South Aussie van - anybody know its maker?

[Don Ricardo]

Hi all,

Yesterday Reddo provided a link to a van currently being sold on Ebay which has quite an interesting design (excuse the pixelation of the photos):



JBJ commented as follows:

Oct 4, 2009 6:48:15 GMT 10 JBJ said:

Hi Reddo,

The first link gets us to a great old South Aussie van, with the Roadmaster style roof, & unusual front/rear winow&top awning treatment.

Why are these vans never around when I want one like that???

...

JBJ

I'm wondering if anybody can identify the maker and the approximate year of the van?

I am guessing that the protruding bulkhead over the front and rear windows is the South Australian version of the bulge that many Victorian, NSW and WA (and Qld?) makers put on their vans in the 60's, as seen for example on this Hilandale:



Am I correct with this statement?

Note all the FJ tail light assembly which seems to have been commonly used amongst South Australian van makers.

Don Ricardo

[beetlesbailey]

What an interesting design. Some cues from Roadies, (Roof line) Furness,(Ceiling) and Globey, ( those wall extentions on the front).
Donricardo, I dont recall seeing many F.J.tailights on any vans let alone S.A. ones. Pehaps I've been dozing.
We had a great 3 days away in our 66 Globey on the long weekend at Port Elliot (S.A.)
and are making a couple of improvements now.
If anyone has any Globe trotter cupboard door knobs please p.m. me.
Regards Beetles

[Deleted]

Hi Don

I tend to lean towards Geoff and Judes observations from thier post on another thread about this van on the 5/10/2009..

"why a roadmaster and not roadhaven;

- very roadmaster roof, inside is exactly the same as the 'ritz'
- the hatch cavity is exactly the same as the 'ritz'
- cupboard doors and handles exactly the same as the 'ritz'
- the wardrobe is exactly the same as the 'ritz'
- the laminex is exactly the same as lazza's roadie.


Definitely not a Castle windcutter as also mentioned on the other thread.. roof hatch is way too small and no style cues that even come close to a "snapper bump" on its forehead.
The fact that it is less than 50 miles north of where a lot of NSW built vans originated from doesnt hold much creed.
I honestly think its a Roadhaven that was introduced shortly before the design gurus took hold of it and came up with the Geoff and Jude "Ritz" example that bought us into the aluminium age .

Qualcraft hit thier straps in 1956 and and by 1958 just about every van builder was offering Aluminium windows ( Qualcraft or otherwise).

So.. we narrow the playing field to 1956 to at the latest 1962... I say this as by 1962 Bondwood had run its course and Aluminium was the "Revelation".

I know i dont comment much on the history of van manufacture but ya do get a gut feeling for roughly when and... by who vans where built after you hang around this website, travel and view, associate with vintage van owners and attend old van get togethers.

So... there is my 2 bobs worth..
S.A built for sure.. Roadmaster , Roadhaven .. or a rough outsider "Rowvan".. but a bit too radical in the roof design for them..

My bet.. Geoff and Jude are on the money...The "Ritz's" grandad

Reddo

[firefighter]

Hi Reddo

You can take Roadhaven off your list of South Australian built vans ........Roadhaven were built in Northcote( Melbourne )

f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Deleted]

Hi F/F..
Yup.. i stuffed up.
Dementia is a wonderfull thing.. i get to hide my own easter eggs each year. ;D
Reddo

[freeway]

could it be a home made?