Restoring classic cars

Restoring an Australian classic involves more than just tinkering out the back on the occasional Sunday. For some it’s an all consuming passion.

 

Aficionado of old cars and caravans Mark Taylor spends every second weekend and a big chunk of money restoring the 12 caravans and eight cars he owns.

The oldest car in Mark’s collection is a 1938 Chevy, but his pride and joy is his 1949 Holden.

 

‘I’ve been playing around with cars since I was 17,’ he says. ‘About 10 years ago I got into caravans and I now run a website dedicated to them (www.vintagecaravans.com).

 

We deck the caravans out with traditional period fixtures and fittings, even down to authentic touches such as vintage kettles.’

 

All of Mark’s caravans are Australian made, including the famous Don brand dating back to 1935 with its distinctive rounded edges and small leadlight windows.

 

When Mark finishes restoring his vehicles he finds it easy to keep them running in the modern world. The engines were built for leaded fuel but he can use unleaded by adding valve-saving fluid every five or six tanks, which mimics the lubricating action of the lead.