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Post by vernon on May 12, 2009 20:31:54 GMT 10
Hi, We would like to introduce ourselves, Des and Kelley. This is 'Vernon' our lovely van to be hopefully towed soon by our 'Vera ' our beautiful sv1 Valiant. We aquired 'Vernon" several years ago from a back block out in the middle of woop woop, hunted the owner down in the UK which she had been there for 15yrs. She was great and said "go grab it, l didn't think it would be still there". We took a chainsaw to cut the trunk of the tree growing through the A Frame, pumped up the tyres and with giggles and smiles we squirrled him home. We started on our quest only to be interupted by little ones and life in general. Earlier this year we went to your weekend at M'door with friends and the bug consumed us again. Our friends have since purchased a Sunliner, and we are juggling once again, but having seen all your vans we are more than ever hoping to get our duo on the road. Hope you enjoy our journey and we'll see you on the road ASAP. PS If anyone knows where we could get a vintage sink pump like the one in the photo for Vernon that would be fantastic he's really thirsty after all by the paper found behind his mirror he is of some age. PSS Having a spot of bother with the photo side of things darn youngsters you'ld think they would know everything. Nup. ;D [img src="[/img] ![]() "] |
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 12, 2009 20:56:57 GMT 10
G'day Des and Kelley, Welcome to the forum. What a great story about the acquisition of your van Vernon, and how good to hear about the previous owner with such a generous attitude. So many V V'ers tell stories of people who have vans and want a king's ransom for them, or who are "gunna do them up one day" but leave them to rot in the paddock instead. Hope you took some photos of Vernon's rescue? I'm not sure whether or not you have found the instructions for posting pics of your van on the forum, but they can be found in a thread started by Jim at the beginning of the Members Photo Album section here. Basically you have to upload your photos to a photo hosting website called Photobucket and then paste a link to the location of your photo in your post on this forum. Sounds complicated, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it if you follow Jim's instructions. Good luck - if you run into problems you can email me or send me a PM (personal message) via the forum. We'll all look forward to hearing (and seeing) more about your van. Don Ricardo |
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Post by RollyDog on May 12, 2009 22:26:19 GMT 10
Des and kelly
Welcome to the group. Maroochydore did generate a bit more interest by people in the SE QLD with a few new vans joining the group recently. If you are in the area for any of our SE QLD runs like Neurum creek in a few weeks drop by and say hi and don't forget some photos and a list of things to ask. An SV1 Valiant will be a nice addition to our group of cars.
Rod G
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Post by vernon on May 13, 2009 20:00:12 GMT 10
Hi again, I think we have got it sorted now, have attached some pics of the work in progress. By the way if anybody can identify the make and model of Vernon we would be pleased to here what you have to say. the only markings are on the axle, "JCC***" I cannot recall the three didgets and it is dark and cold out tonight (My wife is calling me a Wimp). When we removed the mirror from the wall we found a few pages of a newspaper 'TRUTH, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1956' From the articles and adds the paper appears to have come from Sydney/Wollongong. Would love to hear what you have to say on the matter.      |
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Post by JBJ on May 13, 2009 20:54:33 GMT 10
Hi Vernon,
I would think your van is likely to be home made, probably to some proprietary plans the builder bought. The chassis definitely wouldnt have come from a factory. It is far to piecemeal to have been on a production line. The welding is also pretty ordinary for production line work.
Roof is quite well thought out, which indicates plans could have been followed.
Windows could have been bought around 1956, so paper could be authentic. I dont always believe peoples claims about newspaper dates, as one of our northern members has been known to salt a few into different places.
Can't identify the wheels from the pix, as they are different on both sides.They appear to be 6 stud, so that would make them 37 to 48 Chev, or Toyota/other jap 4wd as they fit the Chev pattern.
So my guess is 1956 or just later homemade.
JBJ
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whippy
Full Member
"Twiggy" the Globetrotter
Posts: 462
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Post by whippy on May 13, 2009 21:17:01 GMT 10
Nice Van Des & Kelly, you will love the guys on here, they are great, especially on the runs.
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Post by dosse on May 14, 2009 4:01:18 GMT 10
G'day Des & Kelly
Welcome to Vintage Vans.....I hope we can be some help to you both with your
restoration....all the best with Vernon.
Dennis......Who on earth would place an old newspaper in a van to try and date it.......we will have to get up earlee to catch this indivdual. Regards dosse.
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Post by beetlesbailey on May 15, 2009 9:03:33 GMT 10
the rear stays are identical to Furness. they are wound up with a long crank handle universal jointed wheel brace on Furness' that also winds the jockey wheel and the wheel nuts.
Does this sound familiar to yours?
The jockey wheel actually looks like a Furness unit too.
Windows are like Roadmaster I think. What do you think Lazza?
Is that Ally over Ply? and if so does it look like a later coverup?
Nice old van with a lot of work. Keep up the momentum guys.
Regards Beetles (BAILEY)
ps how about giving my ladder back?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2009 11:43:57 GMT 10
;D
Hi Vernon..
Great score and an iteresting old van.
I am with JBJ on the chassis details. Unusual to not have a full box section rail chassis rail down either side to support all the "lateral " bars .
Also unusual to have the springs mounted on the short "Dropped spindle" section of the axle.
IMHO Those wheel arches/ mudgaurds are an overkill . You can gain yourself some extra floor space by welding in a couple of angle irons out a bit closer to the brake backing plates ( allow enough room for the wheels/ tyres to clear by at least 30mm or so).
Keep the story and the photos coming... great stuff and a good story.
Reddo
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Post by vernon on May 15, 2009 21:49:33 GMT 10
Thanks for your interest everyone,
The paper was definitely found behind the mirror when we took it off so we could strip the four layers of paint off the doors. We were very excited about this find as it has given us a little bit of an idea of Vernons age, however it is possible someone may have at some point put it there, not certain.
Beetles we were on the same track as you . We feel he may be a Furness as well after looking on 'Down History Lane ', the ceiling was the same and he dose have the wheel brace you refereed too. (Des thinks this is a nifty little tool, potential reasons for spending more hours in the shed), my joys come in the form of light fittings which l explored in Bris last weekend. Our other thought was possibly Vernon could be of the Jackson Caravans Wollongong Breed, as the paper was from this area, and time frames seem to fit, it has JCC welded into the Axel, and other little things like the power connection thingy.
We are attempting to keep Vernon as original as possible, yes Des felt the wheel arches were pretty full-on as well, but that's what he had. After saying this Vrenon was we believe originally bondwood and has been recladded in the aluminum. We believe this to be right when we took the cladding off the front the bondwood was reveled.
Been working hard at rebuilding frame this week and just about there, Des has done an 'Awesome' job as our little ones would say. We have managed to get one side of the ply up, and a cupboard back in. Then with that we have now pulled the other side off, it's funny how you spend so much time pulling out and rebuilding at the moment it feels as though we are treading water really really really fast. We've spent hours cleaning layers of paint off the hinges as we were going to replace them but being perfect isn't what it's all about, showing you've lived along the way is also really important too. (My motto and l'm sticking to it even when Des looks over and has a bit of a shudder on a dark and stormy night).
We haven't got any new photos to share we'll take some more and post them Sunday.
Thanks Guys
Des and Kel.
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 18, 2009 22:37:24 GMT 10
Post by Vernon on 18 May 2009 transferred from Furness thread in Down History Lane section:
Hi Don Ricardo,
Des and l are doing up a van and are trying to establish it's make, Beatles thought Vernon may have been a Furness and we seem to think he is right especially when you look at the roof. You seem to have a fair amount of knowledge of the Furness we are thinking of putting in a tap. Initially we had thought one of those groovy metal pump ones, now wer're thinking maybe Vernon doesn't have a tap because he had a tank and tap on the wall. Do you know if this might be right, or did they simlpy not have a tap, tank or anything. Our other question amongst many Vernon is alot rounder at the bottom do you know if some of the Furness' had this?, or where we may find other pictures of Furness'. Also Don do you know how many years the company were in production for?. We have put some pictures on the General Topics forum (Introdcing Vernon) which you have posted a coment already. We would love any help at all.
Thanks Don, anyone, everyone.
Des and Kel
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Post by Don Ricardo on May 18, 2009 23:36:12 GMT 10
Hi Des and Kel, Despite your kind words, I'm by no means an expert on Furness or South Australian caravans by any means (nor expert on anything much at all really). Having said that, my view after looking at the pics of Vernon is that he is a South Australian built van because of (a) the double cambered fibreglass or canvas roof, and (b) the very characteristic stripe across the front that was revealed when you removed the aluminium cladding - note in particular the diamond shape at the corners. In addition your van also seems to have Furness type rear corner jacks, which were a very idiosyncratic features of Furnesses. But...despite all that, my personal view is that Vernon is not a Furness for the following reasons: - Your van has quite a different side profile to Furness caravans. Vernon has a very evenly curved back end, whereas Furnesses had a flat section above the waist line and only started to curve from the waist line down. Same at the front.
- Post-war Furnesses all had sliding windows and a sliding door. Vernon appears to have conventional hopper windows. Not sure about the door from your pics.
- Post-war Furnesses had no wheel arch, instead the side panel continued in a straight line at floor level.
Earlier this evening I posted some pics on the Furness thread in the Down History Lane section of a Furness recently sold on Ebay. It includes some great internal photos which you can use to compare to Vernon. Of course my conclusion that Vernon isn't a Furness is just my opinion based on what I can see from the pics, and as always is open to discussion. You asked how long Furness produced caravans for. We know that they were producing vans in the 30's, but according to Lazza (who is a genuine expert on South Australian V V's) they stopped production around 1956. This is relevant to Vernon because he has aluminium windows which were only coming into vogue a year or so before Furness stopped producing caravans. The windows suggest Vernon was built no earlier than the mid-50's. Regarding the water tank - Furness vans had a tank, and a pump style tap was available as an option but I don't know the location of the tank. Mark T may be able to tell you based on his Furness van (although if Vernon isn't a Furness, then this isn't so relevant). Looking at the pics of Vernon, I am wondering if that is an under floor water tank I can see behind the wheel in the fourth photo? If it is then I imagine Vernon would have had a pump style tap at some stage. I'm not sure whether this helps or not, except that it may put a line through some options in identifying Vernon's origins. Don Ricardo |
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Post by Swellwillys on Jun 13, 2009 19:06:30 GMT 10
Had to have a look at Vernon after our meeting up over the past 2 days !
He's great!
Love to hear of his progress over next few months - make sure keep us up to date !
All the very best with his health - seems as though you are nursing him along well .
Swellwillys
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freeway
Full Member
Make way for the Austin Freeway!
Posts: 191
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Post by freeway on Nov 17, 2009 9:39:42 GMT 10
Congratulations on a great job done! Both car and van look great!
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Post by Swellwillys on Nov 17, 2009 11:24:10 GMT 10
Great stuff guys , you have bought him back from ill health to being very healthy.
He will reward you many times over with plenty of good times ahead for the family.
Swellwillys
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rolly
New Member
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Post by rolly on Nov 17, 2009 14:14:58 GMT 10
Congratulations on a great job done! Both car and van look great! The family's quite handsome too   |
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