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Conrod's new Sundowner #3

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Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby conrod » Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:14 pm

I couldn't help myself! This came up at an auction 2 weeks ago, and I had to have a crack at it.

The van itself is a July 1978 build, so very early build as far as Sundowners go, I know of only 1 other July 1978 build, which is a yellow van which I think was the one used in all of the advertisements and a few magazine features. It was built as an auto, but has been converted to a manual at some point. The kicker for me is that it is in a colour I have never seen before, and with blue stripes, which again I have never seen before on a Sundowner. So of the 25 remaining Sundowners which I have records of, that makes this one a bit of a Unicorn :)

The downside (and it is a big one!) is that it is in Tasmania, and has no keys, so does not start, run and drive! For those of you who don't know where Tasmania is, look at a map of Australia. Then look down off the south-east coast, and it is a small island off the bottom. Which makes it a logistical nightmare to get it back to NZ. So needless to say, I bought the damn thing. I had it picked up and transported to an auto sparky, where it is at the moment. He is getting an ignition key cut, and will then attempt to fire it up. The fuel tank has a gaping big hole in it, so he is going to strap a 5L jerry can in the engine bay, and run a hose to the fuel pump. It needs to be able to be driven on to a transporter, as well as the RORO ferry for the trip to NZ.

That is the story so far!

And a few pics, to prove it did happen! :)
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Altransit » Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:26 pm

8) Your lockup must be almost full by now :P :roll: :lol:



Nice colour :D
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby conrod » Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:33 pm

Altransit wrote:8) Your lockup must be almost full by now :P :roll: :lol:



Nice colour :D


there is no "almost" about it! :lol:
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Altransit » Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:36 pm

:lol: :wink:
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
1997 Mk5 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (Gone, but not forgotten!)
2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
2008 Mk7 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.2 TDCi - Also Vantunered
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby ned » Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:04 pm

Sorry to ask but what is a sundowner?

It's a lovely looking van, to me it's a MK2 panel van, is a sundowner a spec or a custom shop or something.
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby RustWidow » Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:39 pm

Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby bambi mk 1 » Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:52 pm

RustWidow wrote:Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol

I think its her Christmas pressie,lucky girl .
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Mike » Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:03 am

Has it got a warranty...
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby conrod » Thu Dec 05, 2019 3:44 am

ned wrote:Sorry to ask but what is a sundowner?

It's a lovely looking van, to me it's a MK2 panel van, is a sundowner a spec or a custom shop or something.


The Sundowner was Ford Australia's custom van. A lot like the Clubmobil, and even rarer (only 140 built) They all had the 4.1 six cylinder Falcon engine, either 3 speed manual or 3 speed auto,"Sunraysia" white 8 spoke wheels with fat radial tyres,"captains chairs" that could swivel to face the back, full length headlining and carpeting, push button radio (wow!) and special stripes and decals. A couple of advertisements from back in the day:
supervan.JPG
supervan 2.JPG



RustWidow wrote:Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol


Ummm yeah, how did you know that? She's a Brummy, do you know her? :o

bambi mk 1 wrote:
RustWidow wrote:Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol

I think its her Christmas pressie,lucky girl .


Hahaa, funny you say that! My brother did this with a Mk1 earlier this year, she was very dark with him until I got it a gig in a movie which paid for the van in one hit :D



Mike wrote:Has it got a warranty...


Hello Mike! good to see you back. :D It came with the "concrete warranty" and you know the rest!....
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Mike » Thu Dec 05, 2019 7:58 am

:lol:
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Neil » Thu Dec 05, 2019 8:05 am

cool door mirrors 8) 8) think I got a pair somewhere
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby conrod » Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:33 am

Neil wrote:cool door mirrors 8) 8) think I got a pair somewhere


yep they were a popular mirror in the aftermarket. Do you happen to know what brand they were? I need a pair and can't find them! :o
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby bambi mk 1 » Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:13 am

Neil wrote:cool door mirrors 8) 8) think I got a pair somewhere

Are you another Vandelazyman using them for Christmas tree decorations :wink: :?:
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby ned » Thu Dec 05, 2019 6:50 pm

conrod wrote:
ned wrote:Sorry to ask but what is a sundowner?

It's a lovely looking van, to me it's a MK2 panel van, is a sundowner a spec or a custom shop or something.


The Sundowner was Ford Australia's custom van. A lot like the Clubmobil, and even rarer (only 140 built) They all had the 4.1 six cylinder Falcon engine, either 3 speed manual or 3 speed auto,"Sunraysia" white 8 spoke wheels with fat radial tyres,"captains chairs" that could swivel to face the back, full length headlining and carpeting, push button radio (wow!) and special stripes and decals. A couple of advertisements from back in the day:
supervan.JPG
supervan 2.JPG



RustWidow wrote:Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol


Ummm yeah, how did you know that? She's a Brummy, do you know her? :o

bambi mk 1 wrote:
RustWidow wrote:Well done conrod I bet your missus isn’t happy with you lol

I think its her Christmas pressie,lucky girl .


Hahaa, funny you say that! My brother did this with a Mk1 earlier this year, she was very dark with him until I got it a gig in a movie which paid for the van in one hit :D



Mike wrote:Has it got a warranty...


Hello Mike! good to see you back. :D It came with the "concrete warranty" and you know the rest!....


Ah yes think I've asked you before :oops: the ads ring a bell now, for some reason I thought it was a camper with pop top or something, another lesson learned 8)

now because you don't really want the van you can always send it to me to take good care of :lol: :lol:
RUST IS LIGHTER THEN CARBON FIBRE

57 transit 85t260 2.2 swb, moondust silver.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=209987

03 transit 125t280 2.0 tdci swb 229,000 miles.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296
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Re: Conrod's new Sundowner #3

Postby Neil » Thu Dec 05, 2019 7:15 pm

conrod wrote:
Neil wrote:cool door mirrors 8) 8) think I got a pair somewhere


yep they were a popular mirror in the aftermarket. Do you happen to know what brand they were? I need a pair and can't find them! :o

yes ROEBUERK are the ones I have exactly same bracket but the mirror head on the sundowner is a tad differant
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