1950s Franklin Project - Tansca

[tansca]

Hi Folks.

I'm new to this group and have a lot of reading to do to catch up

I picked up this van from Melbourne a couple of weeks ago.

I'm thinking early 1950s Franklin, but they all seem similar but slightly different.



Looks like its partially restored (external ply), interior is in pieces, but many of the fixtures are located inside, including a very interesting cast looking gas burner.

Whoever owned it wrote "Tansca" on the key ring, ill run with that as her name.



My plan is to restore remaining items as best as possible, and tow it behind a 67 valiant (VC Regal slant 6) that i'm completing (you can see glimpse on the hoist).

I plan to match the olive green stripe and internal fabrics/cupboard doors .

should make a nice pair out on the road

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Tansca,

Welcome to the Forum and thanks for showing us a photo of your van.

I'm afraid your van is not early 50's, but probably late 50's or possibly even very early 60's. That's based on what we know about the history of Franklin (which commenced in 1956), the shape of your van, and the shape of the aluminium window frames. I can explain in more detail if you would like me to.

We may be able to give you an approximate date for your van - or possibly even a specific year - if you can tell us if your van has a serial number on the drawbar, and what it is. It will be a number created out of weld (raised lettering) on one arm of the drawbar and will either be some numbers, or some numbers followed by a letter. Have a look and tell us if you can see anything.

In the meantime, you may like to look at the Franklin thread in the Down History Lane section - click here. There are a number of pages to work through, but if you look at the posts on page 5 of the thread you'll see a van that looks to be the same model, size and age as yours. I'll be interested to know if your van has an aluminium roof and aluminium cladding below the front window like the one I've referred you to?

Don Ricardo

[tansca]

Thankyou Don
There are some welded numbers but they appear partially ground off with some rust repairs
799 ? 
v99 ?
Also , What axle hub is likely on a mid/ late 50s ? 


Update. i found this picture of what i consider to be almost the exact van as mine in a news feature. 
They are saying its a 1957 SKYLINE - JUNIOR, Not Franklin 

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Tansca,

Thanks for posting the photo of the serial number on your van.

I read it as '799' because Franklin only started using a letter as a prefix to their serial numbers in 1974, and if the serial number on yours was 'V99' that would make it a 1974 model (because V meant 1974 in their system), which it clearly isn't because of the design and cladding.

From 1960/61 to 1964, Franklin used a letter after the numbers, and the letter indicated the year. So, for example, 799E would mean a van was built in 1964 (because E meant 1964). There isn't a letter after your numbers so that means your van was built before that numbering system was introduced, and that in turn means your van was built prior to 1960. And since Franklin only started marketing their caravans under their own name in 1956, the indication is that your van was built between 1956 and 1959. The earlier Franklins looked different to yours, so I personally would guess your van was built in 1959.

You might like to look at this thread which explains about Franklin serial numbers and shows some examples of fairly early Franklins, some of which are very similar to yours, although a bit larger.  You might also find this thread about the history of Franklin interesting.

Hope that helps and isn't too confusing! At least we've been able to narrow the build date of your caravan down.

Don Ricardo

[tansca]

Perfectly clear Don
thankyou for your help, your suggestions have really narrowed it down (plus other posts on this forum)
I think I have myself a late 50s Skyline, just prior to them using Franklin moulding.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Tansca,

It is interesting to compare your van to the Skyline you've included in your post. They are very similar in shape and style and it's very possible that they came out of the same factory, but if so I am almost certain that they were built in the Franklin factory. The reason I say that is that we know that around about 1959, Skyline began to sell Skyline branded caravans that were actually sourced from other manufacturers, including Franklin. In some cases it appears that Skyline purchased the partially completed caravans from Franklin and then finished them off because some of the fittings in the Skyline versions differ from the Franklin versions. We have seen quite a few examples of Franklin built Skylines on the Forum, and apart from the fact that they are almost identical to the Franklin models, they have Franklin serial numbers on the drawbars. (By that I mean that the serial number follows the Franklin format.)

Another example of a Skyline Junior like 'Betsy' in the article can be seen here. However, one difference between this Skyline and the Franklins is the shape of the external wheel arch. If you look at the wheel arch on the Skyline Junior I've referred you to, you'll see that it's sort of an even, upside down 'U' shape, and it's the same on 'Betsy' in the article. On your van however, the wheel arch rises upwards towards the front, and that shape was characteristic of Franklins for a number of years. There are a couple of small Franklins that look the same as yours, and have the same wheel arch (although one has spats) here and here. (Don't worry that the last one is labeled as a 'Korong' - that was a dealer's name.)

So in summary, because of the shape of the wheel arch and the fact that your van has a Franklin format serial number, I am quite confident that your van is a Franklin.

Just by the by Franklin supplied caravans not only to Skyline but several other manufacturers/dealers including Panorama, Hawthorn, Phoenix, Pathmaster, Oasis and Owen Bailey who each branded the vans as their own.

Don Ricardo

[tansca]

Wow Don. Thankyou.
Its taken me a full month to read your response. I think you really know your stuff.
I did notice the wheel arch difference , but the other similarities seemed convincing.
Awesome, thankyou.