21000 Mile trip in our Commer Van.

Well we are home,,, or at least back where we started from last December and apart from a few scratches and dents the Commer seems non the worst for the experience. Its been a fantastic trip and the van attracted massive amounts of attention, so many people in Australia whom had never heard of a Commer Van now know what one is.
We spent the last couple of weeks visiting friends and family but now its time to find a home and get Amelia enrolled in school for next year. Back to work in Jan for Amanda and I, Bummer.

Some trip stats,

Travelling time - 11 months
Fuel Consumed - 5007 Liters premium unleaded
Most expensive fuel - $2.20L
Least expensive fuel - $1.59L
Cruising speed - 78kph/47mph
Parts replaced- Starting motor, Distributor, Manifold Gaskets, Heater tap, Suspension link pin, Tyre x 4.
Minor break downs- 1, fuel system blockage due to additives in modern fuel eating away tank lining
"Snake skin".
Major Break Downs- 1, suspension failure, broken link pin due to metal fatigue and lack of lubrication. Thanks Martin for replacement parts.

Hottest travelling day- 46'C/114.8'F
Coolest travelling day - minus 8'C/17.6'F

Total distance traveled, 21120Miles / 33990Klm

Best part about the trip- The three of us being together.
Worst part of trip- non,,, maybe having to stop.

Toured - South Australia, Victoria, Aust Capitol Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.

:D


commer+018.jpg


Wherever we roam,
we still call our Commer home!

www.commervanoztour.blogspot.com
 
quote:
Originally posted by Aussie Commer

Well we are home,,, or at least back where we started from last December and apart from a few scratches and dents the Commer seems non the worst for the experience.
Its been a fantastic trip and the van attracted massive amounts of attention, so many people in Australia whom had never heard of a Commer Van now know what one is.
We spent the last couple of weeks visiting friends and family but now its time to find a home and get Amelia enrolled in school for next year. Back to work in Jan for Amanda and I, Bummer.

:D


commer+018.jpg


Wherever we roam,
we still call our Commer home!

www.commervanoztour.blogspot.com




What an amazing experience. Especially in an automatic! I hope I can create so many family memories in my Commer - just as you have done. Awesome that she held up :)
 
Amazing trip, I'm sure this will go down in Commer history, glad I could help keeping you on the road :)

www.commervanspares.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/commervanspares
 
Wow!!!!!!!!! .... I'm so jealous at what you have achieved in your bus well done you
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ITS ALIVE AND ITS A MONSTER.
 
Stupendous, amazing, awesome, brilliant[8D] the superlatives just keep flowing for such an epic trip. It will take time to adjust to 'normal' life again but the upside is you'll be happy with the smallest of places to settle down in - anything will seem big compared with the inside of a Commer:D but you're going to need a huge garden to get the wide open feel you are so used to:)
How long will it be before you get itchy feet again;)

41fa30c8-22ce-43e8-bd12-188475a80292.jpg

Harvey & Bonnie
 
All those miles without a gear change! Dont think I coud cope with that!
Amazing!

Commer Dandy by Dandy Caravans now Riva Dandy
The Colonel Mustard six speed
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Member of the 6 speed club.
 
Amazing, thoroughly enjoyed following your trip and thanks for all the effort posting it up.

bummer about having to work again after that

Hasta la supervista baby
 
Thanks guys[8D]I am missing being on the road already.

Kiwi, contrary to popular belief i find the auto trans to be surprisingly good:) once you get used to it, i became used to locking it in low gears until i was ready for it to change up. We spent much of the time in Tasmania with the trans in L "lock" and the engine screaming or else she would keep changing up on the hills and wont change back down until it wants too[:(!], so you often have lost too much RPM by then.
The standard original BW35 trans is very common and practically bulletproof. the Commer linkages and selector lever assembly are very well made. I enjoy hearing the clank of the selector lever as i slapped it in an out of the gates. Its a solid design.

Panky, I got itchy feet yesterday mate!.:D

Anyway for those who haven't read the blog or cant be bothered;) here is a vid of the highlights and some camp sites and stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzKBgopI2Zc

Cheers,
Paul,


commer+018.jpg


Wherever we roam,
we still call our Commer home!

www.commervanoztour.blogspot.com
 
So pleased you are all home safe after an incredible journey! What an amazing time you all had -and a fantastic education for Amelia- Hope school and a more normal life work out well!
Have a lovely Christmas -you deserve it! Best Wishes- Mike/ Clarabel and Co
 
Well it took me a while to read all your blog and soak it all up.......what an amazing trip and time you all have had....I'm very jealous and well done [8D][8D]

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''COMMER'EnSayThat''
Member of The 6-Speed Club
 
I followed along with the progress - what a great time! Glad you took those stats as well!
 
quote:
Originally posted by admin

I followed along with the progress - what a great time! Glad you took those stats as well!




The coolest day stat was the one I wasn't expecting, -8c.[:0].
Didn't get much sleep during that night, i couldn't remember if I had used anti freeze in the radiator. Had to keep checking that the radiator/heater core were not freezing up.

Turned out to be fine I must have used a better quality glycol based coolant than i thought after all. :D]


commer+018.jpg


Wherever we roam,
we still call our Commer home!

www.commervanoztour.blogspot.com
 
What an awesome trip! Another few thousand miles and you could have done a ciruit of the earth. -8C, that's impressive, but I expect the Commer fared less well in +46C!

Would love to do similar, but wouldn't be able to afford the £5k cost for fuel alone.
 
These people also had an amazing trip, beautiful photo's:
http://www.bumfuzzle.com/blog/2009/12/01/december-2009/

It's a Volkswagen...I know, but still...great roadtrip
 
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