Drovers 14.44.3

Drover

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The Tardis is all scrubbed up and looking good for a van that rolled out in late 09, the stone guard did it's job, no new chips on the front, mind you the rear bumper has copped a hammering and will need a respray on the inside edge, this time it will get a good coat of anti-chip.
Big spring clean inside and still looks new, very happy after 3 months and 12K it came out good.

The Thetford factory has been scrubbed, sprayed and the tank has been drowned in Napisan (as specced by @Dobbie) , soaking for a day before it will be flushed and packed away, dry, as no travels expected till about March, with the flush tank, flushed and left empty.
Next up she gets moved to the Servicing area where since she has done around 25,000k this year and about 18K since the bearings where last looked at then the hubs will get popped and brakes, bearings and stuff will get done ( a job I hate ) then it's into the upgrades, first off will be pulling out the ensuite basin unit, ours has gone yellow so will try a magic elixir and see if that will get it back to white, yellow basin, white dunny is not a good look, in fact the walls seem to have a yellow tinge as well, if the elixir doesn't work I may just bin it and get a new unit, saw one at Watsons and it wasn't that expensive.
The bed end canvas needs the fly screens re-done so a quote or 2 on those and a wrestling match, more than likely to get the damn thing off, it actually will be something that someone else will do the upgrade on ( it better be good, a dodgy job I can do ).

So there you go, shouldn't hear anything from me for months now, (breath sigh of relief ) I'm stuck at home, sort van, sort Colorado, fix bloody fences and other home jobs.

P: Don't forget to dry out the freezer compartment when you get home and pack the van up, they don't drain.
 

Axl

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Dec 23, 2014
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Mate sad to here you are getting rid of the 14.44.3 but as they say there's nothing more sure than death and taxes, ohhh and change they always seem to forget change..... good luck with the shopping.

I hope you find something that suits at a great price, let us know what you are thinking of upgrading to (once you work it out) that way should we see something close that is on the market we can let you know.
 
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Drover

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Hey @Axl, looking at it all sparkling, folded up nearly ready to go again in the yard and one thinks, damn she's a good rig...........just thoughts at the moment, maybe serious around April, house hunting as well, move from the bush to beach have had enough of dust and smoke, so it's all just thoughts floating around.
Upgrades will continue.

Yep some of the Silverlines are very nice @mfexpanda, I think we have found one model of each brand that we like so far...Lotto win would help make the choice easier.
 
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Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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Magic Numbers for lotto?

Go for it.

We can all dream ...but it's a balance between dreams and reality.

Hope the thoughts, plans, dreams come into fruition!

Our little van has been housebound for about five months and is suffering from withdrawal....like us.
Now planning and dreaming and suffering reality.
 
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Drover

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Well as mentioned on another post "The Tardis" is being replaced by a Coromal Lifestyle for the usual reasons, need more room for longer trips, why the Coromal, well price, fitout and condition ....after having a Jayco I can fix most problems now.
Will really miss The Tardis it has given us a great time travelling and we racked up a heap of Kms in the 2 yrs or so we had it, I think somewhere close to 60,000kms, did some great mods and some like the wine rack will do a transition to the new rig, pity I did such a good job on the LPG alarm, removing it will stick out...........lesson learnt, all mods to be removable if possible............Only one more update to do and thats replacing the bed end when I get it back from the canvas bloke then it's clean, pack and take it for it's last run................Start a new thread then, New mod list has started and it's not even here, I wonder if I'll need WDH find out in about a week.........................................
 

Dobbie

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Out come the notebooks and the scratch plans.

Lots to do and plan.....and it's all fun cos it's for your future pleasure.
 
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Drover

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I wish I had taken more pics so I could study and plan.
A grey watertank is on the short list, have most of the bits, same style as before, led lights in cupboards and refit the wine rack which in a most surprising bit of brilliance I designed to be removed, only strapped in.........laziness more likely.
No room for stone gaurd but hopefully won't be getting into big mods................
 
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jeff

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Mar 4, 2013
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You inspired me to put a grey water tank on our 14.44.5 DSC01091r.JPG
 

Drover

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The grey water tank on this next one will be all singing, all dancing, I hope it will be around 60lt cap and depending on the drainage on this new rig I may be able to have them all run into one line to the tank, that will save one hell of a lot of stuffing around...was looking at the pipes and bits today, thinking, if I have all the bits, get van on Thurs, fit tank Fri, prep and pack Sat could hit road Sun, quick shake down to Rainbow Beach , Carlo Point for a few days to check things out........then again it's not important, could leave Sat morn after prep on Fri even......YES !!!.................still over a week away.......takes mind off plumbing shop gave me wrong parts for job I was going to do this weekend, the one time I don't pull all the bits out and check, "Do you want flared fittings, Sir ? " ......" NO"..........so I get fittings for flared pipe.............Damn........Solar HWS repair delayed a few more days.....
 

Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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Well as mentioned on another post "The Tardis" is being replaced by a Coromal Lifestyle for the usual reasons, need more room for longer trips, why the Coromal, well price, fitout and condition ....after having a Jayco I can fix most problems now.
Will really miss The Tardis it has given us a great time travelling and we racked up a heap of Kms in the 2 yrs or so we had it, I think somewhere close to 60,000kms, did some great mods and some like the wine rack will do a transition to the new rig, pity I did such a good job on the LPG alarm, removing it will stick out...........lesson learnt, all mods to be removable if possible............Only one more update to do and thats replacing the bed end when I get it back from the canvas bloke then it's clean, pack and take it for it's last run................Start a new thread then, New mod list has started and it's not even here, I wonder if I'll need WDH find out in about a week.........................................
Commiseration on the departure of The Tardis, and congrats on the Coromal.

The new owner of The Tardis will get the benefit of some quality additions.
 
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bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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takes mind off plumbing shop gave me wrong parts for job I was going to do this weekend, the one time I don't pull all the bits out and check, "Do you want flared fittings, Sir ? " ......" NO"..........so I get fittings for flared pipe.............Damn........Solar HWS repair delayed a few more days.....

my goodness you are great forward thinker

imagine giving the wrong answer to the poor little shop attendant, just so you can have a weekend away...........

I bow to a master..........:hail::hail::hail:
 
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Drover

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I just want to get the damn job out of the way, re-charging the system with a coolant mix is a messy job, end up with blue coolant everywhere as I try to pressurize the system, my pump can be a demon.........quote for new air con arrived $2700, insurance job thankfully, I don't have to do a thing....yay.
 
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Drover

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Thats looking good @jeff , had to get onto the desk top for good view, should hold about 40lts, I had been thinking of putting a T piece in and adding another metre running to the rear for more capacity.........only a thought though.

I had mine higher on the left side so it would always drain to the tap and with a breather fitted, it would drain from the breather if overfull and not back up into the shower....
 
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jeff

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I like the T piece addition, when I recover from getting under the van, I will put a bit of thought into that. I have a couple of small outlets on the top if it gets full. Can't believe how fast the sink & shower drain, it's amazing :)
 

Drover

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Well after 19 pages the reason for this thread is now at the Jayco Playground in Brissie......................."Big Mal" has now replaced " The Tardis "..................................the memories of great times will live on.......................

farewellTardis02.jpg