Hi from Australia

[Wazza]

Hi everyone,
As the title says I am from Australia, on the east coast just west of Brisbane which is the capital of the state of Queensland. I have two Olympic Riviera fibreglass caravans (1967 and 1968 models. The 1967 is a full interior strip out restoration, and 1968 is a minor restoration which is almost finished. Hope to pick up some hints from your site for the '67 restoration.
The attached photo is the our 1968 Olympic Riviera the day we bought it.
Warren

[Randy B.]

Love the TV

[Dave Fish]

Originally Posted by Randy B.

Love the TV

I was thinking the same. Tell us more about the trailers and the pickup. We love pictures.

[Wazza]

The tow vehicle is a 2009 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo ute. The motor is a turbo charged 4 ltr straight 6 motor producing 360 hp with 6 speed ZF auto gearbox. There are other variants of this motor up to 440hp(a lot more expensive). Sadly Ford have stopped manufacturing in Australia in 2016, so no more high hp home grown vehicles.

Olympic started manufacturing wooden framed aluminium caravan in the late 50's , but then in the mid 60's they started producing fibreglass caravans. The had 2 models, a 14ft and 16ft (mine). The 14 ft was a 4 berth, but the 16ft had models up to 6 berth. In 1969 a 19ft and 21ft tandem axle version was released as well as a 11'6" model. These caravans continued to be made until the mid 80's when the factory was then shut down. All caravans, other than a few cosmetic changes basically looked same from the first one made to the last one made.
You can read a bit about them in the attached link from a vintage caravan web site.

Olympic caravans | Vintage Caravans

Warren

[DavidG]

Originally Posted by Wazza

Hi everyone,
As the title says I am from Australia, on the east coast just west of Brisbane which is the capital of the state of Queensland. I have two Olympic Riviera fibreglass caravans (1967 and 1968 models. The 1967 is a full interior strip out restoration, and 1968 is a minor restoration which is almost finished. Hope to pick up some hints from your site for the '67 restoration.
The attached photo is the our 1968 Olympic Riviera the day we bought it.
Warren

Warren, I think we would all like to know about your tow vehicle. I check out Australian caravans often on the Internet, they are as varied as your country and scenery. I would love to visit Australia sometime, possibly arrange a swap with an Aussie. ( If you know of anyone ! ) I meet Aussies occasionally at camp grounds , on the Bonneville Salt Flats, and at Vintage Drags. One flathead dragster owner here has a '40 Ford Ute from 'Down Under'. Cheers ! David in Fresno and Sonora, CA

[DavidG]

Maybe the photo will 'take ' this time !

[Rzrbrn]

Yes indeed, tell us more about the Tow Vehicle and, oh yes, the trailer.

[Wazza]

Although Ford stopped making Falcons in the US in the mid 60's, Ford Ausrtralia kept designing and producing them as they were a direct competition to the Holden, which is a GM product.
The ute is a variation to the Falcon sedan. The model I have had a number of engine options, na six cylinder running on petrol and LPG, two versions of the turbo 6, 360hp and 405hp (there was a 440hp version in a limit edition ), 5.4lt quad cam "Boss" engine, and a supercharged Coyote engine starting at 450hp, but depending on air temp could go 550hp. There was also a 2 ltr ecoboost option on a later model available.
For the performanced people, my ute will do 0 --100klm (62.5mph) in 5.1 secs and the 1/4 mile in about 13 secs
My ute is factory stock standard and it was delivered as you see it in the picture.

Warren

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by Wazza

Although Ford stopped making Falcons in the US in the mid 60's, Ford Ausrtralia kept designing and producing them as they were a direct competition to the Holden, which is a GM product.
The ute is a variation to the Falcon sedan. The model I have had a number of engine options, na six cylinder running on petrol and LPG, two versions of the turbo 6, 360hp and 405hp (there was a 440hp version in a limit edition ), 5.4lt quad cam "Boss" engine, and a supercharged Coyote engine starting at 450hp, but depending on air temp could go 550hp. There was also a 2 ltr ecoboost option on a later model available.
For the performanced people, my ute will do 0 --100klm (62.5mph) in 5.1 secs and the 1/4 mile in about 13 secs
My ute is factory stock standard and it was delivered as you see it in the picture.

Warren

Hi: Wazza... Hello from Canada. Kind of makes my V6 gas tug sound mundane!!! She'll do 0- 100 Kph sometime today!!!
Here's a pic from our trip up the Natchez Trace in Miss. USA.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Kai in Seattle]

Whuzzup, Wazza?


How cool, from Australia! Just heading into winter now.

Wishing you good camping!

BEST,
Kai in Seattle, Washington, USA (upper Western portion)




Here's a caravan from Australia:

[Wazza]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: Wazza... Hello from Canada. Kind of makes my V6 gas tug sound mundane!!! She'll do 0- 100 Kph sometime today!!!
Here's a pic from our trip up the Natchez Trace in Miss. USA.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

Hi Alf, nice setup. In Australia the Nissan utes like yours are called Narvaras. No petrol engines available just 2.5ltr 4 cylinder a 3ltr V6 turbo diesels.

Warren

[Wazza]

Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle

Whuzzup, Wazza?


How cool, from Australia! Just heading into winter now.

Wishing you good camping!

BEST,
Kai in Seattle, Washington, USA (upper Western portion)




Here's a caravan from Australia:

Hi Kai,
Thanks for wishes, yes winter is approaching here. Best time of the year for camping as the area I live is not that cold. The temp will drop to 32 deg F at sunrise, but warms up pretty quickly and daytime temps ar usually high 60's to low 70's. We can have have some cold days, but not very often.

Warren

[DavidG]

Warren, My current 13' Scamp is towed by a 2002 Ford Ranger with 3.0 gas engine and auto trans. It is a Ranger XLT with factory tow package. Plenty of power, but not great gas mileage even when empty. This photo was taken last April in Red Rock Canyon, on the way to Death Valley. We just got back from Morro Bay and Santa Barbara last week on this years Spring Vacation trip. Keep us up to date on caravaning in Australia ! David in Fresno and Sonora