Vintage Caravan Cornucopia
May 29, 2017 17:32:52 GMT 10
brucenan, shesgotthelook, and 5 more like this
Post by Don Ricardo on May 29, 2017 17:32:52 GMT 10
Evening all,
A few weekends ago, Dona Ricardo and I ventured north to Yackandandah to catch up with the vintage vanners taking part in the OTP Gold Fever Tour organised by Reddo. We had a great time catching up with some V V'ers we know, some we had previously only known through the forum, and some we hadn't met before - and the weather was perfect, if crisp, and a lot of the trees in Yack (as the locals call it) were bathed in golden halos:
While we were in Yackandandah, we took the opportunity to visit Surf Tragic who lives not too far away, and were privileged to be shown through his "Don workshop". It was fabulous to have a look at his completed or nearly completed projects, as well as some of the vans he is currently working on.
His Don 133 which is nearly finished:
His parents' Don 140 on the left, which he has started work on...
...and the completed Don 122 in the background on the right, which was his first project:
As you can see there are a couple of other future projects waiting for Surf Tragic's skillful attention.
Naturally there is a Don logo on the door of the "Don workshop":
Surf Tragic has offered to host a visit to his workshop from a group from the 2018 Vintage Caravan Nationals, which I'm sure a lot of people will be interested in. Details will be incorporated in the Nationals itinerary when it is announced.
On our way home from Yackandandah after the weekend, we traveled to the little town of Ovens in the Ovens Valley to visit 'Jack & Kacs Bric a Brac'. Jack and Kac (Karen) buy and sell old farm machinery and caravans, as well as all sorts of bric a brac, and the Kaybees - who were on the Gold Fever Tour - told us that it was well worth a look see. Jack buys old caravans from all over Victoria and southern NSW, and aims to restore them to a good basic standard before selling them. The buyers can then add whatever finishing touches they want to. When we visited, there was quite an interesting range of vans there either being worked on, or in the queue waiting their turn for Jack's TLC. Jack and Karen were very happy for us to wander around to check out the vans and take as many photos as we wanted, which we did.
A 1940's home built van:
Note the domestic/house windows used:
Rear:
Inside:
A late 50's Hardy Van:
The 'Glen Trailer and Caravan' chassis on the Hardy Van:
An unidentified van with a NSW rego sticker:
The 40's van Jack is currently working on. It was previously registered as a Roma, but based on the shape of the windows and the construction, may be home built?
The panel you can see leaning against the bunks through the doorway is the hatch for the door which slides up to cover the fly-wired opening:
An interesting little caravan built for, and used by three shearers:
Coupling (for Cobber ):
Jockey wheel:
Slide up windows:
The table (seen sideways against the far wall) attaches to the clips on the wardrobe door frame:
And there was still plenty more to see...
One I couldn't identify - anybody got any suggestions?
A little 70's Viscount Ambassador - no serial number:
A Schrader built Harris Van:
A 70's Viscount Royal - sorry Twocutekelpies, I couldn't get in close enough to get the serial number
:
And disguised as chook sheds...
...was a Coronet - great photo of the wire netting, hey, but at least you can see the van (annoying auto focus!)...
...and a Franklin commercial van...
...not to mention the little Fergie - always close to my heart as a farm boy:
Oh, so a Fergie isn't a caravan? Who knew? Well maybe you'll be more interested in the Truline in another shed:
It was a bit tight in there to get photos, but here's the back...
...and the brand name:
Inside:
Something on the Truline I don't remember seeing on an early 60's van before (but maybe I just haven't noticed them?) was the multi-scissor style corner stabilisers:
The view across the vans in the yard...oh, hang on! What's that under the tarp?
Looks like a Don 140:
And that's what it was. Unfortunately, the serial number plates were missing, but the shape of the doorframe indicates that it is a pre-1950 van.
The van has a had quite a number of modifications or "improvements", including a new door, windows with plain glass, a new coupling, modified wheel arches, and changes to the furnishings inside:
Bit of work needed to get it back into shape!
So Jack and Karen have an interesting collection of vans to work on, and Dona Ricardo and I enjoyed spending some time talking to them, and checking out what they had.
If anyone is interested in any of the vans, they're not available 'as is'. They're only available after Jack has restored them back to a reasonable, basic standard, and he does them in his own order, in his own time. However, if you're particularly taken with one of them and are prepared to wait for Jack's timing, PM me and I'll provide some contact details for 'Jack & Kacs Bric a Brac'.
Don Ricardo
A few weekends ago, Dona Ricardo and I ventured north to Yackandandah to catch up with the vintage vanners taking part in the OTP Gold Fever Tour organised by Reddo. We had a great time catching up with some V V'ers we know, some we had previously only known through the forum, and some we hadn't met before - and the weather was perfect, if crisp, and a lot of the trees in Yack (as the locals call it) were bathed in golden halos:
While we were in Yackandandah, we took the opportunity to visit Surf Tragic who lives not too far away, and were privileged to be shown through his "Don workshop". It was fabulous to have a look at his completed or nearly completed projects, as well as some of the vans he is currently working on.
His Don 133 which is nearly finished:
His parents' Don 140 on the left, which he has started work on...
...and the completed Don 122 in the background on the right, which was his first project:
As you can see there are a couple of other future projects waiting for Surf Tragic's skillful attention.
Naturally there is a Don logo on the door of the "Don workshop":
Surf Tragic has offered to host a visit to his workshop from a group from the 2018 Vintage Caravan Nationals, which I'm sure a lot of people will be interested in. Details will be incorporated in the Nationals itinerary when it is announced.
On our way home from Yackandandah after the weekend, we traveled to the little town of Ovens in the Ovens Valley to visit 'Jack & Kacs Bric a Brac'. Jack and Kac (Karen) buy and sell old farm machinery and caravans, as well as all sorts of bric a brac, and the Kaybees - who were on the Gold Fever Tour - told us that it was well worth a look see. Jack buys old caravans from all over Victoria and southern NSW, and aims to restore them to a good basic standard before selling them. The buyers can then add whatever finishing touches they want to. When we visited, there was quite an interesting range of vans there either being worked on, or in the queue waiting their turn for Jack's TLC. Jack and Karen were very happy for us to wander around to check out the vans and take as many photos as we wanted, which we did.
A 1940's home built van:
Note the domestic/house windows used:
Rear:
Inside:
A late 50's Hardy Van:
The 'Glen Trailer and Caravan' chassis on the Hardy Van:
An unidentified van with a NSW rego sticker:
The 40's van Jack is currently working on. It was previously registered as a Roma, but based on the shape of the windows and the construction, may be home built?
The panel you can see leaning against the bunks through the doorway is the hatch for the door which slides up to cover the fly-wired opening:
An interesting little caravan built for, and used by three shearers:
Coupling (for Cobber
):
Jockey wheel:
Slide up windows:
The table (seen sideways against the far wall) attaches to the clips on the wardrobe door frame:
And there was still plenty more to see...
One I couldn't identify - anybody got any suggestions?
A little 70's Viscount Ambassador - no serial number:
A Schrader built Harris Van:
A 70's Viscount Royal - sorry Twocutekelpies, I couldn't get in close enough to get the serial number
:
And disguised as chook sheds...
...was a Coronet - great photo of the wire netting, hey, but at least you can see the van (annoying auto focus!)...
...and a Franklin commercial van...
...not to mention the little Fergie - always close to my heart as a farm boy:
Oh, so a Fergie isn't a caravan? Who knew? Well maybe you'll be more interested in the Truline in another shed:
It was a bit tight in there to get photos, but here's the back...
...and the brand name:
Inside:
Something on the Truline I don't remember seeing on an early 60's van before (but maybe I just haven't noticed them?) was the multi-scissor style corner stabilisers:
The view across the vans in the yard...oh, hang on! What's that under the tarp?
Looks like a Don 140:
And that's what it was. Unfortunately, the serial number plates were missing, but the shape of the doorframe indicates that it is a pre-1950 van.
The van has a had quite a number of modifications or "improvements", including a new door, windows with plain glass, a new coupling, modified wheel arches, and changes to the furnishings inside:
Bit of work needed to get it back into shape!
So Jack and Karen have an interesting collection of vans to work on, and Dona Ricardo and I enjoyed spending some time talking to them, and checking out what they had.
If anyone is interested in any of the vans, they're not available 'as is'. They're only available after Jack has restored them back to a reasonable, basic standard, and he does them in his own order, in his own time. However, if you're particularly taken with one of them and are prepared to wait for Jack's timing, PM me and I'll provide some contact details for 'Jack & Kacs Bric a Brac'.
Don Ricardo
