Wheels again

[Jim]

G’day Guys
I’m on about wheels again

I picked up an old wooden trailer a few days ago and maybe one of you old car buffs can help me with some information about it.

It's near enough to a 6x4 trailer with a full length centre wooden rail drawbar as well as quite a few steel brackets and a forked flat steel tow bracket with a bolt hole fixed to the timber drawbar.

The trailer had been buried in the scrub at a bush camp that was an old eucalyptus oil distillery. The distillery goes back many years, possibly to the early 1900's.

The rolling gear on the trailer has been made from an old vehicle that was probably lying around there at some time.

It has a forged beam drop axle from the front of an old car or truck, 9 leaf eye to eye springs, plain hubs (no brakes) and wire spoked wheels.
The plain bearing hubs (with no sign of brakes ever having been fitted) would date it back a long way I guess, maybe to the 1920’s? The octagonal cover caps have Chevrolet embossed on them.

The steering pivots (king pins) have been locked in the straight ahead position by means of the steering arms having been heated, bent around and bolted to the axle itself.

Can anyone recognise what year or era the wheels are from, and possibly what vehicle the axle and springs came off?

The wheels are 16 x 4.5 inch, 5 stud pattern fitted with very old and perished 6.00x16 Dunlop tyres.
The PCD of the stud pattern is the same as late model Falcon but with a slightly larger centre hub at the bolt face (Valiant wheels fit ok as the centre holes are slightly larger)

I suspect the wire spoked wheels are from a different vehicle to the axle and bearing hubs (maybe even a different era?) as the bearing hubs extend outside the wheel centre, preventing a hubcap from being fitted.

The logo on the bearing hubs suggests Chevrolet truck or car from the 1920’s? (no brakes fitted) but would they have had 16 inch wire spoke wheels at that time? My understanding is wire spoke wheels are 1930’s..

I'd also guess that the gaurds are off the rear of the same vehicle as the axle or the wheels.. maybe?

I have some more detail pictures if anyone can help..

Any ideas?

[will and Lyn]

;D ;D ;D ;D
Gidday jim
Those mudguards look allright on that trailer im looking for something like that for the 52 teardrop
if you see anymore around give me a bell

Will

[Roehm3108]

Hey Will, you just stole my thunder. I was going to say that those wheels and guards would make a really great Teardrop. You been scavanging again Jim
It's amazing what's still out there in people's sheds
Cheers
Ray

[Roehm3108]

Hi Jim
Check out the old trailer with old wheels in the crarvan section of www.quicksales.com.au It's even located your way, and seems to be quite cheap.
Cheers
Ray

[Jim]

Thanks for the information Dennis, I had a suspicion that the wheels on the trailer may have come from a different vehicle to the axle and springs.

Will’s idea of using the wheels and guards on a teardrop is a good one but I think I’d prefer to rebuild it as a trailer and keep it as close as possible to what it was originally but complying with current regs.

I'll follow up on the reproduction wheels and guards available, for my own interest, and let you know what I find out.

I’ve been offline for a while, there's nothing like a few Trojans and worm viruses in your computer to throw a spanner in the works.
It’s amazing how much time you can waste trying to sort out what these hacker/virus idiots do. I’m sure if they put half the effort into some honest endeavor they could be well off..
Even with an up to date virus checker the odd ones can get past and bury themselves in your system. The moral of the story is never ever use the snooze button on your virus checker.

Will..
I caught up with the guy who owns the small old wagon you asked about. At the price he asks for any of the units he has he really doesn't want to sell anything.
$3000 for a teardrop that has so much rot in it that it's really only useful to use as a pattern to make a reproduction, is a bit much.

Ray
I had a look at that old trailer you mentioned. The add is confusing, it seems like a fairly crappy trailer (not much character and little going for it), with the old wooden spoke wheels. I might contact the guy as its close by and go have a look.

Jim

[Deleted]

Today I saw the oldest caravan I've ever seen ......it was a homemade van about 10' in length, and had SANKEY wheels on it, which I believe are British wheels from the late 1920's early 1930's ......

Under the lino was a newspaper dated 1938, and the van has a raised roof section as they did in the 30's .....

Mark

[carapark]

Great shot Mark, your've gotta love the crab eye clearance light on top and the planter box.
What a terrific time capsule.

Nice trailer to Jim, bit of workin history there.

Gary

[Deleted]

Wow Mark

"Sankey" wheels .... more like sulky wheels!!!
What is it made of???
Looks like tin or possibly wonky old masonite cladding???
It would be worth buying just for the axle and wheels!!!
Same colours as Humptys ply van.

Cheers

Reddo

[retro1]

Thanks for the plug Jailbarjuice
Get the van to Adelaide and I may just take someone up on that
That's if they are paying???

[Deleted]

hay guys .......the vans up for grabs..... for free .......you remove.

The originality of this van is unbelievable, with all interior fittings intact, but woodrot is rife, as its taking in more water than the Titanic

The outter walls are Masonite, mostly buckled & cactus, but the wooden frame is probably salvagable .....

The owner needs to find a new home for it, otherwise it will be firewood. He has already tried unsuccessfully to save it, but its been out in the weather for years.

It would be great to use to build an exact replica, and the wheels and axles maybe useable, and possibly the frame .

Mark

[retro1]

Where is the van living now?

[Deleted]

its in Perth Retro .....here's some more pics:






the owner gave it a coat of paint a couple of years ago, but didn't rub down the exsisting "flakey" paint, hence the smooth finish NOT ;D





The stove recess has a metal panel that slides over the recess.




The ice chest is at the rear of the van between the two single beds.
The van has solid framework, but no internal walls......obviously a very early attempt at building a caravan.

[will and Lyn]

Hey Mark
sent you an email that failed for some reason
I will send it again and see what happens
even Will the wood Butcher would have trouble fixing that van
my idea is to get a glass case and preserve it for children of the next millenium to gaze in wonder at the comforts their forefathers bathed in whilst mobile holidaying
I wonder what they would think
any ideas Reddo
Will ;D ;D

[Deleted]

Yeah Will ...Gotcha

A sorta Jerrasic Park for caravans. Coooooool i say.

Here is a list of the herbivores , carnivores and caravanisaurs that could be let loose to roam around the island.

Caraparks - Tinnyasanythingus
Bondwoods- Splinters everywhereaus
teardrops - Minimus headroomus
Sunliners - Fibreglassus bulbeggus
Probert - Hingeus complicatus
Dons - Poshest upperclassaruas
Ali vans - Uglyness incredibillus

I would suggest that to move the tourists we stick with Ford explorers that run on rails like in the real movie. That way the Caravanasaurs could crap on Fords just like i do .

Waddya reckon... we could toss our jobs as driver and conductor , sell that tram of yours and give up our day jobs to be curators at the theme park. Of course we would have to keep you moving Will otherwise the kids would mistake you for a "fossil exhibition"

You can go round the paddock shovelling up the dung mounds and hoseing out the saurus's pens while i sit in the airconditioned concrete fortified gatehouse collecting the takings and drinkin jailbar juice.

Yup.... A Vintage van theme park sounds good to me.
Lemme know when you have the dollars together i will fly over at your expense and help set up the park.

Warning: i am good at supervising but little else. Allergic to shovels, sweat and poo of anykind.

Reddindiana Jones

[Roehm3108]

Reddo, repeat after me:

ProPerts are spelt with a PPPPPPPPP!!!!! NOT a %&*()(Y^%$ BBB

Ray

[Deleted]

Okay . Oky, Ok
I promise the first thing i'll do when the theme park is famous and i become rich i will book myself in for a few spellin lezernz.

Propert,Propert. Thats funny the "P" is no where near the "B" on the keyboard. Dunno how i managed to stuff up Ray. ;D

Rebdpo Oooops there i go again!!!