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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2007 17:13:42 GMT 10
Recently whilst in Melbourne, I met Alan Roberts, and his 94yo father Vic. In 1956, Vic traded in his Don 10' model on the larger 12' model, coz Alan, then 4yo, was growing, and they needed a bigger caravan for family holidays. Don "serial No 1023" is one of the last old design leadlight window caravan manufactured by the Don Caravan Co, as, in the same year, Don starting manufacturing the much more modern Don Cadet series caravans. Alan can remember as a 4yo going with his father to the Don caravan Co in Oakleigh to pick up the new caravan. The maiden voyage was a trip to Perth in 1956, across many many miles of dirt road. Vic recalled the trip as there'd been a Potato growers strike in Vic, and trucks were transporting potatos from the West, with many trucks getting bogged in atrocious road conditions during the wet season. In 1967, Vic purchased a couple of shops in Williamstown (Melbourne), one with a garage at the rear...... Alan recalls .... as a then 15yo...... helping Dad shift the caravan into the shed at the rear of the shops, and placing the caravan on blocks. The caravan was put in storage complete with all their travelling gear, plastic ware, tins, cutlery, magazines, maps, pots, pans, kettle etc. The caravan sat peacufully for 40 years  in the shed, until a recent inspection of the shed revealed the shed's roof was starting to collapse, so, time to get the caravan out & repair the shed roof. Alan emailed me, and I requested Don Ricardo to call in to take some pics:     The shed roof was only a couple MM from the caravan       interestingly, the A frame is designed for the fittment of a gas bottle ......this has never been seen on older Dons   Original lino      original upholstery Thanks to Don Ricardo for these pics  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2008 22:34:40 GMT 10
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2008 22:33:15 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jan 29, 2008 23:00:00 GMT 10
Thought you'd enjoy the contents of Don no 1023 when you saw them Mark! A bit of a treasure trove.
Regarding the size of the front window on no 1023 (mentioned in your second post on the thread), I think it is essentially an opening front window from a 14 ft model which was used in your van. This reflects the fact that the van has an unusual layout for a model 120 - a divan at the back instead of a dinette and a two-seater dinette at the front instead of two bunks.
Aussietanker's model 120 which is only slightly older than yours (a few months?) has the standard layout - bunks at the front, dinette at the back - and still has the standard 120 non-opening, small front window.
I think, but have not been able to definitively confirm, that towards the end of the 1934-1956 series run, Don began to be a bit more flexible about what parts got fitted to which model van. It may have been a case of using up the spare parts bin at the end of a model (a bit like some car manufacturers do now with their 'specials'). More likely I think, however, is that it was an attempt by Don to keep up with other manufacturers by adding features to their vans to attract customers.
It would be interesting to know whether your van with its unusual layout was a 'special order' for Vic Roberts, or whether Don produced a few along the same lines.
Don Ricardo
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2008 23:51:07 GMT 10
special order  ......I don't think so Don R, more likely using left over windows towards the end of the leadlight run ...... A recent arrival to the Beverley shed is this 1950 Chev Ute, which will be matched with the Don ........its all the way from Alice Springs, and is fitted with a discreet under dash air conditioner:  It has an interesting World War 11 No plate:  It sorta beckons the question of 'what would be a suitable name for the caravan  ' ...... Frontline maybe ;D ;D I'll post some more pics of the ute in the tow car section. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Feb 15, 2008 23:15:31 GMT 10
Niiiiice wheels, Mark!  Any of the Don's will look good behind the Chev ute, not just number 1023. I usually don't feel any great urge to own a period tow car (yes, I know I'm a heretic! ), but this ute did cause some tingles in whatever part of the brain says 'gee, I would really like one of those'. You period tow car guys must be finally getting to me!! I've been giving some thought to your comment that you think no 1023 may be a parts bin job. You may well be right but here's how I see it: Arguments for the parts bin theory: - The van has a 140 model front window.
- The van also uses a divan and back shelf from the 140 model.
- Despite having the rear layout of a 140 model (and not the rear dinette), it still has the larger window from the 120 model not the smaller 140 model rear window.
Arguments for the model variation/special order theory: - No 1023 has a two seater dinette, and dinette table which to the best of our knowledge did not appear in any other model. This means it was either created for this particular van or for a late 3-berth variation of the 120 model. Creating a new dinette arrangement and new table design is a lot of work just to use up a couple of bits out of spare parts bin.
- Towards the end of the 120 model, Don were concerned that they had an aging design and showed some willingness to make variations to the 120 model to make it more attractive to customers (eg adding features such as the wardrobe door mirror and handbasin). The 3-berth layout could have been such a variation.
- According to the Robinson family, the output of the Don factory was relatively low and highly labour intensive, implying that components were produced as and when required (and suggesting that the any parts bin may have been pretty shallow).
- When Don introduced the Cadet and 150 model in 1956 they indicated that the previous models (including the 120) were still available as a special order, indicating that Don were willing to produce vans on a one-off basis, and also implying that they would want to hang on to any spare parts for special orders.
On the basis of the above my hunch goes with the model variation/special order theory. However, I guess we won't really know which theory is correct until a few more late build 120's emerge into the sunlight and we find out how many more - if any- 3-berth vans are around. If only we had access to Syd Robinson's box of cards, eh!  Enjoy the ute...sigh... No, no, stop it - you're leading me into temptation... Don Ricardo |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2008 10:37:06 GMT 10
here's another pic of the ute just to temp you a bit more Don R ;D ;D  These old chevs make great tow cars , alot more torquey than the Holden, and heavier on the road .....this ute won't even know The Don is in tow ....... |
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Post by willyn on Feb 16, 2008 14:27:02 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on Apr 20, 2008 21:58:04 GMT 10
G'day Mark, A while ago we had a discussion about whether the internal layout of your 1956 3-berth Don 120 - with its 2-seat dinette/fold down single bed at the front and divan/double bed at the back- was an option for late model 120's, or whether it might have been a 'parts bin special'. Yesteday I was browsing through a copy of Keith Winser's 1956 caravan and touring manual, kindly lent to me by Exocet for my reading pleasure, and had a good look at the 'Don page'. Interestingly, the picture of the outside of a 120 model in the magazine shows a van with the ventilation hatch near the door, indicating that that particular van was set up with the traditional layout - two bunks at the front and a 4-seat dinette/fold down double bed at the back. However, the picture of the inside of a 120 model shows the 2-seat dinette at the front like yours:  (Source: Keith Winser, AustraliaCaravan & Touring Manual for 1956, p. 103)I think this probably confirms that the 3-berth layout in your van was at least an option for the 120 vans, if it was being used in publicity material. All the same I'm not sure about the window in the publicity shot - looks more like a standard 120 size window, rather than a 140 size opening window? Another piece of the jigsaw? Don Ricardo |
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Post by Jennison on Apr 27, 2008 5:45:22 GMT 10
Another classic towcar - how do you guys hear about them???!!! I,d love to find something similar Jeff
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whippy
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Post by whippy on Apr 27, 2008 7:29:58 GMT 10
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Post by firefighter on Apr 27, 2008 9:06:16 GMT 10
 whippy Mark T .......owns it f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2010 17:35:03 GMT 10
After an exceptionally fustrating month of work, the Don 120 was finally pushed outta the shed for a critical look at the job in daylight...........its not finished yet, but getting there . Whilst I appreciate that brushed enamel paint "gives the vintage look", ........I haaaaate working with enamel paint ......for a "mug" painter ..... as is "yours truly" ;D, its a nightmare ........leaving brush marks & runs........ And the $13 roll of 3M tape from Bunnings ........what a mess that made !! The first challenge was getting the colour right ........the original Don colour .......... its not a yellow ........., its not a lemon ........., its not a beige ......., its not an off white ......, its not really even a cream..... ..........its a ........well, you know ....... ............its the Don Caravan colour ..............you know ..........its the "cream" in the 1950's " green & cream" colour scheme ................try telling that to the lovely young 20yo female paint technician at Bunnings ! ;D This little Don I purchased back in 2005 is the correct colour, so the aim was to get as close to that as poss :  Don Ricardo had kindly given me the Bunnings paint code for the matching paint he uses to repaint his very original Don,......... but ......... what I ended up with was this yucky beige colour (fortunately only in a sample container) ........soooo back to the drawing board.........just goes to show how the paint code varies from store to store .  I was lucky to have a good sound caravan to start with:      After several trips to Bunnings, .....for tinting, ......and retinting, I think I finally got the colours right ..........but, on my first attemp to paint, the paint dried tooo fast leaving major brush marks ........so after sanding back, .......and adding thinners, the second attemp left many runs ..........the third attempt just about got it right ......well kinda good enough anyway  . The next challenge was the mess the 3m masking tape left .......it wanted to peel the paint under the tape, ........and left this feathering effect:    so ......... after threatening to bbq the caravan several times ;D, the job eventually came all good :   The Chev ute has been patiently sitting in a corner of the shed for the past 3 years gathering dust, and waiting for its caravan, so I had to run the ute outta the shed for a looksee at the pair If Pop could've afforded a new cream coloured Chevy ute in 1950, then popped 'round to Oakleigh in Victoria to purchase a brand spankin' new Don 120, his rig would've looked something like this:    Went to tow the caravan back into the shed with the ute, but had a small problem ;D  So ......."mighty X" to the rescue  anyone know where I can get a set of venetions for the ute? Mark |
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Post by firefighter on Nov 8, 2010 18:00:40 GMT 10
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Post by cobber on Nov 8, 2010 18:30:07 GMT 10
MATE ! That is beautiful. You won't have to touch the inside much at all WILL YOU ?This Beverly shed and it's contents is really going to be worth looking at me thinks..... we should plan on having a vintage caravan reunion there one day..... soon The Chev mate......... it ain't got a tow bar and you're worried about venetian blinds Cobber |
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Post by Surf Tragic on Nov 8, 2010 19:05:08 GMT 10
Sure looks the part Mark. It is the first time I've read the story, so it's great to see what you have done. Don R sent me colour codes too, so it would be good to get the numbers from you to compare in case I decide to go original colours. I was too young to remember our van in it's factory dress code, I think the first recoat Dad did would have done would include colour flashes all round It is an easy thing to change at any time though. ST |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Nov 8, 2010 20:57:29 GMT 10
G'day Mark, Excellent job on the paintwork, really excellent. The van looks fantastic. I've just shown the pics to Dona Ricardo who inspected the van with me when it was in the garage in Williamstown. She was blown away by how good it looks. Looking at the pot of paint you got mixed, I'm not sure that it is all that far off the original in fact. However, you are on the spot and I am looking at my computer screen's version of your computer's version of your camera's version of the paint...if you get what I mean. Maybe the problem was that you went to Bunnos. ;D ;D ;D The analysis I got done was at a specialist paint shop. (Probably wouldn't make any difference in reality.) Now, what are you going to do about the parking jacks and the draw bar? Have you scraped off any of the silver paint, and if so what is underneath? Should be green paint there I'm thinking. And one other thing - when are you going to be over in Victoria again? I've got a van I need painting... Don Ricardo |
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Hillbilly
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Post by Hillbilly on Nov 9, 2010 7:24:47 GMT 10
Looks very NICE Mark, a top job done with the Don As frustrating as painting can get it's worth the effort when you get a nice result. I agree with Cobber, get a towbar on the Ute real soon, as that is a very nice combination................the venetians, you can get them whenever. Cheers mate, Hillbilly ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by cluelesssharon on Nov 11, 2010 6:34:17 GMT 10
Hi
Lucky you, it's great!!!!!! I love the green and cream I always thought it was a 1930's colour scheme but I'm green and cream all the way.
I love the leadlights and the orginality, I', now a shade of green.
Sharon
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2011 0:28:20 GMT 10
the Don & Chev ute finally made their debut run on the weekend   nice "period" redex trial badge  firefighter will remember the big argument my mate Rod & I had at the Bendigo swap in 2008. Rod found a NOS Coolaride sunvisor still in the box at the swap, and quickly snapped it up for his FJ. As soon as I saw it, I wanted it for the Chev So, I proceeded to talk Rod out of it by telling it would be to big for his FJ, and as the pic on the box showed a Chev, he should sell it to me The realty is that its fully adjustable, and would've fitted his FJ ........but your's truly won the argument and finished up with the goods ;D ;D       all in all, a great combo ....the ol' chevy towed the Don 120 with ease .......the big torquey 216ci six pot performed faullessly   Mark |
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Jellybean
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Post by Jellybean on May 18, 2011 5:59:27 GMT 10
Wow, those two look awesome together. I think I have ute and van envy!!! Well done on the resto.
Dianne
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Post by kaybee on May 18, 2011 7:28:20 GMT 10
Nice combo Mark and I can see why you wanted the visor ....but doesn't it say "Cooldrive"?.....pretty sure Dale has a mint speedo facia ,if you want I'll find out for you,cheers, Col. |
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Post by cobber on May 18, 2011 9:03:52 GMT 10
G'day Mark, A black and white photo of those two together would look like a scene from the '50s for sure I reckon. They go together so well you should call the car DONNA Nice green wheels on the Chev too  ............... ;D Cobber. |
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Post by sutcac on May 18, 2011 9:10:00 GMT 10
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Post by Geoff & Jude on May 18, 2011 10:42:59 GMT 10
hi mark just thought i'd respond to cobber's suggestion.  geoff 'n jude ps. photo courtesy of somewhere else (hope that's ok mamma and pappa) |
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in the shed, until a recent inspection of the shed revealed the shed's roof was starting to collapse, so, time to get the caravan out & repair the shed roof. Alan emailed me, and I requested Don Ricardo to call in to take some pics: 
......I don't think so Don R, more likely using left over windows towards the end of the leadlight run ......
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