Help with a carapark hunter deluxe with shower

[laney]

I was wondering if someone can help me, I just got a Carapark Hunter, I think it is a deluxe with shower- on the back it still has its ID code etc, it shows that it is a 14-9 (is that 14' 9").
The inside is just like some one locked the door in about 1956 and never opened it up again. everything is still original even the fridge, and we just tried the power/lights etc and guess what they worked first time. There is no water leaks at all.
The outside needs a little bit of work mainly with the towing and the steel underneath.
Can someone help me with what year this model was made, I think it might have been the 113 made (going off the tag on the back) and if there is anyone out there that might like to buy once we fix the outside problems.

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Laney,

Welcome to the forum.

For a period in the 50's Carapark based the names of its aluminium clad caravan models names on the length of the van. So - as you suggested - the 14-9 model name refers to the length of the van - 14 ft 9 in. Then a little later on in that decade they started attaching the names of some previous bondwood models to the aluminium 'toaster' models which had only been given a name based on the length. (The 50's aluminium Caraparks look a bit like a pop up toaster in shape, so we call them 'toasters' on the forum.) So one of the aluminium models (which I am guessing is the one you have) began to be referred to as the Hunter.

I's a bit hard to judge the year/age of the van without seeing some photos of it (which we'd like to see anyway - we love photos on the forum . There are instructions on how to post photos in the 'Forum Guidelines & Helpful Hints' section.

Don Ricardo

[melanco]

Hi Laney and welcome!

I would LOVE to see your van. Please try and work on the pics, the brains trust on this forum are amazing and will be very helpful when they can see it.

Cheers

Mel

[laney]

I have only worked how to send one photo at a time.

[laney]

This is the tag on the back

[laney]

All of the inside looks original

[laney]

It even has the kitchen sink

[laney]

The fridge

[laney]

Here is the shower

[laney]

The lounge/second bed

[laney]

To do a bit of cooking

[laney]

it can stand on its own but it doesn't have the leg for the front so this it just a bit safer to have it on supports

[aquamum]

Laney

Welcome to VV and your van is in such great nick and just chock full of all the goodies.......

[laney]

Hi all,
Can someone help me with a product I can use on the outside of this van to bring it back to the shine it once was.
Does anyone know the age of my hunter by looking at the photo's, any help is great.

[seeshell]

Hi Laney

Since your van is aluminum, you will be able to polish it and it will come up beautifully. However, you should know that if you do it, it becomes a job to maintain it, so you might want to weigh that up before you decide to go that route.

Some people love the patina, others love to see them gleam. Purple polish (which you can get at any good car store like Autobarn) will work but only if it's not too oxidised.

Airstreams and other aluminum vans are often polished in the US - they like that look. It's a much bigger job if you have to get down to cutting back years of oxidisation - including stripping the surface, and then polishing with an electric buffer and polishing compound. I read about a 19' Bambi that took more than 400 hours to polish to a 8 out of 10 shine.

This gentleman knows a thing or two, and has some advice about how to tackle it:

www.airstreamguy.com/polishing_info

Best of luck whatever you decide. They're all beautiful.

Seeshell

[RollyDog]

Seeshell is right about purple polish. It is the best for the final polish. if it is oxidised a bit you may need a polish with a bit of grit before using the purple polish. Visit a truck spare parts place and see what they have in the polishes. That is where i get my purple polish and other alloy cleaning products. Those trucks also have big areas to polish so you should get the right advice at a truck spares shop.
Rollydog

[laney]

Can anyone help me I am looking to sell a Hunter special with shower- carapark, it is the big deluxe model.
It is in great condition no water demage, will just need to be picked up as you may not trust the frame underneath.
Inside it all in great nick and not many scratches on the out side.
Does any one know how much to sell it for. the photo's above are of my van.
Thanks Laney

[firefighter]

Hi laney

From the forum guidelines

Valuing caravans

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=hints&action=display&thread=7111

cheers
f/f ;D ;D ;D

[laney]

Sorry I didn't know that I couldn't ask. I just don't want to sell it to someone that wouldnt love it. Sorry again

[JBJ]

Hi Laney,

Possibly it would help if you let us know where your van is (In general area). That way members can consider whether its close enough for them to buy.

As Firefighter said, our Forum rules prevent discussion on individual prices, mainly to avoid bad vibes that arise from price discussions.

All the Best with your sale, it looks pretty good inside, & thats the hardest part to restore in most cases.

JBJ

[laney]

Hi JBJ,

I live on the south coast of NSW, about 2 1/2 hours south of Sydney.

Laney