1948 Al van for sale

[griffin]

I received my latest issue of Restored Cars in the mail and found this advertisement for a rather smart looking aluminium van. I checked with RC and the owner to post the photo and they are fine.

The owner has had it for about 12 years and bought it believing it to have been built in 1948, probably by a professional body builder. I thought it was too unusual not to get a look in on the forum.

If you are looking for something a bit more up market, the advert under this one on page 68 of RC Mar-Apr 2011 is for a 1923 Rolls Royce which has been converted to a campervan
George

[seeshell]

THAT is one hot looking van - love the look of it.

Cheers
Seeshell

[Swellwillys]

Wooow

Now that's hot !

It's also koool as !


Swellwillys

[seeshell]

Hi all

This van reminds me of a much smaller Spartan - and I wonder if it might be an import?

In any case, no matter what it is, thought you all might be interested in seeing another wonderful aluminium van. There is a pretty good website for them at www.spartantrailer.com/ with heaps more info and pictures.

But they look like this - a cross between a midtown bus, a trolley car and an airplane. Originally the company was owned by Mr Getty...





They are fully lined inside in mahogany, and had quite a lot of advancements for the day, including water heaters, fully stainless shower/bath rooms, etc.

Plus, they're pretty.

Enjoy!
Seeshell

[mezmo]

Hi seeshell/Sheeshell,

Spartans are considered the ultimate V V over here in the USA
by our V V enthusiasts, generally. Yes, everyone has their favorite
brand but Spartans can't be denied!

They were more of an owner moveable house-trailer than a
recreational van. the early ones were @8ft wide x25-33ft long
and could be towed by their owners if they wanted to and had
the tow vehicle that could do it. They always had to be connected
to utilities/services where they were parked/set up. Airstreams
and other like aircraft construction style vans were the units
made for extensive travel and recreational use. Spartans were
the only aircraft constuction house trailers/mobile homes.

It can easily be said they were the best engineered, designed
and built trailer/house trailer ever built in the USA, and they
were a commercial success for over ten years. They were
expensive, but gave the value of the cost. They were aimed
at skilled workers on all the huge post WWII construction
projects, or any skilled worker who needed mobility to be able
to follow the jobs.

The ending units produced by the time they went out of business
in the early 1960s were @10ft x 50ft. They were at the top of
their form in the early 1960s when they went out of the house
trailer/mobile home market. They just became too expensive for
their housing segment.

A fully restored Spartan is a genuine thing of beauty!

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[seeshell]

Hear hear! I'm in violent agreement with you about the awesomeness of Spartans. My friend had one on a family property in Maine - it was utterly, jaw droppingly beautiful.

Seeshell

[mezmo]

Hey Seeshell,

I just rechecked this website and found they had revamped it
and have stunning pics of their work restoring/rebuilding vintage
American Trailers [Caravans].

The website is for a business in Beaufort, SC, called
"Trailerworks". From the pics they show, they do world-class
work either doing true restorations or rebuilding per their
clients desires - keeping the look of the original,while updating
mechanicals/utilities to modern safe standards and including
desired custom touches.

Here's their main page:

trailerworks.biz/

And here's their Spartan page:

trailerworks.biz/SpartanRestorations.htm

Click on all the pics and they will bring up an enlarged view.
-Don't they just vibrate all of your vintage trailer loving bones?

Go through the whole website. All their restorations shown
are simply outstanding.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[griffin]

Seems like Des & Kel have bought this van to the Forum
Look forward to seeing it resplendent as it once was, 2012 Nationals by any chance

George