Auto Body Works (Kingaroy, Qld)

[Don Ricardo]

AUTO BODY WORKS

Manufactured by Auto Body Works
Proprietor: C C Dawson
Nanango Road, Red Hill, Kingaroy Qld

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Photos of a caravan manufactured by Auto Body Works posted on the Across Country Real Estate Facebook page here on 21 June 2022 as part of series of photos for a clearing sale:



A glimpse of the rear:

The following photos of the inside of the van have been kindly provided by Suzanne Wedlock from her post of 14 August 2022 on the Vintage Caravans Facebook page here:

Note the fold down washbasin attached to the door:

Note the bath under the left hand bed:

All we know about Auto Body Works in Kingaroy at this point is contained in the following advert published in the Dalby Herald on Tuesday, 29 August 1950 (page 3):

(Source:  National Library of Australia  nla.gov.au/nla.news-article216790621 )

However, the advert does tell us that they were building commercial vehicles and caravans using all-steel frames and aluminium paneling for the cladding, which by the look of it is how the caravan above was constructed.  Based on the style of the caravan, the 1950 date for the advert seems to be around the right date for the caravan too.

It seems as if there may have been a few body work businesses in rural Queensland in the 40's and 50's that were involved in building caravans.  Another example is Seeney's Body and Caravan Builders based in Dalby.

Don Ricardo