TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Please post your photos and descriptions of your Carawagon, Dormobile or Camper here.
2aWagonDave
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: South Yorks

TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by 2aWagonDave » Wed Nov 30, 2016 9:47 pm

Hi there.
Some of you may have seen me at Leafers at end of august. You may have seen pictures Robin put on when this one was purchased from ebay early in 2015.

Well. I've emptied and then remade the bed/sofa area....here's before and after:-
today 114.JPG
As you can see. I've added 70's 'Nathan' sideboard in the place of the missing original stuff. There are 2 in there now to utilise the drawers at the top, sliding cupboards to access the water containers and then manual pump to a sink and gas/electric cooking area on the other one.

The carawagon roof had to come off. It was rotten, like all of the wood inside.
Jun-Aug2015 047.JPG
and a cheap standard roof replaced it
Jun-Aug2015 165.JPG
My son was a little miffed when I chopped up his galvanised climbing frame and re-welded it together as a roof-rack. Once the wooden slats were stained and attached...and a £20 tent was purchased, he soon changed his mind. He loves climbing up there now, and we enjoy camping in it at the coast.
So, a good 18 months of using it and I now feel it's time to have a go at re-furbing the roof. I hope to do it justice and return it to how it should be.....but I must admit, I think i'll miss the practicality of using the roof-rack.
I've bought all the rubber seals now from the suggested supplier from this site....and I used the list that's posted on here. I now have a big bag of stuff.....I'll be getting the ply next week and we'll see how long it takes me. Might be slow due to Christmas and the cold....but here goes.
Pictures not quite in right order, but I've only had a computer a few weeks. I might get the hang of this.

Bye for now
David
Attachments
Jun-Aug2015 055.JPG
gossamer
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Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:34 pm
Location: Derbyshire (South End of it)

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by gossamer » Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:33 pm

Looking good.

I like the sofa thing, may I pinch dimensions for Chantelle sometime, please?
To infirmary and beyond!
RobW
Posts: 389
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:16 pm

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by RobW » Thu Dec 01, 2016 1:00 pm

Looks good.

You'll appreciate the pop up roof when moving around - it's way too low otherwise! Where's the cooker going?
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by RMS » Thu Dec 01, 2016 1:50 pm

Well done, it's looking good :cheers:

The lifting roof will make a big difference inside - as often said on here, it's great to be able to stand up to put your trousers on :neener:

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
2aWagonDave
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: South Yorks

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by 2aWagonDave » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:27 pm

Well. Predictable I suppose, but I didn't do anything over Christmas and New Year. Too busy doing what we all do at this time. Had a good go today though. I think I've found a great way to stop a roof leaking!......add an additional one!
DSC04354.JPG
Got the roof to a friends barn with more space than I've got and managed to strip it down. The new design probably has the roof a little high but the headroom will be good...plenty of room now to get my trousers on eh Robin?


DSC04393.JPG
It's nice to see that there potentially could be another Carawagon roof being re-furbed and having pictures posted at a similar stage to mine. I'll try to complement the other chap's pictures during the build if we end up moving at a similar speed....but it's more likely he'll move faster and I'll be using his as a resource...we'll see. Meanwhile, here's mine with all the wooden bits stripped.
DSC04403.JPG
Had fun so far....Happy New Year to all.

David
2aWagonDave
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Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: South Yorks

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield - Carawagon Re-furb.

Post by 2aWagonDave » Sat Jan 28, 2017 6:13 pm

Got a little further...but really only a little...too cold to be working on it really.

I've stripped the rivets out of the long hinges and in an ideal world I think I'd like to buy new ones. Does anyone know of a supplier? I'm fairly confident that these will be able to be used if cost or availability is a problem.
DSC04458.JPG
The metalwork on the roof is quite primitive but I was surprised how well it copes with the passage of time. It will clean up quite nicely I think.
DSC04465.JPG
I've used the old rotten wood as a loose guide/pattern and made the basic shapes for the roof-rack supports and the front cross piece. It's from a sheet of 18mm marine ply. Big decision now is how to treat it. I've bought ronseal yacht varnish but I'm still wondering if I want to stain it first. The old stuff was quite dark....and I've seen lots of pictures of lots of dark ones...but then again, I've seen Robins lighter woodwork up close......some thinking to do. Another decision is whether to cut the shape out of the rack supports. How much weaker will it be? Are the holes there for air to pass through.....and exactly how many more mpg will I get with the reduced drag?
DSC04527.JPG
DSC04530.JPG
.no...not a serious question!

There were no grooves in the front and rear cross pieces I took off so no sign of any rubber. No wonder the interior rotted away if there were no seals. I've seen on here one method of cutting those grooves with a hand made jig on the bottom of a circular saw. I had a go with a work bench and circular saw bolted underneath it but I made a right mess of the test pieces. I'll experiment with my router next and see how I go. The circular saw feels a bit vicious.

That's it for now....slow progress and I've not got to the tricky bit yet with the long sides and the internal folding pieces. I'm worried about it either being too slack and leaky...or too tight and unable to push up.....but.....spring will come and I'll want to be using it.....but with which roof on? We'll see.
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by RMS » Sat Jan 28, 2017 6:47 pm

Some nice work going on there :cheers:

The seals on the 'rest' pieces and on the end pieces changed over the years.
Both Patrick's and my first Carawagon had 'tadpole' seals inserted into a slot:

Image

Here's my patented slot cutter which worked really well :gold:

Image

My two other Carawagons had different seals which didn't need a slot - they were nailed through the bottom 'flap' you can see here:

Image

We replaced our hinges with stainless. The original hinges were aluminium wrapped around a steel hinge rod! Not good for staying corrosion free!
I really can't remember where we got them from, but I do remember you can get them un-drilled, or drilled. Unless you are sure the hole spacing is the same as your roof holes, best to get the un-drilled ones, I think.
If I find the supplier I'll let you know.

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
2aWagonDave
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: South Yorks

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by 2aWagonDave » Sat Jan 28, 2017 6:57 pm

Wow! Live reply....this has got exciting Robin. I should have got a computer years ago!

I've bought the 'tadpole' seal for the rest pieces.....looks like a 3mm groove required.
As for the hinges, it just seems a shame to refurb good new wood and leave in shabby hinges...so cheers for the prospect of stainless via a supplier unknown for now.

David
2aWagonDave
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:36 pm
Location: South Yorks

Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield. Carawagon Re-Furb

Post by 2aWagonDave » Wed Feb 01, 2017 5:33 pm

Had a play-day today. Didn't actually achieve loads as all I did was cut the grooves in the end rest pieces.....but it was making the tool that took all the time. Hopefully, my method will be sufficiently slightly different to Robin's and I won't be facing a moment in court.....I reckon it's sufficiently different!?

I used the off-cut from the curve of the rest pieces and fixed the guide sides. Clamped it in the work table and screwed the base plate of the circular saw to the underside of the bench.

It's made the job very steady and spot on accurate, so the tadpole rubber seal will fit in lovely now.
DSC04532.JPG
DSC04533.JPG
DSC04535.JPG
At this rate, having only one morning a week to work on it, I'll not be camping in it anytime soon....well....not with the correct roof on anyway. Still smiling though......bye for now.
David
romanyrose
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Re: TWO (at least)in Sheffield.

Post by romanyrose » Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:02 pm

G'day matey, i have to thank you for putting up the pictures of how you achieve what you do, seeing how easy you make it look makes me think as usual i am doing thing's the hard way.

Watch-Listen and learn but that was with engines etc, wood work to me is something that doesn't come easy so i am watching this space and that goes for you to Robin :wink: .

Catch you later. R-Rose :tiphat: .
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