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AuthorTopic: Unknown old van (Read 939 times)
rusty4510
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Unknown old van
« Thread Started on Jul 2, 2012, 2:17pm »
Hi Folks

I have came across this old van and I am trying to find out more information about it, I do hope to be able to bring it home this week if the weather holds it is on a mountain top and had been used to house a communication site
I hope I can link my pictures here
I have been told that the van was made from an aircraft body A DC3
and was use by a family to go on Holidays in

Hope someone out there may know if it homemade or if there was someone making these up in the past, I still don't have a date but think it might have been in the 1950's

Alan
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« Last Edit: Jul 2, 2012, 2:25pm by rusty4510 »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #1 on Jul 2, 2012, 2:25pm »
Are you sure? It looks like a communication s-atel-ite!! :o
good luck with its ID
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Geoff & Jude
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #2 on Jul 2, 2012, 2:55pm »
hi alan

now that's certainly unique. :o :o :o

i've never seen anything quite like it before, it's gotta be a home made job and probably one of a kind. 8-) 8-) 8-)

the tail light looks to be from the 50's or earlier. ;) ;) ;)

good luck with the retrieval and make sure you take some photos of the recovery for us all to see.

geoff 'n jude
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #3 on Jul 2, 2012, 3:03pm »
Hi Rusty4150

What an interesting van! There have been other vans on the forum (collected in the Down History Lane section) which have been made of aircraft pieces or components, and you can find them here:

http://vintagecaravans.proboards.com/ind....ead=4213&page=1

However none of them look exactly like your van, so the assertion that it was homebuilt is very possible.

Given the age of the tail lights, being 1950s, it could also have been repurposed war surplus stock materials (as it the case with my van) - staff members of those enterprises, and also the public, were able to buy materials as the war industries closed. Maybe even unused or decommissioned parts of DC3s were on offer - they were in production from the 1930s and were quite instrumental in WWII, so the timing would be about right.

Your van shares similarities with vans of the same period overseas - Bowlus and Airstream being the most notable of aircraft vans.

A Bowlus looks quite similar: http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9G....aqLG975A0DzBwdk

I agree wholeheartedly with Geoff and Jude - please make sure you get some shots of your van rescue. I'm sure it will make for a great story!

Best of luck
Seeshell

« Last Edit: Jul 2, 2012, 3:13pm by seeshell »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #4 on Jul 2, 2012, 5:07pm »
Hi Rusty & welcome. Very different isn`t it. So looks like a chopped section of a dc3 with overhung panels wrapped around each end frame.Internal door probably from cabin. Seems its stood the test of time well. Look forward to other pics. gordon
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #5 on Jul 2, 2012, 5:16pm »

G'day Rusty

How good is that little van.......and great for some solar panels on top :D :D. Regards dosse.
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #6 on Jul 2, 2012, 5:59pm »
Hi Rusty

Looking at the number of windows and their size, I wonder if this has always been a working van - not dissimilar to those that were made by Carapark and also Franklin (?) (the "toasters") for the road crews/mobile operations like councils/etc. They were purpose built, and were not refitted "holiday" vans.

They were intended as mobile workshops or as equipment storage, and at best some bachelor accommodation on the road. Have you been able to see what it is like inside? Is there any evidence of a different fitment previous to it's role as a weather/communications station (or something like it)? It would be interesting to see if you can see any of it's history through interior configuration.

Cheers
Seeshell
« Last Edit: Jul 2, 2012, 10:05pm by seeshell »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #7 on Jul 3, 2012, 7:34am »
Hi rusty4510,

What a lovely little van! Although i will admit that the first picture I saw was the rear end photo(from across the room, while watching t.v. and asking Lionel "anything good on the forum"?).

Serves me right, and seriously need my glasses checked because it looked like a rainwater tank on it's side :P :-/ :-X ;D

Of course I had to mosey on over for a clearer view, and have to say that it's a groovy little van. Love those panels of Aluminium? Like weatherboards on an old house or boards on a lovely boat.

Your little beauty looks right at home there on the mountain top, Imagine how many years it stood there against the elements, looking at the view and waiting for someone to love it.

As a point of interest, I wonder how many vans have their access door over their draw bar? Would have thought it'd be more convienient at the rear( less bark off the shins).

All the best with the retrieval, hope its not too difficult.

Cheers,
retro64
« Last Edit: Jul 3, 2012, 7:37am by retro64 »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
rusty4510
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #8 on Jul 3, 2012, 5:16pm »
there has been a few question's asked about the van.
I now have found out the original owners name and the fact it was build for camping I have yet to find the owner's son as his father has passed on
I do hope to find out how it was fitted out inside when build
most of the trim is gone see photo inside
[image]

the frame and body are in good condition it is all aluminium body and very strong axle and frame
been very cold and a bit damp to venture onto the mountain top the last few days

Alan
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #9 on Jul 3, 2012, 9:55pm »
What a unique & fabulous find :o
Please, please post pics of the "rescue" ;D
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #10 on Jul 6, 2012, 8:08am »
what a rockin' van! keen to see how it goes with her.
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rusty4510
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #11 on Aug 7, 2012, 2:45pm »
well it looks lie someone has stolen the van from the mountain top we loaded up all the gear today to bring it back
arrived at the site to find a bare spot where it was
so looks like a search to find out who has taken it the gates were still locked so will be interesting to see what happens ... .I am not Happy

Alan
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #12 on Aug 7, 2012, 4:44pm »
Sounds like another case of " Should kept quiet till it was home"
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Roehm3108
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #13 on Aug 7, 2012, 5:09pm »
I reckon that whoever took it won't be showing it on THIS forum ::) ::) :o :o :( :(
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rusty4510
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #14 on Oct 8, 2012, 5:15pm »
well news on the old van
we have found it and is back in my yard
long story, sometime soon I will be able to tell it here but for now
I have spoken to the Builders son and he has told me more about it I will be visiting him when he is back from Holidays
the van was made here took him a year to build it from the tail section of a DC-2 not a 3 as we thought the front section was also made into a van locally.
I will be able to tell more when a few things have been sorted out this way

so good news
Alan
« Last Edit: Oct 8, 2012, 6:47pm by rusty4510 »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
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Re: Unknown old van
« Reply #15 on Oct 8, 2012, 7:29pm »
Great news Rusty! Sounds like there could be a further story to the story. Keep us posted here, I'm sure everyone is curious :o :o ??? ???

Ray
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