Mystery Van for sale

[john5]

Unfortunately my father-in-law recently passed away and we have "discovered" this van in his shed.  Can anyone provide any info on its make and value.
regards
John

[Deleted]

Hi John,
Going by those rounded walls and fixed windows it looks to me like a Dutch van,just can't remember the name of it!
Are there any markings on it?
An interior pic would help too,as I have seen inside photos of them.
Cheers
hughdeani
Ps,wheels are only 4 stud I see,Peugot maybe?

[DC3Td]

Gday John.Smart looking van.Seems a professional home/workshop build.Why? Aluminium or zinc anneal skinned & aircraft style riveting with attention to detail. IE:Rivet spacing & placement.Door/windows could possibly be from a bus/coach also.As for value,we don`t - being so many variables in caravans/designs/rareity etc it comes down to what one is prepared to pay.Some interior pics might add further clues.You can of course check under/in/behind drawers/cupboards/beds/table for scribbles (persons name/date) such was done many times by builders.Also what brand tow hitch? Is there a number welded on the 'A' frame? Any mnfgs name on the window/door? cheers

***** The Dutch in me says the door should be on the other side***** but happy to be corrected.

[Deleted]

Hi again,
Of course DC3Td!
Door on wrong side for Dutch!
Are they mini wheels?

[DC3Td]

Gday Hughdeani.Whilst i think the wheels seem too small for the size of Johns caravan i think they are larger than mini rims.There appears to be 3 hub cap retaining bulges & first thoughts were Holden.Ideally if John reads these comments he could check the stamped markings either side of the studs.Likewise if a wheel can be removed more markings might be found on the hub. (or backing plate?)

[JBJ]

Hi Gordon

Wheels appear to be 12" or 13" to me. Not likely to be Holden 4 stud, as they didn't come out until the Torana's/Vauxhall, & only in 13"
Ford had a lot of 13" 4 stud wheels

If 12" I would guess BMC, possibly.

But its all supposition until the diameter of the wheels is known

Definitely an unusual van

JBJ

[brucenan]

Hi JBJ. I think you are right with BMC, they look like Morris 1100 to me. Bruce

[john5]

Here are a couple of inside photos where he seems to have started some renovation.

[DC3Td]

Some interesting features: Unusual swing-out windows.Power/light board fitted to bed cabinet.Is that a fuse box or radio above drop down bunk? Appears very well appointed.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi John5,

The more you show us of your father-in-law's van, the more interesting it becomes. It looks as if the ceiling lining is vinyl. Is that right?

I don't think we've seen anything like it on the forum before, but as DC3Td commented, it does look as if it might have been built by someone with experience in the aircraft industry. We have seen a few vans that were built by people from that background - there's info on some of them here. Most of them have been built with steel frames and aluminium cladding, and some of them with the cladding attached by closely located rivets like an aircraft, and like your van. However, none of the ones that we've seen look quite like yours, and I think yours looks like it's a later build than the other 'aircraft based' vans.

There are some similarities between your van and an aluminium van built by P E Davies, who was a bodybuilder located in Burwood (probably NSW but possibly Victoria). You can see some photos of it here. You'll note that the triangular side windows are similar to yours, as are the shape of some of the cupboard doors. However there is no sign of the neat riveting that we see on your van and the doors on the two vans are very different. Davies' van was lined with aluminium. What is your van lined with (apart from the ceiling)?

Also what state are you based in? Are you in NSW or Victoria by any chance?

Don Ricardo

[DC3Td]

After Hughdeani/Dennis/Brucenan weighed in with their BMC theory i`m thinking is this a UK moulded fibreglass build? Also Airlites (UK) were using those pop-out windows way back in the 1930s. More pics needed.

[seeshell]

Hi All

Based on the flooring, pine doors, the quilted padded (plastic?) fabric and the colours you'd have to say some time in the very late 1950s/early 1960s to as late as the 1970s. But again, all of these things could have been replaced or modernised. By no means definitive.

Cheers
Seeshell

[cobber]

G'day John,

Thanks for posting photos of this van, as you would of noticed it results in more questions than it does answers ?

A couple of more questions ? with the use of a magnet can you confirm that the external skin is actually aluminium and not gal steel, particularly the main entrance door, I love that door, it almost looks like they have made it using the passengers windows from an aircraft. 
And can you tell us, or give us a photo of what sort of framework it has, maybe looking inside the wardrobe might reveal that.
As somebody else has mentioned, does the inside lining appear to be fibreglass, particularly the panel surrounding the side windows, I love the way those windows are hinged at the top  
I'd like to come and have a look at this van, I hope you're around the Sydney area somewhere 

Cobber.

[DC3Td]

In Whitemans 'History of the Caravan',photo 18 shows a pic of a 1936/37 Airlite Minx folding caravan/lantern roof.Whilst the caravan bares little resemblence in body shape to Johns it does show a near to identical pop-out window.Could it be that Johns caravan was imported given that at the moment the concensus is pommie wheels?

[hillbill54]

What's going on here.. suddenly no more info. Where is she at and how much?

[Deleted]

Hi hillbill,
Probably been sold,happens all the time!
Cheers
hughdeani

[hillbill54]

Zzzzzzzzzz......you snooze!!....you loose!!

[hillbill54]

Can't believe nobody bid on this!