Road Cruiser caravans

[beetlesbailey]

This is one of the best looking van shapes i've seen. I love it and will have to buy one if I see one.
(oh ..didn't I say earlier that I dont need any more vans?)

[beetlesbailey]

Well this is an interesting thread.
While showing the photo that old farts posted to dick who owns the 'highway palace', I said check out the door. It's the same as the palace and neither of us has seen a van door like it before. What this means is any ones guess but it is a coincidence.
the palace was built by Grace Brothers of Birken head S.A. in 47.

[beetlesbailey]

regarding the numbers of road cruisers built and special 'to order' or not, I would think it unlikely they would go to the expense of having that great brass nameplate made for one offs. However maybe they were optomistic of their success.

[Deleted]

Boo yah!!

Went along for the Copper coast Cavalcade, I will post more pics in another section but amongst the 500+ cars and bikes there was a few old vans but this one really took my interest

Driving in the parade



When I got to the finish on the oval I made a bee line for it.


I wasn't the only one interested in it, there was a constant stream of people going in and out of it and I over heard one ederly lady jokingly say that the owner should charge admission!

Tow car





Kitchen


Bath


And of coarse the name plate


Now for details....

I had a chat with the owner who is from Paskerville (about an hour from Adelaide on the way to Moonta, kadina etc) and he was only too happy to fill me in. I also mentioned to him how Olfarts had discovered a name plate and some other memrobelia and it had caused alot of discussion on the best website known to man!!

The story goes that his Uncle bought it brand new in 1948 to go on his honey moon. After that it got used a few times then sat in the shed. About 5 years ago he caught up with the uncle and he jokingly said "I'll give you $100 for the old van" the reply was "don't worry about it, if you want it you can have it" apparently it was really neat and just needed a quick tidy up like a coat of paint etc. A truely lovely old van and I feel very priveldged to have seen it, been in it and to be able to share it with you fine people. Hopefully the owner joins this great forum.

[firefighter]

Hi Andrew

thanks for thinking of the forum members,and going to the trouble of taking the photos and sharing the big beautifull bondy from Paskerville with us ....love the paint job on the car and van
f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[cobber]

G'day Andrew,

What an incredible coincedence...... we no sooner discover the existence of a brand name than somebody finds the actual caravan.

This great site is only as great as the people who share what they know, thanks for sharing those photos with us.... loverly caravan.

Cobber.

[Deleted]

......yep, I'm speechless

[sutcac]

Thanks for sharing Andrew.........wonderful pictures
.......what a great combination...........one of the nicest that I've seen

Sutcac

[Don Ricardo]

Andrew,

What a great set of photos of the Road Cruiser - what a beautiful van and what a fantastic opportunity for you to see one of these type of vans 'in the wood'.

If it's OK, I'll copy some of your photos to the Road Cruiser thread we've started in the Down History Lane section.

I was interested in the rising sun design on each of the windows, which is also shown on the brass nameplate. Did you see whether the design was done in leadlight? Or was it etched into the glass?

Don Ricardo

[ronmcgr]

Andrew82,

Many thanks for posting those pics of the Road Cruiser and Dodge.

I had a series of pictures of a very similar van, originally owned by the Elderly Gent in the RR/Bentley (Cannot see the grill to determine which).



I have a lot of photos of this van in original condition with all the original gear in it. The van also had a toilet, hand basin and a bath under a front cushion

If they have not been seen before I'll happily post them.
I can't remember where I got the photos from, maybe even this forum .

Cheers,
Ron

[Geoff & Jude]

hi ron

that road cruiser is currently owned by our fearless leader, mark t.

he only wishes he also owned the roller.

have a look at it here.

geoff 'n jude

[ronmcgr]

Hi Geoff and Jude,

How about that!
I couldn't remember where I saw those pics, only that is is a fantastic van ;D

So it belongs to Mark T! Terrific
Not all the interior pics are in that link, there were 33 photos.

I'd love the "Roller" as well.

Many thanks for letting me know.
Who would have thought that the very same forum that I got those pictures from, I joined, some years later

Cheers,
Ron

[JBJ]

hi All


Love the pix with the Dodge towcar. The Dodge is the identical model of mine, being an Australian assembled 55 or 56 Kingsway Coronet. Mines a fair bit modified mechanically, but pretty close to original externally.

I'm leaning towards painting mine after its imminent rebuild, in the same scheme, only using Lucilles colours of Gold & Flame Red.

Great to see matching old vans & towcars.

Is there any Photoshop wizz out there can paint the Dodge in this pix the same style as the SA Dodge, but in Lucilles colours of butter gol;d & flame red???



JBJ

[ronmcgr]

Sorry mate,

I'm no good at colouring pictures, but I was able to do this.


Cheers,
Ron

[Deleted]

Geoff says: that road cruiser is currently owned by our fearless leader, mark t.
he only wishes he also owned the roller.


don't I wish i owned THIS roller as a towcar for the Road Cruiser ........... pictured at the Cairns swap