Hi from Biggus Mickus and his Carapark

[biggusmickus]

Hi - I am new to these forums but I guess we all like showing off our vans. BTW Anyone know how to add more than on pic to a post?

This is my Carapark Caravelle (I think) - bought it on ebay for peanuts years ago. She had had a leaking roof, rotten floor, broken windows and was completely gutted. I left her rough on the outside but inside she has all the goodies like solar 12 and 240 volt - Air Con - Hot and Cold water - Fridge - Microwave etc.

[biggusmickus]

Pic #2

[biggusmickus]

Pic #3

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Biggus Mickus,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for showing us the pics of your Carapark. There were a lot of Carapark "toaster" vans (as we fondly call them on the forum, because they look a bit like a pop-up toaster) made in the day, but not so many on the road now, so it's good to see one being loved and used.

You referred to your van as a Carapark Caravelle. The Caravelle name raises a few queries for me. Do you have a nameplate or something indicating it's a Carapark 'Caravelle'?

As far as we know, Carapark used to name their "toasters" based on the length of the van (eg Ten-Nine for the 10 ft 9 in model, or Sixteen-Two for the 15 ft 2 in model) or a little later gave them the names of their previous non-aluminium bodied vans, such as Hunter, Hunter Junior or Superb. If you have a look at the Carapark thread in the Down History Lane section here, you'll see what I'm referring to.

Perhaps you've got a model we haven't heard about as yet. However, as far as we are aware, the only caravan manufacturer who used the 'Caravelle' name for their vans pre-1970 - in Australia at least - was Franklin.

Anyway, we are keen to hear and see more about your van. How big (ie long) is your van?

In answer to your questions about posting photos on the forum, there are instructions on how to post multiple photos and in the size you see in other posts in the 'Forum Guidelines & Helpful Hints' section of the Forum.

Don Ricardo

[biggusmickus]

Hi Don R,

Someone old just told me it was a Carapark Caravelle cause their family had one when they were a child - I know its definitely a Carapark - the Shannon's guy told me it was a 1948 and that it was pretty rare.

It had the PMG logo stencilled on the side and when the inside was restored I found old Newspaper sheets under the vinyl from 1947-48 (which could mean anything). The brakes are made of a wood block on a lever that turns which pushes out a pair of drum pads with asbestos tacked to them. And as to size its a 12 footer 14 if you include drawbar.

I got into old caravans about 7 years ago but I had never knew their were other people like me - you don't really see them at the Hill Billy Campouts I go to. So far I have taken it around Tassie, Vic and will go to north for a it of adventure one day soon.

My friends used to mock me about my obsession but it seems now I have found a support group for my particular "illness".

Mick

[biggusmickus]

Looks like I have a Carapark Superb - can anyone tell me when they started being made? My one does not have the round portal windows?

[Don Ricardo]

Hi again Biggus Mickus,

Yep, definitely a Carapark - no doubting that. If your van is 12 ft long then it is either a 'Superb' as you say, or a 'Twelve-Nine'. I haven't figured out whether there is a difference between these two or they just alternated the names to confuse us!

My guess is that your van is mid to late 50's rather than 1948. The reason for saying this is that the pre-1950's Superbs (a) were clad in steel not aluminium (I'm pretty sure I'm right about that), and (b) had bottom edges which curved under the van, not just straight down like yours. The aluminium toaster style vans were introduced some time around the mid-50's +/-. I'd tend to go for late 50's because of the quite wide front and rear windows. Hope that's not too disappointing for you?

The other thing is that if your van had PMG on it, it may have been a variation on one of Carapark's commercial vans rather than one of their 'holiday makers' vans. The former may have had less mod cons built in than the latter - just a guess on that though.

Don Ricardo

[Franklin1]

G'day biggus mickus,

It's possible your van is one of the Carapark "Hunter" models, which I think were after the Superb models, and before the 10-9 and 12-9 models. All looked similar at first glance, but differed when examined carefully.

It's worth having a read of the Carapark History thread in our Down History Lane section. By coincidence, when you get down to Reply #7, you'll see a van similar to yours being towed by a restored Kombi with the PMG sign on it.

cheers,
Al.

[biggusmickus]

Thanks Guys - It is good to finally know about the caravan.

Al - I was up late and reading that particular thread I also looked at the photo you mentioned last night. The thing that I cant work out is my van doesn't have portal windows AND it has a door with an inner door for ventilation. Does this make my van even younger or a little older?

Thanks Again Guys

[takeiteasy]

Will no one else say it "I have a very good friend in Rome called Biggus Mickus". I love how you have done the inside and left the outside rough.... that amuses me.

[Franklin1]

G'day biggus mickus,

Thinking along the same lines as takeiteasy, I also have to be careful when I type your forum name, in case I put a "d" in by mistake.

Nobody would want to be known as biggus mickusd, would they?!


Anyhoo, back to your caravan. Somewhere in amongst the cobwebs in my brain, I seem to remember other Hunter owners finding a chassis number stamped (not welded) on the front drawbar, starting with H and followed by numbers. Have you discovered anything on the front drawbar that might look like a stamped chassis number?

cheers,
Al.

[biggusmickus]

Thanks Guys - the nick is so second nature I often forget about the origin - the biggusmickus thing goes back all long way. The long and short of it is that my name is mick and I am big.

The leaving it rough on the outside thing is about my love of ratrods. I don't really like the "burn a hole in the cheque book, chrome every nut and slap billet wheels" type restorations. I like and respect the "keep the patina and add flair and creativity" type restorations.

There might have been a chassis number stamped on the drawbar, but surface corrosion has taken care of that. When I got the van it was really a rolling wreck. I don't think its a hunter cause it has brakes the carapark thread said only the superb had brakes and it is the right length as well. It's all so confusing. Whether its a Hunter or a Superb doesn't really matter to me that much.

The photo's I posted are a little old now - I have done a few minor external mods. I will take some photo's and upload them when I get a chance.

Every year I go to "Chopped" in Newstead Vic - It comes around every AFL Grand Final weekend and is THE best event of its type a whole weekend of camping with Hot-rods, Bands and Betty's. I am the ONLY one there with a cool c'van maybe some of the crew from the VC Boards should make an appearance and fly the flag a bit.

Cheers
Mick

[peddro]

Hi Mick,
I met you at Chopped....I was rolling in to set up my stand (in my little red Focus packhorse) on Saturday morning.
I'll see you there again this year.
Good to see you here.

[biggusmickus]

Hi Peddro - hey!! good to hear from you - I think I remember your little red "burros" were you the tattoo and sticker guy? We need more Ratvans there this year, are you bringing yours? Chopped is an awesome weekend!

[peddro]

Chopped is pretty much strictly work for me...as much as I'd love to have my van or car there, so no time to bring up toys (besides the fact the van is far from ready to move anywhere!). I'm there with my magazines and DVDs. Kustom Ink. I think I'm the only trader to do all 4 Choppeds so far.