Bolwell turns to Caravans

Bolwell, a success on racetracks and in showrooms in the past, has turned from its V8 sports cars and Kenworth truck bodies to new-age caravans.  It is unveiling a multi-function tow-along called The Edge and using the Melbourne Leisurefest from September 30 to spread the word.

The Edge is an aerodynamically-style van made from moulded composite, designed for off-road work and suitable for towing by something as compact as a Subaru Outback.  It's the work of Vaughan Bolwell, a designer with experience in everything from racing bicycles to trucks.

Bolwell RV claims the van combines low weigtht and low drag with aerodyamic stability. It is constructed from moulded fibreglass reinforced with carbon fibure.

Bolwell began working on The Edge in 2008 and the final result has a number of claimed innovations. The body is bonded, not riveted or screwed, and is fitted with Bolwell's own SureFoot independent trailing-arm suspension.

Leisurefest runs at Sandown Racecourse from September 30 to October 3 with a wide range of activities, from off-road towing training to a license course for recreational boating. There is a also an off-road track run by experts from Four Wheel Drive Victoria.

The Bolwell name first hit the road in the 1960s That's when Campbell Bolwell, just 16, began making sports cars in his parents' garage.  His company began operating in 1962 and over the next 20 years more than 800 cars were produced, some as complete 'turn-key' cars and others as kits that were assembled by their owners.

The most famous is the Nagari, which could be powered by a range of V8 engines and was raced successfully around Australia.  Campbell decided to produce another sports car in 2005 and by 2008 he had a concept Nagari that was re-born as a carbon fibre-bodied speedster.

But Bolwell's big business in recent years is in the commercial world, where it does everything from building cabins, hoods and fairings for Kenworth trucks to repairing Boeing 737 jet engine plenums.