Sunday, February 22, 2009

Another Australian car.

From Peter G again. He just keeps finding them:-
John,
I'm sure you will love this one - it's a "CAC Deliverette". I took the photos at Museum Victoria today (20th). The vehicle is unique, it was built as a prototype by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, to solve the delivery problems encountered in cities such as Melbourne, with its warren of narrow lanes, the driver sat on a bicycle seat. It was powered by a 2cylinder 2-stroke. The construction is very aircraft like with riveted aluminium panels. The vehicle was built after WW2 and the project abandoned around 1950 with the start of Australia's involvement in the Korean War.
Could this have been the inspiration or the forerunner of the Kookie Coach?
Peter.
It just so happened that I was going down South Road the other day and happened to notice a very smart looking deep blue Cookie Coach in a yard alongside a factory. The only thing stopping me from rushing in and offering to buy it was that I had nothing to offer. I did mention it to a friend who is starting to question what drugs I am on. I can report that there's no drugs, lunacy just comes naturally.
Anyway, back to the Deliverette. Apart from the many different types of aeroplanes Commonwealth Aircraft have built over the years, there have been quite a few roadgoing projects that have come from there including lots of different types of buses, built in the same manner.
The Deliverette takes me back to one of my earliest jobs when I used to be a milkman, delivering milk in the Dulwich, Toorak Gardens area. The vehicle used was constructed similarly but was only one horsepower. It was a very smart "drop-centre van" that you could jump into from either side, even while moving. It was blue with "Bluebell Dairy" painted on the sides by one of the artistic signwriters that existed in those days. I haven't got a photo of it but it was very similar to this baker's van below.
Being a milkie wasn't my chosen career path. It was thrust on me when my dad, whose business it was, got bucked off a horse, landing on his car bonnet and breaking his leg. I was in "Leaving" at the time and got pressed into service to take his place. I think I slept in class more than I paid attention. Needless to say I failed that year. I did, however, get my Leaving Certificate in the end.

1 comment:

degruch said...

Another Larry Hartnett design, only this one never made it past the prototype. Would be interesting to see if it gets a mention in the series of books covering the history of Commonwealth Engneering.