"Roadcruiser" caravan [NSW] (Guildford, NSW)

On 7 June 2011, Rodnet posted the following photos with the comment:

Pictures were sent to me by a friend, can anyone identify the van please
Rod

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On the same day Don Ricardo made the connection with the "Roadcruiser" caravan seen by Roehm3108 in 2005 and commented:

The van your friend saw seems to be a different one to the one seen by Roehm. Apart from the different livery, they have different number plates. Of course, it's possible that the van has been re-registered, but excluding that possibility, it looks as if there are two of the "unnamed fibreglass vans from Guildford" out there. That can only be a good thing! That means that there are probably at least two of the four which were reputedly built still in existence.

PS I note that the two vans appear to have different front and rear windows, with the windows on the van your friend saw appearing to be opening windows. A few other differences as well, such as the orientation of the tail lights, etc.

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On 19 August 2011, Boblor posted:

Hi All
We inspected this van last week on our way back up the coast in our Expandavan. Brian the owner has done a great job on the restoration and is very original on the inside.
I do have the correct name for the van somewhere, as we inspected the other van at Burrum Heads some years ago, and the owner told us it was a Roadmaster or a similar name and only 5-8 units produced.
Cheers boblor

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In response to questions about the interior layout of the van, Boblor responded on 21 August 2011:

...The interior is done up to match the period/original,- dining at the front, double bed across the back,kitchen opposite the entry door. The owner had to replace the floor, so a lot of work has gone into this van and very professionally done, both inside and out.
The next time we pass we will give more notice take series of photos.
...
Cheers boblor

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Then on 27 August 2011 Boblor posted:

Hi All
Found my notes today on this van. It is called 'Roadcruiser' and only 5 were built in Sydney, this info came from the owners of a unit we saw at Barum Barum Heads some years ago, and we have seen the van at Barum a couple of times since.
I hope this helps to clean up some history.
Cheers boblor

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NOTE: If I have followed the flow of information correctly, the "Roadcruiser" name was used by the builder and owner of the fifth out of five of these caravans for registration purposes (the van shown in the first post on this thread). He constructed his van from moulds given to him by the original builder of the first four vans, which were given no name. Thus, while it is convenient for the purposes of identification to call this series of caravans by the name "Roadcruiser", not all the vans were built or sold under this name.

For other threads referring to these vans, click here and here and here.

Don Ricardo

Now that is worth saving


Quick someone get a flatbed truck

Atog

Yes, very nice shape. I assume the green is paint and not colour in the resin.

Since I will be down that way(more or less) on July 7th I have arranged for a run to have a look at the van coinciding with the moss vale weekend on the sat morning.
Reddo and I will be going and any other MV gawkers welcome to come along.
jeff

Mr Jennison please be advised that a PM has been sent to your inbox for your perusal.

Hi all,

Here are some more pics of the Guildford "Roadcruiser" discovered by Jennison. The pics were taken during the expedition to recover it and are posted on Jennison's behalf:





























Jennison says:

This last one is offloading at home.
I meant to mention the bench top earlier ....instead of being hinged and lifting like a trap door where the gas burners/stove sits, it slides towards the rear of the van exposing the burners .... extending with no loss of benchtop space.

Having now seen some more pics of this van it is quite evident that it is a longer version of the Guildford "Roadcruiser" van than the two previous examples we've seen.

Don Ricardo

It has already been baggsed by another forum member, I just grabbed it to save it - should look good behind an FX-FJ ;D
jenno

Hey Jeff, that is a unique van.
I was wondering whether you are going to keep the original patina or whether you are going to repaint it?? Once original is gone you can't get it back

Koala

Who bought this van?? I am half interested in its restoration, you see I grew up in Guildford, and although I cannot say for certain, but I would put a good bet on it that these vans were prob moulded by CCMC (Cycle Components Manufacturing Company) of Marian Street, Guildford, who had a large building there amongst the houses building fibreglass coach bodies, later they became the industry biggest Custom Coaches. All the glass bodies were moulded there onsite, and I recently acquired a 1942 Dodge bus that was rebodied there in 1961, has a similiar shape.

Gday Chubi. .....and ADL(UK) recently acquired CC. gordon

Looks great Chubi.Still got the MO plate? Full history of your bus could probably be found on the Australian Transport Discussion Board. gordon


******Looks like MO 4391******

Hi Chubi,

That's very interesting information you've provided about CCMC. I'm not sure how big Guildford is (or was at the time the vans were produced), but it would seem likely that - as you say - there is a connection between the Roadcruiser vans and CCMC. I suppose the other possibility is that one of the CCMC workers did a bit of work on the side at weekends using his skills to build the vans, but even then there would still be a link of some sort wouldn't there?

I wonder if there's any way we can obtain some information about CCMC and the possibility that they built some vans?

Don Ricardo