Please identify my Van

[georgie]

Hi everyone,
I’m
New to this site and still trying to navigate around it.
Not sure where to post a question.
What is a post and what is a thread?
I have bought a van I think is a Hilandale. Approx 11ft
Aluminium No VIN number
The double bed folds into a couch,
And the word Georgie qritten on front and back.
Any help would be good thank You
Georgie

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Georgie,

Welcome to the Forum and thanks for telling us about your Hilandale caravan.

We can almost certainly help you with some information about the van, and I'll try and answer some of your questions here as well.

Regarding identifying your van, it will help if you can show us some photos of it. There is information on how to post photos if you click on this link. The easiest way to post photos is to use the 'Add Attachment' button at the top right hand corner of the 'Create Post' window, and that's the instructions I've pointed you to. But I notice that you are posting from your mobile, so please note that there is an extra step you need to take to make the 'Add Attachment' button appear on your mobile screen.

If that all looks a bit confusing, you are welcome to email me some photos of your van at [e-mail] and I'll be glad to post the photos for you so that you can get some help identifying your van.

In the meantime there is some information about Hilandale caravans in the 'Down History Lane' section of the Forum that you may find interesting. Just click on this link.

Now to answer some of your questions:

Where to post a question? You've posted your post in the 'Caravanning Publications...Other' section, which is ok. But the best place to ask a general question, etc, is in the 'General Interest Posts - General...2008 Onwards' section.

What is a post and what is a thread? A post is an individual contribution made by a Forum member. So this reply to you is a 'post'. A thread is a topic which different people add posts about. So you have started a thread called 'Please identify my Van' with your post starting "Hi everyone...", and I am now adding a post to the thread with this reply.

You mentioned that your van does not have a VIN number, and that's because VIN's for caravans were only introduced in 1989, so no caravans built before that have a VIN unless one has been issued for it to be re-registered in 1989 or later.

Regarding 'Georgie' on the front and back, I think that is probably a name given to your van by a previous owner. It most likely comes from the fact that Hilandale vans were built by George's Caravans.

Hope that helps a bit, and we'll look forward to hearing more about your Hilandale and seeing some photos of it so we can help you with an approximate build date, etc.

Don Ricardo

[georgie]

Hi Don,
Thanks so much for replying to my Post, now Thread.
I was very excited to read your reply.
Yes, I will email the photos if that’s ok as it’s all a bit too confusing for me.
I love my little van which my daughter and I are going to try and restore it back to its original condition.
I was so glad that no-one had ‘tried to do it up’.
Have seen so many little gems destroyed.
Will emails soon.
Big thanks
Georgie & Georgie Jnr 😊😊

[Don Ricardo]

Photos of Georgie's caravan posted on her behalf:

---

Hi Georgie and Georgie Jnr,

The overall shape of your van is generally consistent with the design of first half of the 60's Hilandale caravans, but the cladding on the sides looks more like what was used by some manufacturers in the 70's or later.  So I am wondering if your van has been reclad at some point.  Possibly the sides were clad in bondwood originally, like some of the vans shown on the Hilandale thread I referred you to previously.

It does look like the remains of one of the 'Hilandale by George' stickers with the coach and horses logo under the 'Georgie' nameplate above the front window.

This is one for Hughdeany I think.  What is your assessment Hughdeany?

Don Ricardo

[hughdeany]

Hi all,
Yes it’s most Definately a Hilandale,originally bondwood and aluminium but the bondwood sides have been re covered in the 70s as Don Ricardo says.
It’s built with the single wall method,meaning the bondwood sides are in one piece so if you remove the side aluminium it will possibly be saveable back to original.
Hope this helps
hughdeany

[hughdeany]

Ps,
The aluminium door was standard on the later bondwoods,so that’s not an addition.😉