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Post by kustombruce on Jun 19, 2010 11:39:14 GMT 10
Today on Ebay we purchased a 13 foot Hawthorn, it was close to home, so made it easer to go and have a look. we will get it delivered next weekend. looks like a 1958 model with Alloy top and bondwood sides. The old girl was advertised on this forum in April but only one photo was posted. She is in good original condition, no rust visible. the bits which will need some work are: cracked front perspex window Cracked rear window flat retread tyres no brakes (ever) rear panel replaced with gal sheeting (I will need to find some matching allow sheet) small old water leak over sink, rest of the van is dry with no smell of damp, all the cupboards are dry. the rest of the inspection will have to wait till we get her home and give her a clean. I will need to put some brakes on her as well as change to ford wheels so she will match the our Zephyr. Please let me know if you have any further details to assist us. Bruce & Kath
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Post by tenoroc on Jun 23, 2010 8:59:03 GMT 10
Hi Bruce annd Kath
Congrats on your new van
This van looks exactly the same as the Coronet vans from that era.
I Know Coronet built vans for a few companies in Melbourne to rebadge. I wonder if Hawthorn was one of them.
Will endevour to find out it this was so.
David
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 12:12:51 GMT 10
Hi Bruce and Kath Your van looks great. Congrats. It appears identcal to the Halps's "Capricorn "van. Does the van have brakes?? Reddo
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Post by kustombruce on Jun 23, 2010 18:06:38 GMT 10
no brakes, which is why I don't have it at home yet, I am getting it delivered on a flat bet truck on Sunday, I will post the photos ASAP. A bit different to Halps van and I thought it might be a later version of dragonfly's Rowvan
I will see what I can find on Sunday Bruce
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Post by kustombruce on Jun 27, 2010 17:34:13 GMT 10
Van is at home only 40 minute trip on the back of a flat bed truck, the roof hatch opened up twice. Then time to unload (Thanks to my daughter for this shot showing how much of my hair has disappeared) Then it was time to see how she looks behind the Zephyr Hawthorn tag has the number 1580, I am still looking for a number on the chassis Over all its not to bad, I will spend some time giving her a clean. More photos to come. The only pain is she is to tall for our carport, we got her under by dropping the air out of the tyres and taking the roof vent off, I will need to modify the front of the carport when it time to mover her. My wife thinks the van should be called "Pippa", will see how that goes. Bruce & Kathie
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 27, 2010 18:08:01 GMT 10
Hi Bruce & Kathie, Congratulations on your new van. It looks as if it's in good condition, and looks the part behind the Zephyr! As you may have picked up from the Hawthorn thread in the DHL section, Les Gough - the proprietor of Hawthorn caravans - was involved in the caravan industry for several decades (at least). In the 40's and 50's he built his own vans which looked not dissimilar to Don's (similar shape, leadlight windows, etc), and sold caravan parts for home builders as well as for the trade. Sometime in the mid 50's he stopped building his own vans (most likely related to financial viability issues for small van manufacturers around that time), and started selling other people's vans, which were re-badged as Hawthorns - principally Rowvans. You've probably put all this together yourself. But in any case...your suggestion that your van is a re-badged Rowvan has some credibility. Interesting that your van's manufacturer's plate has the number 1580 on it - presumably the serial number? I think it's the only Hawthorn we've seen with a serial number on the plate...?? In any case it would appear to indicate that Les Gough sold 1580+ caravans in his time, which is not a bad total for those times when manufacturers sold their products mainly only in their own state, and sometimes only within their own local area. Don Ricardo
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Post by DC3Td on Jun 27, 2010 18:07:43 GMT 10
Very nice Bruce/Kathie. Can already see the new matching paint job!! cheers gordon
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Post by kustombruce on Jun 27, 2010 18:15:57 GMT 10
Gordon, not only will it be matching but there will be a Z in the side flash. Don, I will have a good look around to see if there are any dates or writing on the Masonite.
Bruce
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Post by kustombruce on Jul 3, 2010 21:18:09 GMT 10
Some interior shots (before she got a clean) Found this card taped to the inside of the wardrobe Does any one know the original colour of the HAWTHORN diamond tag, it looks like there is a bit of red on it?? Bruce
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jul 3, 2010 23:34:48 GMT 10
Hi Bruce,
Even without a cleanup, the Hawthorn looks pretty good. It should look great once you've given it a bit of a scrub.
Re the colour of the Hawthorn badge - if you check out the Hawthorn thread in the Down History Lane section, there's a pic of a mid-50's Hawthorn with a red enamel badge. On the basis of that, I think your observation about what's left on your badge is probably correct.
Don Ricardo
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Post by kustombruce on Jul 11, 2010 20:17:52 GMT 10
After having another look over the van I noticed over the front window a HAWTHORN logo barely visible on the alloy. I have used a marker to highlight the outline. Any ideas on colour ? It looks like it was a set of separate letters. I have also purchased electric brakes but the 13" rims wont fit over the brake drums, looks like I will be running 14 falcon wheels, which is OK as I can match them to the wheels and caps on the Zephyr. Thanks Bruce
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Post by DC3Td on Jul 11, 2010 20:46:53 GMT 10
Hi Bruce & Kathie. She certainly looks real good inside. More a makeover than a refurb which makes life easier. Great layout design. cheers gordon
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Post by kustombruce on Jul 11, 2010 21:01:58 GMT 10
At this stage we just want to get her registered, the brakes and tow hitch and a bit of wiring should be all she needs. I have a long term project in the garage which comes first. But we still would like to go for a weekend away in the next few months. This has been my project for way to long, the first photo is how the Morrie looked before the engineer told me the rules have been changed and i need smaller wheels, second photo is with new wheels but the tray has to be changed. Bruce
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jul 11, 2010 21:14:54 GMT 10
G'day Bruce, Nice find with the Hawthorn name on the front of your van. Regarding colour, at this point I think your guess is probably as good as anyone else's. ;D ;D ;D Yours is the only Hawthorn of that era that has been on the forum as far as I know, so there's nothing to go on. Given the theory that the van was built for Hawthorn by Rowvan, and Rowvan used black for their signage, maybe black is the go? Pure guesswork on that of course! Like the Morrie, by the way! Don Ricardo
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Post by kustombruce on Jul 11, 2010 21:37:20 GMT 10
For the logo we might go with the colour we decide to repaint it in. One of my staff at work is a graphic designer so he is playing with some colour schemes, I will post some up when he is done. The Morrie Ute has been going on for way to long and will be to small for towing a van, I did build a tear drop to go with my convertible, but the plywood didn't hold the paint and I didn't get to finish off the interior, we did take it to the Naranderra rod run many years ago and enjoyed sleeping in it. I have since pulled it apart and the frame is behind my shed. I have thought about making a 5th wheeler to go with the ute and making it using the roof shape from a horse float, it would all be to scale. Maybe I have to many dreams. Bruce Bruce
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Post by mrandmrsfairlane on Jul 27, 2010 14:20:41 GMT 10
Found this card taped to the inside of the wardrobe That caravan park is still there.. I work not far from there. Last time I went past there, there was still a variety of vans there (quite a few VV) including what i thought was a roadmaster, etc... most are still occupied to...
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Post by tenoroc on Aug 4, 2010 8:43:25 GMT 10
Hi Bruce & Kath
I spoke to dad last night and he confirmed that your Hawthorn was made by Coronet.
They made vans for Hawthorn who on sold some to Roma until Roma went direct to Coronet.
Dad said that a large number of the brands on the forum never made vans, but re-badged others.
Franklin also made vans to be re-badged.
If your van has a chassis number then the chassis was made by Coronet, if not it was made by an outside trailer company. I am not sure when they started to make there own chassis but it was early sixties.
I hope this information is of interest to you.
Regards
David
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Post by kustombruce on Aug 4, 2010 18:07:24 GMT 10
Thanks for the info David, I have not found a chassis number yet, but I am still to remove a few coats of paint off the draw bar.
Bruce
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