Dollywobbler's Caravan Capers

[Asimo]

If you must have a caravan, f.f.s. paint it a decent colour.

 

Anything is better than that awful British caravan colour.

 

Lego-colours for preference but if that is too loud, why not paint it to match the Dyane?

 

Then paint the XM to match the caravan.

[I_am_Diesel]

Mrs Diesel and I love going away in our caravan. I use my Defender as the tow car cos it pisses it when it comes to towing. Instead of using strap on's I bought the extended mirror arms as used on the military Wolf to see past the side mounted spare wheel. They make life a lot easier.

[dollywobbler]

If you must have a caravan, f.f.s. paint it a decent colour.

 

Anything is better than that awful British caravan colour.

 

 

 

Whit yo' onnabout? It's got a horrible green stripe down the side! GREEN! AND it appears to have some sort of Rostyle wheel trim. They'll be getting fitted before I head back. KING OF STYLE.

 

Let's have a reminder. Of what it isn't like anymore.

[dollywobbler]

In preparation for tomorrow, I have been taping the XM's old rear number plate back together LIKE A BOSS. I imagine it may find itself gaffer taped to the rear window of the caravan, in a manner that can only suggest quality.

[anonymous user]

Whit yo' onnabout? It's got a horrible green stripe down the side! GREEN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just like a Lotus Cortina

[dollywobbler]

Good point. And the tow hitch forms some sort of A frame. Even more like a Lotus Cortina. 

[dave j]

I love the fact it still has the original hubcaps! 

[taxi paul]

It is a high class Tin Tent indeed.

[Felly Magic]

Dollywobbler's mobile breakfast emporium at shitefest 2016?

[dollywobbler]

Today is the day then. I feel quite nervous. This'll certainly be a good test for the XM's clutch, which has only just recovered from its diesel soakage...

[pilninggas]

In preparation for tomorrow, I have been taping the XM's old rear number plate back together LIKE A BOSS. I imagine it may find itself gaffer taped to the rear window of the caravan, in a manner that can only suggest quality pikey.

 

fixed.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Today is the day then. I feel quite nervous. This'll certainly be a good test for the XM's clutch, which has only just recovered from its diesel soakage...

 

Any updates?????

[bub2006]

It's gone awfully quiet. I do hope he is ok

[trigger]

I'm sure it's going perfectly well.

 

 

Ooh....

[egg]

He's home, updated on Facebook

[UltraWomble]

You need a class awning...

 

 

This, however,  is a bastard to tow....

[They_all_do_that_sir]

He's home, updated on Facebook

 

​good stuff, was thinking some sort of autoshite search and rescue team was going to have to be deployed!

[They_all_do_that_sir]

You need a class awning...

 

 

This, however,  is a bastard to tow....

 

​your swift looks very similar to mine!

[UltraWomble]

​your swift looks very similar to mine!

Its an 87 so its an earlier one than yours, and had served us very well - was replaced by a Bailey Auvergne

Then a Bailey Bretagne.

Then the static ( ABI) and for tenting weekends a couple of two man lightweights that stash in the canoe.

[Richard]

You need a class awning...

 

 

This, however,  is a bastard to tow....

I've towed a static caravan with a 1.6 Sierra. Quite a lot of smoke from the clutch.

[dollywobbler]

Sorry. This forum is an utter pain in the arse when it comes to uploading photos when mobile, and I've been driving all day. So, I'm going old skool for my old skool caravan. Remember how we used to do these things?

 

Well, er, I completely failed to get any photos on the way. Sorry. So, here we go with some post-hitch excitement!

 

The caravan is actually an Abbey GT 212, so a two-berth. It's dead posh, with double-glazing, gas/electric lights, hob, grille and oven, FANTASTIC interior etc. I strapped up the mirrors, gaffer taped in the number plate and I was off.

 

I drove for a bit, discovering scary things like crosswinds and a complete lack of power. It's quite heavy (740kg unladen). Then I found a lovely* layby on the A483 where I stopped for lunch.

 

Some hours later, I arrived home. Surprisingly, I hadn't really acted as a road block at any point. I even caught people up! The XM was working hard though. I've never seen the fuel gauge move so much! Nor the temperature gauge... (never scary thankfully).

 

You'll see that I refitted the wheel trims so it looks proper. I then hooked up a gas bottle, and Mrs DW and myself then enjoyed our first cup of tea to christen the van. 

 

Check this out. It's ace.

 

Not just a jockey wheel. It's also got a winch handle that drives the jockey wheel by chain. It's one-wheel drive! Astounding.

 

So, it tows well, though saps power rather unsurprisingly. Mrs DW loves it. I think I do too. I've already cleaned the front window and will give it a good clean up in the coming days. I promise more interior shots too.

[dollywobbler]

By the way, the second-from-last photo shows our driveway. That was fun to reverse down! Needed guidance from Mrs DW.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

​either farecla G3 or Autoglym colour restorer followed by autoglym super resin polish will bring the GRP bits up a treat - took 20 years off our van.

 

Mrs then took out her sewing machine and made some seat covers with elasticised edges.....not my choice of fabric (cath Kidson esque) but I have to admit looked a million times better

[Alexg]

So, the question we all want to know is, how badly does it smell?

[dollywobbler]

Really doesn't smell at all. Bit musty, but not damp.

The XM was stinking something rotten as we drove into a headwind. Up a hill.

[bub2006]

I'd like some interior shots please sir. I do like caravans

[dollywobbler]

Bub asks, and Bub gets.
 

Outside first. Cleaned the front window and scraped some lichen off. Then just ran my damp cloth over the green stripes. WIN!

 

Getting a bit dark now, but here's the dining room. Sleeps two as lengthways singles or, if we haven't argued, crossways double.

 

Bathroom needs a refit. This is the only bad bit. That I've found so far...

 

Manky sink. Check out my wallpaper and ENVY.

 

The kitchen. Sink with hot/cold running (ish) water (allegedly). Twin hobs, grille and oven (!) and fridge. Maybe some of it works. Hob does.

 

Might have to do something about this. I'm thinking speed clips. Or bigger screws.

[dollywobbler]

Forgot to mention. A fairly sizeable problem is that it knackers up the XM's ride entirely! With the back end unable to float due to the great weight hanging off it, things get quite bouncy, even with new spheres.

[rantingYoof]

Time for a V6 derv to compensate. I'm thinking a Mercedes 300TD?

 

Well collected.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Fat_Pirate]

Now you must choose your side in the bitter, eternal war between the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.  You can't not take part, as they control pretty much all the decent campsites between them.  I went with the latter, membership of which brings a monthly magazine of such enormous, soul-destroying dreariness that it must be handled like a HIV-infected needle, and destroyed immediately.

 

I did attempt to read it once - there was a review of some VW van fitted with a bucket to piss in @ £59999 being described as 'good value'.  Got £60K and want a holiday? DRIVE THERE IN A XJ-S THEN STAY IN A HOTEL, FFS.