What am I ??? (The ugly duckling?)

[King Fisher]

Excuse me if i make a big mess of this post, as I am new to the message boards. My name is Kam and I recently bought this old bondwood caravan and would love some id on it. I suspect that it was a home built van which was finished in 1958/9 and first used in Jan 1959 as I found an old magazine with a classic Pepsi add under one of the seats dated as Jan 1959. However the long single windows on the front and back are tossing me as I have not seen this very much at all in old photos. Inside the van on the left is a fold down table/small dbl bed. A kitchen with no fridge, inset sink, double action hand pump and a shields jetflame two burner cooker made by maxco industries in nsw. by james shields co/pty/ltd. On the right is a double robe cupboard with 12 volt car battery box. Next to the tall cupboard is a set of double draws and at the end is a couch which folds up into a bunk for two skinny single beds.

The outside of this 'ugly duckling'



The kitchen and table folded down


The rear bunk beds - top bunk just in view

[kingy]

HHmmmm......where's the ugly bits Kam, can't see any this end ;D
Van looks to be in real good shape, original as well....you've picked up a van that'll clean up well - without needing major rebuilding - BONUS
Can't help you with the make, but it would appear to be home built........anyone else seen/got one

Kingy

[cobber]

G'day Kam,

I think she might be a "Carefree" caravan but you're right, the single large window front and back is different to those shown in our DHL section, as is the general layout inside.

Trouble with those plywood surrounds on the windows was that they were prone to rot pretty easily so.... when they rotted on this 'van somebody might have decided to take the opportunity to enlarge the window size... would not have been hard to do.

Cobber.

[littleblackbird]

I think its an adorable van.
You certainly DO NOT have an ugly duckling there, its great...

[King Fisher]

Hi, I think you are right 'cobber', It does look a lot like a "Care free" from the outside, and possibly the windows have been changed. I must admit that it has grown on me more and more and I am looking forward to the swan that will emerge after it's fully cleaned up.