CrestaCraft New Zealand

[philouise]

not sure where to place this thread-certainly won't be in members photos for a while, anyway.
Saw this van some time ago near home.



the draw bar was almost rusted off at the van front, van had no clearance (no springs), and inside was badly water damaged, so i decided it was too much work



then one day louise says to me"oh, you can have it"



so here it is at home.



always wanted a bay window



the missus, kids,grandkid & his dog all jump in and sit up the back.Van pops off the towball.That was lucky.Here i am, telling others to hire a tilt tray.



inside front

[philouise]

couldnt fit all the photos in-thought they were small enough-apparently not.



inside back



gas light and tow system(push down to release from ball



cooler by crestacraft.



veneer peeling off (top left)



suspension system with chassis "surface rust "



and side window manufacturer



nearly forgot the kitchen sink.

I have contacted crestacraft but they haven't made vans since the 80's (just boats now) and couldnt help with a year of manufacture.

cheers, phil.

[kiwi]

i remember seeing these when i was a kid caravaning with my parents
i think it would be 1967-1971 model
its close to this one

cheers kiwi

[cobber]

G'day Phil,

In response to your PM I thought I would answer on your thread.

In the book "Vantastic a Pictorial History of Caravans in New Zealand " There is mention of "Cresta Craft" caravans.

They were founded by Don Killner in 1957. He started by making traditional English style caravans calling them Royale and Caravella.

Killner pitched his caravans at the upper end of the market.

The book indicates he started building fibre glass 'vans.... but they don't say exactly when.
In the late 1970s he rode out the economic slump by only using fibre glass on the front and back ends.

He died in 1987 and the company was sold to Graeme McCaw.

How is the restoration of your Cresta going Phil.... it looks like it is one of the early ones

Cobber.

[mudmullett]

Hi just found this forum and while looking for info on a caravan that i am re building i found this posting for Crestacraft New Zealand from Nov 1967 until 1972 . There where 9 staff working in the caravan shop while i do not remember this van as i think it was built before i started i seem to remember the cladding having crease along the length at around 150mm which when fixed on the van formed a bulge and gave the panel some shape and looked a lot better than the flat panel.
While i was there we had a visit from some over seas builders who told us that our vans where among the best in the world and that they would consider them as the Rolls Royce of vans. I now live in Port Macquarie NSW and love to know how this van is going.

[philouise]

Wow how amazing to "talk" to someone who knows Crestacraft. We have been restoring her on and off now for quite some time and I'm afraid to say still have a long way to go. We have had no luck discovering her age and we wondered what year or years you worked for Crestacraft.
Look forward to your reply, and will try to find some more recent photos to post. Good luck with your van rebuilding.
Cheers Phil and Louise

[crestacraft]

I don't know if you are still restoring the Cresta craft caravan.
I have one exactly like the one photographed and it's registered in 1963. If you're still there please request photos.
Cheers Peter