Introduce Yourself

[Roadrunner]

Hi all, I thought I would start this topic so members could introduce themselves. Being a noob to all this I hope its ok.

My name is Ted better known as Roadrunner my son's name is Jamie nicknamed Wile-E-Coyote or Roadrunner's apprentice.

We enjoy renovating old cars. We are in the process of rebuilding a 1940's Morris 8 from the chassis up, a nut and bolt job, which is an ongoing long project. We are also renovating a 70's Mini convertible. This is where the Ansfold comes in, which we are also renovating eventually to be towed and tour the country using the Mini, hopefully in the not too distant future. I will be asking for help and advice as we go along, and if anyone can be of assistance from time to time it would be very much appreciated as our knowledge of Ansfold’s at the moment is bordering on zero. But we are both up for the challenges ahead. We live in Cowplain Hampshire PO8 8DT (10 miles outside of Portsmouth).

Ansfold HISTORY:

OBTAINED ON 6th JUNE 2010 OFF EBAY, IN NEED OF SOME RESTORATION.

Manufactured: March 1977

Kind Regards to all, Ted and Jamie

[bigbird]

Hi Ted and Jamie and everyone else!

I live on the Isle of Wight, my first camper also a lightweight unit which I still have is a Combi camp. This is an ultra lightweight unit, that there are very few of over here in the UK because they were made for the US market to be towed by bikes. This makes it ideal to be towed by my Harley Davidson trike.
All my life I have been involved with Motorcycles, my husband also has motorcycles and eventually I changed my career and became a DSA approved motorcycle instructor, that was until disability a few years ago.
As a family of petrol heads (our son included) we have always enjoyed 'Steam ups', and the vintage car displays, having had an Old Spitfire for the past thirty years (due to be sold..ahhhh), classic British bikes and more recently American ones. The one thing we saw in our travels at the steam ups, were the vintage caravans, which I fell in love with, much to hubbies disgust. But, as we don't have the space to store a 'winchester' or the such like...that is when we decided on a vintage folding caravan.....'Portafold'.
Matthew, kindly told us of a Porti that was for sale in the South, and we were lucky enough to purchase her. She required a fair amount of renovation, as most of them do, but we love her and 'Matilda' now accompanies us, not only to steam rallies and bike rallies, but is also our home away from home when we attend Morris and Folk Festivals....Yup, we are Morris Dancers .....(not with bells and hankies though) we do 'Border Morris' which involves large sticks and lots of attitude ...lol. I have to say, I don't dance...not fit enough, so I play the accordion and flute for the group. I also play bodhran and mandolin (rather badly)...when alone..lol ....

That's me introduced...

Jan...aka....BigBird

[triumphtone]

Hi All,

Cracking idea for a thread! I'm from the North East of England and have been into Classic Cars since the late 70s (to be fair some of them were just regarded as old bangers then ). We've just bought the Portafold to allow us to camp when we are using one of our smaller classics. I'd seen a few Portafolds at classic car/steam fairs/Agricultural shows etc but didn't know what they were. Some friends of ours have a 1970s folder that they tow behind there Triumph Vitesse which spurred me on to research the portafold as a lightweight alternative that we can tow with a spitfire. My friend with the Vitesse is now jealous because the fins on the portafold echo the fins on the back of the Vitesse. So far ours has only been towed behind the 2500S as I haven't fitted a tow bar to the Spits yet. I've a few small things to sort on the Portafold then a'camping we will go!

Anth aka Triumphtone

[txfsealord]

Hi all, yes this does seem a good thread-idea, thanks Ted.

I'm Steve Lord. I've been a professional vehicle restorer for the last 27 years & I do some of the technical advice on here. I tow our Ansfold with a 1957 Morris Minor 1000 which is my daily-use car that I've owned since 1971. Also, I'm currently rebuilding a post-war Morris Six 21hp. As parts for this large Morris are hard to find, I bought a 1915 5" Drummond lathe to make them on, which turned out to be very interesting in itself so that's become another hobby - I needed something else to do! I bought the Ansfold about 4 years ago as a broken-backed basket case, to use at car shows; I have still to finish the external fibreglass repairs but most other things are done now, these are written-up elsewhere on here.

We live near Pulborough in West Sussex. To those who've recently joined, feel free to ask questions, Matt or I & others are happy to help if we can. Many of the problems encountered & questions asked are addressed/answered on here already but we're always interested in new ones; there's no such thing as a complete list of possible problems!

Steve (txfsealord)

[Roadrunner]

Well, thank you all for your comments and response. I'm impressed that this thread is working already. It does give you an insight into what other members are all about and breaks the ice for when paths cross by enjoying our common hobby of Portafold/Ansfold. Already we have found members in near and far proximity sharing a lot of common interests.

The more members that contribute to this thread. The more Interesting and communal it will become.

Bigbird :- we owned a motorbike and side car for a short time, but a Harley, mmm, that's a mean dream machine.

Triumphtone :- We love steam and classics. My first ever car was a 1938 Standard 8 Tourer that I bought at age 17, that was an old banger and cost me £25, bald tyres, and no M.O.T.'s then, great fun though in 1965.

Tfxsealord :- I envy your knowledge Steve. I'm self taught, with my son having engineering skills and my limited mechanical knowledge, also a little bodywork, but we argue and laugh then bungle are way through. No doubt we will be in contact for technical advice at some stage in the future if you don’t mind that is.

JUST REMEMBER ITS ALL GOOD FUN PRICELESS

Kind Regards to all Ted & Jamie Meep Meep

[hattytheherald]

hi

I'm Vanessa (with hubby Mark) and we bought our portafold, Penfold, after seeing one that another member of our car club (TSSC) has and in fact bought it from a member from a different area. I wanted somewhere to shelter at the car shows we go to. We bought it to tow behind a Herald 13/60 convertible (Hatty) and yes the fins were what caught our eye as they match the herald. However fitting the tow bar we realised the chassis was rotten which sparked a major rebuild which is still in progress. Penfold got stuck in the garage behind the different parts until last year. Spent alot of time and money getting her useable with our two small children. We now tow with a Triumph 2500s too. Sadly managed to damage both car and caravan last year on the second outing, although both were usuable. They are both finally repaired and looking good and we've just had our first trip out in her this year.

We also have a TR7 (awaiting rebuild) and a Triumph 2.5PI (running).

Off to Devon and Cornwall for 5 days tomorrow.

Great thread.

Vanessa aka Hattytheherald

[minicab]

Hello Everyone.

I'm a man from Sweden and live on the west coast 30 km south of Gothenburg.
I always liked English cars since I was very young.
Mostly, I have the Mini, MG and Rover.
Today I own a Mini Convertible from 1975, which I exhibit at car shows.
I work as a computer technician.

After I mounted the towbar on the Mini, I have been many ideas about what trailer I will have after the Mini.
My ideas were cut off Mini Pickup, the rearpart. Then after that, I owned two Combi Camps and the last was a Italian caravan named Levante Graziella.

But Finely, I have become a owner of a Portafold in yesterday.
According to vehicle registration office, I am the first owner of a Portafold in Sweden.
We have no information what model year it is.
According to Matthew's database you can not see what year it is manufactured, yet.
It´s looks like an early 70's.
The Portafold is imported from Netherlands by a man who imports vintage caravans in Sweden.

If you are interested in seeing the Mini Convertible. Go to the link below:
http://goto.glocalnet.net/miniwebgarage

Have a nice summer.

Best Regards
Anders

[bigherb]

Hi everybody
Although I’ve been registered for a while I never got around to introducing myself.
I don’t actually own a Portafold but my brother who is not a computer owner bought one last year and over the winter I have had not much involvement while he did some repairs to the glassfibre but now it’s my turn to check over the running gear.

I have always been a fan of the Portafold ever since I saw one at the 1971 caravan show and nearly bought one a couple of times but opted for a small full size caravan instead and am currently restoring a 1972 original fibreglass Vanmaster.

My brother wanted something to tow behind his Reliant Kitten and I suggested a Portafold and luckily one came up on eBay in sound but needing some work condition.

I’ll keep you all posted on how the restoration goes in the maintenance & restoration section.


Mike aka Bigherb

[SEDDON]

Hello all, we are Maureen & Bill, we have recently become the very proud owners of a 1972 Portafold. Bill has a 1954 Seddon 25cwt dropside truck he has restored over some years, maybe some of you have seen it around various events, it's only a little one. When the Port's sorted out we will be able to go out for weekends, not just a day trip.

Bill also has a 1971 Land Rover he restored, it's not a show one, both are in regular use.

The Porty chassis & axle have already been off to enable repairs underneath, plus some strengthening, cleaned and repainted and back together, with help of son, the more we look at it ooooooh, you know what I mean, she's lovely.

She needs quite a bit of tlc, but hey, as long as it's road worthy, the rest can be done as and when. As it needs sons help with the fibreglass and he is trying to get his classic 4x4 Panda ready for the road.

Hopefully will meet some of you in the future, would love to come to Stapleford, we usually do but are booked out already. Not possible to do both .

Cheers M & B aka SEDDON

[roy]

hi all im the latest newbie,from county Durham.Ive had mine about five years and looks about average from what ive seen of other porties,i seem to have all the downfalls of the rest of you,like classic cars ?or should i say too many toys.Anyway my tugs of choice are 1966 cortina,land rover discovery just in case it gets rough out there and a Focus.Just came back from latest outing to Wooler,four of us,no problems.Any way hope to see some of you at a show or on the road somewhere,cheers Roy