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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 19, 2009 11:28:23 GMT 10
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 19, 2009 11:35:10 GMT 10
G,day VVanners just posted a few shots of a Carapark Zestline that we have just rescued. Had been sitting in a paddock for 15+ years and is in a sad state. In need of a total interior rebuild, very straight outside and should clean up ok. Jacked the old girl up out of the dirt and changed the wheels and towed her home.
Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by humpyboy on Jul 19, 2009 11:57:40 GMT 10
Nice one guys, will look forward to the rebuild on this one.
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Post by atouchofglass on Jul 19, 2009 12:18:00 GMT 10
Hi BandJ
Gotta lotta work ahead of you there
But polished up and with all the interior done ...... it'll look magic
Glad to see another Vintage Van saved
Thumbs up
Cheers
Atog
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 19, 2009 16:01:54 GMT 10
G,day Atog and Humpyboy,
Thanks for the thumbs up. Just spent a couple of hours this afternoon and the old girl has been gutted. Black ants everywhere didn,t like the eviction. Shouldn,t be too big a drama fixing her up as most of the panels are straight lines not a lot of curves. Kept what I could salvage as far as templates for making new panels. The metal frame is in reasonable nick for the age, just a couple of spots that need replacing. Will have to wait for my welder son in law as I don,t/can,t weld. I will post a few more photos of the demolition/reno soon. Still getting my head around photobucket!
Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by humpyboy on Jul 19, 2009 16:12:19 GMT 10
Glad to hear your ants are black and not white like we have here
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whippy
Full Member
"Twiggy" the Globetrotter
Posts: 462
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Post by whippy on Jul 19, 2009 19:19:10 GMT 10
After just finishing "Twiggy", I enjoyed the rebuild and it was satisfying seen the van finished, enjoy the voyage. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by astronauty on Jul 19, 2009 20:07:31 GMT 10
Hi Bob and Jacqui, looks like an early Zestline, the same as Mel's (MELANCO) all the adverts I have seen point to the larger window models being released in 1960, so presumably this one will be pre 60 like hers.
Does this van have any external markings identifying it as a Zestline, all the porthole models I have seen have no badges other than "Carapark" and that may have to do with the pre release of the "Zestline" name in 60 as well?
If I can help at all just yell, always glad to lend a hand.
the main thing to check out is the steel frame, and for corrosion where the alloy rivets mount the external sheeting
Matt
P.S. did yours have a sofa fold out bed or singles
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jul 19, 2009 21:45:24 GMT 10
Hi Astronauty (and Melanco if you're around),
You mentioned pre-1960 Zestlines and that sent me to the Carapark thread in the Down History Lane section. There are a couple of references there to Zestlines only being released in 1960, so that left me with a couple of queries:
a. When were the original "Zestline" style vans introduced?
b. When were the fins added to the Zestline models? Was it the finned models which were released in 1960?
c. Was it only in 1960 that this range of Carapark vans came to be known as Zestlines? (Or have I misunderstood what you were saying in your post?)
Don Ricardo
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 20, 2009 5:52:17 GMT 10
G'day Astronauty,
Haven't found any signs/stickers re Zestline but as shown in the photos we found the two Carapark badges, they had fallen off both sides and were in the dirt. Only found them because we had to dig the old girl out. Probably lucky to find them. The interior was in pretty bad shape as you can see from the photos. The bed was not there but having gutted her yesterday I lean towards it having a day night . That is lounge come fold down bed. I was interested in Boblors post on page 4 re production dates around 1957 1958 and there was mention of 12/9 models being made then. I have sent him a PM to see if he has any more information. We are hoping that she was made in that period as Old 58 sounds better than Old 60. The metal frame appears in reasonable condition. Found some rust in back left corner and in one of the side struts. Hope to have the floor out in the next day or so, see what that reveals. I'm surprised a the amount of interest the Zestline has created on the forum. Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by Franklin1 on Jul 20, 2009 10:11:24 GMT 10
I think the Carapark waters are becoming a bit muddy   If you look at Repy #6 in the Carapark DHL thread, the 1958 range of Caraparks has a 'new' 12-9 toaster model (which would be what Boblor's information relates to), but no mention of Zestlines. Reply #8 in the DHL is an article from Motor Manual Oct 1, 1960, announcing the new Zestline range (I copied this from an old forum thread into the DHL thread...PM gristy for the original if he still has it). This article agrees with the advertisements I collected showing the Zestline origins from 1960. The only query I have is about the fins...the photo in gristy's 1960 article shows what looks like fins on the rear of the van, and also square window frames on the nearside. The 1960 article says the van will be 7ft width, 13ft 7ins overall length (where exactly is the "overall length" measured on this design??) and headroom 6ft 2-and-something inches. The article says other sizes will be made. Bobandjacqui, perhaps if you measure the length from the waistline pointy bit at the front, along the cladding joint under the window to the rear, and tell us what that is, plus the width of the van. Maybe the smaller vans had straight backs, and the larger sizes had the fins. Who knows??!! If we keep collecting information, hopefully one day it will all make sense... cheers, Al. |
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Post by astronauty on Jul 20, 2009 10:52:33 GMT 10
Hi all,
from personal experience I have found the following
These vans appear to have two forms,
Pre 1960 = small porthole windows instead of larger rectangular glass, no rear fins and flat front across from side to side, with no external branding as a "Zestline" only the two "Carapark" badges on the quarter panels, this is the same style as above and Mel's van.
Post 1960 = they have two "Flying Buttresses" next to the front windows, large rectangular glass instead of portholes, and a definate larger rectangular badge on the exterior rear near the fins (the same badge used on Astronauts). This is the same style as the van Kingy had (now gone to caravan heaven), and the one I had mentioned for sale in Melbourne. It is also the base style I believe they used for the Astronaut, but with corner perspex windows etc (but I digress)
ALL of the vans I have seen had similar layouts inside, and a very common pink and green interior colour scheme originally, but the external differences were pronounced, my theory based on all the above and talkign to opther Carapark owners is that these vans WERE produced before 1960, but in 1960 they were slightly altered and branded a "Zestline"
Hope that helps a little
Matt
P.S. Bob and Jacqui, if you check the drawbar (LHS next to tow hitch) you may find the chassis number, if you have it could you PM me with it, I am trying to start a record of the surviving Carapark vans of this shape, and unpack a Histroy of these vans
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 20, 2009 17:33:03 GMT 10
G'day Franklin1 and Astronauty, Thought I would answer a couple of your questions. First off the length is 12 foot 9 by just under 7 foot wide, the van has no fins , looks exactly like the photo Franklin1 posted today. Sorry Matt no chassis number as it appears the A frame has had a repair along the way. To my eyes it looks the same as the photo of Melanco's van in the Carapark thread. Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by astronauty on Jul 20, 2009 18:20:56 GMT 10
Oh Bob and Jacqui, one more question, does your have a "butterfly" style roof hatch lifting from each end with a hinge in the middle? or a solid rectangular one (assuming it is the original one still on there?
Matt
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Post by dosse on Jul 20, 2009 19:15:34 GMT 10
G'day Bob & Jacqui
Good to chat on the phone the other day......I see you have the van now..its
been a long time coming. The best way to date this van is to get on to earlee and he can get an old news paper to give you so you can find it in the van. Regards dosse.
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jul 20, 2009 23:45:30 GMT 10
Hi Bobandjacqui, Astronauty and Franklin1, This has been a really interesting discussion about dating Zestlines and their predecessors which has brought to light some Carapark info which most of us were unaware of, Astronauty excepted (well done on piecing the story together Astronauty ). Because the information is of general interest I have copied it to the Carapark thread in the Down History Lane section. Rather than further hijacking Bobandjacqui's thread about their van, perhaps the conversation about dating Zestlines can be continued on the Carapark thread. Just a suggestion... Don Ricardo |
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 21, 2009 6:06:51 GMT 10
G'day Dosse,
Thanks for the offer of the newspaper but I have one of my own , that's another story for another day. We can't believe the amount of interest the Zestline has generated. Not bad considering the new owners of the property were going to use it for their chook pen. Just goes to show that persistance pays off.
Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by bobandjacqui on Jul 21, 2009 18:13:54 GMT 10
G'day Matt, To answer your question re the hatch on the Zestline. It looks like it's a home made job ,have not worked out how it opens. Would like to see an original so we could duplicate it.
Cheers Bob and Jacqui.
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Post by astronauty on Jul 21, 2009 18:48:02 GMT 10
I have a couple of pictures of the butterfly one on Mel's van and a few of my Astronaut one (the same as the ones on later Zestline vans), so I will round them up for you and shoot you an email
Matt
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Post by bobandjacqui on Mar 27, 2011 14:38:09 GMT 10
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Post by margra on Mar 27, 2011 15:51:08 GMT 10
Hi Bob and Jacqui is this the van just down the road from you that the bloke said he was going to do it up one day
Graham
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Post by bobandjacqui on Mar 27, 2011 16:14:55 GMT 10
G'day Graham and Margie, No that van was an aluminium Olympic. Sadly that van is slowly going to God  So how's the Chesney going?  Cheers Bob and Jacqui |
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Post by margra on Mar 27, 2011 16:29:43 GMT 10
Hi, trying to learn how to get the photos on so that you can see them.
Have got the Chesney nearly stripped out but have to give Marg time off to have her meals.
Graham
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Post by retro64 on Mar 27, 2011 19:10:43 GMT 10
Hi Bob and Jacqui,
We had a fantastic weekend with you guys, so much fun and laughter, the food ,the company and the hospitality were just great.
The fact that we bought home another Zestline, well thats just the icing on the cake,
Thanks guys, Elona and Lionel
retro64
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Post by banno on Mar 27, 2011 21:05:24 GMT 10
Gidday Bob & Jacqui, as you can see we all got home safe and sound. Just waiting for Elona to find another Zesty now.
Banno
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If you look at Repy #6 in the Carapark DHL thread, the 1958 range of Caraparks has a 'new' 12-9 toaster model (which would be what Boblor's information relates to), but no mention of Zestlines. Reply #8 in the DHL is an article from Motor Manual Oct 1, 1960, announcing the new Zestline range (I copied this from an old forum thread into the DHL thread...PM gristy for the original if he still has it). This article agrees with the advertisements I collected showing the Zestline origins from 1960. The only query I have is about the fins...the photo in gristy's 1960 article shows what looks like fins on the rear of the van, and also square window frames on the nearside. The 1960 article says the van will be 7ft width, 13ft 7ins overall length (where exactly is the "overall length" measured on this design??) and headroom 6ft 2-and-something inches. The article says other sizes will be made.
One thing lead to another and now they are the proud owners ;D
