There are some great reads out there documenting the history of major brands of caravans in New Zealand – Classic, Lilliput and Liteweight. Check these out:
Pick & Shovel to Caravans by Claude R Hurst
This is a great read about Classic Caravans and the men who started the company, building their first caravan in 1938. You can purchase this through Val Maplesden (daughter of Claude Hurst, the founder) by contacting her on gvmaple@xtra.co.nz
Lilliput Caravans were made in New Zealand thoughout the sixties and seventies, and have a strong following through the NZ Lilliput Club. One Man’s Dream – The Unique World of Lilliput Caravans by Rob Carthew documents the history of the company and gathers photos and information on virtually every Lilliput still on the road today. Purchase through the Lilliput club or Rob Carthew
The Great Indoors for the Great Outdoors – The Story of Liteweight Caravans by Don Jessen. Don’s father started Liteweight Caravans after returning from WWII. Using his aeronautical engineering and car mechanics background he built a large company which grew to produce 12 caravans a day in the seventies. So what happened to the company? This is the story of Liteweight from boom to bust, and is available on this website through our shop
Three great reads about three great companies.
