Brought myself a present yesterday

[Cruz]

Hi
Well yesterday was my birthday, so what's a girl to do.
Pick her up tomorrow.
Built by the current owner in 1965 in the Belligen,lismore area. he was an industrial arts teacher and his mate built caravans for a living. Last rego is 1984
She is in excellent unrestored condition and had a few neat little bits. I will post more detailed pics when I get it home

[shesgotthelook]

Very nice! Love the atomic curtains. Lucky you

[cobber]

Gee Cruz

And you bought it from the builder ...that's great, you should be able to get all sorts of info like... did he use "a kit".... whose kit ?.... what came in the kit? ... or was it just a partial kit ?

Looks great, is it single skin ?

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Cruz,

What a great pick up! Your latest acquisition looks like a lovely van, and pretty well ready to use by the look of it. Most of your previous vans have needed work on them, so that's a bonus.

But Cruz this makes three vans in a couple of weeks! All I can say is you're a genuine VV-magnet! Who needs a Reddotel van-finder? Just hang around with Cruz! ;D ;D ;D

Like Cobber, I will be interested to hear a bit more about the history of the van. Was it a kit van or did the builders just pull the design out of their heads?

...and by the way: Happy Birthday for yesterday. Glad you got what you wanted for your birthday present.

Don Ricardo

[Deleted]

Good on ya Cruz...

Its just what ya needed..... another van

What part of the world did you unearth it in.....

Looks to be single skin to me.
I am hoping its not a "Kit" van... I reckon one offs are more desirable than a mass produced van... as you say sometimes carry those "neat little bits" that make em special.


and...
Happy birthday for the other day too ,

Cheers
Reddo

[Cruz]

Found her just down the road at Tuross Head. Kingy got the lead and passed it on.

[Deleted]

Cool......
Looks like a few beers coming Kingys way.....

Where are you up to with the wagon??
Reddo

[Cruz]

Well she is safe in my shed. slow trip of about 15klm's as the tyres seemed to have a flat spot after 30 years in the shed.
Anyway some of her story is built by Russell who I brought her off in 1965. he was a industrial arts teacher in Bellingen and was friends with Bruce Leadbeatter, Bruce and his father built Starlight caravans in Alstonville. Russell built his own chassis and when Bruce was passing, Russell took lots of photos and even blew up a slide of the side profile and projected it onto the shed wall to get the exterior profile which he traced on the wall and copied. Russell changed the front as he thought his idea looked better the Starlight. He of course also had access to all the fixtures and fitting that Starlight were using. The side walls are half inch Plasply and the front and back are 4/6th. Apparently Plasply was plastic coated plywood used for Concrete fromwork.
Perhaps someone has a Starlight van?
More pics.

[kingy]

Great pickup Leanne logged on just at the right moment, was wondering how you got on with this van. Good to see the vans a good original not needing lotsa work.......A HAPPY BIRTHDAY i'm sure
Kingy

[Geoff & Jude]

hi leanne

when i first read that the van came from the bellingen/lismore area i wondered if it might have been a starlight.

when i saw the pics, the shape and windows seemed very similar to the starlight caravans that my uncle grev used to bring down to the shaws bay caravan park at ballina every year, up until we moved from lismore to sydney in 1959.

alan (marvin) and i were trying to find information about starlight caravans about 5 years ago and spoke to some of the leadbeatter family in our quest to find one but unfortunately couldn't come up with anyone who knew where one might be.

starlight was a very well respected brand , made in the old butter factory at alstonville, and was considered to be "high end" in those days - uncle grev (who had the odd dollar) bought a new van every couple of years and it was the only brand he would buy.

yours may not be an original starlight but it's heritage shows that it must be about as close to a starlight as possible.

congratulations and good luck with it - you lucky bugger.

geoff 'n jude

[seeshell]

Hi Leanne

Congratulations on *another* fabulous find - love the atomic curtains! She's certainly been a well kept girl, hey?

And I can only guess with a present like that you had a _very_ happy day indeed!

Cheers
Seeshell

[Jennison]

I was approached at Coledle a couple of years back by a very elderly gent who was part of the starlight caravan family. He originally worked for my grandfather I seem to remember before they started making their own vans - gawd your shed must be full up again Leanne!

jenno

[Cruz]

Safety First
Refitted the fire extinguisher today

[Deleted]

" Safety First
Refitted the fire extinguisher today"

One small step for woman... I giant step for vankind. ;D ;D ;D


Good ta see you have your priorities right there Cruz....
although....... ... I would seriously consider installing/hiding a more modern extinguisher in the van somewhere just incase a real fire breaks out one day....

Reddo

[Cruz]

Let me think, Fire and plywood. Note to self don't ask Reddo to help with the rewire.

[Cruz]

Well another day off spent on the van. Starting to come together, trying to keep the 1965 vibe. Now painted all the interior including inside cupboards. fitted new lino, cleaned and refitted towel rails, and other little extras. ready to refit original curtains next job. Ordered new mattress today, not keen to use the 1965 one.

[Cruz]

Well this van headed to a new home today. Purchased by a nice young couple who plan to convert it to a food van. Now have room to start the Carapark plywood.