The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

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Chuck
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Chuck »

WOW... Jim, & another WOW!

Fantastic effort, both on the 'Pumpkin' & the repartee.

Loved it.

So, in your spare time..... Image Image
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aka Geriatric Gypsies.

2018 VW Tiguan.
White.
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Grandad
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

In my spare time, I am renovating my 100+ year old house in an attempt to increase it's sale value for when I need to sell.
And I own a part time business making cat parks which pays for both the Pumpkin and the reno's.

Jim
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BruceS
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by BruceS »

mmm.. my memory ....
AMI was Toyota from memory?
Yes did quite a bit out of Port Melbourne too.
All my car carrying was Interstate though.
Holdens from Elizabeth to virtually all Victorian Country dealers. (direct drop for Friendly Tspt)
Unloaded top deck in middle of night with ramps at railway siding platforms!! (old trick!)
All Datsuns & Toyotas to either Adelaide or Pt Augusta for rail to Perth or Darwin.
Many loads had the odd second hand car onboard. Some were vehicles for relocating service personel.
Did a few direct from Melb to Perth to take family on holidays .......

PS, There definitely was a Franklin Factory in Ballarat cause I picked some up from there.
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Grandad
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

It was just a long shot Bruce. Yes, AMI was Toyota by the late 70's. I worked for Eastbern Toyota at that time. It later became Ken Morgan Toyota and is now Nunawading Toyota.
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Grandad
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

Right-E-Oh. This last session should bring me up to date. Then I can just post updates if or as they happen.

Inside:
This is the new cabinet opposite the kitchen that is where the Wardrobe used to live. I won't actually have a wardrobe as such. Whether that turns out to be a bad idea, only time will tell. But truthfully, the only thing I can imagine that might be hung up is a coat. And that doesn't really need hanging up. It can be stuffed somewhere else. I certainly won't have any suits or dress coats. Or dresses for that matter.
IMG_1958 (Medium).JPG
I haven't really decided if the microwave will go above the fridge here, or opposite below the sink.

I've also built a small cabinet to fit at the end of the mattress. I foresee socks, jocks and other smalls fitting there nicely.
IMG_1956 (Medium).JPG
Refitting the roof was an interesting exercise. When I was putting the walls back in place a ways back, I used the two diagonal measurement method to ensure they were square to each other. No matter how I placed them I could not get the same measurement both times. In frustration I thought, "You don't suppose?", and sure enough it turns out the two walls were different in length by about 8 to 10mm. How can that happen when they were made in a jig? Franklin really wasn't big on quality control.

The trouble with that is, the roof has a definite curve both front and back, so if the ends of the walls aren't square once the curve is in place, the long section will go to the left or right. Have I explained that enough or clear as mud?

I decided to cut the centre section, where the roof vent used to be and put the now two roof sections on separately. If either end wandered too far left or right I'd just cut it shorter and put a larger piece in the middle. Those curves were what really mattered.

So, anyway, here we have the first of the curves refitted.
IMG_1038 (Small).JPG
All good.
So, just did the same for the other end. I won't bore you with that photo. Same as the first, only backwards. So to speak.

At the end of the day, this is the gap I ended up with in the middle.
IMG_1106 (Small).JPG
Not bad. A 1200mm sheet covers it nicely. The wires sticking up are for the solar panels.

And that sheet is waiting patiently in my shed until my neighbour returns from galivanting around Australia in his Jayco in about 3 weeks.
It's a two man job.

IMG_1960 (Medium).JPG
I do have a bit of a question mark here. I'd appreciate opinions on whether I'm on the right track.

I obviously have to join those sheets together. I am assuming the roof cladding must be attached only at the walls and not in the middle. Reasoning is, that cladding will expand and contract during the day in the sun. If it was attached to the plywood underneath in the middle, forces and stresses will occur which may be unpredictable.

So, I'm planning, at this stage, to apply copious quantities of my favourite adhesive (T-Rex) and use sealed pop rivets to join in a single line nearest the joining edge.

Opinions please?

I believe that now brings us up to date.
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Grandad
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

The future:

I've mentioned the fitting of the last sheet on the roof already.

After that? Probably running the 240V AC cable that is currently sticking out of the fridge cupboard over to the other side where all the electrics are. I need to do that first so I can get the centre section of the interior ceiling insulated and lined so I can stop this damned condensation.

Then, I have to take these,
IMG_1957 (Medium).JPG
which are the stays that hold the windows open down to the platers so they can be cleaned up of the rust and replated all shiney and bright again.

Might do that tomorrow. Had to wait until now because I needed to order another pair. 70 BUCKS A PAIR!!! Damn! But I need them all so they all end up looking the same. Some will be black unfortunately. I can't source cream ones. And certainly can't afford to replace them all in black at $70 a pop.

The next big job however, is the battery compartment in this corner.
IMG_1955 (Medium).JPG
If you click on the photo you can see all my pencil lines on the wall, including where the exterior access door hole will be cut. It's sitting patiently in my shed as well.

Batteries, sorry, cells down below assessable from the outside, and a second compartment above for all the gear such as inverters, regulators and Terry's little black box BMS controller thingy.
That section will be accessible from the top while kneeling on one of the dinette seats.

An as yet unsolved design issue is how to provide air circulation inside both compartments to avoid heat buildup. I'll figure it out. The answer will present itself once I'm looking at the actual cupboard instead of picturing it in my brain which ain't always reliable anymore.

Then the kitchen cupboard and a myriad of other jobs. But I'm definitely past the half way mark by a long shot.

Oh, I've decided on a exterior colour. My daughter, who will one day end up owning The Pumpkin and I have discussed various options. I've used my power of veto to stay white. But not just any white. It's called Crystal Pearl from the Toyota range. It's not a true pearl like from days of old but a very fine metallic that looks like pearl. My neighbour across the road has a Corolla Hybrid in that colour and in the sun it looks magic.

The stripe will be whatever colour the tow vehicle is, or silver if it is white.

Now I just need to get down to the auto paint shop and see if I can get it in enamel, in which case I can spray it here myself, or only in two pack which will mean I have to speak very nicely to another neighbour to ask if he will spray it in his dad's booth.

That's it for now.
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BruceS
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by BruceS »

I threw a half dozen of those window props away not long ago!
I used 2 of them to hold the helm hatch open so I didn't have to rely on Wendy to hold it while I was tinkering with fuses etc in there.
The ones I had were actually off a Viscount van. Looked the same but I can't see yours completely. Does yours have the screw to tighten to hold at whatever/where ever you want them open to?
We have several vans here in the marina used as storage 'containers' ..... probably could grab some!
I'll check what make they are.
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Grandad
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

I'll snap a pic of a complete unit in the morning.
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by Grandad »

Here ya go Bruce. Are these what you have?
IMG_1962 (Medium).JPG
Jim
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Re: The rebuilding of a 1969 Franklin Mini - AKA "The Pumpkin"

Post by BruceS »

Yep. Almost the same but mine never had the slide down locking when closed.
I'll see what some of these old vans have here.
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