Vint vans elderly statesman clocks up 1000

[Deleted]

I notice our "Resident Wrinkley FJ driver"
is sitting on 999 posts as i head off to bed .

Come on "Albert", "Bob", "Cobber"... get that 1000th post away while ya can still sit up in front of the 'puter.

You can do it Cobber .. come on.. we are all waiting . The corks are half out of the Champers bottles.. The naked chicky babe is packed in the cake.. i have dug a hole in the cake and i currently have an eye full of cream ;D.
All your friends.. yep all 3 are hiding in the dark ready to celebrate your 1000th post.

Hurry up i dont think we can keep the cork in the fizzy drinks much longer ..
Come on.. hurry up.. This party has cost me a fortune... if ya dont get that post away soon we will eat the cake ( and its contents) drink the grog and send ya a "Wish You Where Here" card .

Your lovin son
'Arold Steptoe.

[tinnie]

Don't surcombe (is that now to spell it???) don't fall to the pressure cobber. 1000 is a milestone, so make it a memorable one.

Cheers,

Gristy

(half way there) ;D

[Deleted]

Hi Guys

Fear not Cobber fans..
I have just returned from "Happy Acres Retirement Village"
Dad sends his regards. He will appear on ABC TV tonight and give a public address to the nation.... can't wait
He is currently having a kerosene bath and his nails clipped.
We have arranged for a new suit as his old one fell to bits in the washing machine earlier today

Here is a picture from the happy acres bath house

This photo was taken after 4 attempts to get him to sit in the tub.. Full frontal shots are a bit disturbing.

No longer the .. "Dirty Old man"

'arold

[cobber]

'arold

You are an observant little tyke aren't you, I myself did not see the big triple “O” approaching, I was busy ignoring the other big Os approach.
And I'd like to know what you're laughing at KB TWO

You can pop your cork now for a double celebration 'arold, the 1000th post and the fact that I have had a busy day sussing out the lead on another plywood V V (my new avatar gives a clue), I must be careful because I don't actually have it in my hot sweaty hands yet, a garage has to be demolished before that happens.

This post maybe a bit of a let down for some......... but I'm excited, I think it will be a memorable one for me Gristy.

Cobber.

[firefighter]

cobber

1000 posts congratulations
I wonder how many were dribble and.......... how many were good stuff relation to vintage vans cobber knowing you most of it would be good stuff
f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[skyline59]

:)G'dday Cobber, congratulations on your 1,000 post's' i am sure that we are all looking forward to reading your next lot of 1,000 posts. It was nice to meet you & Mrs Cobber, (Yvonne) at the mount, Regards Brett

[earlee]

cobber,

not only have you reached the magic 1000th but you have a secret van as well - i am really excited about your new avatar - spill the beans - are you onto another treasure? - must be, if it has a garage built around it!

share with your friends - c'mon..

regards earlee.

[Don Ricardo]

Cobber,

May I congratulate you on your choice of avatar. A very fine choice if I may say so.

Congratulations also on your elevation to the status of True Blue.

Don Ricardo

[Deleted]

Atta Boy Dad
Well.. finally the big 1000 aye..
I knew with enough prodding you would come out of the hollow log.

I would just like to say that although i have stirred you up on more than one occassion i would like to thank you for your tolerance .
You have been here as long.. if not longer than i have and you have given as good as you have recieved .. from me at least.

This site needs a balance of humour and constructive input. With your skills in research into van history and a sense of witt You have found a balance between the two and have made a valueable contribution over the past four ?? years.

Now bugger orf and change that bedpan... you dirty old man ;D ;D ;D

'arold .. alias .. Reddo

[Geoff & Jude]

congratulations cobber (and yvonne).

1000(+) posts, the majority of which have been informative and useful to the rest of we "poor mortals".

funny though, you go from being god almighty to a true blue aussie.

does this mean we aussies are actually better than god? (sorry god).

geoff 'n jude

[willyn]

;D
Go boy you go happy 1000th Birthday ooopppps
Post
I knew you had it in ya!!!
Keep on keepin on


Will and Lyn

[cobber]

G'day people,

One thousand posts since August 2004 is no big deal......... but thanks for noticing.
I bought my first V V, “Driftwood”, in 1993 and wish I had discovered this great hobby earlier in my life, it improves ones woodworking skills, painting skills, scrounging skills, research skills, photographic skills, computer skills, and communication skills... not to mention the opportunity it has provided to meet a great bunch of folk with the same interest in preserving Australia's touring history and at the same time making a great social event of it all.

Geoff, I have to admit to posting my fair share of dribble, but I am turning a new leaf....... no more dribble .

Brett, I always feel I should try harder to meet everybody at our gatherings, I'm going to turn a new leaf and make that my mission in future .

Earlee, what I have found might be older than your Lantern roof job ;D the clue is in the avatar, it's another one of those guessing competitions.

Don..... nudge nudge

'arold... Reddo,
Dunno what I'd do without you here to pick on me.... probably only have 500 posts up by now.
Why don't you turn a new leaf too, stop dribbling and be nice to me, just for today anyway.
Let's face it mate you're the legend round here....... at least 1750 posts to your credit, half of 'em entertaining.... half of 'em informative & the other half dribble

Geoff 'n Jude, “True Blue” is about as good as it can get....... love being an Aussie.

KB two & one, O K...he does have that effect on people eh?

Will 'n Lyn, as we are both persecuted relentlessly by dribble draws I think we are comrades in arms, let's get 'im. And there's you with 1257 posts, they creep up on you don't they ?

Cobber.

[Geoff & Jude]

hi cobber

i can only guess that your new van is an early don. by the look of the hand stitched (gas) light, i'm guessing it would be one of their first, probably between 1934 and 1936 (although this won't pre-date earlee's lantern roof).

(maybe it was made by the robinsons before they went into manufacture which might then pre-date earlee's van.)

to help others in this "guessing" comp, i have included a couple of aids.

cobber's light fitting


transcript form audio tape at state library of vic

"The Don Caravan was the first Australian-made and designed caravan. It was designed especially for local conditions by R Donald Robinson and his family at their factory in Oakleigh in 1934. Their catch cry was ‘You can stop wherever you choose, stay as long as you desire, and move when you feel like it’.

By 1937 Don was a household name featured in magazines such as Table Talk, which ran a special segment on the growing popularity of ‘Homes on Wheels’. The Don had the classic caravan shape, but with leadlight windows and flyscreens. Some models included a fold-down washbasin and bath. It was state-of-the-art caravanning for the time. By 1947 the Robinsons were building over 100 caravans a year.

By the 1950s, lighter aluminium materials were available and caravans were being manufactured on a mass scale. American-style caravan parks also began to appear.

In 1953 the Robinsons opened Greenacres Caravan Park in suburban Springvale. The Park boasted manicured grounds, electric power, laundry facilities, showers with hot running water, a children’s playground and an onsite milk bar."

you can hear the whole tape at

www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/exhibitions/kmg/2007/victorians_on_vacation/audio_tour/audio_tour_08.html

how's my guess cobber, am i on the mark?

geoff 'n jude

[cobber]

I was going to bar you from the competition Geoff, but I'm pleased I didn't.

That information you have given us belongs in the “Don” page of the “Down History Lane” section, well done.

Pre date earlee's van??? nothing does that really, he just keeps on finding older newspapers .
So you should just disregard that clue.

Cobber.

[Deleted]

Yo Dudes
To clarify the "true Blue " status.
When i reached 1000 posts milestone ( the first time i signed up) . No one else had arrived there yet.

Ditzy and Mark where at a loss as to what the title should be for those with 1000 posts.
Ditzy knighted me with "Get a life" and a whole string of stars.
I complained that there should be something that rewarded alegance to the forum for so long .
They come back with "What do i suggest' .
I replied "True Blue "
and when i got up the next morning that was what was under my
avatar....

So there ya have it. Another useless piece of forum history from the "Reddo Chronicles"


1000 posts about vintage caravans ... geez .. you guys should really consider .."Getting a Life" ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Reddo

[firefighter]

cobber did say to me at the mount ........it seems the don vans
are the no 1 vans and I would like to have 1 in my collection
f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Geoff & Jude]

hi again cobber

well, is it a don or not?

why do i reckon it's probably a don? because of the filemane of your photo of course - or is that a red herring as well?

geoff 'n jude

ps

The term "red herring" originates from the tradition whereby young hunting dogs in Britain were trained to follow a scent with the use of a "red" (salted and smoked) herring (kipper). This pungent fish would be dragged across a trail until the puppy learned to follow the scent. Later, when the dog was being trained to follow the faint odor of a fox or a badger, the trainer would drag a red herring (which has a much stronger odor) across the animal's trail at right angles. The dog would eventually learn to follow the original scent rather than the stronger scent.

so i ask myself, what van could be juxtaposed to an early don towed by an fj? maybe cobber has bought himself a 2008 kedron and ford F250, 7 litre, twin turbo diesel V8 to tow it with!!!

[cobber]

G & J,

Now you see why I was going to bar you from entering the comp. I know you know how to see the filename & Geoff f/f I was going to bar you too 'cause you had insider info as to what I lusted after .

Yep... OK.... it's a "Don" # 559 which puts it around 1950 or 51 so you can have a beer in celebration now earlee...... unless I find that the "9" has been added later, which I think it has .

Cobber.

[Roehm3108]

Well done Mr pipesmoker - congratulations on your 1000th milestone. Without your input, this site would be all the poorer. You have raised the bar on VV restoration and turned it into an art form. ::)Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us plebs!! Now go and have another bath to celebrate ;D ;D ;D
Ray

[cobber]

Aw gee Ray,

There are plenty of blokes out there who do a better job on fair dinkum restorations than me, including your good self.... purists.

I just talk the talk a bit because a certain dribbler provokes me, I also try to walk the talk because I believe that if you don't start out with the objective of keeping it original the restoration will be compromised for certain sure. Of course the impure will point out as soon as you put new tyres or light bulbs in the restoration “she ain't original no more” who can argue with that ? We can only try.

Think I'll go and have a pipe now... in celebration, bugger the bath, I like the smell of tobacco ..... are you back on it yet Ray ? Next time I see ya I'll give you some proper pipe tobacco .

Cobber.

[Roehm3108]

Nah, Cobber, not game to go back to the old pipe - might enjoy it too much! Still havin' the odd rollie or two!
Cheers
Ray

[Deleted]

Congrats to the "father" of vinvanning in Aus on reaching the BIG 1000 posts .....we've thoroughly enjoyed your input to this forum

Mark

[Deleted]

Next time I see ya I'll give you some proper pipe tobacco .

Cobber.

You'll love it Ray..Its green with seeds.
Reddo ;D ;D ;D

[Don Ricardo]

Well done Geoff 'n Jude and Firefighter.

I did try and give you a broad hint in my post, without giving Cobber's game away totally:

donricardo said:

Cobber,

May I congratulate you on your choice of avatar. A very fine choice if I may say so.

Congratulations also on your elevation to the status of True Blue.

Don Ricardo

Maybe I was a bit subtle, but you had your own means of getting him to confess!!

Just one minor point, the light is actually electric (originally 6v) but does bear a resemblance to the gas lights on some English vans. The 1934-56 Dons were all electric (6v and 240v) and did not have gas fitted. By the same token, some of the very last of the series (eg Mark T's 120) have had gas fitted but this I think this was probably after market (or possibly an optional extra from Don). Another bit of trivia for you!

Don Ricardo

[willyn]

Reddo dont come the raw prawn Mate
you are the 2000 post man ;D ;D ;D
regardless of if it is up there or not no one has posted as many posts as you
you dont have to get a life this is your life

and
cobber
and me
Jailbar
and geoff and jude
and Gristy and
and ray
and kaybees and earlee
and fire fighter
and Kingy
and Retro
and etc !!!!etc !!!!etc!!!!

Jeeeez what did we do before the forum came on line

Will