When it comes to restoring increasingly rare vintage caravans, Jessica Driver is a wealth of knowledge.
“Doing up a vintage van is a good investment,” the co-founder of Retro Caravan Renovations says.
“You're purchasing a van that's unique and just like with a vintage car, your vintage van is going to increase in value over time.”
At her Burleigh Heads workshop on Queensland's Gold Coast, Jessica is standing proudly next to one of her recent makeovers – a yellow Franklin Freeway. The model was produced from 1965 to 1973.
“This is a very, very rare van, and the frame was completely disheveled. So we had to rebuild the van, essentially from the ground up," she says.
Jessica's restored Franklin Freeway Credit: SBS / Matt Guest
Many vintage vans are also fitted with modern conveniences to make travel more comfortable.
“New air conditioning goes in plus insulation, with beautiful lighting inside, new fabrics and upholstery,” Jessica explains.
The growing trend sees fully restored vans fetching high prices and attracting plenty of attention on the caravan trail.
“It's a talking point and people come up in the caravan park and they want to know more about the van. They want to know its history,” says client Belle Power.
Her blue Viscount Supreme 1974 model is ready to hit the road, after 12 months of intensive work.
“I grew up in a Viscount van at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.
“And as a child I spent every school holiday in a caravan park in that van,” she says.
Belle admits to buying the van for sentimental reasons and can’t wait to take her own family on holiday in it.
“I really want my children to experience what I had, which was a great and adventurous childhood,” she says.
Vintage vans are fitted with new interiors Credit: SBS / Matt Guest
“People still aren’t keen to travel internationally, so they are in coming to get vans," Jessica Driver says.
“People are looking for the old-school shapes, because of their quirkiness I guess.
“And most vendors have a long waiting list, anywhere from six to 12 months."
To meet rising demand, Jessica's business is expanding rapidly.
“It was growing by 15 per cent prior to COVID and since COVID, it's just astronomical,” she says.
Jessica grew up in Sydney and learned at a young age about turning a profit from doing things up.
“My mum was always renovating her home, it was very much like [painting] the Sydney Harbor Bridge. She would start from one end and then begin again. So we were always renovating.
“And then later in life, I started doing property flips,” she says.
The 40-year-old started this business in an industrial area at Burleigh heads in 2019.
In recent years she has steadily hired, to extend her team of experts.
“We've got five staff, including myself. There are cabinet makers, carpenters, fabricators, welders, and a few all-rounders,” she says.
Recoverable vintage vans are getting harder to find, she says.
While taking on a dilapidated van can be daunting, Jessica says the end result can be a unique showpiece.
“The fascination with old vans is really about their uniqueness.
“A retro van is totally different to a new caravan on the market today. And you can renovate it to suit your taste.”
A full refit can take around two months – although larger vans may take up to eight months, she says.
And then there’s the cost. Around $25,000 dollars is average for a full renovation. So Jessica advises prospective buyers to seek advice first, as not all old vans can be saved.
“We would advise some clients definitely not to purchase a particular van. They can be fraught with danger.
“The chassis could be completely rotted out, or it may need a new frame,” she says.
However, many who restore a retro rig say the rewards are worth it.
“It is wonderful to see an old van come back to life,” Jessica says.
“When you pull up a campground, it is definitely a talking point.
“It puts a smile on people's faces, to be honest.”
