Van Trivia

I think XX308 had 3 fronts while Steve Ellis owned it.

1. Twin headlight Holden
2. Monza (Sam Midgley)front
3. Monza with modified lower section.

Hallucination was in a ABC show I think?

How'd I go Simo?

Spot on Rob! The second Monza front looked awesome and it had bigger centre slots as well.

And yep it was Hallucination (which in the footage actually had half of its front spoiler on the Arcadipane front ripped off as it did a big sideways into a driveway).

Simo

Ouch bet the owner was real impressed! Love to get a copy of the footage of it though.

Here's a more recent one for you.......

At the Summernats the horsepower heroes was won one year by a van! Name the owner of the van and it's rego number!

VAN454 and the owner was Matthew Bunton or similar??

simopar wrote:VAN454 and the owner was Matthew Bunton or similar??

Spot on Simo!

While we're on Summernats type questions...........................

Name the Summernats Grand Champion that built a van in his younger years that won heaps of awards at the van nationals including Top Ten on numerous times?

would be Howard Astill i sent him a email once and he sent a pic of the van can't find the pic at present but i think it was a xc brown in colour opps sorry it may off been green I found the email I sent him just can't find the reply yet

wello wrote:would be Howard Astill i sent him a email once and he sent a pic of the van can't find the pic at present but i think it was a xc brown in colour

Close......so close, Howard had a green XC van and did win Grand Champion too, but his van never made the Top Ten at the van nats.

A lot of big names started in vans!

So who was it? Their van actually made it as high as 3rd at the van nats one year!

now Howard Astill has a shop called man torque near home in Wollongong

So does anyone know?

The Zodiac wrote:While we're on Summernats type questions...........................

Name the Summernats Grand Champion that built a van in his younger years that won heaps of awards at the van nationals including Top Ten on numerous times?

Still no takers? I'll give you a couple more days than spill the beans.

I can't anwer this one mate as I have never been into the summernats.

Regards Tony.

I don't know whats making me think this Rob, but is it Peter Fitzpatrick that owns the two-tone green FC? Or was I dreaming that I read in Street Machine about him being a Vanner? I know he had the Broomstick Brougham also back in the 80's so think I'm a bit off track..

Howard Astill's Van was called 'Magnum Force' but I've never seen a picture of it.

Wasn't Fitzy either, good question hey. He won with a hot rod and has built another rod since........

Mark Course

Aaaah nice work Jon, I think you're on a winner there, he built the juicstr or however you spell it didn;t he?

Another quickie while we're waiting for the word from Rob on his question.

What was the name of a mutlicoloured XA that did the rounds in the early 80's, it featured an unusual front.

and

The builder of this Van went on to build a well known Hot Rod in the 90's called ........

and

What was the name of his business where he used to build cool cars

and the $64000 question - what sort of car does he own now that was featured in Street Machine mag in the last 12 months or so?

Simo

Mark Course of course! And his Gemini van Little Malibu! Well done SMQQTH!

simopar wrote:What was the name of a mutlicoloured XA that did the rounds in the early 80's, it featured an unusual front.

and

The builder of this Van went on to build a well known Hot Rod in the 90's called ........

and

What was the name of his business where he used to build cool cars

and the $64000 question - what sort of car does he own now that was featured in Street Machine mag in the last 12 months or so?

Simo

I can see the van now, horrible front end, white at the front fading through to the rear. What's it's name Rusty.........?

Wasn't Dream Weaver was it?

Definitely Dream Weaver Rob, so that's part 1 done.

A hint for part 2, his Hot Rod was bright yellow and featured cooked eggs on the bonnet..

Fat Attack? Yellow Chrysler, that was not my cup of tea! I think his last name was Gilchrist maybe? But still a slight improvement on the front on Dream Weaver!

Yep, Shane Gilchrist built Dream Weaver and Fat Attack when he had 'Shiloh Custom Art' in Brisbane. he now owns a really neat XP Hardtop with a V8 etc. etc.

Okey smokes,

This HQ Van pictured (it's actually red) circa '75 was the first Van owned by someone who sold it to fund and then build one of Australia's most legendary Vans.

Who was it and what was the name of his next Van?

And what gave it away?



Simo

Stephen Ellis, XX 308?

Just a guess going off the number plate, also the taste in wheels and ford bits on the van.

oh and just read part of the article of xx 308

Nice work Jon and remembering that Van Wheels article was what jagged it for me when I found this pic in an old Custom Rodder.

Simo