Summer time and the living is easy

As Alex rightly points out, summer appears to be here, and so it's time for both Palominos and lesser campers to be woken from hibernation.

He also asks if anyone has an awning. Fortuitously, Pippa has sent me a picture of just that. Roj and Mandy have one, and they've asked how to join the palomino club.

Roj and Mandy, I've good news for you. Owning a Palomino, and asking is all you need to do! (Non-owners, by discretion). Hopefully you can find something useful here.

Here are the pictures

Rebirth of a Palomino

James writes to me. He's got a Palomino that makes mine look like a showroom condition Bentley. He's started on the long process of restoring it, despite it having no front seats, side door, or engine.

Unfortunately, it seems that before he discovered that his £400 van was a mighty Palomino, he'd stripped the rotten interior and removed the roof with the intention of turning it into a common or garden pop-top camper.

Hopefully his recent discovery will save this sinner, and restore him to the true path of righteousness.

You can see his photos here. Hopefully, the next set of photos will show that he seen the light, and put the roof back on! Or read about his progress (Registration required)

A palomino for sale

If there are any lurkers out there, desperate to be allowed to become a member of this highly exclusive club, then there's a Palomino for sale for £5395.

Book Review: VW Camper, the Inside Story

Amongst my Christmas presents was David Eccles' book VW Camper, The Inside Story (or to give it its full title, ...A Guide to the Various Camping Conversions and Interior Layouts Used for VW Campers 1951-2005). And I must mention I'm grateful, because I did ask for it specifically.

If you're interested in the minutiae of Westfalia paint codes, then this is an excellent book. But for the Palomino owner, it's a bleak desert without a single Oasis. Not a single mention of the world's finest camper.

Eccles does mention that it would, of course, be impossible to document each and every permutation of camper over the years, but he has managed to cover some pretty eccentric and eclectic conversions in preference to our beloved Palomino. So for the Palomino owner, not recommended.

And so to bed

[Pippa chides me for not having any updates. However, I am a fair weather camper fan; unable to be torn away from my regular transport's heated seats and, well, heating during the winter months, and my van is lurking under its cover in the garden devising new ways of turning to rust. She has, in the community spirit, taken the chance to write something herself, for which she has my great thanks. Season's Greetings ]

It was a sad day today; Claude eventually had to leave pride of place on our drive to go into winter storage. It's a day I've been putting off for the past month or two, using excuses such as the unseasonably mild weather; the need to finish off the restoration work; the fact that moving him will reveal the steadily-growing oil-patch on the driveway....

In reality, it's just because I'll actually miss my van! He's been great fun for little trips throughout the year, and he's also been a really enjoyable hobby, taking up much of my time and energy (not to mention the bank balance!) since the day we bought him. And now that I've just got the van how I want him, it's time to mothball him until spring - so unfair!

So, I spent most of today emptying all of the cupboards, removing the curtains and cushions, washing, T-cutting, rust-removing and waxing to try to ensure Claude emerges in April reasonably close to the same condition as he is now. Then it was a quick trip down to a local farmer's barn in the next village, where he'll hopefully be safe and dry for the next 3 or 4 months, at a cost of £10 per week. (I hope I'm not being ripped off!) Obviously, I'll pop down every week or two and start him up, or preferably give him a run to keep his brakes and tyres in order, but in the meantime, I'll just have to find myself an alternative hobby... any ideas?

Pippa

[Hobbies? Well, there's always blogging, I suppose]

Printed Material Sought

If anyone has any printed material (manuals, brochures, etc) or magazine articles featuring Palominos, please let us know. We'd dearly love to see them. Thanks

upper bunks

The upper bunks are supported by a cross beam support piece of wood, which is 1165mm long, with two 45mm extensions on the end: ie: The total length of the cross beam is 1255mm.

The cross beam is 60mm high, and 58mm deep.

On the front of the beam are two U shaped plastic supports, with their centre 520mm from the end of the main section.

The cross beam slots into the front of the upper bunk cabinets.

Into the cups is unfurled the bed - which consists of a 1770mm long hollow metal pole, 30mm in diameter. Around the pole is wrapped the bed material, the other side of which is secured to the van inside of the bunk cabinet.

As you may be able to tell, technical drawing is not my forté.

[Update: Pippa's photos
]