LRCC

Go on, guess what my latest project vehicle is?



Cheers,
Robin.

Icecream van?

G'day matey, i guess the sheet over the back body might give something away , judging by the exhaust it is a 4 pot but the most likable thing for me is that nice shed.

What i would give for a shed like that and the fact my lass would never see me would make her a happy little bunny.

i have just remembered i have a large shed to fetch but have just got to get it here , although at this moment in time i can't remember where it is .

Catch you later. R-Rose .

Is that a dormobile or another carawagon?

I'm guessing Dormobile due to the hose pipe (sink waste ?) hanging down behind the rear wheel - besides, how many 5 door Carawagons can there be !?

Should one of those modern S3 L/Rs really look that old or is it an applied patina

Ian

I'd say Dormobile judging by the shape of the tarp, but coud be also some other roof conversion, but no Carawagon...

Yes, it's a tatty S3 Dormobile





I've spent today pressure washing it, emptying all of the crap out of it, and freeing the stuck clutch (slave cylinder stuck in the operated position).

It was re-chassised on to a new galv chassis 9 years ago, and then left at a truck yard for the owner to finish restoring it, but he never got around to it!

At some point the 2.25D engine and gearbox have been remanufactured by Turner Engineering. Probably some time ago as the plate on the engine is from before telephone numbers changed to 01xxxxxxxxx.



It certainly starts well, with very little, if any, smoke.
It did need bleeding when we went to pick it up, and the previous owner blamed the lift pump saying it had an air leak, but it's started fine each time since.

You know the phrase "painted with a yard brush"! Well that just about describes this one

It's had a roof light out at some time - the glass is in the vehicle with the rotten seal, and the roof was covered by a tarp when we went to look at it.
It looks like water has been getting in through the roof light in the past, spoiling the roof lining and trim around the underneath of the roof which look like they are painted cardboard and, I think, are beyond saving



The roof 'canvas', red & white candy stripe, is in good condition, though one of the support struts is partially siezed with rust (the one under the missing roof light) so couldn't put it all the way up.
We did notice a little hole/tear in one corner near the hinge, but that should be an easy fix.

The cooker and sink units are there and seem ok but the wardrobe, table and door cards are missing.

The rock&roll beds are all present, re-covered 10 years ago and seem to work, but at least one is now ripped from stuff the previous owner was storing in it, and I don't know how much water got into them before the roof was covered.

So, the interior looks as tatty as the outside

Oh, and don't rusty wheels make a vehicle look really tatty. I'm sure that once I put my spare set of wheels on it the whole vehicle will look so much better.

Be prepared for me to be sticking my head in your Dormobiles at the next show, with camera in one hand and tape measure in the other

Cheers,
Robin.

Well done Robin! It looks like you have the basis for a good-looking truck there although the interior looks like it's going to need some serious work. Good luck with the project!

Ian

Robin, is the passenger front seat a double? I think I can see it is a double. If that is original, it must be a very early S3 Dormobile as I believe they switched quite soon to the 2 single front seats? Could be wrong though...

What are the round things in the lifting roof? Lights or vents?

Michiel

Ian wrote:Well done Robin! It looks like you have the basis for a good-looking truck there although the interior looks like it's going to need some serious work. Good luck with the project!

Ian

Thanks Ian, I'm quite excited about doing something different.

I've always said, the only reason I have Carawagons is they came up at the right time.
If a Dormobile had come up when I was looking before, I'd probably have had one years ago

DrivingDutchman wrote:Robin, is the passenger front seat a double? I think I can see it is a double. If that is original, it must be a very early S3 Dormobile as I believe they switched quite soon to the 2 single front seats? Could be wrong though...

What are the round things in the lifting roof? Lights or vents?

Michiel

Yes, it's registered as a '74 so perhaps that's before they changed and yes, they are roof vents