How old is my Globe?

[wannabenomad]

Hi all;
recently "saved" a Globe van that has been unused and left in the open for 30 years. Would really like to know more about it, especially it's age; original fitout and fittings.

Construction is bondwood sides, with flat aluminium sheet over ply/masonite rolled over front to back. Aluminium cladding added to the sides sometime post-construction - original paintwork (grey/orange) intact underneath. Interior is all wood. Painted aluminium windows. Standard layout of table/chairs at the front that convert to a single bed, retrofit 240v fridge next to sink/cupboard opposite door, no stove, wardrobe to right of door and couch that converts to double bed at rear. Water tank fitted internally under rear bed, pump on sink. No brakes. Subframe is steel angle section perimeter with hardwood crossmembers. No frame in walls; hardwood crossmembers between side walls. Pre-HQ 13" Holden rims. Annexe connected via brass tracking along top edge.

There is no number on the drawbar; however an ID plate inside reads:

PATENTED ON CONSTRUCTION
No. 15369
GLOBE CARAVANS LTD.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

I'm 5'11", but I can only stand upright in the middle 3'. after that I have to crouch. Apart from that - it's surprisingly roomy.

Can attach photo's; but not sure how.

[Deleted]

Hey there Wannabenomad, cool name by the way!

Sounds like you havea winner there! we need to get those photos happening. Your best bet is to read through this vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=1176

and follow the instructions. If you can't work it out email them to me at [e-mail] and I will post them up for you. It's very tricky the first couple of times you do it but soon it becomes easy, just like most things I guess!

Anyway what have you got planned for the old girl? sounds like she will need some work if it has been out in the open for 30 years . Are you planning to restore it original or did you have something else in mind? Unfortunately I can't help with dating your van but there will be people who can. Try looking at the down history lane section and also through the members photos section and compare yours to others. If someone knows for sure that theres is say a 1963, and yours looks the same that will help date it. Pictures will also help immensly.

Andrew

[whippy]

This is the million dollar question ??

The number you quoted is the patent number that is on all Globes. The chassis number will be close to the tow hitch, I found mine accidentally whilst cleaning the rust off the frame.

Alluminium windows? mine are wood, Cruz 's are aluminium but she has an earlier chassis number ?

Your interior sounds like it's the same layout as mine except for the water tank which may have been a later fitting, my tank is over the sink. The alumium cladding definately a leter fitting.

See this post.
vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general08&action=display&thread=4197

Also there are pics of mine and Cruz's caravans on this site.

[Cruz]

Hi,
Great another Globetrotter!
Welcome aboard.

[wannabenomad]

Thanks all for the show of interest. Attached are some photo’s; with thanks to Andrew and Jim.

It took a pressure cleaner and a plastic freezer scraper to get the moss carpet off:





Note: the hitch has “Globe” cast into it. Armed with a wire brush; I found no numbers anywhere on the hitch or A-frame.


Before I moved it:

Cleaned it. All 12v trailer lights were replaced and rewired. Bearings checked. Subchassis, springs, bobbins&bolts, U bolts checked. Vic. registered as a “Light Trailer” (under 750kg ATM - $35 a year and no inspection required). New plate – old one rusted off. The old rego label said 600kg TARE; but I’ll run it over a weighbridge when I’m finished. It’s amazingly light to push around; especially with the low rolling resistance of the crossply’s.

The Damage:

It’s now in the garage at home. The aluminium angle trim on the back left corner met an immovable object at some point; and established a leak that has rotted everything below it. Even the hardwood crossmembers across the back no longer meet the LH wall. The leak that caused rotted ply across the inside back was due to the rear window rubber receding. It caused no structural damage; but also rotted the innerspring cushions for the bed. The subchassis and floor are in fabulous condition. The vinyl tiles are curling. Some bondwood wall has delaminated below the floor line. The ceiling hatch frame rotted completely; leaving the aluminium skin and masonite attached by the winder. All external hinges have seized and/or rusted away.

Back left corner rot:
Internal Front :
Internal Rear:
Kitchen:

My Plans:

I’m nothing if not practical. I’ll be repairing it to a safe, usable condition; and then I’m going to use it. The aim is Barwon Heads in January school holidays; with Her Upstairs & self in the van; and the kids in a tent. I’ll update it a little (make safe all 240v wiring; put in a safety switch, and maybe even a mains water tap), but I also want to fit it out as original as practically possible. I’m already trying to source some accessories of the same vintage: an old hotplate/cooker, a flip-side toaster and a porcelain electric jug. The existing Hitachi fridge with Japanese writing works a treat (!), but the door is warped and the seal solidified. It’ll be fixed – no old Eskies for Mrs. W. It might even get a coat of enamel.

[whippy]

She looks great, good find. Reminds me it's about a 1964 model, the area under the front and rear windows are smoothed out.

[Franklin1]

Hi wannabenomad, nice old van there. The "Sherlock Holmes" part of me is interested in knowing if the exterior aluminium cladding is actually original or not. The photos are a bit fuzzy, but the cladding profile on the side looks similar to the stuff they were putting on vans around 1969 or later. From what I can see in my archive information, Globe were making the transition to wrap-around windows at the front in 1960 (as per winterwood's 1964 van). So, my thinking is that by 1961, probably all Globe Trotters had wrap-around windows at the front, but I don't have enough evidence of that yet.

My first impressions of your van are that it has a "re-clad" look about it. Is there any evidence of a plywood/bondwood exterior underneath any of the aluminium cladding??

cheers,
Al.

[wannabenomad]

Hi Franklin1

Exterior Alum cladding is definitely post-production.

Attached are a couple of photo’s where I’ve cut away some rot. Sides are a single sheet of plyboard – no frame; no lining; nothing. Ply section cut out has an external coat of grey enamel.



The side cladding was installed later and comes in “strips”; allowing secret screwing.

The back (and all over from front to back) has narrow hardwood crossmembers with masonite and flat alum sheet as an outside cladding; and 3-ply as inside cladding.

Not a lot holding it together really…

[whippy]

I hate to say this, but it is the 10 mm plywood sides that give the van it's strength, if the ply is gon e, then you will either have to build a frame to give it strength or simple replace the ply walls.

If you are handy with a jig saw & like working with wood, it's not hard to do. I had the new side in mine in a week !!! that's working full time on it.

There are plenty of people on here that can give you the right advice, you can PM me anytime, if you are not too far away I can come & have a look if you like.

Have a look at my posts in the technical section headed "restoring the side of my globetrotter."

[beetlesbailey]

This van different to any globe trotter I've seen. (I'm not saying it's not a Globe)
313 Royal and I stripped globe trotter number 2839 yesterday for parts. (we both have globeys)
This is different to both of ours, and yours is nothing like these 3 vans.
Let me try to remember all the differences between these vans.
But first, could you sand back your draw bar 6-8'' rback from of front of side angles. I'm SURE you will find a 4 digit number on the outer edge of the angle at the top.
Chris (313 Royal) has a 12 foot G.T.number 2542. Inside on the robe behind the sceen door is an ETSA (electricity trust South Australia) compliance sticker with the date ? feb. 1964.
This is our best guess as to age but one day we all hope to have better knowledge.
My van is # 2813 and a 14 footer with an ETSA sticker on the front near side window that has deteriorated so that I cant read the date.but I guess it's later than 64.
Chris and my vans are very similar style, fittings etc.
My cupboard door knobs and catches are the same style but his are black whilst mine are white.
His front overhead storage has a 'kidney shaped opening without doors and mine has normal cupboards with doors.
His has wooden frame flyscreens, nine are white ally.
both have had ice boxes replaced with fridges that are different.

The parts van is # 2839 with no ETSA sticker anywhere.
The ally outside cladding is the same diamond pattern as ours but it stops about a foot above the front window and the roof is ply down the back wall too. Except for a peice of ally about 4" that covers the sharp angular point where the wall and roof meet. It starts at the rear window and stops 1" along the roof.
We both comented on how odd this was when our lower numbered vans have full ally front to back, roof included.
Was there an ally shortage in the factory or something?
the roof of this parts van overhung the sides by 1" with a ply moulding cut to the roof profile and the foof ply and ally covering the top edge and annexe channel screwed through it all.
The curved ends to this ply moulding were cut from solid timber.
The interior had been changed so much it had little resmblance to ours except to say the side cupboards were as chris' 12'.
Now to your van First thing that strikes me is the shape.
Both ends (in particular the rear) curve out a LOT more than any I' ve seen.
The roof has a steeper rise in it too. Appearing 'pointyer' at the top.
Your rear window is the same width top and bottom where ours are wider at the top, both front and rear windows are like this. Your draw bar/A frame looks to be made of a smaller angle and the jockey wheel bracket is different and on the opposite side to others.
your windows look like wood with glass rubbered in. I think you said they were painted ally,but the photo doesn't show clear enough for me to see that.
Inside, yours has corner quad mouldings whereas others have none.
your white inside door knobs and catches are the same as mine.
I haven't the skills to post photos yet but did send a lot to 'Winterwood'. maybe he can post some showing these differences.
Good luck with your resto and dont hesitate to contact me if you need to.
regards Graham

[Franklin1]

The reason I queried the cladding on wannabenomad's van is because it looked a lot like the earlier Globe vans, such as these...

This is (was) lacem's van:



This one is about to end on ebay, and has the chassis no. 1281:



And this is wannabenomad's van:



I also wonder whether wannabenomad's van used to have that little elongated window on the offside, probably above the kitchen would it be?

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

Beetlesbailey, if you read this, can I just clarify some of your info above about 313royal's Globe. Is this the same van of Chris's that has the chassis number 2542?



cheers,
Al.

[whippy]

Des & Kelly, looking at Highway's post, maybe you van is a lot earlier, I thought the rounder shape came later.

[jezza4all]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and I have a Globe Trotter Gold Coaster No. 2984. I will post up a pick....




Hope these help to solve the mystery of dates....