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Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine going for a ride in a 1963 EJ classic Holden sedan. But then I met Gary and Karen Cahill and their astonishing collection of vintage vans and classic cars in Bridgetown, WA

Words and photography by Simone Costi

“It wasn’t intended to be a collection,” Gary says. “It just happened.” He’s been into vintage stuff for years now, starting off with a couple of old motorbikes and a 1944 Allis Chalmers Tractor. Then he moved on to classic cars. And then eight years ago he saw a wooden 10ft 6in timber van and that kick-started another collection.

Among Gary’s vans are a 1965 Globe Trotter, 1960 Franklin, 1967 Viscount and a neat little tear drop camper. Then there are his cars. He uses the EJ sedan and his other classic EJ Holden wagon as tow cars for the vans. He tows the tear drop with a 1948 Series J Model Vauxhall and then there’s two other beauties, a 1954 Vauxhall Vagabond and a 1947 Vauxhall Caleche.

The little tear drop camper was Gary’s first van. But he didn’t buy it, nor find it. He made it! He joined an American touring club in order to research different construction plans for the campers. Once he found a style he liked, he adapted it to his requirements, such as the shape and weight, and got to work building it. “The best part was designing it,” Gary states.

What’s a homemade camper like to travel in? Not being one to shy away from a challenge, Gary has crossed the Nullarbor twice with it behind the 1948 Vauxhall! It turned many heads along the way, particularly on his last trip. “On the way home from a Vauxhall rally in South Australia, I had an ambition to drive half a dozen golf balls off the edge of the Great Australian Bight into the ocean!” He laughs. “This silly idea, combined with the Vauxhall and the tear drop camper sitting on the edge of Australia, certainly turned some heads when a tour bus full of international tourists pulled up at the Bight viewing platform!”

Next came the 1965 Globe Trotter. After an article about Gary’s tear drop camper featured in the caravan section of the West Australian Newspaper, he was contacted by a guy wanting to sell the Globe Trotter. Gary couldn’t resist and the next weekend he had another van.

Third in the line was the 1960 Franklin Korong. He’s had that one for a few years now. A friend discovered it in a farm shed in Kojonup. Initially Gary wasn’t blown away by the Franklin, but when he peeked inside it, he changed his mind. “It had (and still has) magic original interior fittings, including an ice chest. Plus it has a real good 60s smell and feel about it,” he explains.

Then there’s the 1967 Viscount, which he has only had for about 18 months. “I bought this one from a 92 year old guy in Bremer Bay, who insisted that it wasn’t old!” The Viscount is the same today as it was in 1967.

And last but not least, there’s the 1948 Bedford truck, affectionately known as the Bedfordabago. Currently it isn’t as attractive as all his other toys, but Gary claims it is his retirement project. Once upon a time it was a school bus and you can see the bright orange paint peeking through the blue paint in places. It was then converted into a motorhome with an oven and all the neat trimmings. But somewhere along the line, the Bedford was put out to pasture.

Gary salvaged the Bedford from a pine plantation about four years ago. It had already been defaced by kids and he couldn’t bear to let it rust away. So he rescued it and will one day get around to fixing it up into a gorgeous motorhome. He is hesitant to start on it before his retirement as once he gets going on something, he doesn’t want to stop – and well – work will just get in the way!

To add to the atmosphere of the vans, he also likes to collect memorabilia from the same period as them. He displays things like old toasters, radios and box Brownie cameras inside. Included are some brochures and magazines on caravans and camping.

Where some people like to buy the vans, gut them, and start all over again, Gary prefers to keep them as they are and only touch them up if necessary. That way, they stay authentic. All the fittings, furniture and curtains are original in each of Gary’s vans. He has had to replace the vinyl flooring in the Globe Trotter, but after a little research, he found a place that still sold vinyl tiles and even managed to get the same pattern as the old ones!

Then there’s all the beautiful cars.

The 1947 Vauxhall Caleche is awesome. “This car has loads of character, especially with the black paint and cream trim. But with only a 12hp motor it doesn’t venture too far from home,” Gary says. The Caleche was assembled by General Motors Holden.

From the outside, the 1948 Series J Model Vauxhall looks like any other of its kind. But Gary has had a little play with this classic car. “I’m running it on a slightly worked 202 Holden motor, coupled with a five-speed Celica box with 1956 front coil springs, rear leaf suspension and a 1956 steering box.” Gary claims that this set up makes it a great touring vehicle. He is also lucky enough to have the imported English model with a sunroof and a raised boot.

The 1954 Vauxhall Vagabond is simply gorgeous. Gary has had her for about 12 years now. It is one of only 2200 built by GMH. “It’s good to have a soft top in the collection,” he reflects and adds, “it gets plenty of runs in the summer.”

Then there’s the 1963 EJ Holden sedan (which I was lucky enough to have a ride in – while it was towing the Globe Trotter!). This beauty has only had one owner, has just 68,000 miles on the clock and the motor and interior are in great nick. “It’s a good tow vehicle for smaller vans, but you’ve got to bear in mind when stopping that it only has drum brakes,” Gary reports.

The last in his car collection is the 1963 EJ Holden Wagon. He bought is as a parts car after he hit a roo in the sedan and wanted to repair it. But Gary ended up restoring it and adding it to his anthology. During his work, Gary found that a guy named Cecil Broun wrote down his name and address on the wood cover of the spare wheel. After a bit of sleuthing, Gary tracked him down. Cecil had purchased the car new from Brookton in 1963. “In 2004 I caught up with him and showed him the restoration project we had completed. The smile on his face when I pulled into his drive was worth every ounce of sweat and money I had put into the project,” Gary remembers happily. “In fact before we said goodbye, I am sure he’d worn a track around the car inspecting it!”

These toys take up the massive sheds on his property. He has run out of room for his vans and cars, so can’t get anymore until he gets another shed. But… he has run out of flat ground on his property to build more sheds! So he does have a slight dilemma at the moment, but you know how the saying goes – where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Gary is a milkman by trade with absolutely no mechanical or restoration background, but that doesn’t matter. He just learns through trial and error. Most of the things he has bought have been in pretty good nick (besides the Bedford) and have only needed a splash of paint.

Gary reckons he has probably only spent about $5000 on the vans, but can’t remember how much he has spent on the cars. He says, “I have never been one to keep a record of costs. I start off with a budget and that tends to go out the door very quickly!”

Gary is a member of a web-based group, www.vintagecaravans.com, and every so often the members set out on a trip. With such a collection, Gary and his wife can take a different van on each trip. But no matter where they go, they always draw a crowd. “It’s like the whole town stops when our convoy of vintage vans pull up in the main street,” he says. “Once we stopped outside a local newspaper office by chance and the journalist came rushing out and took photos of us.”

And how can I forget the million dollar question - which one is his favourite? “I don’t have a favourite. I love them all equally,” Gary replies. “Which is probably why I am yet to part with any.”

His mum says that you can never take Gary to a second hand or antique store as you will never be able to drag him away from it. And his dad reckons he is like a crow – picking bits and pieces up everywhere he goes to add to his collection. He is also often referred to as a bowerbird. “I have fond memories of growing up in Bridgetown in the 1960s and love all the fun stuff from that era. Cars and vans are just two of those things.”

So if you see a bowerbird cruising the Nullarbor in a cool Vauxhall and vintage van, hitting golf balls off the Great Australian Bight, that’s Gary. Give him a wave.