Re: Chesney.
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:22 pm
I had an email From Steve K_____ last week enquiring whether or not I would be interested in a 1970's 62 page Chesney catalogue. I quickly replied and Steve has kindly donated the catalogue to the National Caravan Museum.
From Steve.
Richard,
In the mail to you today (Express Post because that’s what was handy), so probably should arrive tomorrow.
Since you have the museum I thought some provenance might be useful:
This came with a van we purchased I think in 1998 and have since sold. It was 1974 vintage, 16', had single axle and 6 berths - 4 singles 2 above 2 at the rear and the table at the front that converted to a double.
We bought it (because we couldn’t find one to rent) for a family holiday from Brisbane to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide then home, with many stops on the way. We joined the top and bottom berths together so we had a queen bed at the top and similar at the bottom. The 3 kids were on the bottom and as our daughter was quite young she could fit with the centre cupboard still in place and it saved having to drop the table and make up the bed each night.
It came with everything still in place - an annexe, steps, skirt, spare tyre, crockery (china), cutlery, tea towels, etc and of course this catalogue! - I think it was a deceased estate and so the family just sold it was it was.
We towed it with a Nissan Patrol and it rode really well without the need for sway bars (they were included too). Eventually I decided to swap the axle to below the springs to raise it to match the Patrol which worked well. It had mechanical brakes that worked well.
We progressively broke all the china by forgetting to close the cupboards, broke a window because it wasn’t latched properly, etc, but that’s all part of the process i’m sure.
As it was quite old the particleboard interior was degrading at the slightest sniff of moisture and all the plastic fittings were gradually failing and it leaked a bit in a few places - all typical!
We kept if for quite a few years after the initial trip using it for many beach holidays and trips to the Bunyas etc. It then went to a friends farm whilst they built a house and they then sold it for me in 2005 to a fellow who took it out west as quarters for shearing.
Regards
Steve
Photos of Steve's Chesney.
Richard,
In the mail to you today (Express Post because that’s what was handy), so probably should arrive tomorrow.
Since you have the museum I thought some provenance might be useful:
This came with a van we purchased I think in 1998 and have since sold. It was 1974 vintage, 16', had single axle and 6 berths - 4 singles 2 above 2 at the rear and the table at the front that converted to a double.
We bought it (because we couldn’t find one to rent) for a family holiday from Brisbane to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide then home, with many stops on the way. We joined the top and bottom berths together so we had a queen bed at the top and similar at the bottom. The 3 kids were on the bottom and as our daughter was quite young she could fit with the centre cupboard still in place and it saved having to drop the table and make up the bed each night.
It came with everything still in place - an annexe, steps, skirt, spare tyre, crockery (china), cutlery, tea towels, etc and of course this catalogue! - I think it was a deceased estate and so the family just sold it was it was.
We towed it with a Nissan Patrol and it rode really well without the need for sway bars (they were included too). Eventually I decided to swap the axle to below the springs to raise it to match the Patrol which worked well. It had mechanical brakes that worked well.
We progressively broke all the china by forgetting to close the cupboards, broke a window because it wasn’t latched properly, etc, but that’s all part of the process i’m sure.
As it was quite old the particleboard interior was degrading at the slightest sniff of moisture and all the plastic fittings were gradually failing and it leaked a bit in a few places - all typical!
We kept if for quite a few years after the initial trip using it for many beach holidays and trips to the Bunyas etc. It then went to a friends farm whilst they built a house and they then sold it for me in 2005 to a fellow who took it out west as quarters for shearing.
Regards
Steve
Photos of Steve's Chesney.
