Time to Roam Magazine Issue 11 - October/November 2014 | Page 22

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upfront feature
Phil and Marj with their Viscount at the 2013
Adelaide Caravan Show

I’ve Been
Everywhere, Man
1969 Viscount is still a heavy duty traveller
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SUSAN AND KEITH HALL

At a quick glance, you would never
guess how many parts of Australia
this little Viscount Ambassador has
visited. Measuring just 10ft 6in in length
and looking like it was built yesterday,
you could easily think that it had been
garaged and only used for short trips.
Phil and Marj Luke of South Australia
found the 1969 Ambassador in the Trading
Post back in 1998. It was in quite good
condition, so they figure that it must indeed
have been kept under cover. The hatch
was damaged, so Phil made a new wooden
frame and a smaller hatch. He polished
the aluminium and replaced the sealant
around edge of roof, though it had no leaks.
The interior of the van is substantially
original, with diner up front, kitchen
in the middle and double bed at the
rear. There’s plenty of 1960s laminate

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and the Electrolux fridge is original.
To make the van better fit their needs,
Phil and Marj have made a few changes.
A large box was added at the front to
carry table and chairs. There’s also a built
in gas stove for outdoor cooking. The
compact van originally tipped the scales
at just 750kg and now weighs one tonne.
Phil and Marj are very much at home
in their retro Ambassador and the list
of towns they’ve visited is reminiscent
of the classic Lucky Starr song.
“We usually like the outback rather than
the coast,” Phil said. “In 2011 we went to
Perth and back for a vintage rally, towing
the caravan across the Nullarbor with our
Chev ute.” More recently they’ve won
admirers at shows when they’ve matched it
up with another of their classic cars, a 1968
HK Holden 186S in original condition.
Credit to ourtouringpast.com