Autocube cooker pod mystery solved

[slippy8v]

Only every seen one before and that was in Lloyd Tulloch’s syncro
after searching for over a year I managed to find an other one on E-BAY which I bought.
Posted a picture on the T25 Facebook page where fellow van owner Sean Cashman saw it and got some contact details from me, this then enabled Sean to contact and meet the original UK designer and maker, who no longer wish to be contacted ref the Autocube.

Around 50 where made (pretty rare )
no plans to make any more
produced around 10 / 12 years ago
Patient still held
The original plan was an "Office in a Box" - but this was dropped and the "Kitchen in a Box" idea was taken forward.
£680 + vat new came with a kettle,pan set and tie down strap’s.
Sean Cashman got the very last NOS one, that the owner was going to keep for himself.
Sean will be using it in his sons T25 panel van.
What a find .
So if you want one your going to have to keep looking
They where not made for the Mazda Bongo as we first thought.

This is mine

[BigSean]

I was in the right place at the right time!

[clift_d]

It's a great little design. Very reminiscent of the Minikitchen that Joe Colombo did for Boffi in 1963.

Thanks for sharing the info.

[dcfb77]

If anyone has the patent holders contact details I'd love to ask if they would sell/transfer it over as I can have these made by a manufacturer I use for work. I've been given approximate price of £180 made and delivered with minimum order of 30. I really think there is a market for these and not just for the camper van market either.

[slippy8v]

£180 think it might be a bit more when you cost up the sink/cooker top, waste tank/ freshwater tank/12v cooler, 12v water pump gas fittings, there is a market for them as you will know by the number of people who have looked for them over the years. Contact BigSean as he knows the guy who made them I had asked if he would be interested to do a build run but said no, however you could be lucky if he wants to sell the patent.
Will be interested on how you get on so keep use updated.

[dcfb77]

I'll get in touch with Sean and take it from there. I'm also looking at a different design. Would mean starting from scratch but feel I'd have a nicer, less 80's looking design. New design would be modular and from lighter materials. I'd like to work with the original patent holder as a first preference but in my experience, an unused patent demonstrates little monetary value and any infringement/enforcement of such patent would be based on that.

The manufacturer I spoke to suggested moulding the sink into the design of the entire outer shell for the camping model which I really liked. Got a few different models with 2 different sizes in mind to suit different markets. I can think of so many different uses for these over so many markets/industries that I cant help getting excited...

[slippy8v]

Yup really is worth looking at as you say lighter material for the frame would work, but like the robust build.

[vdubxs]

Did anything happen to the idea of building something similar?

[BigSean]

Great bit of Kit - so pleased with ours!!

[slippy8v]

Hi Sean its been a while how’s your young guy getting on with his van, hope he’s making the most of the Autocube I know I am. Still do the occasional search but as yet have not found another one. To bad the original manufacturer did not want to remake a few more, so still around 46 out there somewhere, I will keep searching lol

[slippy8v]

Another one has just been advertised on Facebook I know a few guys had been after one, this is not mine. https://www.facebook.com/groups/transpo ... nt_mention" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JJJackson]

Assuming I’m lucky enough to find one, what are they worth?