New tin tent

[solarman216]

Hi all as above just won on fleabay a 1994 Lunar Saturn 5 berth van cheap and cheerful, as was going to hire one for the Enfield Pageant, this was not much more money than the hire and we get to use it again, so thought why not, pick it up tomorrow, picks will follow, Rick

[jims-terrano]

Nice one Rick, guess your back to normal again (what ever normal is:lol)

[solarman216]

Nice one Rick, guess your back to normal again (what ever normal is:lol)

thanks Jim, normal is not how I felt for 7 days, I rarely get ill not seen a doctor in 20 odd years but by heck it pulled me down, very glad to be over it and back to "normal" so got a 300 mile round trip tomorrow to pick it up, silly thing is there was a nice 2 berth in Bexhill that looked good at about the same money but no shower, and was very tempted but original add said it was re advertised due to someone hitting bye it now when there were issues so he took it off an re presented it, then while I was looking at it he removed it again as said inaccurate description, glad I did not get involved, I am happy with what I have got, pics when I get it home, Rick

[solarman216]

signing out now as early start tomorrow 10 am FFS 3 hours there 3 hours back should be in time for pub grub booked 6.30pm it is a hard life, Rick

[Lazy-Ferret]

welcome to the tin tent club Rick... if you get even half as much fun as we get out of ours, you will have some great times...

[Thomas61]

Pleased your feeling better mate, enjoy the drive and looking forward to the pics.

[panelbeater]

that will be good if someone needs work done on t2 and now you can do bb as well.:thumb2

[jims-terrano]

that will be good if someone needs work done on t2 and now you can do bb as well.:thumb2

That's posh that is, I was gonna bring my tent and a bottle of whiskey :thumbs

[rustic]

signing out now as early start tomorrow 10 am FFS 3 hours there 3 hours back should be in time for pub grub booked 6.30pm it is a hard life, Rick

I wonder where he is going to in 3 hours?

[solarman216]

I wonder where he is going to in 3 hours?

Bedford ish, Rick

[zippy656]

Just check your gas system rick. They normally leak

[solarman216]

Thanks Zipps, I will be going over it completely, as it has the makings of a good van, first is pic of front and nearside, the front cover is cracked and kept popping open so reinforcing needed here also there is a crack in the figlass over the A frame

[solarman216]

this is the off side, not so good here as water has got in the front and rear roof seems and done about 750 mm or so of damage at each end (both windows wobble) and the inside paneling will need replacing, someone has had a go at sealing the roof but not good enough for me, so that will be the first to sort, as for the rest, pretty up together, needs a good clean etc, has awnings big and small but not sure I will be interested in those, too much mucking about if you ask me

[solarman216]

inside front view,

[solarman216]

inside rear, the wc door lock is not working the entrance door lock is broke, some of the door catches do not hold, you know lots of the minor things that no one bothers with but make a difference at the end of the day, Rick

[solarman216]

good journey by the way 307 miles in total left at 10 held up on Dartford Xing for 20 mins on the way back (anyone know why) we were yards from the problem but saw nothing till a law car came the other way then we all started moving again but nothing there, anyway got back about quarter to six just enough time to take a few pics , get changed and down the pub for a steak sizler, yes I know the time imprint on the pics is an hour out, Rick

[jims-terrano]

Sounds like an easy if not time consuming fix for you Rick.

Look out for the aluminium pitting from the inside out if water has got in to the walls at all.

I used to use a product called silky for cleaning the outside, comes in a tub and you rub it on with a damp cloth. I also found some flexible sealing strip on a roll, I removed awning rail/gutter and ran the strip on the edge of the body and refitted the gutter on top of it. Worked for me.

[Lazy-Ferret]

inside rear, the wc door lock is not working the entrance door lock is broke, some of the door catches do not hold, you know lots of the minor things that no one bothers with but make a difference at the end of the day, Rick

Depending on what it looks like, I may have one of those door locks, I removed when my old van was written off...

[solarman216]

Sounds like an easy if not time consuming fix for you Rick.

Look out for the aluminium pitting from the inside out if water has got in to the walls at all.

I used to use a product called silky for cleaning the outside, comes in a tub and you rub it on with a damp cloth. I also found some flexible sealing strip on a roll, I removed awning rail/gutter and ran the strip on the edge of the body and refitted the gutter on top of it. Worked for me.

figured on that, have got a large roll of ali sheet if I need it and mastic galore, pop rivets etc, no worries, as for inside I can machine timber to any thickness I need and cut and fit new ply to panels then apply plastic covering to match or near match my emphasis will be on water proofing and strength, rather than cosmetic stuff, Rick

[solarman216]

Depending on what it looks like, I may have one of those door locks, I removed when my old van was written off...

Will take a pic tomorrow Clive, be handy if you do have one, Rick

[solarman216]

Door lock with barrel missing

[solarman216]

This bit falls off, but opens the door fine

[solarman216]

and this is the WC lock the bottom bar is missing, (might be in the van someplace) but it does not lock, ie push the button or pull the knob and it does not catch, just goes straight back again, have not looked yet so might be easy fix but my guess is something has broke off Rick

[briggie]

still got the big static rick ?

[solarman216]

still got the big static rick ?

yes mate, rented out, got this little one for Enfield Pageant in May, Rick

[solarman216]

OK started the refurb

[solarman216]

internal ply rot, thought originally that I would remove the polystyrene and replace it with polyurethane but proved far to difficult to remove the polystyrene so just removed the wet ply

[solarman216]

floor damp under plastic film so peeled this up to let it dry out, and proved sound

[solarman216]

rear end needs some TLC

[solarman216]

wc/shower not so bad, but stripped board anyway

[solarman216]

peeled roof back to replace some wet wood

[solarman216]

new wood on corner, fortunately I have a planer/thicknesser, so can make my own non standard wood from stock

[solarman216]

new panel to bedroom, no window cut out yet

[solarman216]

wc shower the same, used some safebond 80 that I must have had left over for 20 years plus and after testing it on some samples and after could not separate the two without pulling the surface off of the polystyrene

[solarman216]

roof dressed down and tacked with S/S staples, ready for the ali molding to be mastiked back into place with S/S screws

[solarman216]

that is all for now till the W/E Rick

[Blocky10]

Looks grand Rick. Any second hand caravan needs odd jobs doing. You'll make a palace out of it I'm sure. :thumbs

[Blocky10]

Bloody he'll. In the time it took me to write that you've put up more than odd job photos! Go on Rick. Show it who's the boss. :clap

[zippy656]

Rick I use this for rails
http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/v1/html/tradeseal_mshg.html

And

http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/v1/html/hp600_strip_sealant.html

And th is for bonding wallboard back


http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/v1/html/tradepur_ltm8.html

[jims-terrano]

Goodness Rick, I doubt anyone else would have bothered doing the extensive repairs. From your first description it didn't sound quite so bad.

Did you ever get a new door locking handle?

[solarman216]

Goodness Rick, I doubt anyone else would have bothered doing the extensive repairs. From your first description it didn't sound quite so bad.

Did you ever get a new door locking handle?

yes locks all sorted, I knew that the whole panel would need replacing as once water gets into the ply behind the plastic coating it travels much further than is visible, but given the time I could sort the whole van in a week, but as is just getting a few hours here and there will take a lot longer, Rick

[solarman216]

Got back on it today, rain most yesterday, not a lot but enough to make everything damp/wet, anyway window cut out and wood supports on although I will probably do away with the fold down 5th berth

[solarman216]

Ali cap on with plenty of mastic and S/S screws

[solarman216]

Roof puckered a bit but thin ali sheet is not very forgiving and it needed a bit of effort to pry the joints apart due to the mastic so inevitably it gets deformed a bit

[solarman216]

Fi glass rear panel repaired and now refitted, that is all till next W/E Rick

[makeitfit]

Good job Rick, nice to find prolonged shelf life goo . I always manage to find the ones that have gone off :o

[solarman216]

Have made inquiries but nobody seems to have have heard of it, so guess it has died even google does not bring it up, I am sure I have another tub of it in the barn!!!!!! but it acts just the same as any contact adhesive but can take some hours to get to the tacky/dry stage, Rick

[zippy656]

I get my glues from the glue people

http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/v1/html/caravan_repair.html

[solarman216]

I get my glues from the glue people

http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/v1/html/caravan_repair.html

thanks for that zippy but have enough of the safebond 80 and other mastics I can get local, Rick

[zippy656]

thanks for that zippy but have enough of the safebond 80 and other mastics I can get local, Rick

No worries

[solarman216]

Did a bit more today, made the fixed double bed at the rear, need a better mattress arrangement but this will do for now till we try it out, wanted a fixed bed as not into all the paraphernalia of shifting things around before we even make a bed, like to just crash into it without thought, bought and fitted a new pump for the Thetford cassette but does not work, old pump was def gone as removed it and put it straight on battery, tried to turn but just could not free it up, new one in, got power to the WC fuse OK so must be one of the micro switches playing up, trouble is I can only spend a short while kneeling down bending over and looking up unto this cassette hole and my bally hands are too big, Rick

[jims-terrano]

Don't blame you at all Rick, when we had a tourer we used to make the beds up before we set off. Often lived in the awning and left the beds made up too.

[Blocky10]

Don't blame you at all Rick, when we had a tourer we used to make the beds up before we set off. Often lived in the awning and left the beds made up too.

Same here. Right load of rigmarole setting up beds. Even worser rigmarole taking them down in the mornings.
Not sure of I'm making words up.

[solarman216]

Sorry no pics but tin tent coming along nicely all leaks sorted, some decorative stuff still to do inside but had a good day on it today, all electrics sorted, carver water heater works on gas and electric, after sorting rusted gas burner end plate, fridge works on gas, 12v and 240v, hob and grill just fine, shower and WC all sorted, just waiting for a new 13 way plug as mine cannot remove most of the screws and is corroded, but still works, also waiting for a 13 to12n/12s converter, plus maypole mirror extensions, got tidily little 700 watt genny but enough to power battery charger, and it is nice and quiet, also it will run the electric water heater but gas will be preferred, so all looking good for the Enfield Pageant and also the following W/e in Wiltshire, bout time we got away, Rick

[terranosaurusdoug]

Sorry no pics but tin tent coming along nicely all leaks sorted, some decorative stuff still to do inside but had a good day on it today, all electrics sorted, carver water heater works on gas and electric, after sorting rusted gas burner end plate, fridge works on gas, 12v and 240v, hob and grill just fine, shower and WC all sorted, just waiting for a new 13 way plug as mine cannot remove most of the screws and is corroded, but still works, also waiting for a 13 to12n/12s converter, plus maypole mirror extensions, got tidily little 700 watt genny but enough to power battery charger, and it is nice and quiet, also it will run the electric water heater but gas will be preferred, so all looking good for the Enfield Pageant and also the following W/e in Wiltshire, bout time we got away, Rick

On the gas burner, had it rusted itself closed? I found that problem on my fridge and was well chuffed at such an easy fix.

Will def need gas at foxhangers, don't know if you spotted it on website but the elec hook up can't take too much through it. I don't understand the ratings fully :D

[solarman216]

On the gas burner, had it rusted itself closed? I found that problem on my fridge and was well chuffed at such an easy fix.

Will def need gas at foxhangers, don't know if you spotted it on website but the elec hook up can't take too much through it. I don't understand the ratings fully :D

The burner issue was on the Carver water heater, oblong burner in stainless with a mild steel plate blanking the end, which had rusted away completely, had a nice roring flame hitting the ali casing but as the flame sense electrode was not getting a good flame it shut down, all sorted, re Foxhangers it will run the fridge and probably the water heater as it only draws 650 watts, Rick

[terranosaurusdoug]

The burner issue was on the Carver water heater, oblong burner in stainless with a mild steel plate blanking the end, which had rusted away completely, had a nice roring flame hitting the ali casing but as the flame sense electrode was not getting a good flame it shut down, all sorted, re Foxhangers it will run the fridge and probably the water heater as it only draws 650 watts, Rick

Nice one :thumb2

On my fridge the burner is just a tube with three slits in it, they had rusted closed, nice easy fix

[Banshee]

Wait till Panelbeater sees this, he'll blow his load :lol

[solarman216]

Wait till Panelbeater sees this, he'll blow his load :lol

??????, Rick

[Banshee]

??????, Rick

The caravan project thread and the general good handywork.

He loves his caravans!!!

[solarman216]

The caravan project thread and the general good handywork.

He loves his caravans!!!

Ah OK, Rick

[solarman216]

Well having now tried it out, I can say I am well pleased, still have a few niggles to sort out but overall well happy, Rick

[zippy656]

What niggles rick?

[solarman216]

Found that the granular carbon filter in the water supply had leaked carbon bits into the system and blocked the check/pressure valve, stripped and cleaned it but needs replacing really as screw holes are cracking, also system needs cleaning now, the auto vent on the Thetford cassette is missing so when you pick it up it leaks if near full, got some broke window stays, and some door catches do not hold the doors closed when traveling, got a couple of loose body to chassis mounting bolts loose at the front, will need to cut them off and replace, that is about it really, Rick

[solarman216]

Tidied a few odd jobs today getting ready for the off on Friday to the Wilts meet, Rick