Highs and Lows of Tvans

[Wally]

Hi guys, just to introduce ourselves, Ian and Annette for Wollongong, this is our story.

Ever since I bought my first 4WD, I've dreamt of the day I would back my very own Tvan into the garage. For years they were just out of my price range, so we put up with the old Jayco Swan.

I consider myself pretty handy on the tools, so I got in contact with Lloyd at Track Trailer and explained,  I wanted do was purchase the Chassis and build my own camper on their MC 2 Asymmetric Link Chassis and Suspension .  Lloyd explained their reasons for not being able to sell just the Chassis but tried hard to get me into a new Tvan.

We started to way up the options of buying a second hand Tvan verses building, so we decided lets sell the Jayco Swan and combine the savings and buying second hand.
 
So after weeks of searching websites, I found a couple of Tvan's in Victoria, so we drove to Bendigo (well that one had a hard life) so onto the next one. Travelled another 3 ½ - 4 hrs to the other side of Melbourne to the Latrobe Valley, met a wonderful couple Ian and Shirley, their van was perfect, not a scratch on it, we payed for it and drove off. As they say "happy as a pig in shit".

This is where the real story begins,  we left their property drove through Sale heading for the next town of Stratford, I saw a car in the distance (heading South) with its indicator on wanting to turn right into a driveway (this car had stopped on the highway waiting for me to go past) in the meantime a car behind them didn't see the car indicating ran straight up the back of the stationary car pushing it across the road and into the side the Tvan that we'd just purchased less than an hour ago, (this all happened at approx. 80kph) I said to Annette hold on, I had absolutely no control of the vehicle, the car hit the wheel of the Tvan causing the van to roll, also putting us into sideways slide for approx. 50-60 metres down the road, all I could hear was the Tvan rolling over behind us. We were fine, extremely lucky the 80 Series didn't roll with the Tvan; I put this down to the Off-road Hitch. We got out of the car as quick as we could; our car was now blocking the highway with one Tvan beached on top of the Armco Railing. I was absolutely devastated, pretty sure I even shed a tear.  I know what you're thinking; yes, we did insure it before taking it on the road (don't ever take the risk; you never know what's around the corner).

This is where the guys from Track Trailer really excelled themselves. After the weekend from hell, I thought I'd share my story along with photos of the accident with Lloyd. Within 15mins I received a personal call from Lloyd; first thing he said "are you guys ok". Lloyd had forwarded my email onto Tom the GM of Track Trailer. Tom and Lloyd put together a deal on the new prototype 2014 Tvan that Track Trailer have been working on; this includes a sliding window as an option to the solid side windows. Ok, Lloyd got me into a new Tvan, but I'm pretty sure, I'm the winner out of all this. 

I can't speak highly enough of the Team at Track Trailer, for making my dream come true (I finally got to reverse a Tvan into the garage) Thanks guys.
     

[Bengalla76]

Wow that is quite a story, glad you guys are ok things can be repaired or replace but people and loved ones are another thing. Enjoy mate that one hell of a story to share around the fire for years to come.


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[MYT150]

Wally,

Welcome aboard, I hope you are enjoying the new Tvan. I met you at the Penrith show when you picked it up.

Regards

Aidan

[Wildmax]

Gee, what a story....you are lucky to have come out of that without personal injury, and great to have been able to get the help you did from the team at Track. Hope you have many years of happy TVanning - it's much safer in the bush than on the highway !!