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Post by belinda on Aug 21, 2005 16:47:31 GMT 10
We took our van to the "All British" day and another person identified it as an Atlantic. Our van is almost identical to Maurie's and also Cobber's "free to a good home" van.
He told an interesting story:
- his dad won a fifth prize in the lottery in 1955 and bought the van primed (but not painted) and without all the internal cupboards for 500 pounds. It was an exciting purchase and everyone came to look at it
- the vans were made at Tempe (Sydney) in a premises on the Highway
- later his dad purchased an additional internal cupboard which came as an accessory and was fitted by the manufacturer
- the layout was different to ours, with a single bed/sofa at the door and a double bed/table at the rear
- theirs had a hundred-gallon water tank underneath at the back, while ours has a gravity-fed tank over the sink (Cobber, Maurie - what do your vans have?)
- like ours it had Holden wheels
- like ours the cupboard doors are dark-stained wood, not painted
This fits with other stuff we already knew about the van - the stove was made in Kogarah, the cushions were made in Marrickville and people who lived around Campsie have told us they hired identical vans.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2005 23:35:37 GMT 10
interesting info Belina ......you are slowly gaining more info on your van ......I bet the hire vans are long gone !!!
Mark
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Post by Roehm3108 on Aug 22, 2005 19:30:39 GMT 10
Hi Belinda! A 100 gallon water tank sounds a bit heavy, when one gallon of water weighs 10lbs. Perhaps he means 100litres??? Ray
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Jim
New Member
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Post by Jim on Aug 23, 2005 1:40:39 GMT 10
A 100 gallon water tank eh... Ray and Belinda.. Maybe with a tank that size the van was built to run half a ton of bootleg booze using a family caravan as a disguise?
That reminds me of the film 'Thunder Road' The film description goes something like… “Lucas Doolin Moves Mountain Moonshine to Montana”
Lucas (Robert Mitcham) drove a 1950 Ford single spinner with an engine that sounded like it was built to outrun the Highway Patrol. The car had a 100 gallon moonshine tank in the back.
I believe the tanker cars used in the movie were the real thing, sold to the film company by the moonshiners who wanted to buy newer faster cars.
I didn’t mean to pick on your comment Belinda, it’s just my imagination running away…
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Post by will and Lyn on Aug 23, 2005 9:36:45 GMT 10
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2005 11:49:31 GMT 10
Jim
I remember the movie. Great stuff.
In a similar vien How does the words go in "Copperhead road" probably based around the movie and montana or "the deep south"
"Grandaddy ran whisky in a big black dodge. Bought it an auction at the masons lodge. He and my daddy tore an engine down i still remember that rumbling sound. Hardly ever saw grandaddy round here Only come to town about twice a year'
pored a 100lb of yeast down the copper line and everyone knew that he made moonshine
Waddya reckon Jailbar ... just about somes you up??? except the black dodge sedan is white ( with a dodgey loose front end eh).
The green jailbar ute looks like she could outrun the Hwy patrol.
Reddo@thestill.com.on.haveaguzzle.
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Post by belinda on Aug 23, 2005 15:07:02 GMT 10
We thought a hundred gallons sounded like a lot - but as a post-metric person I only have a vague idea of the old units.
Anyway, that's what the guy told us. Perhaps they had a lot of thirsty children, or it's a case of the old phenomenon that things just looked so much bigger when we were kids .....
The other great thing about the day was that we scored one of the "people's choice" awards for "the car you'd most like to take home". The winners were: - a Roller - a Daimler - an Austin 1800 MkII with a pink and white van on the back
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Post by Roehm3108 on Aug 23, 2005 17:11:55 GMT 10
Congrats Belinda ;D ;D ;D Keepin real classy company, not like these wanna-bee gas guzzlers some people on the east coast call cars Cheers Ray
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MRFJ55
Full Member
" KEEP HOLDEN ON "
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Post by MRFJ55 on Aug 23, 2005 19:01:42 GMT 10
HI BELINDA, HEY WOW , CONGRATULATIONS ! I hope you got a trophy , makes all the hard work all the more worthwhile , well done ! Makes you wonder which compliments which the most , car or caravan . I think the combination is just such a crowd pleaser as we all take people to a special place or time in their life with our little "TIME CAPSULES ON WHEELS" . It is a real treat when they sometimes share their memories , and take us down memory lane with them . Did you have anyone specifically tell you that your van was an ATLANTIC ? I always get a kick out of that with my little ATLANTIC , its good to get that verification from people , normally they are 60 plus years old ! Anyway back to water tanks , my vans got an internal unit about 20 litre capacity that sits flush against the wall on a shelf above the sink . It can be taken outside to fill by sliding 2 catches open . Its got a handle on top , brass tap , and is made out of galvanised steel . I hope this helps , ill show you mine if you show me yours ! Maybe on the COLEDALE weekend , but dont tell anyone ! ALL THE BEST , YOURS IN ATLANTIC CARAVANS , see you soon , MAURIE . p.s Haven't we got the best looking vans out of all the vintage vans ! :
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Post by carapark on Aug 24, 2005 22:27:30 GMT 10
Hi Belinda, I'd like to join the rest of the mob in congratulating yourself and the family on the win.
It's good to have recognition for the work you have put in.
Look forward to meeting you all at Coledale.
Cheers, Gary
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Colin (Noddy)
New Member
1949-52 ATLANTIC BONDWOOD VAN FOR SALE: $12K Fully refurbished; registered; waterproof; sleep 2-3
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Post by Colin (Noddy) on Sept 30, 2005 19:49:56 GMT 10
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Post by belinda on Mar 12, 2006 17:01:47 GMT 10
I learnt a lot more about Atlantics at a recent visit to T G Paterson who provided components to a lot of caravan makers in Sydney.
According to Col Paterson, Atlantic Caravans was run by Edward (Ted) Gordon who lived in Leichardt. The business was originally at 341 Princes Highway St Peters (now a BP Service station) and later moved further south to the site now occupied by "Jap Spares". It closed around 1970.
TG Paterson supplied metal components like the ice boxes, stove compartments, water tanks and shelves to sit them on, roof hatches etc. They also folded up the sections used for the chassis, which were made for Atlantic by Ajax Sheet Metal.
The funniest bit is that because Ted Gordon worked seven days a week making and selling vans he never went on a holiday. It was only after he retired that he got himself a van and went away in it. The story goes that Ted lasted two weeks, said "I don't know what people see in these" and never went caravanning again.
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