Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Self builds and DIY projects
andys9
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Joined: August 22nd, 2016, 11:08 am

Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14957Post andys9
August 22nd, 2016, 1:16 pm

ok bought a Tischer demountable and VW Caddy but have found the camper rotten to the core and would need a total restoration . So I have dismantled the entire camper to its individual panels and taken pictures and dimensions where necessary .There was 75% of the structural timbers rotten including part of the floor .
have looked into building a new camper based upon the original or similar specs being aware of the weight limitations of the original pick up .
I believe i have seen somewhere that the original Tischer weighed in at 350kg? and the all in load capacity of the Caddy is 750kg - payload and driver / passenger .
To build or sell on as a project / spares ??
as spares would yield outer metal skins , windows , doors , cushions , cooker , fridge , sink , couple of jacklegs , edge trims , elevating roof panel and the panels from which to take measurements

if anyone wants to make me an offer for the bits as a complete lot feel free .

Currently unsure what direction to go in but finding great difficulty in finding quality 3mm ply locally . Really not sure i have the time and space to take this on .

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zildjian
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Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14958Post zildjian
August 22nd, 2016, 4:06 pm

Hi, sorry that didn't work out for you, typically that model exist with a degree of damp this one had gone too far,

another member 'Haggis100' has a model under reconstruction in Halifax I think and He was saying that Tischer were able to supply him with various panel and trim parts after He began stripping it out chasing rot, so the option to rebuild is potentially one certainly,

you want a caddy-friendly camper so obviously N camper would be first choice, they do come up from fairly regular but bound to point out (after the event here) we do always suggest a damp meter is your bargaining tool on viewings

£7.45

David Fellowes
Posts: 81
Joined: August 22nd, 2016, 4:16 pm
Location: St Despair beside the sea

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14959Post David Fellowes
August 22nd, 2016, 4:20 pm

Hello Andy & welcome, sorry you found rot on your Tischer
I think of myself as part of the the dayshift around here :)

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rubberrat
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Joined: August 25th, 2014, 7:54 pm
Location: North Norfolk - Near the coast

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14961Post rubberrat
August 22nd, 2016, 4:39 pm

You will need marine grade ply if you carry on with the build - understand what a mammoth task that will be.
Not sure where you are but boat builders will point you in the right direction for 3mm marine ply. Many dinghies were skinned in 3mm
Chevrolet 3.0 LUV Tischer Trail 200

andys9
Posts: 5
Joined: August 22nd, 2016, 11:08 am

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14967Post andys9
August 22nd, 2016, 6:09 pm

thanks . currently been chasing marine ply 3mm locally but really not up to spec as i have been going to visit the suppliers before placing the order . would seem Robbins timber in Bristol and Fyne boat kits in Cumbria are reputable suppliers for the marine industry and can provide the quality required . There seems to be no supply of 19mm polystyrene insulation and so the panel width would need to be increased to 20mm to accomodate the 20mm sheets i can get . A marginal alteration . and with very little weight gain .
Have to admit i was very impressed with the camper unit for the brief period i had it in one piece and with its pop top it was everything i would need from a camper . If the wood was just down the road i would go for it but buying blind is daunting . and the need to generate a big enough level fabrication table with a way to press the panels together when gluing , the polystyrene cutter hot knife , a planer thicknesser for making the structural timbers , air staple gun , all the tools for any epoxy work , etc I have worked out id be in for over £800 before even starting to fabricate .
By using everything new and a 3mm ply external epoxied skin i reckon that the cost would be £2k for a windows less box . one storage access door , reusing the old door and with the rising roof from the original and including new jack legs made from the sidewinder trailer jacks off ebay .
Seitz 350x500 windows seem to be £220 a piece , and a new caravan door about £300 . new internal fittings would be cooker, sink , fridge , heater £1-1500 . considerable savings could be made from using second hand parts , and reusing the old windows would be free as would the old cooker , fridge and heater but i think id probably either fit new or go without until i could afford new .
Its just constructing the table 12x8ft and having it in the workshop as an immovable object , and buying in the extra tools ....
i am not going to cry about it , its happened and its time to move on . either build new or sell on .
still deciding .....

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zildjian
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Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14968Post zildjian
August 22nd, 2016, 6:23 pm

Well you have a realistic approach thats good to see, if it was me I'd be inclined to recreate from the pattern you now have,
We have maybe 5-6 of that model here so you may be able to visit one of those, additionally we also have the guy probably imported that camper into UK in first place

Gary Warr of 'SimplyBrillliantStuff Dorset' a mine of information
thought I believe He and Morag are currently in Germany for next week

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derestrictor
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Joined: November 18th, 2014, 7:21 pm
Location: gotham Nottingham

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14971Post derestrictor
August 22nd, 2016, 6:59 pm

Copy the Tischer but take the chance to modernise it with better insulation, lighting etc they wouldn't have had around when it was constructed.
do you have specific ideas on the Caddy, there a member here (euan i think)

EDITED

Image

Image

Image


photo libre

with a nice white one and Tischer that looks just great

euanmb
Posts: 8
Joined: July 25th, 2015, 10:11 am

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14977Post euanmb
August 22nd, 2016, 7:51 pm

Hi Andy. Have just posted ^these^ pictures of mine on the Facebook page
They are great units and worth saving as getting very rare now. I only know of a handful but I'm guessing the rest of the UK Tischer Caddycaemp's either made their way on to newer model pickups or have unfortunately outlived their caddy 's but have been forgotten about in fields and barns around the country.
As parts I'm guessing they wouldn't be worth much over here as the market is so small. Over in Europe, maybe more, as when the demountable's tend to come up on the market over there then they are several grand to buy.

Mine has areas that need addressing, but the plan was to eventually do a full restore, new insulation, electrics, reseal and possibly a change of external panelling to something like stripped metal. Though a new arrival may have changed my plans unless I can squeeze an extra seat in a 2 seater caddy.
Did the Demountable come with the caddy? I've done a lot of work to mine to accommodate the Tischer and still have a long list to get it to where I want it. But getting it out on the road and away for the weekend is worth it.


andys9
Posts: 5
Joined: August 22nd, 2016, 11:08 am

Re: Tischer VW Caddy MK 1 to break or restore

Post: # 14983Post andys9
August 23rd, 2016, 8:49 am

just going to use this post to link in some of the pages ive been looking at
Plywood
http://theplywood.com/weight
http://www.robbins.co.uk/
http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/
http://www.morland-uk.com/

General build data with health and safety about epoxy usage / handling , stuff about quality control of plywoods , and somewhere in there an interesting note on the last few sheets going thru the degraded sanding drum in the mill before the sanding material gets changed and how it burns the ply and distorts the cell structure
See construction methods 3 and link thru to sheathing and painting in epoxy
http://www.kayarchy.co.uk/html/08fullco ... itemap.htm
from which i noted 'wood as a boat building material '
http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/

specifically for epoxy coating ply with the need to wash down with acetone pre epoxy and the first coat being diluted with 7% styrene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzkWeuC0yPs

for glue info
http://www.thegluepeople.co.uk/


as for going ahead with the building of a new camper some areas of concern are the underside of the over cab extension and how to seal/epoxy it .the side panel id epoxy flat pre assembly , the roof panels too . the body tub id flip and epoxy once assembled as a unitary piece before attaching the sides and back panel . The curved over cab other than the flat panels is a concern .
The only other way to waterproof it would be to ali sheet it but i had fancied epoxied ply .




Ref the caddy it was incidental and the main focus is/was the camper unit . Together they do make a great package and they do look so bloody cool .

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