Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure how many Aussies are on this site, but I am one of them. I have just purchased what I believe to be the only Stephens and West Stirling caravan in Australia, imported some time during the 1960s or 1970s.

I am therefore joining up to try and tap into the collective knowledge of any vintage caravan enthusiasts who can help me with any renovation tips and also with help in dating her.

The very last URL link on this post is the serial number. I am told the first two digits are the year. In this case, if true, the year is 1951. But I am a little dubious about that date - the fellow who sold it to me said it was a 1958 and yet another post on this forum with what looked like the exact looking caravan said it was an early 60's one.

Thanks in advance, I would really appreciate your help.

I am doing a renovation blog also, found at the following address:

www.stirlingcaravan.wordpress.com

Photos on Photobucket to assist you to help me are as follows:

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/theserialnumber_zps1999300f.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/thetwoberthandsittingarea_zps071d000b.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/originalgasfridgethatstillworks_zps07f24dce.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/sterlingonthewayhomenumber2_zps264c5f89.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/originalgasstoveandoven_zpsc6dcc06b.jpg

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o690/nickward777/thekitchensink_zps365f21b3.jpg

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Welcome to the nut house mate Wink

Really like the van. For me, who isn´t very good at dating british vans, I would say that the end of the fifties isn´t far off. Base that mainly on the fridge which looks original and of a type which was common before, say, 1965. Is it an Elextrolux?? The hob cooker looks the standard one/form from anywhere from the middle of the fiffties to the beginning of the 70s Rolling Eyes

The interior looks more into the 60s than the beginning of the 50s but nothing was really standard in those days. Best would be to get in contact with others with Sterlings and compare notes. Close up of the lights and other fixtures would be interesting. Again it looks like a nice classic van (especially with the wheel -spats- etc) Very Happy

Look forward to some more detailed pics Wink

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi Alan,
Yes the fridge is the original Electrolux that still works, although I haven't been game to light her up without a gasfitter looking at it first! I have lots of photos of all the light fittings (original gas lamps are all still in it), so will post these up. There are lots of renovation shots on the wordpress blog (www.stirlingcaravan.wordpress.com) if you are interested. Thanks for the reply.
Nick.

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Great blog mate! Look forward to seeing the continuation.
Take some more pics of the fridge (both inside and out) and get the model number. It looks to be one of the earliest models I´ve seen. I´ve a mains fridge from the beginning of the 50s which is Electrolux. Mean to be built in. The frame around the front on the fridge, which the door closes against, is made of wood. It works a treat. Some detail pics of the lights etc would be good. The lights on my Vogue are typical Lucas ones of the era.....

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Dalek63 · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 490 Location: North Cornwall

The gas light and fridge clinches it to be very late 1950's to early 1960's
_________________
I can resist anything except temptation ! ( Oscar Wilde)
"Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." ( Mark Twain)
http://www.period-classic-caravan-club.co.uk/

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Great pics! I´m thinking that the former owner was about right. Haven´t had any luck yet tracing the fridge but will ask for advice at the Technical Museum in Stockholm. They might be able to help. Found this on the webb, just up the road from you I would think. Perhaps the cookbook shows pics of a fridge that might be yours. Although 1950 is perhaps a bit early.

http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/262524/booklet-electrolux-gas-refrigerator-circa-1950

Recognize anything from this page of the Leason equipment catalog from 1961?? Looks like you have -The Countess- gas lights. Very posh Wink

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darren7303 · Joined: 28 May 2012 Posts: 23

Looks the same as ours and a similar age

The serial number for the fridge is under the ice maker on the right hand side. I tried contacting electrolux with our number to get a date - no luck!

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o624/Darren_Nixon/P1000088.jpg

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o624/Darren_Nixon/DSC00651.jpg

The electric reading lights could be original, ours has them, the same style in a similar place, plus two small 12v flourescents on the roof.

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o624/Darren_Nixon/P1000082.jpg

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o624/Darren_Nixon/P1000080.jpg

Give Dick at Stirling Caravan Services a ring 0011 44 1285 831176, he is an ex-employee of Stephens & West and has records for Stirling caravans and should be able to date your caravan from the serial number, though explain you're rining from Oz he does like to chat!

I have a reprint from a 1958 test of a Stirling 14 the gas lights, fridge and rear lights are identical, yet a 1964 stirling 12ft 6 i was in over the summer has a different fridge and rear lights.

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Thanks guys, your input has been invaluable. Don't know about your part of the world, but there is growing interest in vintage and classic vans in Australia - but no Stirlings to compare to! Tried to ring Alan but realised I was ringing at 8:50pm and doubt he'd be at work at that hour!

Darren, it looks identical to your one without the fluro lights. What year is yours? Unfortunately the Australian summers have not been kind to the fabric on the couch / beds, but the exterior is perfect. I suspect someone has gone to the effort to replace all the window liners, though, because they are definitely not 50 years old!

Not sure why these things leak at the corners - everything looks fine to me from the outside, but parts of the inside are a different story. Will continue to put up more shots and also track the renovation on the wordpress site.

The Oldtimers · Joined: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 83

Hello

Interesting to read your post. We had a 1971 Stirling - now owned by Swampthing, a member of this site. We also had a 1977 Stirling, a four berth.

Stirlings are not easy to date. Dick Harding at Stirling Caravan Services is the best person to communicate with. He and Tony Biggs worked for Stirling Caravans before they closed down. Dick knows all the nuts and bolts of the manufacture - literally!

The address is:

Tony Biggs (Proprietor)
Dick Harding
Moonshine
Woodmancote
North Cierney
Nr Cirencester
Gloucestershire
UK

Phone number 01285 831176.

All the best with your Stirling.

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Guys, thanks for all the help. I have spoken to Dick, who used to work for Stephens and West and have come to the conclusion that "The Countess"(her new name - thanks Alan, the gas lights have done it for me) was made in 1965.

So to settle the debate, you check out this link:

http://stirlingcaravan.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/1965-was-a-sweet-year-for-caravans/

But if you don't want to read the full story complete with 1965 British history, the serial number system works as follows:

51220 or broken down as 5-12-20

5 stands for either 1965 or 1975. The Stirling was only a prototype and not in production until around 1960, so anyone claiming to own a Stirling pre 1960 is incorrect on this one, because they did not exist in production. The 12 stands for 12 foot version. 20 stands for the production number. So in other words, the twentieth 12' Stirling built in 1965. She cannot be from 1975 because of the lights and fridge. The Leason "Countess" lights were in the catalog in 1961.

So mystery solved, I have a year. And what a year 1965 was. The Beatles produced "Rubber Soul"- in my opinion their second best album (after the White Album, of course).

If you want to know or read more, check the blog. Thanks guys. This is not the end of this post, though. I have a long restoration ahead of me, thanks to advice from Dick.

Cheers.

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Great to see that you have been able to date it. One of the problems with not having to register trailers is there may not be any official record left after 10 or 20 years. Over here all vehicles that are allowed to travel over a certain speed have to have their own reg number etc. Makes things a lot easier when trying to track something.

Just a thought, Joseph Lea and Son didn´t make the lights. They were a stockist of all things for caravans and boats. So someone else made the lights and then sold them to the trade. I have the catalogue from another stockist (Joy and King 1961). The lamps are in there aswell, same name. It might be stamped on them who made them.

The fridge is a bit of a mystery. There were later models available in 1965. Our SMV 10 from 1964 had an Electrolux fridge with was a later model than yours. Perhaps they bought up some stock of the earlier type to save money. Very interesting fridge though as it has the old style exterior (metal door) and the later style interior (the blue plastic instead of painted metal. Look forward to the rest of the resto......
Very Happy

Dalek63 · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 490 Location: North Cornwall

Just thought I'd mention that if you look closely the lights in the caravan are not the same as the lights in the Leason list, very similar but not the same. Sorry to put a spanner in the works, but there you go. Crying or Very sad

_________________
I can resist anything except temptation ! ( Oscar Wilde)
"Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." ( Mark Twain)
http://www.period-classic-caravan-club.co.uk/

alan 869 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 388 Location: Linköping Sweden

Yes, you are right. The bottom of the glas doesn´t have any chrome fittings. Some more pics of them from different angles would be good. I think I would take one off the wall and look at the back for a manufacturers name. Even if they are not exactly the same, they are from the same period. Could be a revised model from the 1961 one. Could have been modified after the van was sold. Interesting....

Stirling-in-Oz · Joined: 08 Oct 2012 Posts: 30

Hi guys,

As suggested, I am going to remove the lights and look for some kind of manufacturer's nameplate from the rear. But I reckon they are probably just a newer model of the same light, being a 1965 model and all. The flame ring "thingey" looks suspiciously like nice, powdery asbestos. And for sure, I will take some different angle shots once she is off the wall. When talking with Dick for Stirling Caravan Services he said one of the only things that came standard with the van shell were two gas lights. He also said that even back in 1965 you could order one with the exterior electrical point installed, and with 12 volt batteries and charging systems! But of course, you paid for it.

I must admit, the story Dick told me about how you bought your van in 1965 was fascinating. So great that people with that primary knowledge are willing to share information and stories. I have located an original 1968 Stirling brochure and hope to acquire it to add to the history.

Cheers all,
Nick.