My newest new Carawagon :)

[RMS]

Hi guys,

As some of you will know, last week I snapped up a complete Carawagon body, with roof, interior and even the seatbox & screen still attached

Well, again as some of you will know, I don't let the grass grow under my feet so tonight I've bought a S2 LWB to put it on

I know, Searle weren't converting Carawagons in 1958, but that's what has come up, at the right price, and it has the advantage of being exempt from MOT later this year

Anyway, it looks like I'll be trailering the 109" home on Sunday after the S2C International, and I'll pick up the Carawagon body by extending my Eastnor show trip in a couple of weeks time.

I love it when a plan comes together

Now I just need to make a little bit more room on the front lawn, oh, and tell the wife

Stay tuned for progress reports

Cheers,
Robin.

[overlander]

I'm struggling to keep up with your acquisitions Robin. You are fortunate to have that perfect combination of time, resources AND a non-comprehending wife - 'bemused' is the word you used I recall. Envious moi?

John H

[RMS]

Is the green text because you're green with envy, John?

I still haven't told Susan, though I might have to take something down to my friendly farmer for a while just because storage is getting a bit silly - nearly half the lawn has something on it now

First job, I think, is to finally strip our last Disco donor and get rid of that.

I suppose it doesn't help that I've also got a folding camper, folding caravan and a 'proper' caravan as well - I must decide which to keep and get rid of the other two

Cheers,
Robin.

[Stuey]

Robin, is it the body that was on Ebay a couple of weeks ago? If so looks like a good project for you!

[RMS]

Hi Stuey,

Yes, it's the ebay one

It was on for a day, then was 'no longer available'

I'm looking forward to doing this one - there's no hurry as we've already got two on the road so I can take my time and do it from the ground up rather than my usual 'rolling restorations'.

It's crunch time for storage though - I really must move something on otherwise I'll have no room to work on it.
Either Steptoe or a caravan has to go, and of course the Disco as I'm fed up of pulling the trailer out from underneath it then having to load it on again (the only way I can fit the trailer on the lawn now ).

Cheers,
Robin.

[flyingant]

Worse than the Schlumph brothers with their Bugattis - only jealous!!

[Ian]

Thank goodness for Susans! I've been married to 2 of them (but not at the same time), and they've both been very amenable to my Land Rover foibles .

Ian

[RMS]

Thank goodness for Susans! I've been married to 2 of them (but not at the same time), and they've both been very amenable to my Land Rover foibles .

Ian

[Stuey]

Hi Stuey,

Yes, it's the ebay one

It was on for a day, then was 'no longer available'

I'm looking forward to doing this one - there's no hurry as we've already got two on the road so I can take my time and do it from the ground up rather than my usual 'rolling restorations'.

It's crunch time for storage though - I really must move something on otherwise I'll have no room to work on it.
Either Steptoe or a caravan has to go, and of course the Disco as I'm fed up of pulling the trailer out from underneath it then having to load it on again (the only way I can fit the trailer on the lawn now ).

Cheers,
Robin.

Good, did see it and thought it would make a good base for a project!

[RMS]

Well, 760 miles later (via the Eastnor show) and the body is home

After spending the night in Truro, we managed to load the body using high lift jacks, packing pieces and brute strength!



I made the trailer in just 2 days last week, and designed it so that the wheels fitted into the wheel arches of the body.
That did mean that the axle was a long way back making it a little front-heavy, but it also made it very stable at up to 70mph
What you can do with an old caravan axle, some lengths of scaffold poles

I've just got to get it off the trailer now and onto another bit of the garden
This is when I wish I had a forklift as it's one thing lifting it on concrete, but it's another trying to do it on soft ground


Oh, and I've just worked out the fuel consumption - 33mpg with empty trailer (but with 3 big bags of wood on the rear just to spoil the aerodynamics and our big top box) and 29mpg fully laden.
That's with varying speeds from 50-60+mph both ways.

I did remove the ammo box from the front bumper on the way back up and noticed there was more power available and the temp gauge was a lot more steady, so I think I need a smaller box or find somewhere else for the jack, oils, rope etc. to free up the rad and intercooler

Cheers,
Robin.