Anyways I acquired a 1989s Bailey Mikado t for the lovely sum of 150 quid, I knew it had major damp but I thought it was worth a punt . So I got it home and proceeded to check how rot ton it is and wellllllll, I estimated that 80% of the frame work is rot ton its not damp its dry rot. The floors sound except for some delamination by the door and the rear corner is rotten .
All the windows and furniture are sound just rotten frames and the main beam in the roof is OK .
Now I've got around 12 months to work on it due to starting a new job and I'm fairly OK with DIY is it worth it or shall I scrap it.
I'll take some pics tomorrow and excuse the spelling auto correct on my iPad sucks :-)
What I was told was,
If its the van you want, right size, layout etc and you like it, work out how much it would cost to but one with no rot and how much it cost to repair yours. Also if you rebuild yours you can add things or move things etc to make it just as you like it.
I'm thinking of doing it to mine as I do like the idea of knowing that the van is solid, plus I would have socketc where I want them, aerial sockets where I want them, air heating, lights etc etc.
Everything to gain. You will know the 'van inside out and back to front by the time you have finished. It will be completely solid and trustworthy. Doesn't cost a lot, just takes time. You could buy an almost new 'van and have the same problems. Go for it!
That's what I like the idea of knowing its totally dry . I'm sure it would only cost a few hundred for the wood and 150 for the van . Like you said I could spend 1000s and still buy a damper .
I'll post pics as I go with my progress , I'm going to go slow and easy .
I have a classic car, I have spent three thousand pounds on it and it's still only worth fifteen hundred. My son has spent more on computers and games etc. But thats his hobby. I have enjoyed evey single minute working on my car. So the question is, A, are you enthusiasic and going to enjoy the work or B, is it going to be a chore, If the answer is A, go for it (all hobbies cost money). If the answer is B, get rid and go dig the garden if you want to punish yourself,
------------- VENI VIDI VACATIOUS (I came, I saw, I stayed for an holiday).
Well I've Neva done anything like this before but I think I will enjoy it maybe not the stripping out but the building I will enjoy nd being able to use it after will be good . I'll just do little at a time.
Am I right in thinking if I strip out all the wooden frame and the cupboards the caravan will fall over? Or would it be stable enough to work in .
I was going to do a wall at a time so the caravan still had some strength .
Retimbered a good few caravans in my time.
Do it a bit at a time froggyribbit. Replace some unusable wood, rebuild that part of the van then move on to an adjacent bit. The frames are mostly half-lap or even butt joints with steel L brackets, so it is well possible. You don't lose the shape or the fit, the structural integrity isn't compromised, it works trust me.
Quote: Originally posted by froggyribbit on 30/7/2013
Would evo stick. Be OK to attach the batons to the aluminum skin as tiger seal would be very expensive
You are better off with a solvent free adhesive - to avoid melting any nearby foam.
The structure will be very floppy if you remove the furniture, framing and foam. It would be best to replace sections of framework at a time measuring carefully to ensure you retain the shape of the 'van. If the foam is well stuck to the aluminium outer skin, leave it in place. Sikaflex is your friend!
OK just stripped rear yes your right their all butt joints , the foam is not stuck to the walls at all and there is no L brackets at all I assume their all glued but its that rotten they are just falling off the walls.
The floor seems to not be the sandwich construction everyone talks aboutjust ply bolted onto the chassis and polystyrene under it and that covered In plastic so it doesn't get wet does that sound right ?
Always looks a mess 'till you start rebuilding. The rot will have been caused by the mastic on the external rails and fittings drying out and failing. This causes leaks into the framework which rots then crumbles away.
If you use Sikaflex 512 to reseal your rails etc. once the new framework is in place the 'van should stay dry forever. Clean off the old mastic with white spirit, then degrease thoroughly with meths.
No wonder it leaks some Muppet been using household silicone sealent on the rails and there was no sign of mastic just a dried flaking mess, better had do all the rails then .
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and there was no sign of mastic just a dried flaking mess, better had do all the rails then .
