Jensen replica rescued - earlee

[earlee]

see this thread for details on the Jensen replica .. see this thread..

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=forsale2&thread=3962&page=1

It is now located at the "nundah retirement home for caravans."

Thank you Paul Schumack for not taking this wonderful van to the tip. ;D ;D It has heaps of character, is extremely well constructed and a tribute to the father and son who built it in their spare time after work and on weekends between 1954 and 1956.

Does that make it a '54 or a '56 homemade van??

The entire van was covered in painted canvas/calico which has helped preserve the externals over the years. This has been removed now so that I could remove the lower panels for replacement.










the hatch must be the biggest hatch I have ever seen
about 11' x 4'. It will need rebuilding.



Inside has timber venetians, fancy lights and a hidden sink.







I found all sorts of stuff in nooks and crannies inside ...
the comic book and picture have been returned to original owners....



the stamps and pennies were found under a drawer liner...



here is a hitch for cobber - it requires a larger than normal 2 1/2 inch ball with protruding threaded shaft which is not pictured.



the intention is to air the caravan for about 1 year to ensure the timber is dry before starting the restoration.

earlee.

[Jennison]

Glad to see it got picked up by a VVer Earlee, I tried to find a way to get it but its too far to canberra, and I reckoned that I would have been done for littering as it blew apart all the way home!!

[Jennison]

21cwt if I remember correctly from my earlier enquiries Dave, which is not really much more than my 14 footer - maybe 50kg
Jeff
Hey earlee those blinds were the no 1 reason I wanted to get hold of it!!!!! - half mine are missing!!
Replica or otherwise a jennison saved is a job well done and you are right , congrats to shumacks for having the patience to hold on and wait for the right person to give it to instead of just dumping it.

[earlee]

May 30, 2009 6:10:10 GMT 10 Jennison said:

21cwt if I remember correctly from my earlier enquiries Dave, which is not really much more than my 14 footer - maybe 50kg
Jeff
Hey earlee those blinds were the no 1 reason I wanted to get hold of it!!!!! - half mine are missing!!
Replica or otherwise a jennison saved is a job well done and you are right , congrats to shumacks for having the patience to hold on and wait for the right person to give it to instead of just dumping it.

hey Jennison - you may be the person to sort out a question I have about the van....

the previous owner was definite that the van is a replica of a "Jensen" and not a "Jennison"

what does it appear to be, in your eyes? - not that I mind either way - would just be good to know. ;D ;D

I have previously changed the thread from Jennison to Jensen, so should I change it back again...

[cobber]

G'day earlee,

Sorry mate I hadn't noticed your bit about the tow coupling before now, I think it's the same type of coupling you started the "Tow Coupling" thread with years ago. Chippy Dave posted another example of it half way down the page here

Listen earlee...... concentrate ..... you're supposed to be working flat out on that 1928 lantern roof 'van of yours..... you keep getting side tracked..... how about you post an update on the lantern roof thread....... aye ?

Cobber.

[Jennison]

G'day Earlee,
I think without doubt it's a Jennison "kit" van. The Pyms sold kit models , the trailmaster for one that I can think of that I have seen recently in one of those adverts posted on this site, and I presume other models in the 50's. The main reason though - and you have answered your own question earlier!! is the roof hatch. Jennisons were renowned/unique in having a very large roofhatch.
Their 1948 brochure said......."fully airconditioned wth the largest roof hatch in the world"!! So there you go, you own one of the first VVs that came standard with airconditioning!!!!!
regards jeff
PS If you go to the first or second page(i think) of the jennison thread there is a similar looking model,similarly "weathered" to yours where I even think the VVer who spotted and posted the photos of it , said that the owner reckoned it was a jensen.
Once again an easy mistake I believe, to mishear/remember incorrectly and shorten the name, especially if you say Jennison quickly!! and especially if it was a kit one bought 20,30,40,50 years ago without the manufacturers logo, as is yours and the one I speak of. Once again the large roof hatch is the deciding factor and while happy to be corrected by our learned VV "encyclopediacs" i reckon stick with Jennison.
regards
Just went back and had a look . Check the one posted by kingy and franklin in reply 4 on page one of the jennison pathfinder thread