10 FT Fiesta. Any info on this van

[aza]

Just picked up this little van and wondered if this is a known builder or brand ?
If not I guess it is another that can be added to the reference list of names/vans.

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[Don Ricardo]

Hi Aza,

You are amazing! You keep coming up with all these small vans! You've obviously developed a very specialised location technique! But, I'm glad you do, because you very often add to our storehouse of knowledge about some of the smaller vans. 

In this case, you'll find Fiesta in the index to the Down History Lane section, but your 10 ft model is definitely the smallest we've seen. There is a small van identified as a Fiesta currently at the end of the thread, but at this stage I'm reasonably sure it's not - but yours definitely is.  I presume you found it somewhere in WA?

Any photos of the inside?  In the meantime, congratulations on your newest find.

Don Ricardo

[aza]

Thanks Don, yes I do have a 'thing' for the small vans :-).
I never even thought to do a search on the name before throwing it out there ! I will definitely have a look at the thread on Fiesta vans thanks.
This one was found in WA but no real history on it as yet although I will follow that up.
The name plate on the front has worn away so I wasn't sure we would identify this van but a sheet of tin covering the
back window was also covering the rear name plate that I have shown. Its always good to have a win like that.
I have tried searching for a build date but the only info I can find at the moment is a pencil inscription on the bottom
of the cupboard draw saying that its for the 10FT van.
There is however a draw bar number 176. I will show a pic of the number and some interior pics soon. Unfortunately not much to show inside however.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi again Aza,

And they say there aren't many vintage vans in WA! They obviously haven't talked to you.

Noting that the serial number of your Fiesta is 176, I just had a gander at the DHL Fiesta thread and saw that Kelvinmounsey's Fiesta is serial number 213 and was dated by the daughter of the owner builder as being from around 1964. Fiesta was only a small outfit I think, so that would mean that your van was almost certainly earlier than 1964 by which time Fiesta was building all aluminium-clad vans. That date (ie pre-1964) would fit with the fact that yours is partly clad in bondwood and the general style of it.

Don Ricardo

[aza]

Interior pics show it will need plenty of work inside and out !
It looks as though the sink was removed and replaced with a solid top.
It appears as though the small laminated top next to the sink area may have housed the
gas cooker. It doesn't slide away as some do to reveal the cooker underneath and it seems
an original fitting as is.
All the rest of the cupboards etc appear original as well, so.......... where did the fridge go ?

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[Don Ricardo]

Hi Aza,

Interesting question about the refrigerator/ice box! I note that the left hand cupboard door in the galley area is slightly shorter than the other two. I wonder if that's a clue? That would also be where iceboxes or whatever were most commonly placed in a lot of vans...

I wonder which apprentice - or maybe small child working for a few pennies pocket money - got the job of hammering in the dots for the serial number? Would have taken quite a few minutes to do.

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Hi again Aza,

Thanks for solving the puzzle! I just added 2+2 and came up with 4 regarding your little Fiesta!

I realise I'd seen the van advertised in several places and couldn't figure out from just the side profile what it was. But now thanks to you, we know a bit more about both it and Fiesta. I presumed that the previous owner didn't know what the van was, and I guess even if they did, it didn't mean much to them. Looks better without the galvanised iron over the side window too.

Anyway, nicely done!

Don Ricardo

[aza]

Yes Don that is the one
I had disregarded it for a while and figured someone would grab it but it remained long enough
for me to do a good deal on it.
The owner did not recall accurately the name of the van, she thought it was Millard (Mildura)so
I was very happy to find the rear name plate that was hidden.

Yes it looks much better without the tin on the windows but a real shame they used in excess of 30
roofing screws to secure the tin to the sides and the roof of this poor little van

I had a better look at the cupboard under the sink and it appears as though it never housed a fridge or
an ice chest so it seems this was never designed to have one ? That may seem strange but not an impossible
decision I guess, though I do wonder what the thought process was when building it ?? (they could always
carry an esky in the car )??

Cheers