Gristy's Ambassador Deluxe

[tinnie]

Hi folks,
Okay were not in reddo's corner anymore so no more Maxwell Smart or Tyrallysaurus.... ;D

What we have here is a 14'6" all alloy bodied tandem axle Ambassador Deluxe. the wording appears hand painted in blue and yellow in three locations front top, lower rear and LHS top in front of door. It also has apinted in blue on the lower LHS in front of door, what appears to be "7 Kensington Rd, Noarlunga, SA"
I assume this is the Adress of Ambassador caravans, or whomever built the van. I have noticed some similarities with early Viscount (locations of the 'branding' are the same, texture of the side aluminium appears the same, and the shape of the upper front is similar, corner windows a similar concept but done very differently. Given Viscount built Viscount Ambassadors in the late sixties and seventies, I wonder..........
Age - well I don't know, I am guessing somewhere around 1958-1960? Any suggestions / comments welcomed.
The van has hydraulic overrun brakes (on front axle), a rather heavy duty looking chassis (for the era) and the hitch has been updated to 50mm, although I would say some years ago. The jockey wheel mount is interesting as it isn't hinged - so the wheel won't come off
here are some pics to get started with:







name and the address?





screen door (and narrow doorway - about 440mm)

and the bloke who fitted the step, well what was he on??



Interior, heaps of cupboards, very small Electrolux fridge and no stove fitted. Included in the cupboards is a lined bread cupboard
One of the original 12V lights is still in the van, the others have been replaced with flouros . One of the original incandescent type lights is still there (alas no globe)




A little autosol and a buff and the alloy will come up sweet if this patch was any indication



Here's one for Daggsey:
Mate you said I had plenty of room beside the old Viscount, so now things are starting to fill up ;D



As you see above, the rear number plate light is also a tail light and a brake light - very .
The awful rectangle tail lights have to go!

Anyway, that's about that, keen to hear people's thoughts and comments on the age and also if there is indeed a 'Viscount' connection ;D

Cheers,

Gristy's Aluminium Vintage Caravan sanctuary

[Trish_M]

I just noticed an Ambassador Van in my hometown yesterday but it seems to have at least 10 years on yours. Just for interests sake I can take a picture from the road for you?

[Trish_M]

I forgot to mention that it is Alloy too...

[minicamper]

Overall I'd say i'm a bondy kinda guy, and that's no reflection on this find..

My comment,

I hate you ;D ;D

I like you, but i hate you...

i guess we have to encourage more 'members' to keep their eye's peeled when driving as this seems to be the best way to score these hidden time capsules...

Well done, i hope you got it for a good price.


did i mention I hate you? ;D

Cheers
Chris

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Gristy,

Enjoyed the story of the rescue, and enjoyed seeing the pics of the Ambassador even more. A very nice and - with the dual axle - unusual van.

The potential links with Viscount you've made are interesting. As we are discovering, there obviously was (and I undertands still is) a lot of badge engineering in the caravan industry over the years. Judging from various comments on the forum, it seems to have started in the mid-50's. Maybe that's when a lot of the cottage industry builders (ie people who built small numbers of vans in their backyard) began to find that they couldn't compete with the more modern designs and materials, and became 'agents' for larger (interstate?) manufacturers by sticking their own name plate on the vans.

What it would be nice to find is someone with a long enough memory of the caravan industry who could definitively tell us 'Yes, A = Q, D = M, Y =Z'.

I might grab a couple of pics and start a Down History Lane thread for Ambassador. Maybe that will lead to some more info being unearthed.

Don Ricardo

[Trish_M]

Don,

I'll go and take some this afternoon if this would be of help?

Trish.

[Don Ricardo]

That would be great Trish. Thanks.

Don Ricardo

[tinnie]

Thanks Trish, I too would be keen to see the pics.

Don Ricardo, thanks for the comments, a new thread in Down History Lane would be a great idea.

Chris, join the queue, nobody likes me ;D ;D
I take it from your comment that 'as a Bondy kinda guy' you like this allyvan??
Your not the only one, I believe even Reddo would consider crossing the line. Thanks guys appreciate your positive comments.
Naturally chris, I got it for a good price (amazing for ebay). It does need some work and a lot of elbow grease but will be worth
it. Luckily should not need a lot of $$ spent, just time and sweat (hopefully no blood or tears) ;D

Cheers, Gristy

[minicamper]

Like yes, allowed to have, no.

have other non caravan related projects that have to be completed first.

Could almost get away with a Sunliner, as those at Flinders were greatly admired, but ultimately would like an old bondy. Plus i have ot decide whether to keep or move the CRB on when finished...

I'd like to see the final polished results....

Cheers
Chris

[Don Ricardo]

Gristy -

Your wish is my command (with some limits ;D). The DHL thread is up and going.

Isn't sick leave wonderful, particularly when you're nearly back to 100%? (Well make that 85%!)

Don Ricardo

[Franklin1]

Hey gristy, I understand the Traralgon Tourist Bureau is in the process of adding a new Vintage Caravan Museum to their list of "things to see". Apparently it's not too far out of town...have you heard anything about it yet?

In the Sydney Morning Herald archives, the first mention of Ambassador caravans in on Saturday, 8 Aug 1964, with an advertisement from Croydon Caravans . I can't read the small print, but the heading across the top says:
"Viscount - Valiant - Ambassador
Caravans"

The advert doesn't imply that any of these names are "new" to Sydney, so perhaps all three 'brands' were around for some time before this ad.

These Croydon Caravan adverts carry all three names through to at least Dec 1967, where Croydon Caravans claims to be "Australia's Oldest Established Viscount Agents". After 1967 I can't read any of the print in the smaller thumbnails.

Given that Viscount moved from Adelaide to Sydney, it's quite possible the Ambassador name was being used prior to the Sydney move.

---------------------------------------------------------

Don R, yes sick leave is a wonderful thing...however over the last 12 months I've discovered something better:

R-E-T-I-R-E-M-E-N-T ;D ;D ;D ;D (...but hoping to hear you're back to 100% soon )

cheers,
Al.

[firefighter]

mark

Dont know if you are still talking to me or not
another nice van in your collection
is that true you are starting up a new business
hiring out vintage caravans
the no plate on your van.......G series started 28/6 1963
your plate G 91-537 a rough guess 65/66 when issued
when the van was built no idea......... does this info help you buggered if I know
F/F ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[neilncheryl]

Hi Gristy
Nice van and 14'6" as a tandem I assume would be very rare.
Have they made it as a tandem because of its weight?
I'm guessing that the step was put on by an owner rather than the factory as by the pics it looks as if it would fowl the leading wheel if were any further back
Enjoy the restoration - should be fun
Neil

[Roehm3108]

Hello Reddo II - sorry, Gristy

An interesting looking van you have there, and rather unique to say the least. Had you not mentioned that it was a 14 1/2 footer, from the pic I would have guessed 16ft! It sure does look longer. Does the tandem wheels affect its towing ability on any way?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this van could be a home-built van done by someone who knows what he was doing. My argument for that would be:
1. the tandem wheels
2. the variation to the front window treatment compared to the usual Viscount workmanship
3. the height above the window line seems higher than normal
4. the front upper section does not roll back down to the upper section of the front window
5. the mislocation of the step
6. There doesn't seem to be a logo with the work Ambassador, so perhaps it was given that name simply because the owner liked it, or thought he would build a van like the Ambassador

The other possible alternative is that this van was a one-off experimental van by the builders.

Whichever the reason, it makes it a very unique van!!

Ray

[tinnie]

G'day,
ReddoII?? dunno if I have anywhere near earned that prestigious title yet ;D Reddo demonstrated his dribbling capability at the DnD ball - dunno if I can compete

DonR - thanks for the fast work on the History lane thread.

Al - thanks for the info r/e Sydney morning herald, given Viscount built Valiant as a 'brand' perhaps they did indeed build an ambassador 'brand'
I am trying to hold the tour buses at the gate as we speak (they want to conduct "twilight tours" with Japanese tourists in hope they will also see one of our Koalas or possums ;D).

Col - thanks, hadn't thought of it as a b-double (That name might just stick ;D).

Firefighter - why would I not be speaking to you?? ;D Thanks for the Rego number intelligence, saved me finding it elsewhere (yeh, I know I am lazy ). Hmm 1965ish, yep vans definately older than that, maybe it cam to victoria from SA at that time??
Vicroads have told me that the van is in there archives, couldn't say when first regoed, but last registered in 1989, and they have the chassis number recorded against it so I can register with the original number .

Neil and Ray.
The van, being on a tandem tows like a dream, and it does not seem heavy, the secret weapon (blue Falcon) pulled it as effortlessly as it would the 12 ft Franklin. Except this van tows better. In fact it tows better than any van Ive towed (and Ive towed a few too many).
I like your concepts Ray, maybe a Viscount employee built it?? hence the same aluminium and similar design. Nah, I really like the 'prototype' theory.

Ironically, it is exactly the same size (14'6" X 7') as my 1963 Viscount which is on a single axle.

Rest assured this van will not be leaving my hands in a hurry.

Cheers,

Gristy

Now I have some work to do regarding reducing the number of vans I own (6 again :

[Franklin1]

Hi gristy, having spent a bit of time mucking around in the History section lately (now finished, thank goodness!!), I was looking through the Wayfarer thread and a spooky thing for you to check is the almost identical signwriting at the top of one of the Wayfarer adverts (and on the back of one of the vans there), to your Ambassador. The "loop" under both your Ambassador sign and under the Wayfarer sign look similar, and both have the word "Deluxe" showing in the loopy bit. I wonder whether there was a standard way of signwriting names on vans back then, or is it possible both were done "by the same company"? The Wayfarer has similar ali sheeting to yours and looks around the same vintage. Could be some sort of connection...??

This is the Wayfarer thread...see the advert third reply down, and the van 5th reply down
vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=chat&action=display&thread=2004

cheers,
Al

ps. is that your other Ambassador on ebay? Making a bit more room, are we??

[tinnie]

Hi Al,

Yep, 6 caravans is not good . The 'other viscount' beside the white Viscount Ambassador (gee starting to sound like the driveway on "The Castle") which is a 1963 model, is going to replace my seventies Franklin which is onsite, so in a couple of months or so the numbers will reduce again.
Looking like I will probably be putting the '63 Franklin up soon also matter of space and $.

Back to your comments re Wayfarer,
very interesting, and even moreso if you look at this:



Deluxe, is one word compared to de luxe on the Wayfarer, but the corner windows are very similar to other Wayfarers I have seen. I do know in the mid/late sixites Wayfarer built vans in Melbourne (Springvale?) but prior to that?

I'm still putting my money on a Viscount connection though, even if it wasn't actually built ny them.

Cheers,
Gristy

[Deleted]

Hiya Gristy
Sorry about taking so long to catch up on this thread.
I have been on holidays this week and i dont get as much "Computer time" at home as i do at work..
Add to that the time spent rescueing a bondy, selling a TD and a motorbike, Buying a Chev towcar and a replacement motorbike.. not much time left for browsing the forum.... .


The twin axle Kerosene tin sure looks good.
Sorta has the look of a big , elegant, expensive van but at the same time is compact at 14'6". definitely lighter than a big van and would tow really easy as you have already found out.

So... a yard full of vans and decision time . What goes and what stays .
Sorta like when you where young ...having a dog that has just had a litter of pups and you are told ya can keep ... just one.

Keep draggin em home mate.. its all good fun ;D
Reddo

[tinnie]

G'day reddo,

Yep decision time. Well i realised today, its winter and I now only have undercover parking for one caravan (that caravan is currently the Franklin), thanks to a pile of firewood, three rollerdoors and an aluminium annex I picked up on friday.
Once I've split a metre or two of wood, I think i can squeeze two vans undercover. There are currently 4 vans at home (plus the kids cubby-caravan, which doesn't really count), so two have to go.

The rain last night told me one thing, the water damage in one corner of the Ambassador (which is the only water damage) still leaks, and there is a slight leak in the ceiling. I have put a tarp over it for the time being (a week or two), until the carport is cleaned out enough to squeaze it in there. First job under the carport is building a new roof hatch for the Franklin.....


Mind you, even with no space, I will probably keep on dragging more home
I will deal with that as it happens.......

Cheers,
Gristy