Wooden caravans

I am thinking of a teardrop van to replace the tent eventually. As there will normally be 2 people in it I thought a door each side would make it easier if one of us needed to go for a walk. If there was only one door odds on it will be the one on the side without the door that would need the walk!

...yep, you need 2 doors with opening windows ,gets pretty warm in there at times .....and you need to be able to get in and out without clambering over your signifigant other, or vice versa... got a couple of inside pics to give you an idea of what they are like....

.....bed is slightly narrower than a regular double , length fits me fine at 6ft n'a bit.....

...suitcase is just in there when travelling, the aluminium edged table slides in on runners ,it's basically a foldup picnic table....overhead cupboards fits a fair heap of clothes......

..pockets in doors are good for storing books,etc.....

.....windows swing out , we found you need plenty of ventilation , especially in warmer weather...

.....also has a flip up vent on top....and a bug screen

....kitchen area, also another vent from the inside .....we do have a stove that sits in where the stainless splashback is.....don't use it though as we found the cooking odours get into everything. A 12 volt battery sits under the implement drawer , runs all the lights inside.....

....also has a built in ice chest but we don't use that either , it's more use for carrying asst'd junk...... ...that's pretty much it, hope it inspires a few folks to go out and get and oldie and fix it up.......it's great fun

Thanks for showing us inside Col!! I'm impressed!! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] So much in such a wee space ... I LIKE it!!

...i've got an old Franklin that looks a bit like that CanAm....great thread Rodders, by the way....

Hi Detective - there's no markings on it and the rego is "NO LIST" . I've looked at various shapes, the Balmoral seems closest because of the slightly pointed top at the front. I think I compared to a few Franklins but discounted for some reason...but we're still not sure.

1949_pickup - Loving that "Highway Palace" - way cool. Years ago thought about doing something like that with ramps at the back to drive the race car into.

Yes Bugly I'm looking towards Alice 2015 and of coruse many other trips and I think it would look good machinery grey paint. Dave

If it wasn't for this thread I probably wouldn't have taken any notice. seems they are quite common
Bankstown today..............

Thanks for showing us inside Col!! I'm impressed!! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] So much in such a wee space ... I LIKE it!!

I totally agree...... I think the icing on the cake is the lead light windows... SWEEEET !

Thanks Gents,glad you like it....here's a few more different examples of travellin' timber.....

...a homebuilt replica of a Don , since been rebuilt and back in use....

...another homebuilt , great design on this one.....

...a Roadhaven , these were built in small numbers in Northcote, Vic....

....a SA built Roadmaster...

...a homebuilt teardrop .....looks to be on early Ford wheels....all the vans shown except the first one are from an old caravan forum event in Mildura a few years ago, cheers, Col

Here is a whole forum devoted to Globetrotter caravans, with lots of photos. The brand was major in the early 1960s, and the shape was distinctive. I suspect that the brand was positioned at the lower end of the market. After buying an EK Holden in 1962, my father hired a Globetrotter for a September holiday. By Christmas, we owned our own caravan.

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?...=display&thread=2268

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

I'm home again. This one isn't mine. It was contributed to a different forum, responding to a discussion on MG Y models. I did a lot of work to salvage the scan, made from a deteriorated slide. It is in a location which will be known to many on this forum: the summit of Moonbi Range in northern NSW. I don't think that the radiator had overheated, it was simply a good place to stop for a cuppa and relax after achieving the long steep climb.
This van must have been a 10 ft (3 m): it had a two-seat dinette across the front, kitchen right matching door & cupboard left, and a settee making a double bed across the back.

1958 MoonbiRange MG Y & caravan. EllisThornley

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

In reply 44, Dave asked about length: go back a page to reply 39, which has a construction diagram.
There are lots of youtube videos, and one links to more. Here are just three:
Unfolding this fabric one takes so long that as soon as it is set up, it is time to pack up. It makes a Propert look good:


A great USA explanation about building one:

A great USA one about the joy of camping in a teardrop:


Today: two views of a preserved or replica teardrop, taken at a national machinery rally at Murray Bridge over Sat.4 & Sun.5.5.09. This was riverside, and so several wooden launches and paddlesteamers (plus my boat) were part of the rally.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor