Have a word: Vintage Caravans

[Alexg]

Cheers for the advise and that. Those fold away ones looks rather ace, although initially something like this is what I had in mind...

 

 

...I figure an E-series Allegro VDP would have the necessary about it to tug one of these about without any bollocking around. Although I now get the 'Kidson tax' thing mentioned here; I've just found a spent auction for one of these with Kidson-esque décor and trinkets that made best part of £1500! Feck that, I thought it'd be £500-ish, but there we go.

[Cavcraft]

[dave21478]

Pretty much anything will tow a folding caravan as they are pretty light and more importantly, they have a minimal front surface area to catch the wind, which makes more of a difference than you would imagine.

There are basically two kinds of folders - rigid walls, which fold up into a basic caravan shape, and trailer tents which are generally even smaller when folded and fold out to something larger than a caravan. Rigid ones are obviously a bit more pleasant in bad weather as trailer tents are literally just tents and much more prone to leaks and wind flapping it all about.

 

On any caravan, young or old, check for damp. Its been covered before, but pretty much everywhere....around and especially under all windows and door, all corners where wall meets ceiling and any other external seams. Its not difficult to fix properly, but a rotten caravan is a proper misery. Many old vans look sound at first glance but are rotten to the point where the walls are barely joined to the floor and chassis.

 

Check the rubber seals around the windows. Many stuff from the 80`s used seals made from grey rubber which by now will have set solid and quite often glues the windows shut. black rubber seals are generally better and stay flexible for longer. Older stuff will have single glazed flat glass windows, which in a pinch you can replace with perspex or get a glazier to cut a bit of glass for you. Newer stuff steps up to double glazed plastic. These can be unobtanium if broken though, so check for cracks etc.

 

Check the gas system carefully and if in doubt, get it inspected by an actual professional like wot I used to be. People will happily pay out for some corgi gas installer to fix their home boiler but baulk at paying for a safety check for their caravan. A tin box lined with plywood and polystyrene and filled with nylon furnishings is not the place to have a faulty gas appliance.

 

Tyres will likely be shagged - change them as a matter of course unless they are less than 5 years old and if there is the slightest sign of perishing. Tyres dont like sitting for 11 months then suddenly doing 300 motorway miles. A blowout can be nasty and is likely to shred the floor and often interior of the caravan.

 

Dealers wont (or shouldnt) sell anything old as its illegal to sell a caravan that doesnt have flame retardant cushions. However some places will sell old trade-ins cheap without the cushions or may be amenable to an off-the-books cash sale.

 

As mentioned above, gluten-free hipsters have hoovered up most of the bargains to convert into writing studios at the bottom of their gardens or to turn into mobile vans selling lactose-free, fair-trade, ethically sourced home knitted jackets for cats at craft fairs, so you need to keep your eyes peeled and be ready to move quickly if you spot one.

[vulgalour]

You need a man's 'van, a Vickers Gin Palace.

 

 

I want one of these so bad, but I'm neither of no fixed abode nor Liberace.

[vulgalour]

Or this charming wee thing.  I doubt you'll need to change anything to recreate that 70s holiday atmosphere.  Presently at a meagre £50.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-birth-caravan-/261706767452?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item3ceef05c5c

[DS20]

Please to consider a dehumidifier A caravan marinaded in damp is a truly minging thing.

[Richard]

There

 

You need a man's 'van, a Vickers Gin Palace.

 

 

 

I want one of these so bad, but I'm neither of no fixed abode nor Liberace.

 

There are thousands of pictures of that sort of thing here http://www.gypsytrailercaravans.webeden.co.uk/#

[scruff]

You need a man's 'van, a Vickers Gin Palace.

 

 

I want one of these so bad, but I'm neither of no fixed abode nor Liberace.

 

Our local cowboy-hat-wearing, 80s-Merc-7.5tonner-driving, horse-owning scrap metal collector lives in one of these on a byway near us.

[Cavcraft]

You need a man's 'van, a Vickers Gin Palace.

 

 

 

I want one of these so bad, but I'm neither of no fixed hair on the bottom half of my head, nor liberating the lead from the church roof.

 

Fixed that for you.

[MarvinsMom]

Our local cowboy-hat-wearing, 80s-Merc-7.5tonner-driving, horse-owning scrap metal collector lives in one of these on a byway near us.

 

Yep, a proper pikey palace that.

[sheffcortinacentre]

you should easily beable to tow a 12-13 ft one.

 

I tow a 11ft esterel folder with a 1600 auto Crayford Cortina with no probs.

[UltraWomble]

 

 

As mentioned above, gluten-free hipsters have hoovered up most of the bargains to convert into writing studios at the bottom of their gardens or to turn into mobile vans selling lactose-free, fair-trade, ethically sourced home knitted jackets for cats at craft fairs, so you need to keep your eyes peeled and be ready to move quickly if you spot one.

I wondered why I havent been able to find one. I want a cheap one myself to make into a spare bedroom for pissed up guests to stay in rather than kipping on the living room floor, basically rip out the interior and slap in an iKea bed and telly & kettle (they can piss up the hedge if they need a slash). 

A few years ago we got our first caravan out of the Quids in for £100. Twas pretty ace.

Traded it against Van 2 (below)

 

[chaseracer]

We want a static but the fees involved are scandalous.

 

While in the far east (of Lincolnshire) on the BX-alloys-collection-roadtrip with FPB7 a few weeks ago, I noticed an 'upmarket'* site was charging north of £2500.  A year.  In Skegness.

 

WTaF are these people smoking?

[mercrocker]

The big problem with folding caravans is you can't fold them up and store them if they are wet. British summer anyone?

Its difficult but CAN be done....Fold each side  in first and wipe thoroughly dry, then do one end and likewise.  Final end can be dried before the roof is dropped over the whole lot.  It needs two people, loads of towels and best followed up with a dry day to get it all out again.  PITA but we have done it loads of times without undue dampness getting in....

[Jon]

Plenty of people bring over UK caravans to NZ and they attract a very high scene tax - so much so, I've often thought of dabbling in bringing over one or two myself but get vetoed by Mrs_Jon. Anyway, what you need to do is buck that trend and send some NZ rammel back to Britain instead. To save you looking, I've chosen a few choice specimens for you, though I must admit that by the end, I was choosing mostly because of the absurd names. Oh yeah, don't look at the prices....

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/up-to-12-ft/auction-821607883.htm

 

ZEPHYR (scene tax)

 

 

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/up-to-12-ft/auction-815065601.htm

 

Lightweight Pinto - even more scene tax, as it's a 1 door version, so great for rallying (in a field, with other caravans).

 

 

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/13-16-ft/auction-823093995.htm

 

CAMPOMATIC DRIFTER (great sales pic)

 

 

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/up-to-12-ft/auction-824198944.htm

 

LITEWEIGHT PLAYBOY

 

 

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/13-16-ft/auction-822930859.htm

 

SCAMPER TURTLETOP

 

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/up-to-12-ft/auction-815849896.htm

 

NIFTY NOMAD

 

 

 

And finally, the budget has been blown and it's not got too shit a name but these squashed, wideboy pointy caravans always make me LOL but actually look quite good inside:

 

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/caravans/13-16-ft/auction-805449330.htm

[rml2345]

I know nothing about caravans but thanks to Autoshite I now want an old one with a silly name.

[Cavcraft]

While in the far east (of Lincolnshire) on the BX-alloys-collection-roadtrip with FPB7 a few weeks ago, I noticed an 'upmarket'* site was charging north of £2500.  A year.  In Skegness.

 

WTaF are these people smoking?

 

 

We looked the last time we were there and trust me that's actually really cheap compared to the West coast. A lady at work's mum has one on a site near Rhyl, which sets her back an eye watering '£4,000+' per year. In Rhyl.

The ground rents are just the start of the mugging, they also rob you blind in other ways on top of that.

[UltraWomble]

While in the far east (of Lincolnshire) on the BX-alloys-collection-roadtrip with FPB7 a few weeks ago, I noticed an 'upmarket'* site was charging north of £2500.  A year.  In Skegness.

 

WTaF are these people smoking?

Go onto a Haven site and you can double that figure. We pay £2000 for south Cumbria.

[inconsistant]

[chaseracer]

^ Noseweight's wrong... 

[oldcars]

I have an old caravan. I paid £600 for it, its a old Adria 440b from 1987   It has no damp (touch wood) and had a gas and elec check a few months before i bought it. Other than a need clean, new tyres, some painting and a fresh set of decals its not needed much work. We use it a lot in the summer and it has picked up some great comments on sites.

[Lankytim]

Allegros are a bit weak on the arse end, infact they don't have any sort of chassis back there at all, just the skin of the rear quarters and valance to give support. Estates may be beefier though.

[Alexg]

Actually, come to mention it, the towbar I removed from the estate was just bolted to the boot floor and rear bumper bracket

[dollywobbler]

BMC/BL FWD stuff doesn't have a great rep for towing. Mind you, remember when motorways were chock full of Mk3 Granadas dragging their arse on the ground and towing a caravan? This is why my XM makes the perfect tow vehicle, with it's marvellous self-levelling. And knackered towing electrics. Hmmm. Must get that fixed...

[lovejoy]

A thread on CARAVANS ? !!!  what would Clarkson say....             but a very enjoyable read, thanks, chaps....

[Richard]

^ Noseweight's wrong... 

Not necessarily. The standard towbar height changed in the 80s so old cars towing new caravans always look like that. We towed an old caravan with the C5 so we had the opposite problem.

[doobietoo]

Wasnt sure where to put this so this seems like a good place. I have a mate who mainly deals with scrap metal and the like but seems to have a nose for interesting old tat.... and has recently found a 1971 Fairholme New dawn 4 berth caravan.

It has been dry stored its whole life and as far as i can see is in amazing condition for a 43 year old van the chassis looks almost as new with only the odd rust spots, The inside is all original as far as i can see with the old orange seats a double bed at the front and a single with a bunk above at the rear cooker cupboards etc. and also has an awning which seems to be original too although i am no expert.

It seems really difficult to price these things and i am not sure what it will fetch so its open to sensible offers which we can discuss before viewing. i guess i could put it on ebay and let it reach its own price but thought i would put it on here and RR first to see if there is any interest as it would be good to see it on the back of a 70s car.

I can get more pictures of whatever you need and viewing can be arranged.

 

[Angrydicky]

I have a circa 1967 Chateaumobile trailer tent. It was my parents but they stopped using it a few years ago! Here it is in Wales earlier in the year, where by an amazing coincidence there happened to be three autoshiters there, myself, M'Coli and Dollywobbler. It needs a fair bit of attention to the woodwork now, sadly.

 

 

And here's an action shot courtesy of Ian (DW).

 

[Anglevan]

If I didn't have my shitsubishi camper I could have been tempted on getting an old Sprite Alpine or Eccles Topaz to tow behind the Marina. Why get piss taken out of you for driving a Marina but double pisstake if it's got a caravan attached also.

[londonm]

While in the far east (of Lincolnshire) on the BX-alloys-collection-roadtrip with FPB7 a few weeks ago, I noticed an 'upmarket'* site was charging north of £2500. A year. In Skegness.

 

WTaF are these people smoking?

They'd have to pay me that to live there, a week.