In last year april I noticed an ad on ebay, that there was an old 1967 ERIBA caravan for sale nearby. Most people know the famous tiny model "Puck" which became a hit in the U.S. in the early 1960s. This one is a bigger 3,50 long model, which is called "Familia". As the condition is in very bad shape, there's a lot to do to bring it to his old shine.
First a few sentences to the history of these small caravans.
The concept was an idea of Mr. Erich Bachem, a german flight-engineer, who constructed planes for the german army in WW2. He also built a lightweight caravan out of plywood in the 1930s.
In 1957 he searched for a bigger, but light model for his family holidays and had the idea to use his knowledge from plane-construction for caravans.
So he riveted some aluminium sheet metal on a frame out of standard steel profiles.
A long story was born. Erich Bachem founded a mass production with Erwin Hymer in Bad Waldsee, Germany.
Back to my story:
Since I already got an 1978 ERIBA Troll, which I rebuild in 2010, I knew, that the only possibility for a clean restoration is the complete Strip-Down of the vehicle. I began with dismounting the interior, removing the wooden floor and welding the steel frame.
But first a few pics of the shape, it is before:
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