Our Touring Past

Hi Richard

Just to let you know I have received some photos re Properts including the same two of which are on your site.

Wasnt sure if you had this one as well

Regards
Myvan

Propert advertisement from Modern Motor magazine, May 1964.

With the help of Bill Propert we have come across this 1940's photo of this very interesting caravan at the Australian World Fair. If you look closely at the sign in the window of the van it reads "Propert's Pty Ltd".
So this would be one of the caravans that Thomas Propert Snr and Jnr had built in the 1940's after they had left the Properts Motor Body Works and started Propert's Pty Ltd.
One of the interesting things on the "Special" model is the small propellor on the front of the van that would have charged the caravan batteries while the van was moving.
The sign below reads.
"The Open Road" Caravan.
"Special" Model. $275.
Propert's Pty Ltd. L 5011
Since Bill found this photo, I have found more information on the Open Road Caravan that was made by Properts.

How To Identify The Year Of Your Propert.

There are a few simple ways to help identify the year of your Propert Folding Caravan.

The first and most obvious is to look at the ID plate at the rear of the caravan. Your serial No will be a 2 but mostly 3 digit number and from about 1965 on you will have 1 number before these 3 and from 1970 you will have 2 numbers before these 3, which signifies the year. Check the serial No against the other Properts listed in the Register.
Click HERE and scroll down to the Propert Register.

And if your Serial No isnt listed in the register let me know so I can keep the register up dated.
But some Caravans do not have an ID plate or the ID plate could be from another older or later model.

So if the plywood under the ID Plate is original, or if you are missing your ID Plate, to the bottom left corner at the back, there should be a stamp as shown in the photo below. You may need to sand the paintwork slightly as it may have been painted over.
Now if your Propert doesnt have its ID Plate, and you cannot find the serial No stamped into the back of the van, it starts to get a bit harder to accurately date your van, as there were not that many modifications made to the vans over the 20 years that they were produced, but some time in 1966 Tom Propert changed the round "porthole" windows to a "square" type window and about this time the first Fastback Models were produced.

In Jan 1998 our Vauxhall Club held its National Rally at the Sport and Recreation facilities at Lake Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast. My latent interest in caravans, especially a Propert, found me drooling over this find in one of the lean to sheds Apparently used to store and transport camping equipment at the facility, it wasn't registered. With only a skeleton staff there during our stay I was advised to make contact when normal operations resumed. In due course I wrote asking as to the possible acquistion of the van but never received a response so let the idea go Now I realise it probably wouldn't have been a good idea, it has been modified to provide a permanent door opening at the rear through what would normally open to become the front roof It become a box trailer with a roof and rear entry door. Wonder if is still there No doubt it could be put right with time and effort, and cash
George

I have been lucky enough to meet a gentleman that has a vast collection of Historic Caravan brochures from the early 1940 up till the 1970's, that his father had collected and held in storage from motor and caravan shows over the years.

Here is a very early 1953/54 Propert Folding Caravan flyer where it is advertised as a Propert Trail-A-Cabin.

I won this fantastic little brochure on ebay last week, luckily it had been listed in the wrong category so no one else bid on it.
Iam not sure what year it was from but it is nearly the same as most of the other brochures only it has a green shading. I will contact Bill and see if he can shed any light on it.
Richard.

A little reminder card that was sent out prior to Christmas to remind you to get your order in early to have your van ready for the Christmas holidays or the new year.

I met up with Colin and Sue on the weekend who have kindly gave me some Propert information that they found in a piano stool that their son had purchased.
It is all of the paper work for the purchase of Propert No 228 from when it was first ordered in October 1963, and the purchase receipt , rego papers and cover note for when it was picked up in 16 December 1963. ( just in time for Christmas holidays.)
It is interesting that I have Propert 228 on my list already But I do not have any information on its where abouts or who owns it. So if the owner of 228 is out there let me know as I can pass on the information.

Hi Richard,

That's a nice find, particularly with the details in the letter to Mr Wattling.

That sort of documentation doesn't turn up very often. The only trouble is that in this case you've got the documentation but we don't know where the van is! Hopefully the owner will put his or her hand up at some point.

Don Ricardo