elvie
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Post by elvie on May 6, 2017 20:58:47 GMT 10
These are both South Australian caravans. One is mine Elvadore owned by Gerry Loveday cousin of Morrie of Quest and one was on Gumtree and bought by a woman I'm in contact with. 1955-1960 is the time period.   |
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Post by shesgotthelook on May 8, 2017 16:41:54 GMT 10
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 9, 2017 21:15:38 GMT 10
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 9, 2017 21:16:09 GMT 10
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Post by retrogal on May 9, 2017 21:29:59 GMT 10
She's beautiful
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Post by willies on May 10, 2017 8:21:52 GMT 10
This colour scheme is on a Home made "Roadmaster". This was built by my father in law back in the early 60's. He liked the Roadmaster design so much he went a and built one himself for the family holiday. This was set up each and every Christmas New Year holidays at Port Elliot when the caravan park was right on the beachfront. This area is now a park and the caravan park has moved up the beach a bit.  There is a real Roadmaster in Adelaide that also has similar colour scheme. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 10, 2017 10:17:05 GMT 10
Hi Elvie and all, Elvie has picked up on something very interesting about caravan livery I think. This is probably the caravan that Willies is referring to - a 1956 Roadmaster photographed in 2010:  And here is another 1956 Roadmaster (or possibly the same one before refurbishment?) posted by Franklin1 in 2007, which shows a similar approach:  The evidence on this thread seems to suggest that the tri-colour livery was a South Australian styling trend around the 50's - and a very attractive one too. Caravan manufacturers in other states seem to have mainly stuck to painting their vans only in one colour, or two. In the latter cases, the second colour was very often only used for a flash or waist stripe, although there are some examples of vans painted one colour above the waist line and one below. Thanks for asking the question Elvie. It is prompting a fascinating conversation.  Don Ricardo |
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 16, 2017 15:06:05 GMT 10
I'm keeping Elvadore as original as I can. Preservation not restoration thank goodness  |
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 16, 2017 15:07:10 GMT 10
The lights and edge strips will go back on this weekend |
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 17, 2017 4:05:42 GMT 10
Hi Elvie and all, Elvie has picked up on something very interesting about caravan livery I think. This is probably the caravan that Willies is referring to - a 1956 Roadmaster photographed in 2010: And here is another 1956 Roadmaster (or possibly the same one before refurbishment?) posted by Franklin1 in 2007, which shows a similar approach: The evidence on this thread seems to suggest that the tri-colour livery was a South Australian styling trend around the 50's - and a very attractive one too. Caravan manufacturers in other states seem to have mainly stuck to painting their vans only in one colour, or two. In the latter cases, the second colour was very often only used for a flash or waist stripe, although there are some examples of vans painted one colour above the waist line and one below. Thanks for asking the question Elvie. It is prompting a fascinating conversation. Don Ricardo Thanks for the reply. Morrie Loveday of Quest looked at the colour scheme and it looked familiar to him too. He is in a nursing home in Adelaide. Rather special that it was a SA thing! Trends were much more local before the mass media and internet made us global. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 17, 2017 15:56:39 GMT 10
Hi Elvie,
You're right about trends being much more local before the mass media and internet made us global. But in the case of caravans, it was really mass assembly line production which made the difference in the early and middle 60's. Before that, there was a host of often low volume caravan builders based in each state, often building one or two vans at a time by hand. Very often also their caravans were only sold in the state where they were based, although there were some exceptions to that. As a result, even today, if you find a pre-60's caravan shut away in a shed in a particular state, there's a pretty good chance that that's the state in which it was built.
Some of the more innovative firms such as Franklin then began to mass produce caravans on assembly lines, and to distribute their vans in several or all states, or others like Viscount and Carapark built their vans in factories in two or three (or more) states. The result was that many of the smaller manufacturers who were still hand building their vans, one or two at a time, couldn't compete, and eventually fell by the wayside.
One of the interesting outcomes of caravan builders being largely state based up until the early 60's, is that South Australian builders developed a quite different style and design features compared to the other states. One reflection of that is the tri-colour livery style we have been discussing, but there are a number of small design features which can often be used to distinguish a South Australian built caravan for those built in any other state. There were some differences between caravans built in other states too, for example Queensland built vans often had stable doors, but none so marked as with South Australian vans.
Don Ricardo
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 17, 2017 18:26:58 GMT 10
Hi Elvie, You're right about trends being much more local before the mass media and internet made us global. But in the case of caravans, it was really mass assembly line production which made the difference in the early and middle 60's. Before that, there was a host of often low volume caravan builders based in each state, often building one or two vans at a time by hand. Very often also their caravans were only sold in the state where they were based, although there were some exceptions to that. As a result, even today, if you find a pre-60's caravan shut away in a shed in a particular state, there's a pretty good chance that that's the state in which it was built. Some of the more innovative firms such as Franklin then began to mass produce caravans on assembly lines, and to distribute their vans in several or all states, or others like Viscount and Carapark built their vans in factories in two or three (or more) states. The result was that many of the smaller manufacturers who were still hand building their vans, one or two at a time, couldn't compete, and eventually fell by the wayside. One of the interesting outcomes of caravan builders being largely state based up until the early 60's, is that South Australian builders developed a quite different style and design features compared to the other states. One reflection of that is the tri-colour livery style we have been discussing, but there are a number of small design features which can often be used to distinguish a South Australian built caravan for those built in any other state. There were some differences between caravans built in other states too, for example Queensland built vans often had stable doors, but none so marked as with South Australian vans. Don Ricardo Don Ricardo, Where were the accessories manufacturers based? I have two portholes that open with fly screens and curved Aluminium windows. There is also a wall mounted pixie lamp that can be relocated from the kitchen to the bed and a cute 3way fridge. I imagine these were made for caravans. Were they state based makers? I know who built Elvadore. When and where she was built. She has been one owner until us from new and like you say a pre 60s caravan shut away in a shed |
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on May 17, 2017 18:30:43 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 17, 2017 21:27:55 GMT 10
Hi Elvie,
Some of the accessories manufacturers were state based, and some sold their wares around Australia through distributors in each state (firms such as Flynn and Highway for example).
The items you've mentioned were probably used by a number of caravan manufacturers in different states, and possibly by boat builders too.
Don Ricardo
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on Jun 7, 2017 22:08:31 GMT 10
Ok, I have repainted her in the exact colours found after sanding and here is a picture of her in 1955. Oh my goodness it's bright 😊   |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 7, 2017 22:32:38 GMT 10
Hi Elvie, Looks fabulous. What a great job you've done.  Don Ricardo |
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elvie
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by elvie on Jun 7, 2017 22:36:09 GMT 10
Hi Elvie, Looks fabulous. What a great job you've done. Don Ricardo I really appreciated the conversation here as it gave me the confidence to keep her the original colours. I, like so many other people dream of bondwoods with lovely swishes down the sides. But that is just not who she is. So Thank you DR |
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Post by shesgotthelook on Jun 8, 2017 9:03:46 GMT 10
What a special piece of history you have there & it's great to see you keeping true to her original style. Only problem I can see, you haven't shown us any interior photos!   In anticipation...... SGTL |
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