FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Can anyone help with the following information:

1. How many FC Delivery Vans were manufactured?
2. How rare are they now?
3. Was there a sales brochure for this conversion?

Thanks,

Craig.

Hey Craig.
Not sure what your asking here.......or am I just a dummy!!!!
More details please.
Regards
Alex

Alex,

Sorry I should have clarified what I meant by "Delivery Van". These are the three door vans built in Melbourne(?).

Thanks,

Craig.

 Im sure it was around 12200 Panelvans , Or as Craig said Three door delivery vans. There are extremely rare .  I own one and very rarely pass or see them. . They are almost non existant in a Registered version in this State.  I would estimate around 25 , Left registered in this state. Thats just going by ones Ive seen at shows , No the owners of , Have seen for sale (not very Often). In the NSW club , I believe there are not to many, registered vans , (windowless) , Perhaps Ret can give us the number of Vans in the NSW Club , as a guide .  There is a sales brochure for the van , and they are still available around the place .

Im picking one up this weekend build number 4110 its a 2 door delivery ,Same windows as a station sedan.
Finaly found something realy good for rust and it happens to be cool to, Built in Adelaide

Harko, just wondering, what has happened to the other projects?

Ill post some more details soon in the relevant section, The sedan I had to cut up it was just too rusty, I got hold of that sedan very cheap so stupid me didnt do much looking a gift horse in the mouth type thing but  it was to replace the wagon which had what seemed like a lot of repairs to do at the time but doesnt now ,So its stored along with the chopped ute for the time being.and then theres the monaro and VW and oh yeah the FB and we're building a house .

I dont know where to slot in some sleep.  ;)
Have a look under cool dads car on Sunday for an update.

Hey Craig.
Are you talking about the conversions done at Bailey motors in Vic. If yes, then Ken's the guy to talk to. He had a 3 door FE van converted by these guys.
Here's an advert.
(http://photo.starblvd.net/~customfc/6-3-2.jpg?i=1037508103)
Regards
Alex
P.S. I have a newspaper article laying around somewhere on these conversions. Let me know if your interested in seeing it and I will dig it out and post it here.

Thanks Alex.

The info is for a guy from a town near Wagga who has just got his hands on a very good original FC Windowless (except for the upper tailgate ;) ) Van. He first told me he had a "Delivery Van" which I incorrectly took to be one of the 3 door conversions. Thanks for posting the ad anyway, and hopefully we'll get another member out of it. He is talking about an RB-30 conversion but otherwise stock looking. The van was hidden away in a shed in a small town near his home and is in very good condition except for minor rust in drivers floor and rear cargo area.

He is also after a pattern or replacements for the inner panels that go on the inside of the rear quarters in the load area. Are these the same as a ute? Or were they fitted at all?

BTW Harko, was this van from Flynns at Cooma? If so I remember looking at it last year and it is in pretty good condition.

Thanks,

Craig.

I dont think they had panels on the inside of the load area such as in a ute , mine doesnt have them , but im curious if anyone else with a panelvan does

I just checked my van out , it does have them , but they are made out of timber. Presumably not original, so they must have had something in there .

Hi Gents
Might I suggest that you could send a pm to FE_STD_Wagon, He is a wealth of info in the van & wagon area and may be able to answer a few of your questions (maybe).

Panel vans did not have rear side trim in them, but had the same rear inner sheet metal as the wagon, hence lots of van owners over the years got inner trims from scrapped wagons and fitted them to their vans.

Delivery vans modified by Baileys motors came in a number of forms
1. Van with side windows - no rear seat
2. Van with side windows and rear seat
3. Van with side windows, rear seat and LHR door
4. Van with side windows, rear seat & both rear doors

Their were variations with sliding rear windows, fully trimmed rear compartments and full headlinings depending on customer order.

Even the fully optioned van was still cheaper than buying a wagon !

Baileys literally made hundreds of these vans according to the original owner whom I spoke to when I bought some replacement rubber for the windows.

My van had some unusual features, the headliner was screwed to the roof and glued on trim board, not bows.
The 3rd door trim was screwed to the door, not attached with clips.
The rear seat, mouldings, clips and hinges were hand made, not from an FE wagon or new from GMH as you might expect
The rear door check strap was welded to the door pillar.
The rear door rubber retainer was screwed to the body - not like a wagon at all.

I have seen quite a few of these although very few remain on the road.
I have body numbers etc from at least 20.  I know of 2 three doors on the road and two which are in storage awaiting restoration.
Zulu in NSW has a 2 door van with rear glass and I think a rear seat, but cant remember now.
A number of vans in Vic have also had the full rear glass treatment including sliding windows.
I guess they are a bit more common in Vic since they were built here.

Hope this helps.

Ken

Just wanted to say this is great reading ,Its filling up that empty spot for knowledge on Vans.
How good is this site ? What would we all do without it !.
I know my wife would be much happier - God bless her but I sure as hell wouldnt ...

Ken
     David McBride from Dromana has got apretty good Fe Vanette and I spotted another  light green one in Rosebud yesterday.


Regards Geoff

Yes I have seen David's van - an absolute beauty.
Unrestored and in top condition.  He has plans to fully restore it one day.
I've seen the green one on the road but never caught up with the owner. He appears to be an older guy who uses it as everyday transport.

Ken