Trailer Homes (Sunshine, Vic)

[Don Ricardo]

Trailer Homes

423 Ballarat Road, Sunshine Vic

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The following name plate was found on what appears to be a home built caravan acquired by Sarahlou in January 2013:



Based on the style of lettering, the name plate may be/probably is post-60's, however there is nothing else on the forum about Trailer Homes that I can find.

Did this firm only sell second hand vans, did it act as an agent for one or more manufacturers, or did it produce caravans of its own at some stage (probably unlikely)? Can anyone tell us?

The story of Sarahlou's caravan can be found here

Don Ricardo

[roofless]

Not to nit pick Don but I think the subject should be Trailer Homes not Travel Homes as it is now.
It looks like you have Travel Home on the brain as do I!!!!! hehehe

Any Idea where on Ballarat rd this place was as I may be able to dig up a bit of info considering they are from my neck of the woods.

Cheers, Dean C.

[viking]

423 Ballarat Road Sunshine as far as I can see using image enhancement

[Don Ricardo]

Feb 5, 2013 18:15:14 GMT 10 roofless said:

Not to nit pick Don but I think the subject should be Trailer Homes...

Oops! Thanks for picking that up Roofless. Now fixed.

Don Ricardo

[Trish_M]

And here my 10.49 foot caravan that say's it is a "Hones" named caravan on it's registration. There is definitely professional sign writing that says "Home" on it just under where it says "Trailer", I shall get a better pic when she arrives home

[Trish_M]

Yay! Brought her home today It actually says"Homes" Under the green paint below where "TRAILER" is painted in professional writing, so it's actually a "Trailer Homes" caravan and the year on the Rego is 1960.

[Trish_M]

I played around with Sarahlou's image that she posted and got this, makes it a little easier to see the writing:

[hilldweller]

That's clever!

[Trish_M]

Thanks Hilldweller

[First Glass - Tory]

Looks like a nice van project for doing up Trish, congrats. Look fwd to seeing it's progress & stages of doing it up.
Tory ;o)

[Don Ricardo]

1960's Trailer Homes 15 ft caravan advertised on Ebay, July 2014

The van has been refurbished and modified inside, but I have posted the photos because not many Trailer Homes have come to light on the forum. Clever solution for the fridge and microwave all the same.

[Deleted]

Hi Don,
Another one to confuse the situation!
That is definitely a Coronet,with their distinctive front top roll and rear slanted wall shape.
This was a basic version,as the up market model had front wrap around windows and a flush fitting annexe light.
Cheers
Hughdeani

[Don Ricardo]

Jul 12, 2014 16:51:02 GMT 10 @hughdeani said:

That is definitely a Coronet,with their distinctive front top roll and rear slanted wall shape.

Hi Hughdeani,

Thanks for that information. I was hoping somebody might be able to tell us the van's origins. I see this particular van has been through Doug Thorley's hands at some point, as well.

So...Trailer Home sourced some or all of its vans from Coronet. Is Trish_M's van shown in the posts further up this thread a Coronet as well by any chance?  What do you think?

Don Ricardo

[Deleted]

Hi Don,
That other van is a Vacation,(or who ever else made them),
Not many vans from that era had two rear windows,before Vacation went to front and rear wraparound.
Cheers
Hughdeani

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Hughdeani,

Some more interesting information about Trailer Homes. That suggests two possibilities:

1. Trailer Home sourced their caravans from different manufacturers over time.
2. Trailer Home sold second hand vans and put their name plate on anything they sold, a bit like Doug Thorley.

Any hunches on which theory is correct?

Don Ricardo

[Deleted]

Hi Don,
I will go with number one I think!
Same as a lot of modern manufacturers are doing now,sourcing vans from the cheapest supplier and putting their own names on them.
Cheers
Hughdeani

[Don Ricardo]

14 ft Trailer Homes caravan listed on Ebuy, June 2012:





















This van appears to be a larger version of Trish_M's van shown above here - same shape and same profile aluminium cladding on the front and rear, however the Ebay van does not have the same three piece wrap around front windows of Trish_M's van, which may possibly indicate that it is slightly older than her van.   Hughdeani has indicated that these vans were built for Trailer Homes by Vacation, and these photos are useful because the provide some indication of the interior of the Trailer Homes van.

Don Ricardo