aluminium window frame and pictures

[surfingyogini]

I think I might cry... We've just got home having driven for 4 hours with a screaming baby and temperamental toddler (and got caught in freak hour) towing our new pride and joy only to find that one of the aluminium window frames has fallen off along the way. Yes, we checked before we left, yes, we gaffa taped down the ones that looked dodgy in any way - no, this one wasn't gaffered... if anyone is driving between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and sees a window with opaque perspex in it by the side (or in the middle) of the road please, please, please stop and collect it for me and I will be forever in your debt.

Alternatively, if anyone has a spare lying around I'd be eternally grateful! ;D ;D ;D

Photos to come soon of our new highway (yep, the one for sale below! Collected her today!). I haven't been able to find any others on here and we'd love to know what they were like originally so if owners of Winser books could scour their collections for images of '58 Highways, especially the internals but outside too that would much appreciated. We're looking at restoring the inside first as we can do that in bibs and bobs and will then turn our attention to the outside (which has been clad in aluminium). The awning should be finished by the end of the week fingers crossed - and machine willing! ;D ;D

Liz

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Surfingyogini,

Really sorry to hear about the mishap with your window. Something like that dampens the excitement a bit, doesn't it? If it's any consolation you're not the only one to have lost something on the way home, although in most cases it has been a hatch.

I hope you manage to either locate the window or find a replacement. Highway Caravans used to have an extensive caravan parts business, so the chances are that your windows have been used by other caravan builders and aren't unique to Highways. Anyway, when you get a chance you may like to post a photo of the type of window it is with the dimensions. Maybe another VV'er has a window to fit stored away in their shed...

I can't help with a pic of a 1958 Highway, but below is a pic of a Highway caravan from the 1961 edition of Winser's Australian Caravan and Touring Manual (p 138) which may or may not help you, depending on how similar it it in overall style to yours.



According to the info provided by Winser, in 1961 Highway was producing vans as follows (although the extract above refers to seven models ):

• 10 ft 6 in - Aluminium
  
• 11 ft 6 in - Celastic covered
  
• 12 ft 6 in - Rescote or bondwood
  
• 14 ft - Aluminium
  
• 15 ft - Rescote or bondwood
  

My guess is that in 1958 all of the vans would have been bondwood, but who knows? You'll only get a idea about yours if you take some of the aluminium cladding off and see what's underneath.

I assume you've already looked at the Highway thread in the Down History Lane section? If not you may find some info to help you there - click here. I'll post the pic from Winser on that thread as well.

Don Ricardo

[surfingyogini]

Thanks Don, ours definitely has some similarities to the one below - I think the door must have been replaced at some point as its not got the barn door that the other highways seem to have and our interior is quite different too - couldn't even find a match in the pics on the slv site... I've peeled back a bit of the aluminium and underneath there is painted wood so I'm figuring that it was recladded (is that a word?) a some point.

Our missing window is (was) 77com x 33cm and looked like this:


I've posted some pics in the photo section for those that are interested.

Liz.

[Franklin1]

G'day Liz,

The windows in your van are the wind-out version that was introduced into the market around 1973. Most vans from the 1970s made after 1973 will have this style of window. The big challenge will be to find the same size as yours. I've discovered that these things were made in a number of different sizes, so it ain't easy to track down another one that's just the right size.

It appears that the outside of your van has been given a 'modernised' appearance in the 1970s or later. It's possible there have also been some changes made to the inside framework and panelling, to allow the new windows to fit neatly. The wind-out windows you've got do tend to look a bit smaller than the original size Highway windows in the history photos.

I don't suppose there's any chance of being able to retrace your journey where you lost the window? I'm just thinking in terms of successful outcomes:

chances of finding lost window = one in a million...

chances of finding another one somewhere else = one in a million.

Yeah...I know...four hours in the car...little children...who needs it?!!

As a "temporary" measure, you could explore the option of putting a sheet of perspex into the remaining window frame (or did you actually lose the complete frame, not just the glass/frame that winds out?)

Two of the windows in the ebay listing you posted are 760 x 310 versus your 770 x 330. This shows how the window sizes vary slightly between the different brands of vans, and how difficult it is to get hold of an exact match.

Losing a window = Real bummer!!

cheers,
Al.

[surfingyogini]

Thanks for that info Al, what would the original windows have looked like? How did they open?

We decided to hedge our bets and drove back to Brisbane looking for a lost window... No joy but it narrows out search! If anyone is driving beaudesert rd, Logan motorway or the gateway motorway northbound, please keep your eyes peeled for aforementioned window...

[Franklin1]

It's hard to say whether the original windows were timber or aluminium. Either way they would have been hinged at the top, and opened by pushing the bottom out. To hold them in the "out" position, either telescopic stays on each side were used, with a little locking nut to fix them in position; or a single rigid stay in the centre bottom position, which locked into a bracket.

I'm really just guessing about the original windows in your van, but I'm inclined to think they might have been timber framed. Let's say, for argument's sake, your van was built in 1955. Twenty years later in 1975, somebody decides they are fed up with the rotting timber frames, and the deteriorating condition of the bondwood van, and decide to get it clad in aluminium, plus get the latest wind-out aluminium windows to boot. That scenario makes sense to me.

But, what if it already had aluminium windows? Wouldn't it be easier/cheaper to keep them and just put new cladding on? That would make sense to my pocket. I realise we'll never know what was influencing the owners at the time of the change, but my thinking is that if your van had aluminium windows when it was built, then they would still be on the van.

cheers,
Al.

[surfingyogini]

Thanks Al! One other question (for now! ) but we're hoping to take the aluminum off and return her to a more original state. Do you think this is possible? A good idea???

[cruisindoug]

Hi Liz - glad to see you got yourself a nice van , sorry about the window though. We went out to gatton via Logan motorway and gateway and back yesterday no sign of your window unfortunately.
Good luck with the replacement and other stuff you are doing with your van
Cheers, Doug and Tracy.

[Franklin1]

G'day Liz,

...we're hoping to take the aluminum off and return her to a more original state. Do you think this is possible?

Absolutely! Anything is possible if you have the skills, time, and money! ;D

A good idea???

No.

But not because you don't have the skills and money. It's the "time" issue. Two little children and the normal demands of life equals "no time" to be mucking around with fixing up old caravans. Best to make sure this one is waterproof, and then muck around doing little 'fix-up' jobs on the inside only. Things you can do in a day or two or three. Get out and enjoy the van basically as it is. Get the 'feel' for these old vans. Learn as much as you can about them, and what you would do differently if you ever bought another one. And then in a year or two or three, sell this one and go buy that other one that matches your ideal picture. In the meantime, enjoy this one as much as you can.

cheers,
Al.

[surfingyogini]

Ah, if only I'd seen your response earlier Al... I think we may be too far gone to look back now after unscrewing a join in the aluminium and peering underneath to see beautiful bondwood with a classic "highway stripe" (just the same as the picture above!)... Hopefully I can convince both my father and hubby to take a few weeks off over christmas to work on the van. Perhaps I can bribe them with the lure beer and christmas fare (or I could trade presents for time and manual labour!)... il then though I'm doing as you suggested and focussing on the interior. Will post photos in the members photos section to let you all know of my progress.

Doug, thanks for keeping your eyes out for me, Gatton and back in a day is a bit of a mission! I'm sure something will turn up when the time (and price) is right, 'til then I'll just have to do with the dodgy ply job that is keeping it sealed at the moment...

[rodp]

I have a window of that style and I think the size you want.Can you measure the overall width & height of the whole frame (in Millimetres) .Only trouble is I am in NSW .You can have the window free of charge you'll just be up for freight.
regards, Rod

[surfingyogini]

Rod, you.re a bl**dy legend! The exact measurements of the frame is 770mm x 370mm... If you PM me, I can give you my address and can pop some money in your bank account to cover postage if thats what works! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[rodp]

Sorry, the width is OK but what I have is only 300mm high. Bugger.
regards, Rod

[surfingyogini]

Ah. So near and yet so far! Thanks anyway! Will cross my fingers and wait patiently until I find the perfect one! Thanks again...
Liz