I have recently begun work on the renovation of my 1961 Zestline Carapark. It was made and purchased in Newcastle in 1961, then taken back to Chesshunt (near Wangaratta), packed up and made ready for the move to Queensland. My grandmother was told that she may prolong her life by possibly a few years if she moved to a warmer climate. I guess it worked because she lived for about another 45 years or so. When they first moved up here, the 12 foot 9 van was home for the family until they were able to find a farm to buy and then build a house. That first trip was the only one it did. Since that time, it's been used to house family members and sometimes foster children and has even been used as a bedroom for a church campsite.
So if anybody is interested, I will post progress photos up here from time to time. I'm very happy to take advice from those more experienced and wise than me.
My plan is that in January, I will visit the 'sacred sites' of my family - past farms in Victoria and South Australia. Planning to visit some extended family in Rainbow, VIC, that don't even know I exist at the moment and definitely keen to visit the historic prison at Burra, SA, where my great great grandfather was the governor for the first 26 or so years of operation.
For now though, I've attached some photos of the van as it was when I first inherited it. I have freed it from there and taken it to a concrete slab in one of the sheds where I'm hoping to put it up on blocks. The inside is now gutted and the all the broken glass is repaired. Once I have it up on blocks, I'll put new tyres on and steel brush all the metal on the underside. I have a boilermaker coming in to build a stronger and longer drawbar then. Then I'll paint the whole underside with silver Killrust. Hopefully all that will be completed by the end of July. August will then be my month for electronics I hope - electric brakes to be fitted, existing wiring checked and tail lights and indicators fitted.
Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling. Photos are attached.
Thanks for the welcome! The van is on blocks and the work on the longer stronger drawbar begins on Thursday (10/08/17).
As you can see from the photos, the aluminium cladding is quite dull with age and grime. Does anybody have experience with getting them up and shiny again? Is it a road hazard to have them at their original lustre?
