# Foster and Day....very rare?



## Dirky45 (Jun 27, 2015)

Twenty two years old and hardly run in (less than 50k).....is this a record...


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## Byronic (Jun 27, 2015)

I remember F and D well, probably a comedy duo act now? They generally built coachbuilts on the Merc. 207d/208d chassis cab. Never seen one of their A class efforts such as yours. Traditional construction ie prefinished ali on timber framing with decorative ply inner lining. I expect you know you've got to check thoroughly for damp and leaks on this type of construction, the body flex and age can crack the sealant.


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## alcam (Jun 27, 2015)

Dirky45 said:


> Twenty two years old and hardly run in (less than 50k).....is this a record...View attachment 31756



It must be a record , Chausson 1 years old 17k . I suspect your MH will outlive mine .


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## Dirky45 (Jun 27, 2015)

Byronic said:


> I remember F and D well, probably a comedy duo act now? They generally built coachbuilts on the Merc. 207d/208d chassis cab. Never seen one of their A class efforts such as yours. Traditional construction ie prefinished ali on timber framing with decorative ply inner lining. I expect you know you've got to check thoroughly for damp and leaks on this type of construction, the body flex and age can crack the sealant.



Mine's a Fiat Ducato 2.5 TD

Has a few damp issues on front o/s corner.....anyone know a good coach builder


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## Byronic (Jun 27, 2015)

Dirky45 said:


> Mine's a Fiat Ducato 2.5 TD
> 
> Has a few damp issues on front o/s corner.....anyone know a good coach builder



Definitely not Foster and Day then!!


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## mikejay (Jun 27, 2015)

Byronic said:


> Definitely not Foster and Day then!!



Why? looking at the original advert for what looks like Dirky's van it has foster and day graphics all over it? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BACK-BY-POPULAR-DEMAND-FOSTER-AND-DAY-A-CLASS-MOTORHOME-6-BERTH-42000-MILES-/111361071518?nma=true&si=P5nfQOn9IVYrn29FmjdX%252BlVPNGU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Mike


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## Dirky45 (Jun 27, 2015)

Byronic said:


> Definitely not Foster and Day then!!



What makes you say that then....


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## Dirky45 (Jun 27, 2015)

mikejay said:


> Why? looking at the original advert for what looks like Dirky's van it has foster and day graphics all over it? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BACK-BY-POPULAR-DEMAND-FOSTER-AND-DAY-A-CLASS-MOTORHOME-6-BERTH-42000-MILES-/111361071518?nma=true&si=P5nfQOn9IVYrn29FmjdX%252BlVPNGU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
> 
> Mike


Yes Mike that was the original ad that I bought it off....


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## Dirky45 (Jun 27, 2015)

Few mure views...


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## Byronic (Jun 27, 2015)

Damp problems in a F & D , looking for a "good" coachbuilder. Then that definitely rules out F & D. 
Poor attempt at humour granted, but they really didn't have the best reputation for keeping the elements at bay.


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## phillybarbour (Jul 3, 2015)

How great to have an unusual van, must get noticed in it when your out and about.


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## willdbill (Jul 3, 2015)

enjoy and use it ignore the negative comments make the best of what you have a frend of mine had a foster and day never missed a beat in six years and dry as a bone no damp issues enjoy you're new van 
wildbill


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## jamesuk (Jul 6, 2015)

Looks like a nice old girl, I'm sure it's got loads of miles left in it!


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## Byronic (Jul 6, 2015)

willdbill said:


> enjoy and use it ignore the negative comments make the best of what you have a frend of mine had a foster and day never missed a beat in six years and dry as a bone no damp issues enjoy you're new van
> wildbill



Actually not negative comments, in fact constructive comment. F&D coachbuilts along with a few other makes were well known for damp problems, and I think it fair to point this out, in order that the OP can check for himself and make amends... some potentially useful info. Granted, not necessarily what he wants to hear. However, it so happens the OP has indeed found some damp ingress.

Anodyne rhetoric assuring an OP that his van will be problem free, with no evidence to back up this assumption, may be what some responders wish to post, but it achieves very little.


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## Deleted member 5816 (Jul 6, 2015)

In their day Foster & Day were a much desired converters and in the top league of British builders all converters ca have negative comments passed either as hearsay or in retrospect.

You have a good van enjoy it

Alf


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## Deadsfo (Jul 6, 2015)

They did a lot of conversions on big American Fords , F&D  were pretty unique at the time, .A fab shop near me used to extend there chassis for them ,no ally Alco  chassis for them, 1987 Merc 508 6586 kms. from new now that is a record .


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## Byronic (Jul 6, 2015)

Deadsfo said:


> They did a lot of conversions on big American Fords , F&D  were pretty unique at the time, .A fab shop near me used to extend there chassis for them ,no ally Alco  chassis for them, 1987 Merc 508 6586 kms. from new now that is a record .



The Dutch Military flog off T2s with remarkably low mileages from time to time. The oldest ones might be a few years younger than your example though.
Many British motorcaravan manufacturers went to the wall in the 80's and 90's, they just couldn't compete with the mainly German competition. In fact most never got beyond "cottage industry" scales and standards of manufacture, F&D were one such co.


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## 1978lovebus (Jul 28, 2015)

Dirky45 said:


> Twenty two years old and hardly run in (less than 50k).....is this a record...View attachment 31756



It may be a for a F+D as there are only a few about, but compair to my rare 38yr old hymer with 78thou and barely run in, then theres no comparison, nice looking van though....:have fun::have fun:


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## oldish hippy (Jul 28, 2015)

well saw a rare nearly new van the weekend well they didnt last long a bentley wellwas told they went out of productionafter a few years havent seen another one of mine yet there must be more out there icant remember its name without looking at it it copy of autosleepr


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## Porkie yorkies (May 23, 2016)

*Sorry dirky*



Dirky45 said:


> Twenty two years old and hardly run in (less than 50k).....is this a record...View attachment 31756



Queenie is a 1994 Talbot Royalle and has only covered 48k sorry mate.


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## KevDub (May 28, 2016)

.


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## Dirky45 (May 31, 2017)

Sadly she is no longer with me....


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## Dirky45 (May 31, 2017)

My new girl...


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## runnach (May 31, 2017)

hairydog said:


> I had a recollection of a motorhome converter getting into trouble for selling motorhomes on vehicle bases that they had neglected to pay for. Was that Foster & Day?



Be an interesting repossession job.:dance:

No idea about F & D , the smaller converters were always at a disadvantage, They generally had to outlay for the chassis "up front" .The larger guys had the benefit of stocking plans like a dealer, so many days free stocking , interest only, then pay for the chassis, by which time and converted ready to sell.

Channa


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## Pauljenny (May 31, 2017)

We visited F&D's site, in 1998, while looking for our first motorhome.
It was a smallholding, near M62, Junction 19 ... Now lost to road improvements.
It was a bit like Steptoe's yard.

He was converting a batch of ex Cambridge ambulances, on  Dodge chassis..a big beast of an engine, auto box... and must have weighed tons, before the " tin shed " conversation. 
Next time we looked, they had disappeared.
Then we saw an Auto Sleeper Amethyst... It was love at first sight.


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## StevenJ (May 31, 2017)

I remember helping Pete & Terry bring some old Bedford vans back from auction when they first started their venture back around 1979 , the original workshop was based at the back of Partington's Caravans in Castleton,  Rochdale.

I actually bumped into Terry (Day) about 10 years ago in a local pub ...... I'll leave it there I think ............


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