I built my own 5.5mtr caravan out of composite fibreglass panels on a steel ladder frame chassis. Only a few people have ever realised the van is not factory built. I did it all through 'DIY Caravans' on the Gold Coast. If it were me, I'd gut the van of all appliances & build a new composite shell on your existing chassis then refit the inside. You look like you know your way around tools so I suggest you at least consider this option. Whichever way you go, good luck.
Your damage looks the same as mine. I repaired both sides at home. The bottom rail I replaced with a 6 inch piece which also got rid of the rotten uprights. The total cost was just over $1000. Good luck
Sorry to see this happen I know exactly what you are feeling as our van has been through a similar if not worse event. We decided that we would have the van repaired and thought that our insurance would help, wrong! In our case where we had a leak somewhere in the roof, cover was refused due to lack of maintenance as unknowingly all roof seals had to be professionally inspected 3 yearly. So replacement cost of our van at the time 2016 (2003 model) was 80K, van was top of range in 03, unable to find money for new we had a repair done, lucky for us we still had a home as it took 2 yrs to repair, this because I had initially had been given a quote of 15k which we had agreed to. The walls were starting to rot inside and go mouldy on same side as yours, when the cladding was removed the true sad state of the frame was revealed, basically had to replace the frame walls on 3 sides & reclad with alloy checker, a new window and roof vents installed etc eventually upgraded all the major appliances. We were only able to have the repair due to a change of ownership of the repair shop the new owner was very helpful and understanding as he thought that we should have been quoted differently and more could have been done on our insurance. So 2 years layer as it was repaired under "mates rates" it was only worked on in the not busy times and cost 20k not including new appliances. Would have to say we made the right decision back then and still have the van today and have done many many 1000s of Ks since. Cost of new vans today exceed 100K so we are more likely to upgrade what we have. Nice big shed for your van to be worked on but you may need the space for a considerable time if you are going to undertake the work, we were lucky to get help with ours, living in Darwin has lots of issues with finding a repairer, our repairer has now left town, the only remaining workshop is booked out 4+ months. I can only wish you good luck but know you are some of many in your situation. Merry Xmas
That’s bad luck guys, I was amazed to find they still put timber frames in vans, I assumed they were all aluminium. Good luck with whatever you chose to do.
How's the decision making going. The benefits of your van is that you have aluminium cladding which is easier to strip & replace after repairs. Wooden frames are not total disasters - they allow flex & movement where as after time your aluminium frames can be prone to fatigue cracking and corrosion so they aren't bullet proof either. Water egress is every vans enemy and the only way we usually detect it is noticing staining on the inside panels or the like unless you have access to a high quality moisture meter.
Very unfortunate. My view is don’t delay - your car is almost ready just buy a good RTT and solar on the roof heat exchanger for nice hot showers and a shower tent and get out there. We did the lap that way and wouldn’t swap it as it is so free not towing a caravan. Stayed in so many places that no one with a caravan would even think of going to. Not to mention fuel savings tyres etc. Sure there are obvious disadvantages (nothing that bad)and we treated ourselves to nice accomodation at different points. Good luck with your decisions
Patch it with some aluminium framework as best as you can to return to structuraly sound, re-instal cladding as is to retain original look, hook it up & go. Evaluate what its going to be worth at the end after you've had your final use out of it.
Caravan construction hasn't changed over the decades,plywood and staples,don't understand why they are so expensive. Upside is that they are simple to repair by yourself,just shop around for materials,some van parts retailers charge completely ridiculous prices for there goods.
Bad news at the wrong time. After watching a few Caravan Restoration shows sometimes it looks like there is only certain woodrot/ termites where they have takin a panel off. But in some cases they have to strip the whole outside of the caravan to check the whole framework. Hopefull you don't have to go that far.🤞🤞🤞
I've repaired far worse when pulling vans apart for hail repairs. Last roadstar I did had no wood left from 3rd sheet up in all four corners, along Rh side all the way, halfway on lh side and full front. Some manufacturers use wrong stuff for sealing esgemolds and insist on putting edgemold rubber along the bottom which holds water to fester up the screws into frame. Was far stronger when repaired than when built. Time is the biggest cost when paying to have repaired.
Wowza!! 🤯 We’re definitely going for better and stronger once our rebuild is through and trying to research all the different products before we decide on anything.
I think the only safe options is to calculate how much money you can raise working. That at least may reduce the number of options. With the type of travelling and the duration its going to be hard on any repaired van. You need something that is structurally sound. Look at what you can buy new or fairly new probably a lot smaller than what you currently have but way better than a tent or house car option. From your video of the damage on one side it is unfortunately unrealistic to think the rest is much better. Now there is a glut of Vans hopeully prices will be more sensible. So no real easy options so look at the $$$ options first. Oldish Caravans are like health in us oldies I'm 73. Regards Owen Keep smiling I like your videos.
hi Mate, sorry to hear of your dilemma! As for patching it...forget it. we were there 2 years ago and ended up selling it as it was a bottomless pit, forever finding more and more leaks and replacing timber, not to mention mould and endless tubes of silicone . Over about 3 years we finished up redoing the roof, which usually start at roof or window. Also both sides , nearly the whole van; and it STILL leaked! The costs were outrageous for materials and timewise a never-ending job. We had no labor costs we did our own work on it as I'm a carpenter, and we actually lost money. Spent over $10,000 in materials, new aluminium siding is expensive and rarely matched; so you'll probably have to do the whole van....we did. See what you can get for it as is, don't try to hide anything, get some offers for someone else to have as a project and move on! All the best!!
We spent *well over* 36k repairing/rebuilding our little 14' poptop van. If I had known at the start, what I know now... I would have sold the remnants of our van for 1 to 2K and used the rest to buy a nice 2nd hand Bushtracker. We'll *never* own a timber framed van again.
@@outbacktosee an option may be... Google DIYCaravans and StyroMAX. They both offer composite build kits for caravans. (NO FRAME NEEDED) You could reuse your chassis, suspension etc and any internal things you want. (stove, fridge, air con etc etc etc) Here's a couple that did exactly that. ruclips.net/video/qbtnB06YvfM/видео.html
Hey sorry for your situation guys. Things do look very bleak initially however, once you gather your wits you'll be able to power through the situation. All the best, cheers.
I'd dry it out, paint what's left with timber hardener then sprayfoam and checkerplate the lot, it'll probably be stronger like that than when it was new and then after your trip do an honest sale as a 'teens retreat' or whatever.
So sorry your van is not roadworthy at the present time 😔 Lots to think about and hard decisions to be made. Contact Now or Never as they have done a semi rebuild of their secondhand van. You may be able to get a lot of good advice or watch their Toutube vids on it 👍👍 If I was in your position and I could, I would rebuild the van and fix all the water damage, as then you’ll know what you have moving forward. Then you can get back on the road as you have lots of time to travel! I definitely wouldn’t do a roof top in our summer!! 😔😔Good luck with whatever decision you decide on 👍🌞
Best advice is to re-seal ALL removable trims which are either held in with silicon or mastic putty . ALL trim screws under plastic cover strips remove and reinstall with silicon on threads . Cover strip sold by the mtr . Windows , service hose door /front boot / all lights // 240v In and Out wall sockets ..etc Beaware many trims that are structural will be held on with urethane adhesive . Ive always found trims with this adhesive are destroyed when removed .
I had the same problem turns out caravan had Been in water before I bought it,stripped the sides out rebuild with timber and au 20×20 sq found also around the boot was not factory sealed
If you contact NOW OR NEVER. He has a lot of experience in fixing vans with leaks and replacing frames. He may be able to give you some insight in what you can do. They have their own channel. He will be more than happy to help you out as they are traveling as well. Cheers and good luck. Neil & De.
@@outbacktosee He built caravans for a living before restoring their own and he's a chippy by trade. Run a cold can past his nose and he will give you a heap of info.
Hi guys, I feel for you. It’s so bloody hard. Pay someone to get it fixed. Or help you. Maybe get one of the guys from a caravan repairer to do cash job on weekends? The rot will be on the other panels too….start stripping to see. Silver lining, could change van colour and put solid walls vs corrugated?
Wow came across channel by surfing not good to see starting to freak out about mine 2007 model been around the block twice lucky you have a place under cover to repair yourself will continue to follow to see verdict or repair
Sorry to hear guys Would you try and get a cheaper camper trailer. Max 10-15k Not as many luxuries but gets you back on the road for your trip and can worry about what to do with the van later. And you don’t have to sleep in a RTT
Gee iv got a 2000 built roadstar van , 😮 thats scary guys now im worried , but with the price off new vans and ive seen new vans a write off after 3 years because off water damage because you carnt replace the outside composite walls and its stuffed , at least these old vans side panels can come off , take out the rotten timber but the key is when replacing the new timber is to coat it with a west system Apoxy thats a 2 pack thing just brush it over the timber , its used on boats its 100 percent water proof and when it soaks into the timber makes it hard like steel , its not cheap but bloody well worth it , if i ever ordered a brand new built van ill pay the extra to have all timber construction coated in it , and ill only have a van with ali sides that can be removed , take care guys ive just stumbled on ya show im interested how you go 🙏🙏
Thanks for the tip we think we will go this route! Seen some 90s Roadstars still going strong so fingers crossed yours is sealed like those, and you have plenty of years left 🙂.
Gday mate, exact same thing happened to me with a roadstar, safari tamer it seems the water gets in along the seems at the front, I replaced the sides with composite from roadstar after much negotiation and all of the rotten timber with formboard and a lot of silicone, it took me a month nonstop on my own with some help to lift panels, yours doesn’t look much different, I hope it works out
Look at replacing the body with 50mm insulated coldroom panel. It's not that expensive. Don't go overboard with the internal fittings, just reuse as much as you can from the internals, door and windows, fridge ect of this van. At least there will be nothing to rot and it's easy to work with.
This is why I would only buy aluminium framed old vans. Every van leaks water. Nows the time to fix the timber and replace lower cladding with aluminium check a plate . Don't go too far or it'll never get finished
Oh no terrible just got my caravan back after 12mths being repaired after an accident a complete rebuild of the front yikes ring sensational rv wagga wagga the best 👌
@outbacktosee yes it,s a 1984 millard I was devastated it,s my home like you guys thankgoodness for cil insurance and sensational rv wagga wagga they are engineers so repairs were done properly .
Having repaired a wooden framed van and completely rebuilt an aluminium framed van including interior which my wife and children and I lived and travelled in for close to five years I would say cut your loses
@ about 10 months solid all day every day, new drawbar, suspension, toilet and shower and all new interior. That was the aluminium framed van, the wooden framed van took about a year but only after work and week ends, I also made a Land Rover out of three wrecks at the same time so in reality a lot less than that.
Live in the van in the shed for a time until you can get another van and sell that cheap for someone to do a project on it if you don't want to fix it. In the shed you are paying no rent so you can max save your money. It will be a lot of money to fix that. ( Just my opinion )
Never buy a van with a wooden frame. Looks like it's been there a very long time to cause that much damage. I wouldn't be surprised if it's suffered the damage as a reason to sell it on. FYI. The van isn't worth $30k. That's what you probably paid. Right now it's worth $0.00
Sorry should have been more specific in the clip mentioning 30k, we more meant spending half that to regain resale value seems extreme! Painfully well aware it’s worth scrap metal as is!
Not Great. Personally I think its dead. If the back and other side are as bad, then its definitely not worth fixing. If I was in this dilemma I would probably get a cheap little Van or Camper and finish the Lap. Should be able to do a small Van or Camper for under 8K. The Roof Top tent will be hard to live in after having a Van. All the best with whatever you decide to do
looks like it's been happening for a long long time. All older vans have a little wood rot. But you've got something else going on there if it's right through. Bots sides and front. Did you purchase the van from a dealer or second hand. It could have been towed through a river or got stuck in a mud bath for a day or two. Cleaned up and sold. You've got some big decisions to make. Good luck. Maybe you shouldn't have posted on RUclips and done insurance
It’s possible and ordinarily we’re very skeptical, but for various reasons we genuinely don’t think the previous owners were aware. But it’s a great comment as this is probably quite common for anyone reading to be aware of.
I’d get a professional to inspect and assess if it’s worth the effort…. Doing yourselves is possible but that could be months of work…. I’d bin it if those two options are not feasible as you probably won’t get your money back ….. put it towards another van
I wouldn’t be buying a secondhand caravan from the eastern states without a full inspection given the amount of wet weather that has been happening over there for the past few years. Your caravan definitely isn’t worth $30K sorry. Probably not worth fixing as I am guessing when you start stripping back the front you are going to be finding the rot is everywhere. Don’t throw good money after bad. I would buy another smaller aluminium framed van, lots starting to come on the market at cheaper prices now everyone is getting over the COVID rush. Good luck with your future endeavours.
Stop kidding yourself, you will find everywhere, little leaks, never buy timber frames, fix one spot, and you will find one more every time you look, strip it doto the chassis, rebuild it with Fibreglass foam Fibreglass sheets, two sides two ends one roof and even the floor
I would fix it yourself. The materials will be cheap, meranti timber,sheets of tin, staples, and sealent, have a chat to some caravan repairers they will tell you that most timber frame caravans they pull apart have some form of wood rot, doesn't matter if its a $10k caravan or $50k caravan.
Sucks to find such damage but likely most are travelling around with some form of rot, they just aren't made to be resilient and depend completely on good resealing. The plus it it's just timber and sheeting so easy to work with. Copying the shape that's their and fix it is certainty a cost effective DIY option that shouldn't cost too much. You'll find you'll take more care likely over engineer vs nasty factory work and take more care finishing and resealing. It'll still be good for many years after.
We’re definitely concerned about poor workmanship, previous owners had everything done professionally and still looks like it got in through bad sealing.
I would move into another used caravan. With a comprehensive inspection to confirm no rot, and a comprehensive preventative reseal, it’s very unlikely to happen again.
We had the same issue with a 15ft van, but at the back edge, not the front. For us it was not worth fixing without really gutting the entire van, so we patched it up and sold it off
Fix it yourself. Not that hard. Trick is do section by section. Treat the meranti. All it is held together with staples and glue. Don't rip off the rotted timber u need to make templates from what is left.
@@outbacktosee If you go ahead try and replace Any timber with ally, angles tubing etc. Replace any exterior screws, they are usually rusted to shit as well.
Ditch it and get a much smaller van. You will have so much wasted space in that old thing. Your only doing a trip for a few months and not your full time house. Just go smaller and ensure you do your homework before spending.
Sorry for your disappointment. Carvan construction is done cheaply. Waterproofing is always seams a problem, and this leads to many problems like yours. Every bare timber component and surface should at least have been treated with Penetrol. Penetrol is an amazing product for rust and rot protection for metal and wood/timber, and it lasts a very long time. It's can be found at any good paint shop, also at Bunnings. Recommend at least two coats. Where spillage is not a problem, just pour it on and let it soak in. Cheers
I built my own 5.5mtr caravan out of composite fibreglass panels on a steel ladder frame chassis. Only a few people have ever realised the van is not factory built. I did it all through 'DIY Caravans' on the Gold Coast.
If it were me, I'd gut the van of all appliances & build a new composite shell on your existing chassis then refit the inside. You look like you know your way around tools so I suggest you at least consider this option. Whichever way you go, good luck.
Your damage looks the same as mine. I repaired both sides at home. The bottom rail I replaced with a 6 inch piece which also got rid of the rotten uprights. The total cost was just over $1000. Good luck
Appreciate the information, thanks!
Sorry to see this happen I know exactly what you are feeling as our van has been through a similar if not worse event. We decided that we would have the van repaired and thought that our insurance would help, wrong! In our case where we had a leak somewhere in the roof, cover was refused due to lack of maintenance as unknowingly all roof seals had to be professionally inspected 3 yearly. So replacement cost of our van at the time 2016 (2003 model) was 80K, van was top of range in 03, unable to find money for new we had a repair done, lucky for us we still had a home as it took 2 yrs to repair, this because I had initially had been given a quote of 15k which we had agreed to. The walls were starting to rot inside and go mouldy on same side as yours, when the cladding was removed the true sad state of the frame was revealed, basically had to replace the frame walls on 3 sides & reclad with alloy checker, a new window and roof vents installed etc eventually upgraded all the major appliances. We were only able to have the repair due to a change of ownership of the repair shop the new owner was very helpful and understanding as he thought that we should have been quoted differently and more could have been done on our insurance. So 2 years layer as it was repaired under "mates rates" it was only worked on in the not busy times and cost 20k not including new appliances. Would have to say we made the right decision back then and still have the van today and have done many many 1000s of Ks since. Cost of new vans today exceed 100K so we are more likely to upgrade what we have.
Nice big shed for your van to be worked on but you may need the space for a considerable time if you are going to undertake the work, we were lucky to get help with ours, living in Darwin has lots of issues with finding a repairer, our repairer has now left town, the only remaining workshop is booked out 4+ months. I can only wish you good luck but know you are some of many in your situation.
Merry Xmas
Hi guys reach out to the guys from now or never they just did some structural stuff to there van they may have some answers all the best
Alex is a really nice guy and he might be able to give you some advice.
@jinda857 and he use to work on caravans
Thank you for the recommendation! We’ve started watching the rebuild series!
Patch it up, finish ya lap and decide when ya get back.
Sadly not an option for us while it isn’t roadworthy/insurable.
That’s bad luck guys, I was amazed to find they still put timber frames in vans, I assumed they were all aluminium. Good luck with whatever you chose to do.
How's the decision making going. The benefits of your van is that you have aluminium cladding which is easier to strip & replace after repairs. Wooden frames are not total disasters - they allow flex & movement where as after time your aluminium frames can be prone to fatigue cracking and corrosion so they aren't bullet proof either. Water egress is every vans enemy and the only way we usually detect it is noticing staining on the inside panels or the like unless you have access to a high quality moisture meter.
Very unfortunate. My view is don’t delay - your car is almost ready just buy a good RTT and solar on the roof heat exchanger for nice hot showers and a shower tent and get out there. We did the lap that way and wouldn’t swap it as it is so free not towing a caravan. Stayed in so many places that no one with a caravan would even think of going to. Not to mention fuel savings tyres etc. Sure there are obvious disadvantages (nothing that bad)and we treated ourselves to nice accomodation at different points. Good luck with your decisions
Patch it with some aluminium framework as best as you can to return to structuraly sound, re-instal cladding as is to retain original look, hook it up & go. Evaluate what its going to be worth at the end after you've had your final use out of it.
Caravan construction hasn't changed over the decades,plywood and staples,don't understand why they are so expensive. Upside is that they are simple to repair by yourself,just shop around for materials,some van parts retailers charge completely ridiculous prices for there goods.
And not insulated on the walls.
Bad news at the wrong time. After watching a few Caravan Restoration shows sometimes it looks like there is only certain woodrot/ termites where they have takin a panel off. But in some cases they have to strip the whole outside of the caravan to check the whole framework. Hopefull you don't have to go that far.🤞🤞🤞
A bit of checker plate with some Sikaflex and shes good to go.
Damn! Gutted for you guys, but I know for sure that you'll work your way through it. All the best
Appreciate it 🧡
I've repaired far worse when pulling vans apart for hail repairs. Last roadstar I did had no wood left from 3rd sheet up in all four corners, along Rh side all the way, halfway on lh side and full front. Some manufacturers use wrong stuff for sealing esgemolds and insist on putting edgemold rubber along the bottom which holds water to fester up the screws into frame. Was far stronger when repaired than when built.
Time is the biggest cost when paying to have repaired.
Wowza!! 🤯
We’re definitely going for better and stronger once our rebuild is through and trying to research all the different products before we decide on anything.
Those screws under the corner mould is where water gets in, put silicon under all screws ,seal everything.
100% these screws were grosss. The van will be 10kg heavier with silicone once we’re through 😂
I think the only safe options is to calculate how much money you can raise working. That at least may reduce the number of options. With the type of travelling and the duration its going to be hard on any repaired van. You need something that is structurally sound. Look at what you can buy new or fairly new probably a lot smaller than what you currently have but way better than a tent or house car option. From your video of the damage on one side it is unfortunately unrealistic to think the rest is much better. Now there is a glut of Vans hopeully prices will be more sensible.
So no real easy options so look at the $$$ options first. Oldish Caravans are like health in us oldies I'm 73.
Regards
Owen
Keep smiling I like your videos.
hi Mate, sorry to hear of your dilemma! As for patching it...forget it. we were there 2 years ago and ended up selling it as it was a bottomless pit, forever finding more and more leaks and replacing timber, not to mention mould and endless tubes of silicone . Over about 3 years we finished up redoing the roof, which usually start at roof or window. Also both sides , nearly the whole van; and it STILL leaked! The costs were outrageous for materials and timewise a never-ending job. We had no labor costs we did our own work on it as I'm a carpenter, and we actually lost money. Spent over $10,000 in materials, new aluminium siding is expensive and rarely matched; so you'll probably have to do the whole van....we did. See what you can get for it as is, don't try to hide anything, get some offers for someone else to have as a project and move on! All the best!!
We spent *well over* 36k repairing/rebuilding our little 14' poptop van. If I had known at the start, what I know now... I would have sold the remnants of our van for 1 to 2K and used the rest to buy a nice 2nd hand Bushtracker. We'll *never* own a timber framed van again.
This is definitely something we’re afraid of so really appreciate the personal experience!
@@outbacktosee an option may be... Google DIYCaravans and StyroMAX. They both offer composite build kits for caravans. (NO FRAME NEEDED) You could reuse your chassis, suspension etc and any internal things you want. (stove, fridge, air con etc etc etc)
Here's a couple that did exactly that. ruclips.net/video/qbtnB06YvfM/видео.html
Hey sorry for your situation guys. Things do look very bleak initially however, once you gather your wits you'll be able to power through the situation. All the best, cheers.
Appreciate this, thank you ☺️
I'd dry it out, paint what's left with timber hardener then sprayfoam and checkerplate the lot, it'll probably be stronger like that than when it was new and then after your trip do an honest sale as a 'teens retreat' or whatever.
So sorry your van is not roadworthy at the present time 😔 Lots to think about and hard decisions to be made. Contact Now or Never as they have done a semi rebuild of their secondhand van. You may be able to get a lot of good advice or watch their Toutube vids on it 👍👍
If I was in your position and I could, I would rebuild the van and fix all the water damage, as then you’ll know what you have moving forward. Then you can get back on the road as you have lots of time to travel!
I definitely wouldn’t do a roof top in our summer!! 😔😔Good luck with whatever decision you decide on 👍🌞
Best advice is to re-seal ALL removable trims which are either held in with silicon or mastic putty . ALL trim screws under plastic cover strips remove and reinstall with silicon on threads . Cover strip sold by the mtr . Windows , service hose door /front boot / all lights // 240v In and Out wall sockets ..etc Beaware many trims that are structural will be held on with urethane adhesive . Ive always found trims with this adhesive are destroyed when removed .
I had the same problem turns out caravan had Been in water before I bought it,stripped the sides out rebuild with timber and au 20×20 sq found also around the boot was not factory sealed
If you contact NOW OR NEVER.
He has a lot of experience in fixing vans with leaks and replacing frames.
He may be able to give you some insight in what you can do.
They have their own channel.
He will be more than happy to help you out as they are traveling as well.
Cheers and good luck.
Neil & De.
Thanks guys, appreciate the recommendation ☺️
@@outbacktosee He built caravans for a living before restoring their own and he's a chippy by trade.
Run a cold can past his nose and he will give you a heap of info.
I would repair it while the other finds works to pay for the repsirs.
Hi guys, I feel for you. It’s so bloody hard. Pay someone to get it fixed. Or help you. Maybe get one of the guys from a caravan repairer to do cash job on weekends? The rot will be on the other panels too….start stripping to see. Silver lining, could change van colour and put solid walls vs corrugated?
Good tips, there’s definitely some upgrades we could add that weren’t possible before. What colour should we go? 😂
Wow came across channel by surfing not good to see starting to freak out about mine 2007 model been around the block twice lucky you have a place under cover to repair yourself will continue to follow to see verdict or repair
It’s so hard to know, right!? The previous owners had all work/installs done professionally and stored it under cover but water still got in.
Sorry to hear guys
Would you try and get a cheaper camper trailer. Max 10-15k
Not as many luxuries but gets you back on the road for your trip and can worry about what to do with the van later. And you don’t have to sleep in a RTT
Pre purchase Inspection 😢
I hope everything works out for you’s 🤗
Sadly there was no evidence years ago when we purchased the van, thank you ☺️
@ that’s why you get an inspection.. to check for what you can’t see 🤷♀️
Gee iv got a 2000 built roadstar van , 😮 thats scary guys now im worried , but with the price off new vans and ive seen new vans a write off after 3 years because off water damage because you carnt replace the outside composite walls and its stuffed , at least these old vans side panels can come off , take out the rotten timber but the key is when replacing the new timber is to coat it with a west system Apoxy thats a 2 pack thing just brush it over the timber , its used on boats its 100 percent water proof and when it soaks into the timber makes it hard like steel , its not cheap but bloody well worth it , if i ever ordered a brand new built van ill pay the extra to have all timber construction coated in it , and ill only have a van with ali sides that can be removed , take care guys ive just stumbled on ya show im interested how you go 🙏🙏
Thanks for the tip we think we will go this route! Seen some 90s Roadstars still going strong so fingers crossed yours is sealed like those, and you have plenty of years left 🙂.
Gday mate, exact same thing happened to me with a roadstar, safari tamer it seems the water gets in along the seems at the front, I replaced the sides with composite from roadstar after much negotiation and all of the rotten timber with formboard and a lot of silicone, it took me a month nonstop on my own with some help to lift panels, yours doesn’t look much different, I hope it works out
Thanks for the experience, gives us a bit of a timeframe to consider.
Good luck guys.
Thank you!
Look at replacing the body with 50mm insulated coldroom panel. It's not that expensive. Don't go overboard with the internal fittings, just reuse as much as you can from the internals, door and windows, fridge ect of this van. At least there will be nothing to rot and it's easy to work with.
Could u leave van at your parents buy really good hard shell roof top tent ?? No towing ?? Carry on enjoying life cheaper than fix van
We can’t leave it but selling for scrap and roof top tenting it is an option on the table!
This is why I would only buy aluminium framed old vans. Every van leaks water. Nows the time to fix the timber and replace lower cladding with aluminium check a plate . Don't go too far or it'll never get finished
Chequer plate
When you said it’s only worth $30k I couldn’t help thinking “no it isn’t”
Have you seen what Now or Never did to fix the front of their old van…have a look
I think this is why so many old caravans have ‘accidents’ in driveways.
Oh no terrible just got my caravan back after 12mths being repaired after an accident a complete rebuild of the front yikes ring sensational rv wagga wagga the best 👌
12 months!!!! 🤯
@outbacktosee yes it,s a 1984 millard I was devastated it,s my home like you guys thankgoodness for cil insurance and sensational rv wagga wagga they are engineers so repairs were done properly .
Oh you poor buggers. As some others have mentioned reach out to Now or Never.
Would insurance not be an option?
Good luck hope you find a solution.
Having repaired a wooden framed van and completely rebuilt an aluminium framed van including interior which my wife and children and I lived and travelled in for close to five years I would say cut your loses
Interesting! How long did it take you to build?
@ about 10 months solid all day every day, new drawbar, suspension, toilet and shower and all new interior. That was the aluminium framed van, the wooden framed van took about a year but only after work and week ends, I also made a Land Rover out of three wrecks at the same time so in reality a lot less than that.
Live in the van in the shed for a time until you can get another van and sell that cheap for someone to do a project on it if you don't want to fix it. In the shed you are paying no rent so you can max save your money. It will be a lot of money to fix that. ( Just my opinion )
A good option, thanks!
Are you still on the sunshine coast
Yes!
I took the whole side of an aluminium van and repaired the timber…not that hard for a reasonable handyman.
Never buy a van with a wooden frame. Looks like it's been there a very long time to cause that much damage.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's suffered the damage as a reason to sell it on.
FYI. The van isn't worth $30k. That's what you probably paid. Right now it's worth $0.00
Sorry should have been more specific in the clip mentioning 30k, we more meant spending half that to regain resale value seems extreme! Painfully well aware it’s worth scrap metal as is!
Unfortunately that is a complete rebuild.
That has to suck.
Good luck with it.
Cheers!
When life gives you lemons, make content!
Not Great. Personally I think its dead. If the back and other side are as bad, then its definitely not worth fixing. If I was in this dilemma I would probably get a cheap little Van or Camper and finish the Lap. Should be able to do a small Van or Camper for under 8K. The Roof Top tent will be hard to live in after having a Van. All the best with whatever you decide to do
Not to bad for old van, but lack8ng on insulation, but old stick and tin, are not worth much
Yeah explains why it’s such a hot box 😂
Wonder if been worked on before?
Sikaflex has great sealants,
Redo whole J molding
looks like it's been happening for a long long time. All older vans have a little wood rot. But you've got something else going on there if it's right through. Bots sides and front. Did you purchase the van from a dealer or second hand. It could have been towed through a river or got stuck in a mud bath for a day or two. Cleaned up and sold. You've got some big decisions to make. Good luck. Maybe you shouldn't have posted on RUclips and done insurance
It’s possible and ordinarily we’re very skeptical, but for various reasons we genuinely don’t think the previous owners were aware. But it’s a great comment as this is probably quite common for anyone reading to be aware of.
It's hard to tell how bad it is, but if it's mostly rotten wood, this can be fixed reasonably easily. I'd suggest investigating a bit further.
Cheers!
Why not put an insurance claim in and see if they will write the van off
wear and tear/ neglect is not covered
Now days, probabally a write off
Geez
Mig welder, 200 bucks,
I’d get a professional to inspect and assess if it’s worth the effort…. Doing yourselves is possible but that could be months of work…. I’d bin it if those two options are not feasible as you probably won’t get your money back ….. put it towards another van
These are really reasonable points, thank you!
I wouldn’t be buying a secondhand caravan from the eastern states without a full inspection given the amount of wet weather that has been happening over there for the past few years. Your caravan definitely isn’t worth $30K sorry. Probably not worth fixing as I am guessing when you start stripping back the front you are going to be finding the rot is everywhere. Don’t throw good money after bad. I would buy another smaller aluminium framed van, lots starting to come on the market at cheaper prices now everyone is getting over the COVID rush. Good luck with your future endeavours.
Not hard to repair ,just fidly stuff, too costly to get someone else ,won't cost much ,just time
Not a good add for roadstar
Stop kidding yourself, you will find everywhere, little leaks, never buy timber frames, fix one spot, and you will find one more every time you look, strip it doto the chassis, rebuild it with Fibreglass foam Fibreglass sheets, two sides two ends one roof and even the floor
have an unfortunate fire---- its insured for fire
Sorry no suggestions for you guys just a lot of sympathy.
Still appreciated 😅
Cut your losses and get a smaller van.
I would fix it yourself. The materials will be cheap, meranti timber,sheets of tin, staples, and sealent, have a chat to some caravan repairers they will tell you that most timber frame caravans they pull apart have some form of wood rot, doesn't matter if its a $10k caravan or $50k caravan.
Yeah it’s a pretty crazy norm right!?
Sucks to find such damage but likely most are travelling around with some form of rot, they just aren't made to be resilient and depend completely on good resealing.
The plus it it's just timber and sheeting so easy to work with. Copying the shape that's their and fix it is certainty a cost effective DIY option that shouldn't cost too much. You'll find you'll take more care likely over engineer vs nasty factory work and take more care finishing and resealing. It'll still be good for many years after.
We’re definitely concerned about poor workmanship, previous owners had everything done professionally and still looks like it got in through bad sealing.
@outbacktosee "professionally" sadly doesn't mean good workmanship these days.
I would move into another used caravan.
With a comprehensive inspection to confirm no rot, and a comprehensive preventative reseal, it’s very unlikely to happen again.
We had the same issue with a 15ft van, but at the back edge, not the front. For us it was not worth fixing without really gutting the entire van, so we patched it up and sold it off
Hope you told the new owners of the problems
@ yep, we had patched it up to stop leaking and sold it as was.
These vans are really made out of crap.
Yeah we can’t believe they still make them from new this way!
Fix it yourself. Not that hard. Trick is do section by section. Treat the meranti. All it is held together with staples and glue. Don't rip off the rotted timber u need to make templates from what is left.
Thanks for the tip!
@@outbacktosee If you go ahead try and replace Any timber with ally, angles tubing etc. Replace any exterior screws, they are usually rusted to shit as well.
Ditch it and get a much smaller van. You will have so much wasted space in that old thing. Your only doing a trip for a few months and not your full time house. Just go smaller and ensure you do your homework before spending.
Unfortunately we do live in our van full time 😢
You’re only doing a trip. Y-o-u-’-r-e
Can you claim of your insurance?.
Hi Guys omg you poor b@(;(:;$s . Keep ya chins up , if I win Lotto tonight , I’ll get you a new one 😂😂cheers T
Manifesting Tony winning the lotto!! 😂
Sorry for your disappointment. Carvan construction is done cheaply. Waterproofing is always seams a problem, and this leads to many problems like yours. Every bare timber component and surface should at least have been treated with Penetrol. Penetrol is an amazing product for rust and rot protection for metal and wood/timber, and it lasts a very long time. It's can be found at any good paint shop, also at Bunnings. Recommend at least two coats. Where spillage is not a problem, just pour it on and let it soak in. Cheers
Thanks heaps for the recommendation!
My I’ll go get a new one make payments you’ll be money ahead