# Our vans over the years



## richardstubbs (Oct 5, 2013)

We first bought a camper not long after we met; both always wanted one but never got it together. We drove around until we found this:







It's a 1979 Fiat 900T Amigo conversion, by Motorhomes Intenational I think. Five berth! Went over the Alps and all the way down to Pisa, back via the Riviera. Another time went up to Andorra, then through the foothills to Lourdes. It wasn't always red, it was green, but it was a horrible colour so I sprayed it Ford Radiant Red in the drive while the neighbours were out. Pinstripes and everything! It had an 850 sport coupe engine and saloon gearbox put in it by the previous owner, which meant it could do 80 instead of 60, but broke the final drive in France on its first long trip and had to limp it home and change the gearbox. This photo was taken to sell it before we moved to France 

Where we bought this, off eBay.fr:






A 1976 Renault Estafette with an "artisanale" conversion, i.e. one done by a man, not a factory. Lovely but slow; 1289cc and 40bhp meant 50mph max cruising. I took the restrictor plate out from under the carb, obviously, but that just made it run out of gearing. And I had to put a gearbox in this one too... Funny upside-down gear pattern. The photo is wild camping in Ireland; Kenmare Co Kerry I think. Nice place, right by the tiny harbour. That was a long drive, from the Dordogne to Boulogne, Dover to Fishguard, Rosslare through Waterford, Cork, Kerry and Galway city right out to Clifden in the extreme west. And back. Never missed a beat.

Sold it when we moved back last year, and bought this:






The little one in the middle of course. It's a 1990 (new!) Danbury conversion on a Seat Terra van, which is basically a Mk1 Fiat Panda, 903cc engine (same as the Amigo) and everything. Absolutely lovely to drive but a bit like sleeping in a 2-man ridge tent. Actually I quite like that  We bought it to go to a wedding in the Lot in SW France, where there wasn't anywhere to stay, but the photo is camping on the front in Llandudno at the transport festival when we first got it. Needed to see what wanted doing before its 2000 mile journey. Lots as it transpired, but we got there and back.

I would have kept it and improved it, but for the arrival of a third family member. Here she is with me and our newest, biggest camper:






This is like a proper one, blown air heating and everything. It had its first outing last weekend after *loads* of work to get it right. We're getting baby used to camping on campsites first, so no wilding yet.

Hope you like the pics; great site, thanks.

Richard.


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## mark61 (Oct 5, 2013)

Thanks for posting pics. Love the Estafette.


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## onion (Oct 5, 2013)

Love the photos mate, the Renault was our first van & loved it was sorry to see it go, & the fiat I would have tomorrow I think it's the most compact camper ever made .


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## mariesnowgoose (Oct 5, 2013)

Smashing photos, Richard, lovely old campers.

Sounds like you've had lots of fun and adventures with more to come 

Long may it continue!


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## herbenny (Oct 5, 2013)

Great photos  

Oh the Renault traffic brought back some lovely memories for me.
Our very first van was a Renault a I loved it !!!


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## dave and mary (Oct 5, 2013)

How things change over the years,

Many happy memory's in these vans


         :drive:     :drive:


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## GinaRon (Oct 5, 2013)

The photos are great loved the vans, ours is a Ford Frontier campervan called Freda:camper:


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## Smaug (Oct 5, 2013)

ooh, a thread on old campers, I love it. I'll be back with mine & me dad's shortly, but needed for taxi duties now, SWMBO is going shopping & thinks her car will not make the 10 miles to the shop & back.


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## Blodwyn Pig (Oct 5, 2013)

A beautiful sequence of wonderful campers, thanks for the peek :wave:

Many a happy memory in each camper


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## bluewareman (Oct 10, 2013)

*Would love to improve the photo*

I love the old black and white photo.Would like to have a go at taking out all the imperfections.Its a hobby of mine.If you would like it done(Free of course) send me the original scan to bluewareman@yahoo.co.uk


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## phillybarbour (Oct 14, 2013)

Some. Very interesting and unusual vans all probably with great stories to go with them, thx for sharing.


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