New member new (old )van (Gypsy 10 ??)

[Colin (Noddy)]

I am trying to date this van which I have had for over 30 years and my mother had it for years before that. I have posted a pic of the origional Holden hub cap that it came with but I havent dated it . I thougt it might have been a Gypsy 10 ? Can anyone help. PS the back window has been removed.


Noddy

[earlee]

Welcome noddy,

I Like your van and it looks externally in very good condition.
The hubcap is from an FX or FJ holden ( 1948 - 1955) if that is of any help.
Sometimes there is a date stamped or printed on the ply used for the construction. Look inside the cupboards and under the seats where it may not have been painted - you might be lucky.

What happened to the rear window?

Earlee

[Roehm3108]

Hi and welcome Noddy. Sure looks like you got yourself a Gypsy there - my favourite of the traditional style bondwood vans. Below is a copy of an ad for the gypsy out of a 1951 Caravan and touring book



Cheers
Roehm3108

[Deleted]

or is it an Atlantic like Belinda's and others ??

Mark

[Roehm3108]

You could be right Mark, I never noticed the different shaped wheel arches and the slightly squarer front on the photo. Where is the resident xpurt, Belinda
Ray

[Colin (Noddy)]

Thank you everone for your interest and feedback. The van was re skinned about 10 years ago. aAs we found it impossible to make the back window waterproof it had to be skinned over. The origional frames for the window are still visible inside though. The water tank was a 5 gall suitcase design suspended above the sink with a couple of latch bolts. The ice box is intact but a 1 yes 1 cubic foot 3way fridge has been installed. The metho/kero stove was replaced with gas after the third time it tried to kill us.The table is constantly down to form a made up double bed and the two front bunks removed and a table put in . I will post some more photos later.

PS I can't guarantee that the wheel arches followed the origional shape after the reskin so they may not be a good indicator of the brand.

It is totally waterproof and is used regularly

Thanks Noddy

[Deleted]

the Gypsy's of the mid to late Fifties had a distintive interior layout ......once I see the interior pics I'll be able to tell ..............

Mark

[Colin (Noddy)]

The van is definatly an Atlantic 9'6" it is the same a Belinda's. It is in Melbourne now but I brought it from Sydney many years ago.

It is being repainted re water tanked and a mains water point and tap fitted. Belinda probably won't talk to me as mine is not at all retro. In fact it has gone hi tech - It has a portapotti, 3 way fridge, microwave, TV and DVD, extended drawbar, plastic watertank mounted under the floor, powder coated wheels, gas stove. 12 v and 240V power systems and a hole cut out of the side to extend the bed so the side hinges at the bottem and folds till parallel with the ground. The flap is covered with a waterproof "tent" velcoed to the inside wall. I will post a photo shortly.

[belinda]

Hi Noddy,

yes, I'll still speak to you.

we solved the leaking back window problem earlier this year (see post in the technical section on "leaking vans"). If you ever want to reinstate the back windows use silicone. It stays flexible rather than going hard like putty.

Do you still have the original watertank? Does it work? (can I have it). Ours has holes in the bottom and the tap has so far defied every attempt to un-freeze it.

It sounds like your van was arranged with a bench seat at the front and a table at the back. We met a guy at the All-British Day who said his family's Atlantic was set up like that. See the posting "Atlantic Vans" in the General section.

Our van is the opposite, with a cosy table for two at the front which becomes a single bed, and a lounge across the back which becomes a double bed. Most of the storage is under the double bed.

Our van had 12v and 240v power from new (including a 240v outlet), though we have had the whole thing re-wired as part of the restoration.

The other Atlantics I know of on the site are Maurie's "Dorrie" and Cobber's "free to a good home" van. You'll find pictures of both on the site.

If you find out a date let me know. I still haven't managed to set an age for ours.

Otherwise, you'll find stuff about our van scattered around the site on various postings - pictures of the stove, information on using the ice box, a family photo at Coledale, Sydney Motorfest etc.

cheers

Belinda

[Colin (Noddy)]

Sorry Belinda the origional water tank died about 20 years ago. My van has "now" got a table for two at the front and a table at the rear which is permenently down to make the double bed. The front used to have a set of double bunks which turned into a sofa during the day.

Noddy


aka Colin