1950s Globetrotter Bondwood - restoration progress

[Zenzi]

Hi there - my partner and I have very recently bought a 1950s Globetrotter - bondwood 12ft. We are really keen to find out more about it's history and see if we can date it accurately.

She is in "okay" condition - the chassis and frame and pretty rusted but it appears to be pretty superficial and she will definitely need a few sections of ply replaced on the sides of the van. We have a good network of family members who work as electricians, trailer makers, boat builders (has all the tools for working with ply) and wooden floor board layers. It's currently being stored in East Gippsland at a family members workshop where we plan to get it towable and watertight then bring it back to Melbourne where we live to complete the inside.. This means that we haven't had a chance to look on the chassis for the # yet but when we strip back the rust we plan to look for it on there -any tips on where it might be hiding?

After hunting around on the forums for a while - I've come to suspect that it is a mid 1950s model (thanks to the Globetrotter history thread and this thread too).

The rego plate reads G61-633 (Don Riccardo had posted on this thread about dating the old plates).

Here are some photos that may help with dating, the women I bought it off had acquired it when she bought her property - the previous owners had kept it in a shed for many many years (the last time it was registered was in 1976). Apparently the side windows have all been replaced but the front and back long windows are original. This makes me wonder if the window frames were originally wooden and have been replaced with the aluminum frames at a later date? - I'm not 1-% sure if the earlier 1950s model had the single long glass windows on the front or back or if they all had two smaller split windows in the early 50s?

I am keen to document our whole restoration process but I'm not sure what the best way to do that on this website is?? :-)

Thanks for your help!

Zenzi.

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[Franklin1]

G'day Zenzi, and welcome to the forum!

I'm not an expert on the details of Globe Trotter vans, even though it's my username against the thread in the History section. My understanding of Globe Trotter chassis numbers is that they are stamped numbers rather than welded numbers. I believe they are located somewhere near, or on, the triangle piece of steel plate that the coupling is fitted to.

Once you find it, I wouldn't be surprised to see it's somewhere close to chassis number 1281, a photo of which is in the Down History Lane Globe Trotter thread. Your van looks quite similar to #1281, including the windows.

That tongue that the coupling is fitted to on your van seems to be an addition. Somebody must have worked out that that was a cheap and easy way of extending the drawbar.

Good luck with your project.

cheers,
Al.

[thegeneral]

Hi Zenzi l have a 1965 Globee my number 2813 is stamped 6 or 7 inches from the front of the 
A frame on the left a bit hard to find.
  Graeme..

[Zenzi]

Thanks Al & Franklin, we will have a proper look and let you know what we find!

[BlueBird]

Wow Zenzi, what a great find. It looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck with your restoration and yes I would love to watch your progress.

Monica

[Mustang]

I love these stories "kept in a shed for many years" .
This van has seen many a sunrise until it was lucky enough to meet you, looks very doable & a great shed to work in, & I,m sure we will see it at the next Nationals.
Great find, Congratulations.