Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2008 18:45:38 GMT 10
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2008 18:50:47 GMT 10
|
|
|
Post by Franklin1 on Feb 22, 2008 20:20:53 GMT 10
Hello to the campbells and welcome to the forum. Haven't heard of the "Playtime" name before, but there's still lots we don't know about these old relics. Your van has an uncanny resemblance to the Rowvan [click on this link to see what we've got so far in our History section... vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=chat&action=display&thread=1199868488 ] If your van is related to the Rowvans in some way, then one of our members, trodler, can give you some guidance on specific restoration points, I'm sure. [But where is he lately??] Certainly your van is worthy of being restored to all its former glory. Love the artwork around the porthole window!! cheers, Al.
|
|
|
Post by willyn on Feb 22, 2008 20:23:05 GMT 10
|
|
|
Post by Jennison on Feb 22, 2008 21:02:48 GMT 10
Hey Guys the little woody I,ve found in Canberra is very similar to this .Owners reckon its 1948-50 model. I am going to get trained on this photobucket stuff but for the moment I,m still a neanderthal operator. I do have it on my mobile phone however if anyone would like a look to see if its identifiable. I'd certainly be interested to know just for interests sake! Its in very good nick, dry as a bone inside and ready to roll bar a paint job (and that's faded not peeling!!!) Send me you're mobile phone no and I'll send you a picture JEFF
|
|
|
Post by cobber on Feb 23, 2008 7:37:57 GMT 10
G'day Ian & Belinda, Welcome to the forum, don't be discouraged by the work you see ahead of you........ it is very satisfying after you have done it. To give you an idea of what you will end up with I have posted photos of the "Playtime" as she was back in 1957. You can see them in the "Down History Lane" section of this forum..... it has an index at the top of the page but the "Playtime" may not be in that yet, just scroll down the page untill you come to "Playtime caravans". Interesting tow coupling there too Cobber.
|
|
|
Post by Don Ricardo on Feb 23, 2008 16:08:18 GMT 10
'Playtime' is now in the index Don Ricardo
|
|
|
Post by Bel on Feb 23, 2008 16:12:33 GMT 10
Thanks for the encouragement in your postings. A little bit of background about the van: The van was purchased by my grandfather in or around 1963, in Sunshine, Victoria as a tourer for retirement. As it turned out he lived in it in Caloundra Qld for 4 - 6 months of each of the next 15 years. I have picked up the name playtime from Vintage website, but I had thought it was a "happy-time" caravan. It was probably bought second hand by my grandfather from a hire company in Sunshine. A Camp ground ranger once told me it was identical to his honeymoon van which he had hired in the early sixties from the same place. Anyway, we did restore the van in 1994 and had it fully op, but the van has been in storage for about fourteen years and we are now looking at the options....what to do? Does anyone know the materials that should be used to replace or repair the roof of these things. It looks like an old fine straw board, but who supplies these and how are they bent. Then what is the technique for relaying the canvas roof and sealing it. Bel and Ian
|
|
|
Post by Don Ricardo on Feb 23, 2008 22:58:01 GMT 10
Hi Bel and Ian,
Interesting to note that your grandfather (Ian's or Bel's?) bought the van in Sunshine. According to the info posted by Cobber, Playtime caravans were built in Maidstone, which is only a stone's throw (more or less) from Sunshine.
For what it's worth, even though there's obviously a fair bit of work to do to restore the van, I reckon it's worth doing for the following reasons:
1. It is the only Playtime caravan that we've heard about on the V V forum (as far as I know), and it's very worthwhile to preserve something that is very rare (or possibly the only survivor of the make). 2. It is a lovely van with some quite unusual features. 3. It has the added value of having the link with your family.
From what is shown in your photos, the ceiling material you mention is caneite (made from sugar cane trash). It was used in a lot of caravans because of its insulating qualities, and is still available today. Although it is quite stiff when you see it in sheets, there are obviously ways of making it bend without breaking, probably through the application of water or heat, or both. If you use the forum search function you should be able to find some posts which tell you more about caneite, as well as how to mold it into shape.
If you do decide to restore the Playtime I am sure that there will be plenty of V V'ers who will be willing to assist with advice and encouragement.
Good luck,
Don Ricardo
|
|
|
Post by campbell on Feb 24, 2008 7:51:52 GMT 10
Thanks for the tips Don, and the motivation. "Caneite" of course! It was Ian's grandfather, although Bel has taken the van to heart I think. It could have been Maidstone, We'll need to do a bit more family research. The van does look very similar to the Rowvan, Thanks Trodler [Al]. My hunch is that they were both built from the same plans. Who knows where these have come from? England? America? Perhaps they were home grown Aussie designs. But it does look like they were shared around. Don said this may be a one off but what has attracted us to your sight is that there was another almost identical pictured on the VV site as having appeared for sale at Ballarat. It would be lnice to know what happened to this van. They could be siblings.
|
|
|
Post by firefighter on Feb 24, 2008 8:25:42 GMT 10
|
|
|
|
Post by Franklin1 on Feb 24, 2008 19:49:44 GMT 10
|
|
|
Post by trodler on Feb 24, 2008 20:22:25 GMT 10
Hi Ian and Belinda. The van vou have is actually a Rowvan built in SA by Mr and Mrs Rowe. They built vans under their name and they also built vans unnamed and shiped them out to their suppliers who gave them their own brand. ( Mr Row wasnt really concerned about the naming as long as he was paid.) If you have a look in the cupboard and up under the sink there should be a date written in chalk of when it was built, it may even have the builders signature. If you need any more info on the van or how to restore it send me a message and ill send you my phone number.
Cheers. Trodler.
PS Glad to see you mised me Franklin.
|
|