Coronet caravans - Ballarat, Vic.

[Franklin1]

CORONET HISTORY:

From the Sydney Powerhouse Museum website:

"The caravan industry really took off after the Don firm in Victoria began making caravans as a backyard business in 1934. By the early 1950s many other caravan companies emerged including Viscount and Millard in New South Wales, Coronet and Franklin in Victoria, Chesney in Queensland, and Tru-Line in Western Australia."

1956: (please take note of information listed in 1959 below about the starting date for Coronet Caravans).

A classified advertisement appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 3 March 1956...

"DE LUXE Caravans, 2, 3, 4 bth, from 5cwt, Var. [something]. Coronet Caravans, 12 Staple St. Kingsgrove" [Kingsgrove is a southern suburb of Sydney, and this is likely to be an advertisement for a Coronet caravan retailer. Further confirmation required.]


1959:

According to an article in the Ballarat Courier newspaper in 1970 (July 4, pp8-9), Coronet Caravans began in August 1959 in premises leased in Mair St., Ballarat

An advertisement appeared in the Ballarat Courier newspaper in November 1959, advertising Coronet's appearance at the Ballarat Show being held that weekend...

_{[Ref: Ballarat Courier 1959 11 13 18]}


The address at that time was shown as 406 Mair St., Ballarat. In 2010, that address is shown as being on the corner of Mair St., and Yuille St. An aerial satellite photo of that location is shown here...



...and a Street View of the business now operating at that location is shown here...



I think it's safe to assume that all evidence of Coronet's previous existence has been removed during a redevelopment since that time.


1960s:

Progress was so great in the first year of Coronet's operation, that in November 1960, the company moved to its present two-acre site in Creswick Road, Ballarat
Further development was experienced, and in 1967, 28 acres was purchased in Dowling Street, Wendouree, where the construction of the caravans is now completed.
The firm employs 140 men.
According to the managing director, Mr Ian Farren, sales have increased 110 percent in the past 12 months.
Today the firm employs 32 more men than it did at this time last year.
Fifteen hundred Coronet caravans are built annually.
_{[Ref: Ballarat Courier 1970 July 4, pp8-9]}

-------------------

I haven't found any records yet that show the actual street number in Creswick Road, so a map showing where I assume the location of the Coronet factory was, is here...




A photograph taken in 2010 shows the street signs at the intersection of Coronet St and Dowling St...



...and a further photo showing a number of factory buildings down one side of Coronet street (there was mostly vacant land on the other side - nothing on that side looked like it was once a caravan factory )...

[Franklin1]

1960s Coronet caravans brochure - listed on ebay Oct 2008:



Edited description: "Buy CORONET and makes holidays a pleasure. This four page brochure that measures approx 6 1/2 inches x 8 1/2 inches, is full of great pics, blurb and specifications.

Vans to suit all cars
Sizes from 10'6" to 25'
Custom built to your requirements
Rescote construction
Choice of aluminium or rescote roof

Coronet Caravans, Ballarat."

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Al,

Nice brochure on the Coronet. A couple of people on the forum have reported having a Coronet over the years (including Trevor Roberts). The brochure would be a great acquisition for them.

Regarding the dating of the brochure, I am not a Holden expert (I just drive one ;D), but the vehicle in the photograph looks to me like an FB ute. The FB Holden was released in January 1960, which means that the brochure can't have been printed earlier than that. If my eyes have deceived me and the ute is actually an EK, then the brochure would have been produced some time after July 1961.

Maybe somebody like Reddo can tell us which model ute it is? FB or EK?

Don Ricardo

[Geoff & Jude]

hi don

you were right first time, it's an fb.

geoff 'n jude

[Don Ricardo]

Thanks G & J. That means the brochure was printed sometime after January 1960. How much later depends on how often Coronet updated their work ute I guess.

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Coronet Hunstman built caravan on display at 2008 Cora Lynn Country Car Show:





Later comment: Later evidence indicated that this van was built by Huntsman, not Coronet. Click here for more information.

Don Ricardo

[tenoroc]

The brochure was prited in 1960. The ute in the photo was the first ute the company had and was keptfor less than 12 months.

[rfw]

Welcome to the forum tenoroc, or is that coronet? Sounds like you were/are in the industry. Perhaps you might share some stories or pics with us. Do you have a `van? cheers

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Tenoroc,

Thanks for the info about the Coronet brochure, and welcome to the forum.

As rfw says, it sounds as if you might know a bit about the history of Coronet caravans. If so, we would be delighted to anything you can tell us.

Don Ricardo

[tenoroc]

Hi Don & rfw

Yes I do know a little about the history of Coronet although most of my knowlege is of the seventies.

The company was only a year or so old when the brochure was done and it would have been a Ford not a Holden if it dealer didn't igore the man in overalls covered with paint dust. Cost ford a lot of vehicles over the years.

The vans in the brochure were of the deluxe model (top) and the standard model (bottom).
The photos of the van with the port hole window are of the budget model.
You know the reason for the port hole was cost. They cost much less than a wind out window, now it seem every one wants one.

Tenoroc

[Don Ricardo]

Hi again Tenoroc,

Interesting about the reason for the porthole - and here we thought the manufacturers were just being trendy... ;D ;D ;D

Do you know what sort of date the caravan in the photos would have been built? The square front looks to be very different to the vans shown in the brochure. I would have guessed that it might have been an earlier model, but if the brochure dates from only a year or so after Coronet started, I suppose that it must be a later model.

From what you said, Coronet must have started around '59 or '60. Does that sound right?

Don Ricardo

[tenoroc]

Hi all



I found this photo of a huge bondy at dads the other week and thought I would share it with you.

Regards
Tenoroc

[Don Ricardo]

Tenoroc,

That is a van and a half!

Are you able to tell us anything about it? Looks as if it had a ballroom and servants' quarters all in there!

Don Ricardo

[tenoroc]

Hi all

Don't know much about this van except that it was a special order. Dads got lots of info in his head but getting it out is not so easy.

Teneoroc

[Jennison]

Surely it would have been for someone in the travelling show game - Easter showmen and all that - couldn't be much change under 25cwt .....what a van!!

[firefighter]

Ad for Coronet "Crown Deluxe"one of more than 50 Coronet models....... taken from Modern Motor March 1969



f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Don Ricardo]

Information provided by Tenoroc on 4 August 2010 regarding a Hawthorn branded van owned by Kustombruce:

Hi Bruce & Kath

I spoke to dad last night and he confirmed that your Hawthorn was made by Coronet.

They made vans for Hawthorn who on sold some to Roma until Roma went direct to Coronet.

Dad said that a large number of the brands on the forum never made vans, but re-badged others.

Franklin also made vans to be re-badged.

If your van has a chassis number then the chassis was made by Coronet, if not it was made by an outside trailer company. I am not sure when they started to make there own chassis but it was early sixties.

I hope this information is of interest to you.

Regards

David

---

For further information regarding Kustombruce's Hawthorn van including photos click here.

[Jennison]

Re "franklin also made vans to be rebadged" -
Pathfinder was one of the manufacturers who sold rebadged franklins.
It was in the last couple of years (late 60s')before they dropped out of van sales altogether and concentrated their efforts on marine sales and service
jennison

[Don Ricardo]

On 11 November 2011 Tenoroc posted:

Hi all

Andrew Phillips, the current owner of the Coronet name has listed a video of the old Coronet factory at Creswick rd Ballarat on his website.

It was made in 1968 and runs for about 15 mins (must be edited my version goes for 20 odd mins).

It shows the construction of the vans of that era.

Anyhow you can find it at www.coronetcaravans.com.au/media.html .

Tenoroc

---

And Cobber responded later in the day:

G'day Tenoroc,

Thanks heaps for posting that link to the video. It helps to confirm much of the information Al has gathered for us and also clears up a few points of contention (re when they actually started manufacture)
The statement at about 9:50 into the video that they are using a baked acrylic finish is interesting too

The link belongs in the "Coronet" thread it is so good.

Cobber.

[Surf Tragic]

Don Ricardo.

Thanks for listing this most interesting link to the manufacture of Coronet Caravans, I was enthralled.

Near the end of the video it was said, in Vic, 1966, the largest van was built, 36 ft.

The huge van pictured, posted by Tenoroc.....along the side of that van there is a row of fittings (like annexe turnbuttons), there are 29 spaces at about 15 inches, (380mm), that equates to a tad over 36 feet for the body alone. This may be the one .

ST

[Don Ricardo]

Coronet 6 berth, 20 ft tandem caravan circa early 60's - advertised on Ebay, January 2011:





















Extracts from sellers description:

ORIGINAL FORD CUSTOM LINE WHEELS RESTORED AND 1948 SINGLE SPINNER HUB CAPS...CARAVAN IS ORIGINAL INSIDE WITH ORIGINAL PAINT WORK...HAS SIDE BUNKS CONVERT TO A COUCH,LARGE FRONT TABLE SEATS...HAS SOLID FLOOR ORIGINAL LINO

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RE build date: This van is the same model as the Coronet caravan pictured in an article in the February 2011 edition of Caravan World (p 14), and identified by the original owners as having been built in 1962.

Thanks to Hughdeani for this information.

[cobber]

Went for a drive out to Broke while in the Hunter Valley and spotted this cute little number.

I think it's a Franklin and I think it might be pre 1970

If it's not somebody will let me know .

The front is at the right end of the photo which means the wheels appear to be well set back from the center



Cobber.

[Deleted]

Hi Cobber,
that van is a Coronet ,about 1970 71,looks to be in ok nick too.
Cheers
hughdeani

[cobber]

G'day Jenno & Hughdeani,

I'm pretty sure there were no wheels other than those clearly visible Jeff...if as Hughdeani has said it is a Coronet it was probably a special order and not intended to travel very far, similar to this one in the Coronet thread that Tenoroc posted.

There are big differences between the two though..... wish I had of got off me bum and knocked on the owners door

Cobber.

[bhhols]

I’ve just bought this old van and am trying to confirm its origins and year of manufacture. Are you able to identify it? Chassis number is 1753. It was previously registered as a 1962 van but am unsure about this. Upholstery is not original. Many thanks.