September 2019outandaboutlive.co.uk 197BUYING
Transit Auto-Sleeper, Canterbury or Jennings
Roadranger would easily enterthe £1 5k area
in value.
he Bedford CF cel ebrates its i ftieth
anniversar y this year and this is another
campervan with buoyantprices, particula rly
for 1970sMk1 CF survivors. Prices are
slightly behind the Bedford CA and Commer,
in the £8-10kregion for anexcellent example.
he 1980s areregarded as the start of the
‘modern classic’ era by enthusiasts ; as we
are now almost 20 years into the twenty-irst
centur y, perhaps that mindset should be
switched tothe1990s!
In this territory, we haveclassic Hymers,
Auto-Trails, Autohomes, El ddis and many
more, all of which se ll for realistic prices on
the used scene. A typical late-80s to mid-90s
coachbuilt has an average between £7-12k,
but there are always variables, and a pristine,
low- mileag e example will always c ommand a
higher premium(on any chassis).
here is one marque that never shows
any sign of declining va lues: the Volkswagen.
It seems anything associated with this
marque, fr om parts to acc esso ries, in cursa
‘scene tax’, as it is jokingly referred to in VW
ownershipcircles.
But it’s worth noting in reference to VW
campervan prices of late, there se ems to
havebeen a slow ing do wn in deman d for T2
bay window examples. As more and more
long-term VW (campervan) enthusiasts
move towards the modern T5and T6
campervans, it is the traditionalbay window
air-coole d andlater T25models that are just
beginning to see adownturn in prices (bay
window and T25picturedbelow).
ON THE WEBSITES
In light of the increasing
values of the Bedford CA
Dormobile campervans, I
spotted a beauty on eBay,
registered in 1970, making
it one of the last examples
produced. Offered by a private
seller in the Midlands, itted
with the 1,594cc petrol
engine, it had an asking price
of £12,999.
Also on eBay, another
Bedford CA was familiar, as
it was offered to me in a pre-
restored condition years ago.
This Calthorpe was Britain’s
irst production coachbuilt
motorhome. Believed to be
the only surviving example, it
is now resplendent in two-tone
light blue and pale-yellow
livery, with a price at £10,000.8
THE ARCHIVES
Toaccompany the
appearance of a rare
Calthorpe Home-Cruiser on
eBay (see below), this is
the original press photofor
that vehicle.
Maurice Calthorpe’s
design used the Bedford
CA chassis cab with a
body of aluminiumover
a wooden frame, but
incorporated his familiar
domed rising roof.
This motorhome
appeared in an amusing
Pathé news clip, which
featured TV and radio
personality, Dora Bryan.
Thanks to someone at
a breaker’syard, the only
known survivorwas saved
andwas later restoredby
myfriend, Alan Kirtley.ON THE MARKET
This month Martin looks at a pair ofPeugeot
Boxer motorhomes under the £14,000 barrier
spotted on outandaboutlive.co.ukAUTO-SLEEPER SYMPHONYYear: 1999 Mileage:90,00 0
Base vehicle:Peugeot BoxerBerths: 2Martin ays...
What a popular model the Symphony is on
the used scene; it’s no surprise, though,
as it’s the perfect size foreveryday use,
touring and short breaks. This classic British
high-top looks to be in tip-top condition,
inside and out.You’ll ind thewashroom,
wardrobe and kitchen located in the rear with
a lounge/bed up front. This particular model,
for sale at a Hampshire dealer, is not loaded
with extras, but it does have a roll-outawning
attached to the side and TV aerial already
mounted on the roof.ELDDIS SUNTORYear: 1998 Mileage:41,00 0
Base vehicle:Peugeot BoxerBerths: 4Martin ays...
This is awell-equipped coachbuilt with low
miles, for not a lot of money. Facilities such
aswashroom,wardrobe and kitchen are in a
forward position in the loorplan, with a large
L-shaped rear lounge. Although it sleeps four,
we’drecommend this purely as a two-berth
as there are only the two travel seats in
the cab. The interior furniture is inished in
light-wood effect, and the interior has clearly
beenwell cared for. Extras include a side
wind-outawning.£10,900
Berths: 4£13,995