1970 Carawagon - Inverness

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RMS
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1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RMS » Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:39 pm

Hi guys,

I've made contact with an owner who is interested in selling his 1970 'Carawagon'.
He got in touch with S2C, who have kindly passed his details on to me (thanks Dave :cheers: ).

I phoned the owner today and got some details.

It was originally a full 12 seat Station Wagon, owned by the owner from new.

After a year of ownership, he took it to Searle for a part conversion of Carawagon roof with bunks, cooker on the back door and gas bottles under the driver's seat. It also has slide-out awning poles and full awning.

The interior is still Station Wagon layout, but has been modified by the owner.
He has moved the SW seat 'grab bar' from behind the front seats and has made it removable (with wing nuts) behind the middle row. A table fits on to the bar so the rear bench seat area turns into a dining area.

The middle row seats now have removable backs, and the table fits between the seat boxes to make a full width double bed.

All of that means, of course, that there are no cabinets, wardrobe etc. but it still seats 12 people!

One of the bench seat lockers has been lined with polystyrene to make a permanent cool box, and there is a net which fits between the roof pockets for storage.
There's also a trunk which fits on the original wooden roof rack.

All the roof woodwork is in good condition, with no delamination, and has been maintained/painted throughout its life.

It is a 6 pot, and has done less than 70k miles.
The engine has a Kenlowe fan and electronic ignition, and is very smooth.

Free wheeling hubs and overdrive are fitted, and the chassis has been waxoyled from new and is in good condition, though he did have the rear spring front hangers replaced and strengthened a couple of years ago.

Spares included are:
A complete cylinder head from a 3 litre Rover engine, with carbs, which the owner says would fit to give better performance/economy, but something would have to be modified as one of the carbs intrudes into the space taken by the steering box!
New window runners for all windows.
2 brand new rear SW doors, still in packaging.
2 new door tops for the front doors.
Some new roof seals.
Plus other spares - everything to do with Land Rover will be included, including the original safari roof skin which was removed to fit the Carawagon roof.

Now to the nitty gritty - he wants around £6k for it, and it will have a new MOT (last MOT was 2 years ago) so it can be driven away.
That is important as it is all the way 'oop North', 25 miles east of Inverness!!

If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll pass on his details.

I'm hoping that someone in the S2C might live close enough (relatively!) to go and take some pictures.

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
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Rangie
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Location: Caithness Scotland

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by Rangie » Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:04 pm

Must.......resist.......got......too.......many......... :cry:

Alec.
1972 109 Rover 11 Marshall Ambulance (Camper conversion)
1972 109 LD28 (Quick-change camper and Bothying vehicle!)
1988 RRC 4JB1T (Daily Driver)

Pressure Stove and Lamp fanatic also.
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RMS » Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:39 pm

Hey Alec,

Without wanting to dangle too much temptation in front of your nose, do you ever get down Inverness way?
Apparently he's about 25 miles East of Inverness (I should have asked for an exact location :thud: ) and as he's not computer or Internet savvy, he doesn't know how to upload pictures!

If you ever get down that way, would you like to have a look and possibly take some pics?

Yes, I know it's 100 miles or so from your neck of the woods, but just in case you do regularly travel that way ......... :shrug:

You never know, he might drop the price for a fellow Scot (though I think he actually hails from the South of England somewhere :neener: )

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
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DanC
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Location: Carlisle, Cumbria

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by DanC » Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:37 pm

Robin, get a location as I am going up in about 4 weeks and will check out it if needs be... (I am not buying!)... I am going home for a week or so... Check out the inheritance and all that!
'The Wagon' 1962 Martin Walters Dormobile, 2.25 Petrol
'Bessy' 1965 2.25 88" diesel
'Daisy' 1958 2.25 88" diesel
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RMS » Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:54 pm

Will do Dan :tiphat:
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
RobW
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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:16 pm

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RobW » Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:55 pm

Does this mean the front seats stay up when the bed is out?
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RMS
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Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RMS » Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:50 pm

That's what I understood from his description, though that would mean there's no standing room at the back when the bed is made up :thud:

Hopefully, if we can get someone to get there and take some pics, all will be clear.

Personally this one doesn't really appeal to me - I'd rather have the versatility of the original Carawagon seating/beds than 12 seats :shrug:
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
RobW
Posts: 389
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:16 pm

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by RobW » Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:17 pm

Possibly tempted, but need to see how the layout is, and convince Karen (and me!). The drawback of most of the carawagons is bed length and the drivers seat - this might work. But also fancy using an ambulance or (ideally) a 2a FC! Interior is alterable, especially if I can stash the original seats in the attic.

How low is the mpg on a 6-pot? Also how easy to fit additional fuel tanks? More concerned with range with a petrol.
catnap
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Location: Birthplace of the friction match, NE England

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by catnap » Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:26 pm

Have a word with Lightweight Les as his s3 carawagon is on the original six pot and was working out mpg

Ian
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Peaceand
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Location: Near Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Re: 1970 Carawagon - Inverness

Post by Peaceand » Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:29 pm

As gas canister holders have been fitted under the drivers seat, then it's probably a rear tank, so about 15 gallons I think?
So I would guess you'd get about 250 miles on a tank, but as mentioned already, Les is the man to ask.

If range is the worry, then how about some jerry can holders on the front bumper, or at the back, or both?

Patrick
  • Holly - 1972 Searle Carawagon Continental Ultimate (200 TDi)
  • Basil - 1969 Searle SWB (Prima TD)
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