# New toy has finally arrived.......



## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Finally, after finding a mutually convenient date, our new toy has been delivered...........

Now the stock take on what needs to be done can go ahead!!

A little body restoration methinks to begin with.........

Wish us luck!!

Carl & Flo


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not sure if congrats is the right word, but if all else fails, I know a man who has a .........

Good luck, play nicely and don't fall out.

Kev.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Thats more than a weekend job Carl.

Lets have progress reports.

i once started to restore an mga.

After 3 years of taking up space herself sold it while i was out looking for some bits.

Dave P


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

How long did serve Dave?

Kev


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## chrisgreen (Jan 13, 2008)

i love it.
i would love to get me hands on an old camper and do a resteration job on it.
good luck and keep us updated.

cheers chris


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

More than a weekend???? Definitely!!!

From a cursory glance we need:
new wings
bonnet
front valance
2 x doors
metal welding into windscreen surround
2 x wheelarches
front grille

and on the caravan part:
roof removing
ali skins removing
both lower side skins (below the windows) replacing
ali skin to left of rear door replacing
woodwork frame below windows replacing where needed
overcab woodwork replacing

full overhaul of engine, transmission, axles, brakes etc.

As you can imagine, this list is not exhaustive.....we have yet to get her into the workshop for a full check.

We hope to begin work this October once we get back from France. I am lucky in that Flo is as keen as I am to get her back to rude health.

The intention is to restore her back to as 'factory fresh' as possible - including orange seat covers and large sunflowery curtains!!!! I think we might concede to installing 240v power and a blown air heating system.....

We will start a blog soon, just as soon as we can figure out how to post pictures!!!

These are scans of what we hope to achieve!!!

Carl & Flo


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

...........and the rear cover of the brochure.........


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

got any piccies of the interior of her ?


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Interior as is at the moment........

About 50% of the 'printed simulated wood' veneer will need to be replaced as it is either very worn on the edges or badly scuffed / damaged on the face. We are thinking that maybe a Formica veneer would work?

All the original furniture is still there - made from printed hardboard on 10mm square pine frames (very light). No hot water systems on a van of this age (only the more expensive Landliner and similar had that).


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

We had Dormobile CF Freeway back in late 1972 but I always lusted after the Bedoin. Does yours have that pokey 2.3 litre lump? The gearbox selector mech was prone to wear and it was possible to get it in first and something else at the same time resulting in locked up drive and a gearbox out job. We eventually changed the gearbox at about 80K miles having previously taken it apart, found nothing wrong and re-assembled it. There was a tendancy for the carb to freeze up on long runs and make her cough, stop for a cuppa and the engine heat thawed everything out and we were on our way once more.
If you need to replace the rear wheel bearings (or if they have been replaced) you need to be sure that the press on collar was replaced with new when the bearings were changed. If the old collar was re-used then the half shafts would work their way out - with the wheel attached - and when the spline came out of the diff you lost drive. This happened to us at a set of traffic lights in Reading. We got the AA to pick us up and drop the van on the garage forecourt that did the work in the early hours. I was not amused - nor was the wife and kids! We only went into town for a burger with the local CBers.

But great fun, did France, Italy many times and at that time sooo much better than the Transit offering. 
I think she is dead now but it was NOR 808L

C.


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## Richard_the_Rogue (Jun 11, 2009)

I'll have two '99's and a penny slider, please.

Oh, it's not an ice-cream van...

:wink:


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

The number of times I heard that comment about my dad's Bedouin when I was a kid.................

We used to live opposite the junior school I attended, and when he first had it nearly all the kids asked why we had an ice-cream van parked on the drive :evil: 

They had never even heard of a motor caravan let alone seen one before!!!


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## Richard_the_Rogue (Jun 11, 2009)

I'm just jealous. My Chinook doesn't really qualify for the title of 'classic', it's in that twilight zone- neither fashionably new, nor fashionably classic  

When I say what it is, I occasionally get asked where the twin rotors are...


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

I disagree Richard - your Chinook is becoming quite rare these days!!

Although a top quality 'van when new, they were built in the fashion of the day with vulnerable corners where damp could and does get in.

Finding one in good, unmolested condition would be an achievement. The few I have seen on fleabay were pitiful.....

The twin rotors would make it shift a bit!!!!

Look after her.........


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## Waleem (Nov 1, 2006)

That is really nice Carl and Flo! Good luck in the restoration. Regarding the fake veneer, Fablon do a range of woodgrains, one of which I have successfully used on areas in my van in the past.

We bought a 1967 Austin 250JU Cotswold coachbuilt for restoration a few years ago, but it was a bit beyond us so we sold it on-and it was completely restored by the guy we sold it to.


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## Richard_the_Rogue (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, Carl & Flo, maybe I should look after her then. The Autotrail bits of my Chinook are in really pretty good condition for their age, there was a small spot of damp at one corner of the luton at some stage but a previous owner has fixed that. The Citroen cab is a different story and is suffering from rot around the bumper and wheel arches. Your van looks pretty good for it's age, mechanically and bodywork-wise, so you seem to have a good starting point to work from. It certainly looks like a great project so have fun with her.

Cheers,

Richard.


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## advancedroadcraft (Jun 24, 2009)

Carl_n_Flo said:


> Finally, after finding a mutually convenient date, our new toy has been delivered...........
> 
> Now the stock take on what needs to be done can go ahead!!
> 
> ...


Thank goodness for that...someone with worse bodywork than mine! (But mine is bigger, so more work.)

I'm allowing the best part of a year as mechanicals & habitation need work as well.

I wish you the best of luck with your restoration.

Best, B


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

The very best of luck, Carl. Those brochure scans you posted so reminded me of my dad's homebuilt Ford Thames, and then later a Commer ... something (it was blue  ) I think if he were still around today, his eyes would pop out looking around my van 8O 

Gerald


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Carl my first motorhome was a on a Bedford CF.

One advantage was that the wheels were at each corner making both the on and off road handling pretty good for a vehicle of its age. Had to rebuild the propshaft. Is it the 2.3l petrol lump? (apologies if you have already said)


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

advancedroadcraft said:


> Carl_n_Flo said:
> 
> 
> > Finally, after finding a mutually convenient date, our new toy has been delivered...........
> ...


Cheers B - we are looking forward to it..........
A couple of years ago I was looking into buying either a Southwind or a Pace Arrow. What put me off was the shocking state of the chassis on some of the ones I looked at. The other worry was delamination of the side walls......

Ok - the beddy is rusty I will admit....but it is not our main 'van :lol:

Good luck with the work on yours - post up some progress pics, i am sure they will generate interest......
regards
Carl


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

geraldandannie said:


> The very best of luck, Carl. Those brochure scans you posted so reminded me of my dad's homebuilt Ford Thames, and then later a Commer ... something (it was blue  ) I think if he were still around today, his eyes would pop out looking around my van 8O
> 
> Gerald


Flo and I are lucky in that our parents are still around and yes, they cannot believe how vans have come on since their day.
My dad comes with me 2 or 3 times a year in our Autotrail as we use it as a base at model boat shows - he loves it!!!

Flo's parents have an 18 year old Eriba-Car......a sort of down-market Hymer. They will not be parted from it....


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> Hi Carl my first motorhome was a on a Bedford CF.
> 
> One advantage was that the wheels were at each corner making both the on and off road handling pretty good for a vehicle of its age. Had to rebuild the propshaft. Is it the 2.3l petrol lump? (apologies if you have already said)


Hi Frank - yes it is the 2.3 slant 4 'Torrey Canyon' engine. Probably good for a steady 50mph (so long as no headwind) :lol:

After being stored in a barn since 1997, all it needed was a little fresh petrol fed directly into the carb and it started no problem - didnt even change the plugs. I dont recommend gravity feeding petrol from a 5 litre plastic can and syphon tube for too long tho.... :roll: The main fuel tank will need a good clean out as the old fuel has gone like resin.........


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

The fun begins    

Had a 'nod' that a guy is breaking a Bedford up Brummie way.......

Chatted on the phone - result is that I visit on saturday to acquire 2 doors, grille, vallance, cab trim, seats, seat boxes and, hopefully, the metal front windscreen frame (so that I dont have to fabricate sections of metal to replace rusty bits!!!).

Will let you know how I get on when I get back   

regards
Carl


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

So!!! 

Van is now in the workshop and the fun begins!!! 

All I am doing at the moment is stripping all the rotten and unwanted panels and fittings out of the cab so as to get back to basic metal. Once all the crud has been removed, the engine and front axle will be removed....


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Once the screen was removed, the full extent of the rot to the frame was visible - and it appears that it is confined to the passenger lower corner only....

The headlamp panels, however, are completely shot and will need to be re-fabricated....


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

We had a neighbour who did the same, but some time ago now, but as I was working for a Vauxhall dealer I got him parts cheaper.We also helped him locate an engine and g/box from a VX4/90 which had an overdrive.This made it perform much better.Oh yes we put the wheels from the VX4/90 on as well.

cabby


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Cor I wish I could fix stuff. I bet it's superb when finished. I would like a commer caravenette. My mate had one a 1967 model In The 80's and 11 of us used to go to Ireland fishing in it. We would hire a motor cruiser for couple of weeks and 5 would sleep in the van and 6 on the boat. How we got away with it I will never know but i really would love a fully restored one

look forward to seeing the end product


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

I wish you the best of luck, Carl. Not for me, I'm afraid - I like my modern conveniences (and convenience :wink: ) too much. I admire people like you who can look at something like this, and attack the work needed.

Please keep us posted. Are you keeping an diary of the work? Maybe an online blog? It would be fascinating.

Gerald


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

geraldandannie said:


> Please keep us posted. Are you keeping an diary of the work? Maybe an online blog? It would be fascinating.
> 
> Gerald


Cheers Gerald - I tought I HAD started an online blog on this site....can't remember :? :?

I will have a gander to find it - if not then I will take up your suggestion and start one. Probably easier than trying to post pictures on the thread,,,

Thanks,
Carl


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