"Roadcruiser" caravan [NSW] (Guildford, NSW)

[Don Ricardo]

"Roadcruiser" caravan

Manufactured in Guildford, NSW

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Several manufacturers used the Roadcruiser name over the years. These included:

• Road Cruiser Caravans built in Rosewater Gardens, South Australia, and
  
• Jennison Roadcruiser built initially in South Australia and later NSW.
  

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On 28 May 2005, Roehm3108 wrote:

Shewhomustbe.... gave me a few days off this week, as she was entertaining some of her girlfriends (all over 65 sadly), so I went to Burrum Heads just north of Hervey Bay in Booootiful Qld! Met this bloke in the caravan and asked him "How long you had the Sunliner?" "It's not a Sunliner" he replied with a scowl on his face.
It actually doesn't have a name, but for registration purposed I think he called it a Roadmaster. It's about 12-13ft long. He built it himself 39 years ago from a mould he got from a friend, who had made 4 previous ones, and then stopped making them. They were built in Guilford NSW. It is in original condition, both inside and out. The inside paintwork is still highly laquered (not enough space to photograph it), with the exception of a couple of paint runs caused from using flyspray. Apparently you don't use flyspray in fibreglass vans!!



For origins of the "Roadcruiser" name for this caravan, see Reply #1 on this thread.

[Don Ricardo]

On 7 June 2011, Rodnet posted the following photos with the comment:

Pictures were sent to me by a friend, can anyone identify the van please
Rod

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On the same day Don Ricardo made the connection with the "Roadcruiser" caravan seen by Roehm3108 in 2005 and commented:

The van your friend saw seems to be a different one to the one seen by Roehm. Apart from the different livery, they have different number plates. Of course, it's possible that the van has been re-registered, but excluding that possibility, it looks as if there are two of the "unnamed fibreglass vans from Guildford" out there. That can only be a good thing! That means that there are probably at least two of the four which were reputedly built still in existence.

PS I note that the two vans appear to have different front and rear windows, with the windows on the van your friend saw appearing to be opening windows. A few other differences as well, such as the orientation of the tail lights, etc.

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On 19 August 2011, Boblor posted:

Hi All
We inspected this van last week on our way back up the coast in our Expandavan. Brian the owner has done a great job on the restoration and is very original on the inside.
I do have the correct name for the van somewhere, as we inspected the other van at Burrum Heads some years ago, and the owner told us it was a Roadmaster or a similar name and only 5-8 units produced.
Cheers boblor

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In response to questions about the interior layout of the van, Boblor responded on 21 August 2011:

...The interior is done up to match the period/original,- dining at the front, double bed across the back,kitchen opposite the entry door. The owner had to replace the floor, so a lot of work has gone into this van and very professionally done, both inside and out.
The next time we pass we will give more notice take series of photos.
...
Cheers boblor

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Then on 27 August 2011 Boblor posted:

Hi All
Found my notes today on this van. It is called 'Roadcruiser' and only 5 were built in Sydney, this info came from the owners of a unit we saw at Barum Barum Heads some years ago, and we have seen the van at Barum a couple of times since.
I hope this helps to clean up some history.
Cheers boblor

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NOTE: If I have followed the flow of information correctly, the "Roadcruiser" name was used by the builder and owner of the fifth out of five of these caravans for registration purposes (the van shown in the first post on this thread). He constructed his van from moulds given to him by the original builder of the first four vans, which were given no name. Thus, while it is convenient for the purposes of identification to call this series of caravans by the name "Roadcruiser", not all the vans were built or sold under this name.

For other threads referring to these vans, click here and here and here.

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Hi all,

I am posting these photos on behalf of Jennison. They were taken by a friend of Jennison's when he was passing through Cambewarra, NSW.





The caravan appears to me to be one of the small number of fibreglass vans which were built in Guildford, and one of which has been registered as a Roadcruiser, although the vans were actually not given any name by their builders. Other examples of these vans are shown in the earlier posts on this thread.

The interesting thing is that the van seen by Jennison's friend appears to be longer than the other two examples we've seen, as shown by the additional narrow window over what would be the galley area.

The plot thickens!

Don Ricardo

[atouchofglass]

Now that is worth saving


Quick someone get a flatbed truck

Atog

[boblor]

Hi All
I agree with ATOG.
Cheers boblor

[takeiteasy]

Yes, very nice shape. I assume the green is paint and not colour in the resin.

[Jennison]

Further enquiries made on this van...it IS for sale .
I will be down there in next weeks hopefully for a closer look and photos. It was being used as an office so to what extent it has been emptied or gutted I don't know.
more info as it comes around
jenno
PS The elderly owner thought it was called a fleetliner!?

[Jennison]

Since I will be down that way(more or less) on July 7th I have arranged for a run to have a look at the van coinciding with the moss vale weekend on the sat morning.
Reddo and I will be going and any other MV gawkers welcome to come along.
jeff

[Jennison]

The owner won't be able to be there after all on the moss vale weekend so thats off.
He just wants it sold and removed soon as possible..............my hand trembles as I write this but I may have caught what Reddos come down with ...it looks like I have a dose of fobberglassitis.
I now own(almost - from sunday anyway) a fobberglass VV . Never fear though fellow termite tow-ers I intend to undergo a fobberglassectomy soonest and sell it on asap. ;D ;D
Figured I better save it from his neighbour who wants it as an office.
SO this for sale SOON.
jenno

[humpyboy]

Mr Jennison please be advised that a PM has been sent to your inbox for your perusal.

[Jennison]

Small spanner in my plans... I have just been reminded that I have arranged to take my mum on an outing to the ballet on ice sun arvo , so again I will have to ring Rod, the owner and arrange an alternative day for collection .....bugger
jenno

[Don Ricardo]

Jul 20, 2012 20:15:39 GMT 10 Jennison said:

Picking up the roadcruiser on sunday...post piccys on the recovery then
jenno

Hi all,

Here are some more pics of the Guildford "Roadcruiser" discovered by Jennison. The pics were taken during the expedition to recover it and are posted on Jennison's behalf:





























Jennison says:

This last one is offloading at home.
I meant to mention the bench top earlier ....instead of being hinged and lifting like a trap door where the gas burners/stove sits, it slides towards the rear of the van exposing the burners .... extending with no loss of benchtop space.

Having now seen some more pics of this van it is quite evident that it is a longer version of the Guildford "Roadcruiser" van than the two previous examples we've seen.

Don Ricardo

[shesgotthelook]

Hi Don, my Globe Trotter has the slide along bench over the stove. The biggest problem is every time I show someone the van, they try to lift it up

I think this is almost the best part of this forum, the exciting finds of beautiful old vans & their transformation. Good luck with this one, will be a big job but so worth it. SGTL

[Jennison]

It has already been baggsed by another forum member, I just grabbed it to save it - should look good behind an FX-FJ ;D
jenno

[franivy]

Our Sunliner has the slide along bench over the stove, too!

[Koala]

Hey Jeff, that is a unique van.
I was wondering whether you are going to keep the original patina or whether you are going to repaint it?? Once original is gone you can't get it back

Koala

[atouchofglass]

Right.... now the rescue is over...

Comfy seat.... check
Whiskey and ice.... check
OK guys let the rebuild begin, I'm ready ;D ;D ;D

Looking forward to the renovation.

Cheers
Atog

Oh and if you decide not to renovate.... I bags first dibs on the van. ;D

[chubi]

Who bought this van?? I am half interested in its restoration, you see I grew up in Guildford, and although I cannot say for certain, but I would put a good bet on it that these vans were prob moulded by CCMC (Cycle Components Manufacturing Company) of Marian Street, Guildford, who had a large building there amongst the houses building fibreglass coach bodies, later they became the industry biggest Custom Coaches. All the glass bodies were moulded there onsite, and I recently acquired a 1942 Dodge bus that was rebodied there in 1961, has a similiar shape.

[humpyboy]

ME! ;D check it out here sitting out on my drive while I contemplate my plan of attack.

[DC3Td]

Gday Chubi. .....and ADL(UK) recently acquired CC. gordon

[chubi]

No worries. This is a shot of my bus in service, its glass body was built by CCMC in Guildford in 1961

[DC3Td]

Looks great Chubi.Still got the MO plate? Full history of your bus could probably be found on the Australian Transport Discussion Board. gordon


******Looks like MO 4391******

[chubi]

Think I've been on that one. No plate, had been left on a bush property that my mate recently purchased.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Chubi,

That's very interesting information you've provided about CCMC. I'm not sure how big Guildford is (or was at the time the vans were produced), but it would seem likely that - as you say - there is a connection between the Roadcruiser vans and CCMC. I suppose the other possibility is that one of the CCMC workers did a bit of work on the side at weekends using his skills to build the vans, but even then there would still be a link of some sort wouldn't there?

I wonder if there's any way we can obtain some information about CCMC and the possibility that they built some vans?

Don Ricardo

[chubi]

Guildford is a large area mate and always has been, but apart from a small industrial area it has always been very much an urban area. The CCMC building itself is a large brick factory sticking out amongst the houses, although bus production stopped there about '75 and CC just used it as a headquarters I think. Custom Coaches still exist, so there would be a good chance I'd say of finding such a link if it ever did happen.