Royals on tour

[313royal]

Hi all

Just completed 3000km round trip Adelaide/Canberra and back with a couple of Royals + vans. Got many comments along the way all positive, cruised at 80km/hr averaged 14mpg - 18L/100km (shudder) biggest problem encountered was loss of reverse gear in the green one, makes for careful choosing of your campsites !!



Found a great overnite spot at Darlington Point west of Naranderra

Cheers
Chris H

[Roehm3108]

Lovely spot to be "stuck" I suppose. Great rigs too. I'm sure you enjoyed it all ;D ;D
Ray

[313royal]

Thanks Ray 55 views and one response - not bad eh?

[Deleted]

Hi Chris

I use to head to Naranderra each easter to the Hot Rod Nats. We use to camp out on the banks of the murrumbidgee just south of town at a spot that looks very similar to that shown in the picture. No toilet block out there.
Had to wash in the river... bloody cold water too .

I take it the Royal was an automatic. Normally if you loose a cog in a manual you can kiss the whole box goodbye.

There use to be a Chrysler Royal Ute sitting in a barn on a mates property near Dungog NSW when we use to go camping up there. Story was it was owned by a dentist from Sydney who use to own the property and left it behind when he sold up.
Mate wasnt keen on letting it leave the property in case the "tooth yanker " came back for it.

I will have to check with him and find out the fate of the old ute. I am almost sure it was a V8?? would that be correct.
Same colour scheme ( if my memory serves me correct) as the car on the right.

14mpg aint to shabby when ya consider you are towing a big wind sox behind you.

Go the white Bondy.. Luv it

Reddo

[313royal]

Thanks Reddo - Royal V8 utes were available but quite rare, worth grabbing if you get the oppurtunity.

The cream bondy is a credit to its owner who put quite a bit of work into it to bring it up to scratch. I will make the effort in near future to show inside/outside photos.

Chris

[sportsman 1]

Hi Chris,

great to see the pics from your short run to Canberra and back.
I came across a chap in Queensland (Cloncurry I think) who was touring a bit in a late Royal, very nice resto. He had a modern van on behind. Said he looked around for a while for a Sunliner but couldn't find one. I told him about the website so hopefully he is hiding here somewhere.

Don't worry too much about the figures. It seems most posts get a lot of lookers and not many responses, well mine do anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers for now and happy V Ving

Leigh.

[skyline59]

G'day Chris, the photo looks great, it really looks that it is that era of the early 60's with the cars & vans resting under the big gum tree's. Chris did Chrysler ever make the Royal in a wagon? I have seen sedans & the odd ute but don't remember ever seeing a wagon, Regards Brett.

[humpty2]

Yes, they did make a station wagon, called it the "Plainsman".
Very stylish looking vehicle too!

[skyline59]

G'day Humpty2,thanks for letting me know about the "PLAINSMAN", ( Chrysler royal wagon ), so were they sold in Australia, or was it not available here, i'm sorry if it sounds like a stupid question but i would be interested to know if they were available out here, i might need to keep my eye out, Regards Brett.

[firefighter]

Hi royal 313

great shot of the cars and vans under the trees
we have just returned from wagga from a chev rally and a few
chryslers and valiants spent a few days in the park we were in
on there return from canberra
the chryslers did not look out of place with the chevs

F/F ;D ;D ;D

[humpty2]

I'll have to do some more reading but from memory the 'Plainsman' was only made in Australia, as were the Chrysler Royal..........which is just a 54/56 Dodge/Plymouth body with some Desoto ( I think) fenders bolted on.
Royal 313 should have more info.
BTW..we have a 54 Plymouth Belvedere in the shed (not for sale)

[don257]

Chris thanks for sharing pics both setups look great Doug & Vicki

[atouchofglass]

Greetings All
slightly off the thread, my parents had a Desoto Plainsman in the 70's. We traveled in it Mum and Dad slept in the back and I had the front seat. Just a bit of nostalgia. ;D ;D

[313royal]

Thanks folks good to see the thread has lit up

Leigh - I needed your insight to stop the pouting !

Brett - Humpty is right the Royals were only made here in Aus. the wagon is rarest of all, only 141 of the AP2 produced. Those I have seen rusted away pretty quick

firefighter - saw you guys lined up in the park at Wagga on Sunday morning, unfortunately didnt have time to stop, looked a pretty impressive gathering

Cheers
Chris

[skyline59]

G'day Chris, thanks for the information,so it would be highly unlikely that there may be any " PLAINSMAN" left with only 141 made, i will have to keep my eyes open just in case one ever turns up. I have got a 1964 AP5 regal station wagon under tarps that is a project for down the track,but a PLAINSMAN would be nice too, Thanks again Brett.

[exocet]

Just a bit of trivia, but there is a nice looking 1960 Chrysler Royal Wayfarer ute in the Nov issue of Just Cars for sale at $9000, powered by a 318 v8 and 3 speed auto, wouldn't that be a great tow vehicle!

Exocetbornwithapentastarstampedonhishead

[sportsman 1]

There was a Plainsman in a back copy of Just Cars a few months ago, If Skyline59 (or anyone else) wants details PM me with your phone no and I will see if I can dig it out. Dont know off the top of my head how good but I dont think it was that dear.

I got too many projects already!

Cheers, Leigh.

[korongking]

Hi had a plainsman up until about a month ago pretty sad if it was a royal it would have been a parts car but due to its rarity it stayed in the family for about 8 yrs finally decided topass it on to a young couple (Dean & Lorene from ballarat) as I could not see myself finding the time & money todo it as I said it was very rusty.
I have a restored AP2 Royal & a 63 Dodge convertible,a 50 GMC ex Golden Fleece Delivery truck & am just about to start on a HAMBSTER(nostalgia styled drag car) with dodge flathead running gear. So my shed is fairly full.
Plainsmans were only produced in OZ the roof was made from ute sections & pretty much the whole back end was hand made.
I have some adds & mag features that I will try to scan &put on the site.
Ps: I met the folk from SA with the Royal in Deni made my day to see the car & the van as it had been a fairly uninspiring day up to that point.

PPS: Just got given back the carapark ally van that I sold years ago to a family who were using it for a spare room originally seems the kids friends decided to trash it.Haven't seen it yet but you never know I might fix it up (reline it ,new glass,some new ally work) it helps to have a mate who specializes in WW2 fighter aircraft restos.