Lowline caravans [hire and sales] (Ringwood, Vic)

[Jennison]

G,day all, just fluked some access to the net mid holiday. Whilst wandering around the Kioloa caravan park this week I came across a Lowline VV set up as an onsite/permanent van. Hit the search button on the VVsite but nothing shows up!! What do we know or have on these??? regards and happy new year to all Jennison

[Franklin1]

Hi Jennison, no info about Lowline vans I'm afraid. In the early 1960s you could buy a McIlwraith "Lowline" bath, and in the later 1960s you could view a Pettit & Sevitt Lowline house design. I can only presume you were not affected by the Xmas spirit when you discovered your "find", and that it wasn't a bath or a house you were looking at.

The nearest word to Lowline comes in January 1967, when we are invited to inspect the "sensational new Ambassador Lowliner" van from Viscount caravans. Does the van look like it belongs to the old style of Viscount designs??

Maybe you've found a long lost Inca treasure... ;D ;D

cheers,
Al.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Jennison,

Sounds like an interesting find. Here are a couple of possibilities (thanks to Google):

1. There's a company called Lowline Industries in Bayswater, Victoria which currently sells and hires caravans, as well as manufacturing ute canopies and roofracks, etc. Apparently they've been around since 1946. Their ute canopies are fairly common in Victoria, but I haven't ever heard of them as caravan manufacturers, but who knows. Alternatively the Lowline you've seen may have been built by somebody else and then sold (or hired out) by Lowline with their sticker/signage on it, as happened with some other dealers who liked to get their names out and about.

2. Coromal built a Lowline model in the late 80's. I wouldn't be surprised if the Lowline name was used by other makers as well, particularly when there was a trend towards lower profile, less wind resistant vans.

If you've taken some photos we may be able to get to the bottom of it.

Enjoy your holiday.

Don Ricardo

[Jennison]

Hi DonR
I didn't have the camera with me last week and I am in Nerandera this w/end helping out at the rodeo. I will however, be able to take some photos of it next week when i get back down the coast and I will email them to you. I would guess it is a mid to late 1960's VV. regards Jennison

[cobber]

G'day Jennison,

Don R. is pretty close to the mark I suspect with his assumption that somebody called Lowline stuck their name on another brand caravan.

In 1961 and 1962 there was “Lowline Caravans” at 12a Whitehorse Road Ringwood Vic. They are shown as being Agents and Hirers only.

“Greythorne” caravans were built ? at 713 Whitehorse Rd

Have a look at the “Greythorne” & “Roadmaster” threads in DHL Jeff and see if they look like the 'Van you saw.

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Cobber and Jennison,

Nice piece of info you've found with the Ringwood address, Cobber. I think it is probable that the outfit in Ringwood in '62/63 is the same as the outfit now in Bayswater. Bayswater isn't all that far from Ringwood, and quite a few businesses which once were located in places like Ringwood have relocated to Bayswater over the years.

Your suggestion about a link between Greythorne and Lowline probably isn't on the money, though I think, at least not based on the addresses. Whitehorse Road is a major artery which crosses through a large part of eastern Melbourne (a bit like Parramatta Road in Sydney) and the numbering restarts each time it goes into another local council area. So...731 Whitehorse Road, Mont Albert where Greythorne was based is about 10 kms from 12a Whitehorse Road, Ringwood.

It will be good to see Jennison's photos when he is able to get them.

Don Ricardo

[Jennison]

Just got back, there was three addresses/suburbs listed under the lowline name plate but with the phone camera it is not clear enough to see in the photo, at least on the phone screen that is. I can't remember them all but one was Ringwood I think. I will check tomorrow on my return. I have to keep on popping back to Canberra from the coast every few days to check on my mum so I will report again in a few days Jennison

PS Donricardo
I am having trouble swapping pics from phone to computer so I will send you pics of the lowline by phone

[Jennison]

Spot on Cobber,
Just to confirm, the makers label reads LOWLINE - with Croydon,Melbourne and Ringwood listed underneath. I have sent pics to DonR who will post them sometime. I know he is exceedingly busy for the next couple of weeks. regards to all .........

[Jim]

Don Ricardo

You could be correct about stickers on vans giving the impression it might be a Lowline caravan.

Lowline’s yard in The Basin that Col mentioned have hired and repaired vans for many years - certainly prior to 1970 when I was first aware of the yard.

There are always Lowline stickers on all the products they manufacture and their rental vans as well.
I still have the roofrack I bought there over thirty years ago and it still has a Lowline sticker on it.

As they would have sold off older vans over the years the stickers would probably have stayed on them.

In the absence of any other sticker on a van it could appear to be a Lowline caravan - see examples below.

Lowline stopped renting vans a few months ago and there’s about a hundred vans for sale - mostly Jayco, quite a few of them wind-ups, and most vans are 80’s 90’s

Jim


Unmistakenly a Jayco but with a Lowline sticker




It's not so obvious what brand of caravan this one is




Another van with only a Lowline sticker (Millard in this case)




The smaller Lowline sticker usually found next to the door

[bobt]

hey Jim

That second van in you photos has the colourings and the shape of a Hallmark...

Bobt

[Jim]

Thanks Bob..

I couldn't recognise what brand of van the second picture was, so I didn't comment on it..

Are there other features the brand had that might lock it in?

I can go back and take more photos down the side, around the back, or inside, if that makes a difference..

Jim

[bobt]

Hi Jim

We use to have some in the caravan club but they are long gone and so have the owners so I cannot give you any more tips on how to confirm or deny

regards

bobt

[Don Ricardo]

Hi all,

Earlier this year there was a discussion about Lowline caravans prompted by Jennison's discovery of a van with a Lowline nameplate at the Kioloa caravan park on the southern coast of NSW. Jennison sent me the pics but I missed posting them at the time (sorry, Jennison ). I have now rediscovered them:





Lowline were involved in selling and hiring out caravans of many brands over a period of many years, but were not involved in caravan manufacture. As indicated earlier in this thread, Lowline put their nameplate on the caravans they sold and/or hired.

Don Ricardo

[vintagevalerie]

Hey guys!
I just read on low lines that it was just a hire and sales! We are looking into doing up another caravan but just wondering if anyone could tell me what this caravan is?
And the year? Thanks so much in advance, our love for vintage caravans just keeps growing haha

[Deleted]

Hi vv,
Have you bought the van or just thinking about it?
Cheers
hughdeani

[shesgotthelook]

Hi Valerie, if you buy it & want to part with the stove or fridge, keep me in mind

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Vintagevalerie,

Given the shape and the combination of aluminium front, back and roof with the ply sides, I am thinking early to mid 60's, built by somebody like Roma or similar.

Hughdeani maybe able to nail it down more narrowly for you.

Don Ricardo

[vintagevalerie]

Just thinking about buying it! Haven't got it in our hands... Yet!