TheHaflinger.com

Looks good, John - should keep your camping gear much drier! Any news re: whether you will be fit for the Netherlands yet?

I managed to get my 1970 LWB Haf working again today - new fuel filter, x2 engine bay fuel hoses, condenser, & points. I am now part way through cleaning and "re-colouring and reconditioning" my short canvas with some black Renovo reviver. Sadly the canvas is in a very poor state of repair, but I am trying hard not to spend too much money on this machine. I have the door frames (no canvas), but for times when I need doors I will just use those that are on my SWB.

Next task will be to cut out a bit of rot on the rear cross member and weld in some repair patches. Ooh, and get an MOT

Hi Julian,

Health appears to good enough to warrant booking the ferry and camping and RAC so as far as things stand, I am going!

Good to know you have found the issues with your Haflinger and sorted them. A new canvas top will be expensive, but you could always go for a cheaper plastic Tarpaulin in the meantime!

I though of using this stuff when I have to re-cover my doors:-
https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/produ ... ndow-sheet

Then use "P" clips to go round the tubing and either nuts and bolts or pop rivets to hold it in place.

John

Hey John - why do you need a mobile greenhouse??

Garry

This isn't quite a greenhouse, last year I had this which WAS a green house!
Trouble with it was the material was very thin and ripped easily when I went passed overgrown bushes and the tubing was really light weight as in 17mm and 0.5mm wall thickness. Actually it might even have been thinner.

We are off to the Nertherlands for a Treffen weekend in May and all the luggage gets put on the back - this will A: keep it in place with out having to tie it all down and B: keep it dry.
The Tarp was cheap compared to trying to get suitable sized canvas or similar stuff.

Lurch was unfortunately involved in a fight with an oak tree before I purchased him and hence everything is no longer square which is making it difficult to get the Tarp to pull tight without ripples. Still it will do the job.

John

Its good to see innovation is still alive and well

For the rear "door" a pair of the Peel n Stick Tarp Zippers would do the trick and take about 60 seconds to install.
I am sure you could find locally or order online easily. Here in Kanada they are about $10 for a pair.
http://www.zipup.com/pages/zipup-dust-d ... ipper.html

The stick on zip looks like a good idea, I'll see what it costs to get such an item this side of the Atlantic...

Biggest problem is trying to decide how to make the rear section. I can pull the sides tight and turn a strip in round the last hoop (on both sides) - but then how do I fix it so it keeps the tension, but allows me to take the cover off when I need to?
Having sorted that problem, I then have the problem of the rear flap, I am hoping to make it from the same piece that is providing the roof, in other words no seam along the top rear hoop. So issue is where and what shape do I make the cut in the Tarp at the rear to provide the rear flap and seal to the sides, preferably with some overhang to keep the weather out.

Looks like I will have to make a scale wire frame model and experiment with some sheets of material!

John

1 tarp and 1 roll of Gorilla Tape. Cost me under $28 US , took 1.5hrs with wife helping.

Jim,

a couple of questions;

On the rear, your picture shows the side panel of the tarpaulin coming round the last hoop - are there 2 hoops there? Or are you using the bit of tarpaulin coming down from the roof to hold it tight? Just trying to get my head around how to keep the side sections tight front to back, Up / down not a problem.

Did you use the Gorilla tape to hold the sides / roof to the hoops?

My home produced hoops are not exactly a copy of the factory system, so I currently only have a single tube at the rear of the platform. Maybe I will have to add some more bits just so I can have some points to fix the tarpaulin to.

I would also like to be able to roll the sides up and still have the roof nice and tight, so maybe that need some Gorilla tape / Velcro / sewn on tags

John

Offtopic, but:
Jim, is that a white Mk2 Golf you have in the background? Looks just like mine, color and everything!

The top is taped to the horizontal bars between the hoops, all 1 piece of tarp, folded, cut and taped. The back flap opens. Bungee cord holds to hooks just like factory top.
To open flap and keep top tight, I just use an extra bungee to pull the flap forward inside, or tuck it under the center bow.
This is a short term solution till the new top is done and the doors get finished.
Yes on the VW. It has just under 500,000 miles on it.

So I have been doing a bit more to the rear cover. Trimmed the sides a bit but still have to put the eyelets in and the hooks for the shock cord.
The rear bumper has always had a kink in it since I purchased Lurch, so today I decided I would try and take the kink out - 3 ton trolley jack made short work of bending the tube and now the rear engine hatch opens and shuts nicely with out you having to fight with it.
Also gives you a view of the metal work inside, bits of bunk bed and frame tent in there!

John

As they say - there is the right way, the wrong way and the British way to do things. and to me that looks pretty good - so much better than the Green House - looks very practical though I think a safety inspector might have an issue with your bumper straightening equipment - but if it worked without injury that is great.

So you have Lurch kitted out pretty well for you next trip away.

Great to see.

Garry

As the bed is 6 foot long, it means I can stick a mattress in the back if I don't fancy putting up tent. when I go places.
(It can all come apart should I need Lurch as a flat bed pickup).

The bits of wood under the jack were just to stop it from falling on the floor whilst I was extending the arm. I could have borrowed my son's 3 ton bottle jack which would have achieved the same result, but that would have meant walking 50 meters and rummaging around in the back of his truck to find it. The trolley jack was already out!

John

Saturday was MOT day, Lurch passed without any real issues, one rear number plate light dim compared to the other. Tyres starting to crack as being the only two advisories.

Need some more hooks to go down the sides and across the back and the rear cover will be held on well enough to manage the trip to Holland and back.

John

Not quite a "what did you do with your Haflinger today", but what happened over the weekend just gone... Drove Lurch to Holland and back and two days of road trips with 18 other Haflingers. One of the stops. https://youtu.be/cref7GORk2k

John

Another "not quite what did you do with your Haflinger today" but a trials section last weekend.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1gtzz4tm3l1jf ... 6.MOV?dl=0

Too big to upload directly.

John

Looks good fun! And nice to see another Half there with you.


PS Why do folks take videos in portrait mode? Grrrr.

Because he used my iPhone and did't know any better! Lol