Franklin chassis number Register

[joshvb]

Hi all, I have just purchased an old beauty of a caravan which after some research have figured it to be a 1967 Franklin safari, correct me if I’m wrong. The number on the draw bar is 17707, I’ll try and attach a photo. Trying to figure out as much as I can about these vans as I’m renovating it but trying to keep it as original as possible, cheers.

[teamkinson1971]

Hi

We are new to this forum after buying a Franklin Regent, we were told by the previous owners that she is a 1979 van however, after looking through these posts we are not so sure as the numbers are 6201-1. Are we correct in thinking our old girl is older than we thought? and is actually 1971 making her a classic?

Any help is gratefully appreciated.

Team Kinson

[Franklin1]

G'day Team Kinson, and welcome to the forum!😁

Yes, you are correct in believing your van is from 1971...the number 1 after the hyphen is confirmation.

You can get more information/support on our sister "Classic Caravans" forum if you wish to.

Cheers,
Al.

[teamkinson1971]

Thank you for your reply I'll check out the Classic Caravans forum.

[aussieboxy]

I'm trying to identify a Franklin Serial 7561-2

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Aussieboxy,

Your van is a 1972 Franklin Regent (as indicated by the ‘-2’ in the serial number), and was the 7,561st van built by Franklin that year. I’d expect that would indicate that it was built in the second half of the year, and possibly in the last few months of the year.

Hope that helps.

Don Ricardo

[shaneo]

I have 1150-3 Franklin Caravelle so I’m thinking it’s a 1973??

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Shaneo,

You are correct. Your van was built in 1973, and was the 1,150th built that year. So that would suggest it was built fairly early in the year..

Don Ricardo

[shaneo]

On closer inspection the -3 is actually -8, so ‘68 now

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Shaneo,

That makes a lot of sense. I didn't have my brain in gear when I replied to your previous post. The Caravelle model stopped production in 1969, so I should have picked up that 1973 couldn't have been correct. However, 1968 fits the known facts!

Don Ricardo

[jacobteesdale]

Trying to figure out what this represents R78TO1723 it is welded on my draw bar (Chassis number?)

[shesgotthelook]

Hello & welcome. That sounds like a VicRoads issued VIN/Chassis number. If you cannot identify the caravan when registering, they will issue you a number.

Regards,
SGTL

[nad75]

Hi, I've just started looking at vintage bands. Recently found a can in interested in but wasn't too certify it's age etc. The ad says 1976 but the serial number suggests '75.

According to an old registration sticker expired 2003 photographed it is a 1900 Franklin Caravan, S/N 0754614

Any information to help me find information would be fantastic.

TIA

[hughdeany]

Hi and welcome nad75,
Best way is to put up a picture of the van,1900 on the rego means age unknown.
Chassis number will also help,serial number on the rego is not the chassis number.
Cheers
hughdeany

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Nad75,

Welcome to the forum. As Hughdeany has said, the serial number on the rego sticker is not the actual serial number or chassis number of the van. You'll find that created out of weld on the drawbar. If you can tell us what it is, we can give you the build date of the van.

If you can post a pic of the caravan, we can also tell you the model if you need that info.

There's info on how to post photos on the forum if you click here. Just note, though, because you're posting on your mobile, there's an extra step needed so you can find the 'Add Attachment' button. It's explained in the link.

We'll be glad to help you out if we can.

Don Ricardo

[earl]

I purchased a Franklin camper. It had a Franklin sticker that was painted over on the front frame. The chassis number is 83. Does anyone have any idea of when it was built?

[Don Ricardo]

Photos of Earl's camper received by email:

---

Hi Earl,

Welcome to the Forum and thanks for the photos of your camper, or caravan as we would call it in Australia.

I am judging from the placement of the door of your camper on the left side of the camper, and the style of windows, that you are located in North America (USA or Canada)? While we are always very pleased to hear from vintage caravanners from around the world on the Forum, the Forum's focus - and our knowledge base - is Australian vintage caravans, so unfortunately I don't think we will be able to assist you very much with dating your van.

As I think you've discovered, there was a Franklin caravan manufacturing company operating in Australia in the past. Commencing as a back yard producer in the late 1940's, Franklin was amongst the top three or four caravan manufacturers in Australia in the 1960's and 1970's, based on the number of caravans produced during that period. However, there was no corporate or legal connection that we are aware of between the Australian Franklin company and the business producing Franklin caravans in the US. In Australia, the name 'Franklin' was adopted by the company's founder from the name of his childhood home which was 'Franklin'.

Having said that, the Australian Franklin company did for a short while produce a caravan shaped like your camper with a 'bed over the drawbar' design which is described as the 'split-level Franklin "Arrow"' in the photo below, but which is often referred to as a Franklin Penthouse:

(Source:  K Winser, Caravan Manual 71 and Tourist Park Guide, 23rd edition, 1971, page 185)

The Franklin Arrow was a regular, single-level caravan, and the Penthouse looks like a regular Arrow from the 'hump' backwards.  The Franklin Penthouse model was introduced in 1970 for the 1970/71 season.

You can see that the concept was the same as your Franklin, and it would not surprise me if the Australian design was based on the US concept.  Although Australian caravan designs have been by and large unique to Australia, Australian manufacturers have sometimes drawn on overseas styling cues or ideas.  If this is the case with our Franklin Penthouse, that might suggest that the US 'bed over the drawbar' concept was developed earlier than our 1970 caravan, even if your van is not as old as that.  Alternatively, if the US Franklin company did get the idea of your van from the Australian company then that would suggest that your van was later than 1970.

I'm afraid that's not much help to you in dating your van.  Certainly I don't know how to interpret the '83' chassis number.  However, I'm very happy to continue the conversation.

Don Ricardo

[killawatt]

Recently bought what was once a Franklin pop top till the previous owner made it solid. I'm trying to register it but cannot for the life of me find a compliance plate. They are saying I need month year of manufacture,chassis no, gvm,and model.
I've located the gvm (1050) and chassis no (Y914.) on an old rego sticker (although the chassis number on the drawbar looks like it starts with a V not a Y....)
I understand from what I've read here the Y is 1977 but how do I figure out what month and model?

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Killawatt,

Welcome to the Forum and thanks for telling us about your Franklin.

You are correct that the 'Y' in the serial number indicates that your van was built in 1977. Unfortunately that's the only information that Franklin coded into the serial number; it doesn't tell us what model it is. However, the '914' in the serial number does tell us it was the 914th caravan built by Franklin in that year. At that stage Franklin was building maybe 8,000+ caravans per year, so my guess is that number 914 would have been built in the first couple of months of 1977, possibly February or March, depending on how constant their production was, and how long the Christmas/New Year lay off.

Regarding the model, if you can show us some photos of your van, someone on the forum will be able to tell you what it is I'm sure. There's info on how to post photos if you click here.

We'll certainly help you if we can.

Don Ricardo

[killawatt]

Thanks Don Ricardo, I appreciate the help

I'll try to work out how to put some pictures up. I'll try to do it on my computer later as it's not giving me the option to put them up from my phone. Hopefully if someone knows the model they may know where to look for a compliance plate too, and maybe I'll get an accurate month from that. The bloke I bought it from didn't have papers because he never transferred ownership and it was still registered.
Hopefully I can get it sorted cause it's a great little van and I'm hoping to restore it and take the family on some good holidays

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Killawatt,

Yes, it's a bit of pain. You should have no trouble on a PC or laptop or even a tablet. But on a mobile you need to scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tick 'Desktop' after which the 'Add Attachment' button appears, or at least it does on an iPhone! If you try that and find it doesn't work can you please let me know and tell me what type of phone you are using? Thanks, it would be useful to know what works and what doesn't.

Anyway, if you can't get the photo thing to work, feel free to email me some photos and I'll post them for you. My email is [e-mail]

Don Ricardo

[uw4nt]

My misses and I Just purchased a Franklin ‘74 I believe. chassis number V2943 picking it up tomorrow couldn’t find a vin plate. And the chassis number doesn’t come up on Vic Roads. is there anyway I can find out where it was originally registered and what its original vin was?
It’s solid even window glass is complete but it’s been mostly stripped out inside. Bed and table are gone. wardrobe Looks like it was turned into a grow room or something it has a big hole in the side of it so it’ll be going. Does still have the original kitchen and fridge. Not sure if they’re working but they probably are just need to clean up. I’ll be going to if anybody’s looking for original stuff you welcome to it. Though, I am undecided about the fridge if It does work. Are they an old three-way gas, 12 V and 240? So first will be strip the paint make sure it’s all sealed up good. Then we’ll workout the inside. Completely new 12v power system so all the 240 lead does is run the chargers if your parked in the shade. Can’t wait to get it all polished up.
I’ll put pics up tomorrow night.

[hughdeany]

Hi uw4nt,
Your van wouldnt have a vin number as they didn’t come out until 1989 and were 17 letters and numbers stamped on the top of the A frame.
Your x number is all your van would have had,so don’t know how you will find out otherwise.If the van has been stripped you will need to brace it before moving as Franklins of that era don’t have a frame as such,it’s sandwich panel with minimum wooden framework around windows etc,so it will collapse if not braced internally( there have been quite a few that have done this whilst driving down the freeway!
The fridge if it’s original will be gas/electric only,12 volt came along much later.Your fridge must be level to work and takes about 6-12 hours to get properly cold,it’s silent and you will feel heat building up on the sink above and heat coming out of the top vent on the exterior.
Looking forward to seeing pics
Cheers
hughdeany