing shifts while cruising down the road. For added functionality, we fitted thick dowel rods underneath and alongside the cabinets with wardrobe hanger brackets to create a stylish and easily accessible hanging space. To top it all off, we wall-mounted a TV for a touch of luxury and movie nights on the road!.
- Step 9:
Next up on the build list: the kitchen! We returned to our lightweight strategy, using furniture pieces as our cabinet units. To make them work over the wheel arch, we built custom timber framing underneath—raising, levelling, and anchoring them into a flush, rock-solid position. The real game-changer was the benchtop from Bunnings. The moment the Specrite Timber Pine Panel was fitted and sealed with Cabots Clear Gloss Benchtop Timber finish, it tied the entire space together into a cozy, functional kitchen. To finish it off, we used matching pine to build a sleek slat divider, subtly partitioning the kitchen from the main bedroom area keeping the layout feeling open and cohesive, while adding space for the Fridge and Air fryer/Oven. Sticking to what works we continued to utilise leftover PVC panelling and off cuts to enclose the framework underneath, before installing a stunning gold sink and gold tapware.
- Step 10:
The final internal piece of the puzzle was the dining and laundry space! We wanted a super functional layout that made the most of my Marketplace finds—which included a set of caravan couch cushions, a dining table, and a compact washing machine. Using our trusty Bunnings timber, we built custom lounge framing to fit the cushions perfectly, making sure to squeeze out every bit of hidden storage underneath. To maximize versatility, we designed a clever double-hinged plywood lid that folds out directly onto the dining table (which I refreshed with new vinyl). By laying the cushions across, the whole setup effortlessly transforms into an extra double bed! Taking the total sleep space for our van to 7! Right next to the lounge, we had just enough room left for our travel-sized washing machine and a hidden air conditioner. We boxed them in with a frame tall enough to enclose both fully, adding a small Bunnings vent so the AC can circulate cool or hot air throughout the van. To top off the unit, we fitted a matching Bunnings benchtop as a hinged lid—giving us easy access when needed, plus a cozy little Bar style table top to sit back and enjoy the view with a drink. Unsurprisingly, and with not much left we scrapped by and finished off the space using the very last pieces of our PVC wall panelling! And with that..
Enid was complete and ready to go off on her first adventure!.
