Land Cruiser Caravans.

[griffin]

This little advertisement is from The Argus (Melb.) 8 January, 1938 and claims the company to be "Australia's Largest and Most Up to Date Caravan Company".

Caravan Construction - The Argus (Melb) 8-1-38.jpg (27.17 KiB) Viewed 950 times

George

[griffin]

In what I hope has been a relatively systematic search relating to caravans on Trove I recently came across advertising for the first time for the Caravan Construction Co. in The Argus, 9-5-1936.

The address given at this time was 20 Collins Street, North Brighton.

They were offering vans for sale or hire and for prospective buyers to visit their factory at that address. Also offered were parts for those wanting to build their own vans and it is not likely they had just started their business, but their name has not cropped up prior to this date in my searches. If only I knew how and where to access old business records!!

22-The Argus (Melb) 9-5-1936.jpg (63.18 KiB) Viewed 934 times

In The Argus 25-7-1936 another advertisement, but this time their factory address is given as 243 Bay Street, North Brighton.

37-The Argus 25-7-1936.jpg (24.53 KiB) Viewed 934 times

Then an advertisement in The Argus, 29-8-1936 links them to the Land Cruiser caravan, which had not been mentioned in prior advertising, not by name at least.

On 24-10-1936 a further advertisement appeared in The Argus, pretty much the usual double format, although offering a new range of cheaper vans, but the top advertisement is for Caravan Construction Co. while the bottom one is for Caravan Construction and Hire Co. Pty. Ltd., indicating at least a change to the structure of the company? Subsequent advertising carried the new name. And talk about keen, inspections offered at the factory day or night!

78-The Argus (Melb) 24-10-1936.jpg (66.06 KiB) Viewed 934 times

And finally for 1936, The Argus, 21-11-1936 had a new style advertisement with a picture of a van.

100-the ARgus (Melb) 21-11-1936.jpg (34.7 KiB) Viewed 934 times

George

[griffin]

A full page advert from 'Table Talk' magazine 1-10-1937.

George

[Richard]

Another great find George, well done.
Its amazing what you can find on trove when you have the time.

[griffin]

Here's another Land Cruiser picture from The Australasian newspaper (new on Trove) 22-6-1935.

The same photo appeared in The Argus on the 13-6-1935 in connection with the Motor Show exhibits but the make was not identified.

Fortunately this photo is better quality and shows a couple of interesting features. No lantern roof is the most obvious for a Land Cruiser. It seems to have a substantial wooden sub-frame with 3 or 4 x 2 timber evident. The most unusual thing for me is the very recessed door, and similarly recessed storage doors front and rear. There also appears to be no side windows and in every way it just seems very "un-Land Cruiser" given other photos of them. It makes me wonder if the journalist got it right, I've found that they didn't on occasions, so it will have to stand at face value for the moment I guess.

George

[donricardo]

G'day Griffin,

I have the same question marks over the above photo as you. Apart from anything else, it's hard to imagine that the van is quite big enough to fit in all the features listed, and we do know that it was not uncommon for the wrong photos to get attached to articles. However, until we find an alternative origin for the van I guess we stick with the Land Cruiser theory...

Regarding the little recessed 'hatches' for and aft you referred to, if you look carefully I think they are the location for the handles to secure the stabiliser legs. Not dissimilar in purpose to the knurled knobs seen on some other vans such as the South Australian Roadcruiser caravans.

Don Ricardo

[griffin]

This advertisement was published in Table Talk magazine 20-5-1937 with details of exhibits at the 1937 International Motor Show in Melbourne.

A less detailed version has been posted previously.

George