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Post by emerald on Sept 6, 2007 23:09:51 GMT 10
Hey I was hoping someone on here may be able to help us. We have just bought this 60s caravan. It has been standing for 16 years so as you can imagine the insides arnt too good, the mixture of damp and woodworm have taken their toll What we are trying to find out is what make the caravan is, all we know is its a Bluebird. I would really love to restore the insides as close as we can but without knowing more about the caravan im finding it hard to find pictures of it on the net Thanks in advance for any help
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 6, 2007 23:47:20 GMT 10
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Post by emerald on Sept 7, 2007 2:55:12 GMT 10
Thats our caravan! Yes we are in the UK, to be honest ive been finding it hard to find any decent vintage caravan forums from over here. I spent some of today reading through this one and you guys seem to be far cooler than the oldies we seem to get on our caravan forums Im already thinking about the next one after seeing some of the ones you guys own!
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Post by cornishlass on Sept 7, 2007 5:56:52 GMT 10
Hi Emerald Welcome to the forum from another pom. I saw the caravan you have purchased when it was listed on ebay - seems like you got it for a good price. As to the name, I'm sorry that I can't help with that, Bluebird isn't one that I have ever 'got into'. If you are having trouble finding info on the net by typing in 'Bluebird' another avenue you may like to try is 'Caravan International' or CI. Mention this because Bluebird were taken over in 1963 and were then manufactured under the umbrella of CI. May also prove to be a dead duck, but you never know. If you want to see the insides of a Bluebird look at the following link. It shows a five berth, not a three like yours (and it is in black and white) but hey, you may be able to glean something from it. vads.ahds.ac.uk/diad/article.php?title=229&year=1968&article=d.229.30I found the following when I was looking for home for you. It describes the sort of changes to caravans in the 60's, and again it may give you some idea what to look for. Hope some of the above helps, I will try to see what else I can find out by looking in some of my books. If I can find anything I will send a PM (private message). Have fun and good luck with the resto. Cornish Lass
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Post by emerald on Sept 10, 2007 19:53:07 GMT 10
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Post by chippydave01 on Sept 10, 2007 21:31:35 GMT 10
I dont know what van it is but its got the same whale brand sink tap that my fairland has.Cheers Dave
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 10, 2007 23:12:48 GMT 10
Good to see you got your Bluebird home, Emerald.
There are some nice fittings there, and I'm sure it will look a treat once you've cleaned it up and refurbished the inside.
Trust it all goes well, and that you will have many happy days travelling once the work is done.
Keep us updated on your progress.
Regards,
Don Ricardo
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Post by trodler on Sept 12, 2007 20:26:36 GMT 10
Hi Emerald I have been doing a bit of research for you on the Bluebird caravan. It seems before the war a manufacturer by the name of E.Knott and Son were building caravans and the brand was related to low grade caravans. So after the war it was decided to make a fresh start under the brand of Bluebird. Bluebirds were cheaper than other caravans of comparable size and purpose. Unlike the cut price back yard makes they were unmistakably factory products and , above all they were available at a time of shortage.The early Bulebirds raised questions about their reliability and a caravan like this could be all that a buyer could expect at the price, but not give satisfaction. A distict improvement in Bluebirds, and some evidence of respect for implied warranty, and in 1952 there was an agreement to recognise the make, even though most of the vans still bore no marks of provenance. In the late 50s the brand struck more controversy when it was at the centre of a rowe over copying styles. It goes on to say that the brand was well known to have inconsistency of reliability, poor tyre size, deficient ventilation, heavy nose weight and no jockey wheel.
Its all bad news from the Bluebird article ,but Hey ,Your van is still aroung after 50 plus years.
Cheers. Trodler.
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Post by carcrusier on Sept 13, 2007 5:24:50 GMT 10
HI emerald nice to see you have take on a restoration so many people only want them all ready done up ! looks like you have a bluebird rambler from the late 50s Early 60s my first resto was a 1960 bluebird Cambrian theres lots of info on these i know of three restored examples within the HISTORIC CARAVAN CLUB and there is a bluebird expert Pete McCall The club has no forum but a good news letter and you can usually see bluebirds at steam rallies around the country hope this helps PAUL .. DERBY. ENGLAND
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Post by cobber on Sept 13, 2007 13:48:18 GMT 10
G’day Emerald, What you have is the DE-LUXE version ;D of the “Bluebird Rambler” from 1957 as this photo from Andrew Jenkinson’s book “CARAVANS The Illustrated History - 1919 - 1959” shows. The information in the book is substantially the same as Trodler has posted. Another small book (32 pages--- which is about 32 pages larger than any book on the history of caravans in Australia ) that has good information regarding the Bluebird is one published by “Shire publications” (# 267). Sorry, I can’t find any photos showing the inside of your van. It is said they also had an export market, so one may turn up down under if we keep looking. Cobber.
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Post by Fast eddie on Oct 9, 2007 1:28:24 GMT 10
HI emerald nice to see you have take on a restoration so many people only want them all ready done up ! looks like you have a bluebird rambler from the late 50s Early 60s my first resto was a 1960 bluebird Cambrian theres lots of info on these i know of three restored examples within the HISTORIC CARAVAN CLUB and there is a bluebird expert Pete McCall The club has no forum but a good news letter and you can usually see bluebirds at steam rallies around the country hope this helps PAUL .. DERBY. ENGLAND
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Post by Fast eddie on Oct 9, 2007 1:52:20 GMT 10
It's an early 1960's Bluebird Rambler. My parents toured one all over Europe from 1965 & I towed it myself from 1978 to 1982. My dad paid £125 for it & considered it the best money he ever spent. I got the same amount back for it when I sold it in 1982 which he would have been well chuffed about!.
The Rambler was a 4 berth but the 4th was a padded fabric bunk over the single at the front, which, while fine for a child, wouldn't support the weight of an adult. The bunk folded down the front wall to become the back for the front seat.
Original colour scheme was a mixture of red, black & yellow with yellow curtains, subtle it wasn't!. Upholstery was sprung rather than foam.
Your cooker appears to have been replaced, the original was a cast aluminium two hob unit with a grill underneath.
Despite the beam axle & cart springs, it was a very stable rig. My father towed ours down the German autobahn at a steady 85 MPH behind a 1500 Ford Corsair with the van as steady as a rock! Our next car, an Austin A60 wasn't nearly as well suited, any speed above 55 MPH would see the van start to dance all over the road.
The van was fitted with a gas light at each end, they were really efficient, emitted a cosy warmth & a steady hiss while working. I know they were a heat hazard & potentially dangerous, but for me, the sound of gas lights & the smell of a freshly burned Veritas gas mantle are instantly evocative of my childhood caravanning experience in this van. - Given half a chance I'd fit them to my current Adria van!
Best of luck with the restoration, if I can find any useful interior photos I'll post them
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