- Nov 12, 2009
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Hello all,
I'm new to the forum and thought I'd join based on the recommendation of a friend. I'm a slightly unusual caravanner for three reasons; firstly I'm into classic/vintage caravans, secondly, I have four of them(!) and thirdly, I'm only 18 years old!
I have been caravanning regularly since I was just a few days old and was lucky enough to be given my Grandparents' old 1988 ABI Award Dawnstar when I was just 15 years old as they had bought a newer caravan but didn't want to get rid of it. I passed my driving test in early 2013 at the age of 17, got a car a week after passing and had the car booked in for a towbar fitting the afternoon that I got it! I enjoyed a summer of touring all over North Yorkshire where I live with friends and family.
As mentioned earlier, I'm very interested in old caravans. In August, the opportunity came my way to purchase a 1963 Sprite Alpine for just £60. It needed an awful lot of work and was 120 miles away, but undeterred, I jumped at the opportunity to own a classic caravan. I've started rennovations to it and currently it resides on my driveway stripped to a bare shell, awaiting the exterior repaint and the internal re-fit. But another caravan got in the way first...
Around Spetember I got a phone call from a friend who'd spotted a derelict 1969 Sprite 400 sitting in someone's garden that was going to be scrapped and they'd been offered it for free. I jumped at the opportunity to own that too and couldn't believe that it had sat untouched for 15 years and all it needed was two new tyres - the roadlights even worked first time! This caravan was fully restored by myself. I mainly worked on the interior, giving it a full vintage makeover. I spent from October through to Christmas Eve using it most weekends - it's a surprisingly cosy caravan to say it's not very well insulated and only has single glazing!
Just before Christmas, caravan number four came along in the form of a 1962 Sprite Musketeer. This was all original inside and didn't even have any damp! It had been laid up for 21 years but towed perfectly fopr the short drive back to my storage compound. I've started replacing some of the interior wallboarding which was warped, but sadly work ground to a halt because...
Just last week I swapped my beloved 1969 Sprite 400 for a 1964 all original Sprite 400. This particular model has been untouched and is 100% as it was when it was new. Incidentally, it was last used for a holiday in 1972 and when I got it, it was still on its' original 1964 Cross-Ply tyres! This is the project that I am working on the most at the moment. It needs a repaint inside and out and a bit of TLC, but it's in amazing shape for a 50 year old caravan!
That's just about it for me. I've been reading Practical Caravan magazine for as long as I can remember, and I have every issue of it dating back to 2003 on my bookshelf - adding to my archive of caravan magazines and brochures that dates back to the 1950's. For me, caravanning is an obsession; but nonetheless, it's my favourite pasttime!
If you see me about with one of my old caravans, be sure to drop by and say hi!
Cameron.
PS, for three years now I've been running a blog showing my restoration progress as well as offering tons of advice for people who own older caravans. Be sure to check it out: www.coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk
My 1988 ABI Award Dawnstar:
My 1963 Sprite Alpine:
My 1969 Sprite 400:
My 1962 Sprite Musketeer:
My 1964 Sprite 400:
I'm new to the forum and thought I'd join based on the recommendation of a friend. I'm a slightly unusual caravanner for three reasons; firstly I'm into classic/vintage caravans, secondly, I have four of them(!) and thirdly, I'm only 18 years old!
I have been caravanning regularly since I was just a few days old and was lucky enough to be given my Grandparents' old 1988 ABI Award Dawnstar when I was just 15 years old as they had bought a newer caravan but didn't want to get rid of it. I passed my driving test in early 2013 at the age of 17, got a car a week after passing and had the car booked in for a towbar fitting the afternoon that I got it! I enjoyed a summer of touring all over North Yorkshire where I live with friends and family.
As mentioned earlier, I'm very interested in old caravans. In August, the opportunity came my way to purchase a 1963 Sprite Alpine for just £60. It needed an awful lot of work and was 120 miles away, but undeterred, I jumped at the opportunity to own a classic caravan. I've started rennovations to it and currently it resides on my driveway stripped to a bare shell, awaiting the exterior repaint and the internal re-fit. But another caravan got in the way first...
Around Spetember I got a phone call from a friend who'd spotted a derelict 1969 Sprite 400 sitting in someone's garden that was going to be scrapped and they'd been offered it for free. I jumped at the opportunity to own that too and couldn't believe that it had sat untouched for 15 years and all it needed was two new tyres - the roadlights even worked first time! This caravan was fully restored by myself. I mainly worked on the interior, giving it a full vintage makeover. I spent from October through to Christmas Eve using it most weekends - it's a surprisingly cosy caravan to say it's not very well insulated and only has single glazing!
Just before Christmas, caravan number four came along in the form of a 1962 Sprite Musketeer. This was all original inside and didn't even have any damp! It had been laid up for 21 years but towed perfectly fopr the short drive back to my storage compound. I've started replacing some of the interior wallboarding which was warped, but sadly work ground to a halt because...
Just last week I swapped my beloved 1969 Sprite 400 for a 1964 all original Sprite 400. This particular model has been untouched and is 100% as it was when it was new. Incidentally, it was last used for a holiday in 1972 and when I got it, it was still on its' original 1964 Cross-Ply tyres! This is the project that I am working on the most at the moment. It needs a repaint inside and out and a bit of TLC, but it's in amazing shape for a 50 year old caravan!
That's just about it for me. I've been reading Practical Caravan magazine for as long as I can remember, and I have every issue of it dating back to 2003 on my bookshelf - adding to my archive of caravan magazines and brochures that dates back to the 1950's. For me, caravanning is an obsession; but nonetheless, it's my favourite pasttime!
If you see me about with one of my old caravans, be sure to drop by and say hi!
Cameron.
PS, for three years now I've been running a blog showing my restoration progress as well as offering tons of advice for people who own older caravans. Be sure to check it out: www.coolcaravanning.blogspot.co.uk
My 1988 ABI Award Dawnstar:
My 1963 Sprite Alpine:
My 1969 Sprite 400:
My 1962 Sprite Musketeer:
My 1964 Sprite 400:
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