What’s my van?

[lukemcd]

Hi I’m new here so I hope I’m following the guidelines.

I bought this van over ten years ago and finally got it on the road a coupe of years back.

I have never been able to find out what it is. (Haven’t tried because I thought it was a home made).

Tonight while scanning the web for info on a Roma I’m considering buying I found this image and thought it may actually be my can, not like my van but my actual van. Can anyone help fro
The pictures below.

What year, model, value (won’t sell it just curious)

Thanks in advance.











I have a few more images if anyone’s interested but firstly was Franklin1 correct? Roma 1940-1950’s?

[Roehm3108]

Dating vans is very subjective, when they are that old. That pic was put up by the administrator back in 2004 and would be the only information available. He may read this thread and be able to identify "bill" from Victoria and ba able to steer you in his direction. Our forum guidelines do not allow us to talk about prices as this causes too much dissent and is very subjective for these vans.

It looks like you've done a fair amount of work on that van, and would certainly love to see more pics of what you have done.

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Lukemcd,

Welcome to the forum. It's great to have you here, and to know that your van is still in safe hands. And wonderful to see some photos of it, including some inside shots.

I have looked at the photo posted by Mark T many, many times, and have always been curious about it for a number of reasons.

When Mark T was sent the photo, the owner (Bill) told him that it was a Roma, but we don't know what the basis for that identification was. Experience on the forum has taught us that sometimes the information provided by owners about their vans is not always accurate.

Part of the problem in this case, is that the earliest Roma caravan we've seen was built in 1948 (apart from this one), and although Roma claims to have been producing caravans since 1928, we don't have any information about what their earlier caravans might have looked like - or in fact, when it comes down to it, any actual documentary evidence that Roma was building caravans before 1948 either. (It's possible that they were using another brandname prior to that, but we don't have any evidence of that either.)

Looking at your van, the shape and overall design look typical of a number of caravans that were built in the late 30's and the 40's, and even into the early 50's. After that (and even before that) the shape of vans became squarer (or perhaps I should say more rectangular). The 1948 Roma, which you've probably seen on the Roma thread in the 'Down History Lane' section, is that squarer design, which tells me that if your van is a Roma, it probably would have been built before 1948. And that's certainly what I would have guessed anyway.

However, there are a couple of other interesting things about your van. First it is clad in aluminium. Aluminium cladding was experimented with by a couple of people back in the 30's, was used by some home builders using left over aircraft materials from WW II in the 40's and early 50's, and experimented with by one or two commercial caravan manufacturers in the very late 40's and early 50's. But aluminium cladding didn't come into general use until the late 50's, and Roma didn't adopt aluminium cladding until the 60's. So all of that suggests that - whether your van is a Roma or not - it was re-clad at some point, and there is probably bondwood or masonite under the cladding. (Alternatively, it was home built by someone who decided to use aluminium cladding.)

The second interesting thing is the side windows on your van. Aluminium framed windows didn't start to be widely used until the mid-50's, and the style of the windows in your van wan't introduced until the late 50's (1957/8). So that again tells me that they were retro fitted to your van at some point from the late 50's onwards.

Summing up, I think your van was built in the 40's and at some later point (late 50's onward) was updated with the aluminium cladding and the side windows. Unfortunately that doesn't tell us whether or not it is a Roma. And I'm definitely not saying that it isn't, only that we don't really know at this point. Hopefully at some point we'll be able to find out some information about earlier Romas, which may then enable us to identify your van with some certainty.

You mentioned that you had some more photos? It would certainly be fantastic to see them. Maybe they will provide some clues that we can work on?

Don Ricardo

[lukemcd]

Thanks Don.

There is no sign of any badges on the van so I’m doubting it was commercially built.

I’m almost certain the photo I found is the same van, especially with the info you have provided.

There is no under cladding so it’s looking like a home build.

I will get some more photos up soon.

Hope someone finds Mark T or Bill from Victoria

[Roehm3108]

CALLING MARK T!!!!!! CALLING MARK T!!!! Can you delve into your brain cells and help our original poster???

OP, I'm pretty sure you have the same van, going by the comparisons I've made too. Be aware that sometimes, for some vans, their origins will remain a mystery!!

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Lukemcd,

Interesting to hear more about your van. I am almost 100% certain that we are talking about the same van too. If not, then there are two of them - which is possible - but that just adds to the question of who built them!

The fact that there are no markings or signs does not necessarily indicate that the van wasn't commercially built. Some manufacturers back in the 30's and 40's and even later didn't put a brandname on their vans at all. Or painted a brandname on which then wore off over time, or was lost when the van was repainted or re-cladded.

You commented that there is no undercladding, by which I presume you mean that the aluminium cladding has been fixed direct to the frame, not over other cladding? If it has been re-cladded, that may just mean that whoever did it, did a thorough job and took all the old cladding off first. When you open the cupboards, etc, can you just see aluminium at the back?

You stated that you bought the van about ten years ago, which would have been 2007? That's only a couple of years after Mark T posted the photo from Bill. I am just wondering who you bought the van from? If it wasn't Bill, then it must almost have been someone who bought it from Bill - so only one or maybe two steps away from him. Did you acquire it from someone in Victoria? Just wondering if you might be able to re-trace Bill and the van's history from whoever you bought it from? A bit of a long shot, but we've been told about some pretty amazing connections that have been able to be made when people have started tracing the history of their vans.

You mentioned Mark T also. Mark is the founder of this forum, and continues to sponsor and administer it (not to mention generously underwrite it!). So he is still around, but not very active on the forum at this point. He may still see your post and comment.

Just out of interest, you may like to have a look at the story of Willow5075's van which I think might have followed a fairly similar trajectory to yours. Built in 1946 by a home builder and clad in bondwood with wood framed windows, Willow5075's van was updated about ten years later with aluminium cladding and aluminium-framed windows. Click here for the story. You'll see Willow5075's van even looks a tiny bit similar to yours because it comes from the same era (I did say 'tiny'), and the cladding and windows are very similar.

Don Ricardo

[lukemcd]

Thanks guys.

I bought the van somewhere near Geelong through eBay. Perhaps eBay has history. I will look back through.

Yes the alloy is attached directly to the frame and you can see it inside the cupboards.

I will update soon with some more pics.