Identification help wanted (Roma?)

[viking]

I have a bondwood van that I have been doing some basic repair work on, prior to trying to register it.

Any help on identifying the van would be appreciated. I can post more specific photos if they are any help, just ask for a specific shot and I'll orgaise taking it.

It seems a little like the Roma of groovygramps, but has enough differences to make me wonder.

VicRoads say last registered 1985 but they have no details on make or chassis number (I cant find one either).

Believed to be around about 1958. FJ rims. Cable brakes.











Thanks for looking.

[Deleted]

can't help you with ID (seems to me you've already got it sus'd) ...but like your van ......nice profile ......and I hope that A frame tow hitch arrangement doesn't get the chop

Mark

[cobber]

G'day Viking,

Welcome to the forum.
I have stolen that photo of your tow coupling and placed it in the appropiate thread, I hope you don't mind .

Regarding the identity of your 'van, have a look at the third addvertisment down on this thread in our “Down History Lane” forum.
The barn style door and the placement of your port hole window look like clues to me.
If this is it, she's a long way from home because the “Trail-a-Home” were made in Qld.
vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=chat&action=display&thread=2080

Let me know what you think.

Cobber

[viking]

Thanks cobber.
No problem with the tow coupling post, I've responded there as well.

Yes, it does resemble the Trail-a-Home although the proportions look a little off. That image may be the 10' version , I'm pretty sure mines 12' (would be 12'6 by that advert) which would explain the difference.
I'm not sure about whether the door configuration is the original - there are a few different catches around the door frame, but that may have been some kind of insect screen - there are home made add ons on the side windows and roof vent.

I'll get some decent photos of the specifics once the junk is out of the doorway - it's a handy storage area at the moment while I'm repairing the worst of the dry rot and panelling.

Still, probably less overall rot than I have since we are about the same age.

[groovygramps]

Hello Guys,
groovygranny here, groovygramps is in hospital for a few more days yet. I do know that VicRoads needed the original towing hitch arrangement changed. It was nothing like the one above. The remains of the ID plate for our Roma is on the A frame (hope this terminology is correct ) forward of the Jockey wheel bracket close to the towball coupling on the port hole window side of the van.
There seems to be a few differences in the profile of the vans. groovygramps maybe able to comment further. Hope I have not intruded.
gg. - groovygramps T.A. (trades assistant.)

[groovygramps]

Quick question. The current Queensland dealer for Roma Caravans is TRAIL-A-VAN located in Toowoomba. QLD. do you think the Trail-a-home mentioned above is near enough in name to suggest that TRAIL-A-VAN is perhaps the same dealer?
groovygranny for gg.

[cobber]

G'day Groovy Granny & Viking,

Ladies first ... I doubt that there would be a connection GG. If you go to that link mentioned above in DHL there is a post by Geoff and Jude that shows that “Trail a Home” became “Kedron Caravans” and they are still at the same address as “Trail a Home” were.... sort of.
“Trail a Van” web site say they have been in the business only about 20 years and are newly appointed “Roma” dealers.
I hope Groovygramps gets out of horse piddle feeling fighting fit.

Viking.... You probably noticed in those adds. that “Trail a Home” were into supplying “Kits”... so if yours was a kit job there may be some variations.
I don't think you will be able to determine if it was by the quality of the work... because some of the people who used kits were great tradesmen, and even made improvements on the original factory job sometimes......... I think .
Of course if she looks a bit rough you can bet it's a kit job.

Cobber.

[viking]

Groovygranny/Groovygramps thanks for dropping by. I've been doing some quick repair work on the van, so haven't really done any more reasearch on it's origins. I'm hoping vicroads either don't object to the hitch as is, or will allow a towball coupler to be bolted to the original in place of the captive ball arrangement.

Cobber, it could be a kit but it's hard to know. The basic frame and joinery seems pretty good, although there are some later modifications it appears. The chassis is solid as - I've seen more chassis rust in much more modern ones.

I've got a few pictures of the shonky quick repairs done so far - I would have liked more time, but there was a possibility it would become my home from December 1 (probably not now, so I'll have time to redress some of the poor finish problems).

right side rear as it began - pre split where the bondwood was overlapped

right rear corner

naked rear end

creative framing - leaving as much original timber in place as possible

new panel

left rear - with new rear panel bent in place and primed

right front - there seems to be a small problem with the connection between the front ally sheeting and the frame

right front panel replaced

right side in primer

darned oudoor workshop conditions - trust it to wait until the door was off (the colour is currently the van colour overall - just happened to be the one available in cheap spray cans and is not intended to be the final colour)

[viking]

The weather is being less than cooperative this morning, hard to get any work done!

And here's a tip for any other vanners - put the stone shield down when it snows (or it will put itself down).

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Viking,

Now there's a picture you don't often see in Australia - a caravan with a nice coating of snow!

I got quite a surprise to see the photos - I hadn't twigged that you live up in the mountains. I've looked quite closely at your photos many times trying to figure out your van's heritage and marvelling at its coupling, but now that I look back I see that I totally missed the fact that there was snow on the greenery in one of your previous pics and a sign saying "Ski Hire" on the building behind your van. I'm glad to see the van is lined. You'd need it up there!

How do you go getting the van up and down the mountain? (Apart from carefully?)

Hope the stoneshield can be repaired satisfactorily.

Don Ricardo

[viking]

Hi Don Ricardo
Actually the van was quite easy to tow up the mountain (I'm actually in Falls Creek, Vic), but I haven't tried going down yet, it will be interesting to see if the cable brakes actually do any good. First time down will be to go and register it (after a trip to the weighbridge on the way). That may be a while off as getting in on a weekday (when VicRoadsare open) interferes with work.

The stoneshield seems to be a bit of brute force bending and one pop rivet, so I think I can probably handle that OK

The van is only partly lined - the top cupboards, the underseat storage, and back of the wardrobe are only the single outer skin.

My plan is to park it off the mountain over winter anyway, so temperature won't be a problem. At the moment, even with sub zero nights I think it would be OK with the nice woolen doona, but I'm one of those people that prefers the cold.