Lil Hampton 1936

[kazandadam]

Hi all,

Well here folks we finally have the begining of a new journey, with a new project, but with Australia’s oldest known full size caravan. We’ve decided on naming her Lil Hampton since she was born & bred in Little Hampton SA, built by the well known Childs family over an 8 month period & finished in 1936. I’ll post more history as it comes to hand but meanwhile please enjoy our journey with us.

Well a couple of weeks ago Surf Tragic, offered to collect & deliver Lil Hampton to our front door which I’am still extremely grateful for. (thats him on the right with his trusty companion Steve)





































I knew Lil Hampton would provide some challenges for us, but i didn’t think it would begin with trying to fit her in the garage!



















So on Monday of the long weekend we knocked 4 X 2 rows of bricks of the top of the garage after removing the roller door! After removing the first row, we removed the steel angle supporting the roof, chiseled out the mortar between the top two rows of bricks, then reused the steel in between this gap.

Then we were able to remove the second steel angle support & the final four rows of bricks, easy – NOT!!! Also a couple of hours spent pulling the extensive shelving down the side, was that busy didn’t have time for pics but Kaz got these one’s at tea time.
























Finally rebricked the pillars where the steel angle came out & put the roller door back up with rope tied around the trusses until we get a new door, its still locked up & you can’t tell from the road!











So thanks for the offer Cruz but shes in now & we do have another double garage down the back but it's full of '59 Oldsmobile!

Until chapter two begins, bye for now,

KazandAdam

[Deleted]

funny how things happen ....... isn't it ;D .....how me sitting on the patio swing having a couple of beers, can change somebody's life, ...........and wreck their garage ;D ;D

Thursday 14th May .....12 noon
......yet another glorious Perth day ......that good, a couple of quiet stubbies of James Squire Amber fluid was on the agenda .....to enjoy those precious moments ..... where one sits on the patio swing & thinks

During work in the morning in my home office, Tiger Airways $88 fares to Adelaide had been flashing on my screen for some reason

Carpoint had a car advertised in Adelaide advertised that I was interested in ......

Tom (from Adelaide) three days prior had emailed me pics of the magnificent 1937 Paramount caravan he decided to sell .....

and .......that morning (Thurs 14th May) I had been to the P O box whereby I collected mail, including some pics and a letter from Kim of Keith SA, owner of what has now become known as "Lil Hampton 1936"
I wasn't overly impressed with the 3 pics Kim had sent, they were old style pics .....remember the old type that you used to take with a vintage camera ;D, then send the film away to be developed

mmmm .......thats three VERY GOOD REASONS to fly to Adelaide .......when .......
NOW .......why not ......I luv spontaneity ......

So ......by about the third James Squire Amber beer, I jumped on the net and booked a one way ticket outta Perth for Thursday night for $88, and then the phone to make a few arrangements, then packed a bag .........

......the rest is history ........

......and now folks, this magnificent story of the restoration of Lil Hampton 1936 is going to unfold in front of you......and you've only gotta look at Adam's magnificent restoration of the fibreglass Quest, to know that this is going to be a supurb restoration, and a great thread to follow .....

Have I put the pressure on you Adam ;D

Mark

[Swellwillys]

Well Done kazandadam ! Looks a real find - I love her ! and if the effort so far is any indication of the final outcome - she'll be a real treat!..

Enjoy,
Swellwillys

[Surf Tragic]

What a great start Adam

All those bricks toothed in properly already where the roller door was moved Now folks, even that shows Adam is a perfectionist & a sign of things to come with Lil Hampton
AND
Not forgetting the absolutely top restoration on the Fibreglass Quest I saw it in the flesh

This Lil Hampton (love the name) 1936 project holds a special interest for me, so its just a matter of sit back now, and enjoy, it's gunna be good ;D ;D

Thanks kazandadam ;D ;D

Surf Tragic.

[kazandadam]

Well we haven’t phisically started on Lil Hampton yet but have been collecting some bits & pieces for her along the way..............I mean how often do pre-war parts become available on the market?

Anyway we started off with the purchase of a copper water tank thanks to Olfarts as the original one was long gone...............then purchased the following items of ebay along with other bits & pieces.

These two curved glass cylinder lights are extremely rare, apparentley there is one in a box at the Powerhouse museum......................












....................and also got these, another retangular light & a bakelite wall mounted lamp (which the lampshade is missing), there were other bakelite swithes which are like new!!!



























So if anyone know where I can get a lampshade from, that would be awesome...................Adam

[Surf Tragic]

G'day Adam.

I saw those pieces on ebay, also asked the seller about the little round vents , I think thats what they are, ........you have a potential buyer here if you have no use for them

The rest of the gear looks right for Lil Hampton

Surf Tragic

[kazandadam]

ST, I didn't even unwrap the vents, John told me they were water filters & I didn't give it any more thought until I saw your post!

I kept them with the water filler neck, theres about seven or eight of them but you can have them for free as I'm almost certain I won't need them.

They have stamped on the back of them "Eyelets Pty Ltd Melbourne"

Adam

[dorian]

Wonderful pics as always. At the risk of sounding American: thanks for sharing.

[kazandadam]

Well Richard sourced out for me my holy grail in restoring this vintage van . Our’s was missing the following piece as the original owner removed the pump action handle tap to run a hose directly into the van......some 45 years ago ! If you look at Mark T’s 1936 Paramount it looks very similar & of the right era..........and it works! ;D When my FIL gets back to Tassie he's going to turn up a new timber handle for me.







Cheers Adam

[greedy53]

just passing along an idea i seen in action,i was at the local salvoes watching a bloke about 60 buying skateboards i just had to sak what for,he uses them as cara skates under the brake hubs and back jacks to move his 13 footer around his storage area when the wheels are of another low carport

[kazandadam]

Hi again all..........well this has been an extremely hard decision to make to sell our little treasure We know that it will go to a good home because thats the only home that we will let her go to ;D

I won't post any new pics as you can see how solid this little gem is.......I might need some of the inside though.

Well folks, here is Australias oldest known full size caravan (early 1936 & 14" long), you can read the following post below. This caravan has been kept under cover in a farm shed in SA for all up maybe 55 years!It has a beautiful timber floor which will require no attention. I have purchased many things for this caravan to make it a one-of restoration.

I have purchased many pre-war parts (some rare) and some mid-post war parts as well. I have new canvas for the outside windows and NOS swival clips! There is a box full of NOS bakelite power switches and light switches! It retains the original full size ice-chest and a Baby Ben clock recessed into the cupboard.

Thats all the important stuff.........contact us about all of the other details and we can have a nice chat. This is a very rare piece of caravanning history and I would consider this to be an easy, worthwhile project.

Contact us here if you are interested and send out a PM, then we can swap phone numbers and go from there.......cheers Kaz and Adam

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=4496

[kazandadam]

Sold to another excited forum member

cheers Adam

[Cruz]

::)GOSH
:-XWhere could it be going

[Franklin1]

A Moruya Museum??

[Cruz]

Is it Sunday yet!
:)I'm EXCITED

[Jennison]

With a hint like that it looks like its official.....a moruya museum it is!!
Congrats Cruz on another addition to your fleet ;D ;D
regards
jennison

[banno]

Cruz, Cruz, Cruz,



Banno

[Cruz]

Safely home today.
Will be some time till i make a start.

[Don Ricardo]

Good news Cruz,

It's good to know that the van is in safe hands. So maybe the rumours of an East coast vintage caravan museum on the south coast of NSW are true?

Will visitors all be given a job? Cruz: "Stand here. Wax on right hand. Wax off left hand." ;D ;D ;D [With apologies to Mr Miyagi in the Karati Kid.]

Don Ricardo

[Deleted]

As if ya need another one!!!!
Get help woman... its not too late... you can be saved / rehabed.
Congrats

Old mate
Reddo

[Don Ricardo]

Be careful Cruz.

I know what help Reddo is offering! If a guy with a big moustache, an FJ ute, and a big trailer turns up at your gate offering to "help you out with your difficulties", refuse him access! I've heard he can be very persuasive. ;D ;D ;D

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Hi all,

Following a confab with Cruz, and with Kazandadam's agreement, I have attached the recent posts regarding Cruz's acquisition of Lil Hampton to Kazandadam's original thread about the van and its journey from South Australia to NSW. Cruz will now be able to continue the story of Lil Hampton's restoration...

Go for it Cruz!

Don Ricardo

[kazandadam]

Hi all..........well congratulations to Cruz, we're so glad that the old girl went to a good loving home . We are still very much vintage van nuts but have been extremely pre-occupied with other hobbies the past 12 months and as such....... one VV is plenty at the moment. We will look forward to one day seeing this fantastic piece of caravaning history take its place at the camping grounds once again

Cheers Kaz and Adam

[nevin11]

My Grandfather built this caravan when my dad was 11. They built others later. The family used to camp at Port Elliott in the sand dunes before there was a caravan park there. Some of the family still go every year to Port Elliott Caravan Park.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Nevin11,

Thanks for your post and resurrecting this thread about the LIl Hampton caravan.

Fascinating to hear about your connection with the van and your grandfather building a few vans. Were they all for personal/family use or did he produce some for sale? It would be interesting to hear more about his caravan building activities.

Are all the facts about the van in this thread - including the date of construction - correct?

With you having posted on this thread again, I’ll go through and re-post the photos without the watermark so people can see them properly (although I won’t be able to do that for a couple of weeks).

I’m not sure where the van went after Cruz had it. Hopefully she passed it on to somebody who is looking after it.

Don Ricardo