82 high top back from the dead

[davethebus]

Hi everyone my names Si, I'm new here and thought this would be the best way to introduce myself and try and get a little info on my camper as it's origins are a bit of a mystery.

Being in the restoration business I've worked on loads of campers including splits, bays and wedges but never actually owned one. So while out on a few erronds one day my mate heard of a high top wedge for sale next door to a friend of ours. When I saw it I just felt so sorry for it and figured it deserved another chance. The camping interior was totally missing but it seemed like a solid enough base vehicle with all the repair panels, rubbers, trims etc included in the sale. Originaly a carravelle cl so had some nice bits on it. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble so here's some pics.

What it looked like after getting it home and being renamed Dave by the missus.




Then here it is after five weeks of working on it inbetween customers vehicles and on weekends.





The interior is about half finished, just waiting on seat foams and some metal to make the brackets for the bed hinges (old sofa bed hinges) and other bits and pieces.

Now for the question.
The van has no clues to the identity of the original conversion so would love to get any tips on how to tell what make the conversion was originaly.

And for anyone wondering about the numberplate, it was a mistake by dvla when first registered in 82, should have been an x reg but someones writing obviously wasn't that good back then .

[Titus A Duxass]

Hello and welcome.
Nice job you've done with the outside.

[Peter-T]

Welcome to the club!

Looks like a right corker you've got there!!

Have you got anything else planned for it?

[davethebus]

Thanks people, the main thing I want to do is sort the interior out then lower it a touch. I'll put some pics of the interior up as soon as I've finished. Its all on a very tight budget, the sink and grill unit was used as a paint table in our workshop for years but a day spent with a stanley blade, some thinners, a sander and some varnish has brought it back up really well.

[john1]

Well done mate, looking great

[davethebus]

Thanks john, will hopefuly have some decent pics of the interior at the weekend as the bed foams arrived today so best get the covers made

[1664]

Nice

I always find it uplifting whenever I see one of these vans rescued from the downward spiral to the scrap yard

[davethebus]

Thanks 1664, I couldn't agree more.

Here's a couple of pics of last week when I started the interior, more to come as soon as I remember to take some photos while working.

Here's the paint table/sink-grill unit after I cleaned the top off but before sanding and varnishing the sides.



Interior panels trimmed up.



Upper bed boards being trimmed and fixed in place, unfortunately they wouldn't fit through the opening in one piece so had to chop in half before trimming.



And a pic I found of just after I finished spraying him.



Thanks for the positive comments everyone

[1664]

Here's the paint table/kitchen unit after I cleaned the top off but before sanding and varnishing the sides.

Not wanting to pi$$ on your parade or anything, but frankly I'd bin that and start afresh.....

[davethebus]

Point taken, you'll be amazed at the pics of it finished.

I was going to just use the sink, grill, hob etc from it but really like the way it turned out.

[1664]

Fair enough

[davethebus]

My roof is an EMC roof so I thought it must be an EMC conversion but after a bit of google image searching I've seen a few different conversions using this roof. Can ayone point me in the right direction?

[1664]

I think it was a 'homebrew' conversion ie, DIY. Those cupboards don't look like a known conversion company's furniture.
High top may have been fitted professionally though. What body type does it say on the V5 'logbook'? Panel Van or MotorCaravan? Do you have any paperwork or history with it?

[davethebus]

No paperwork with it, no furniture came with it, it is all stuff we had laying about. It says motorcaravan on the v5. Roof does look like a proffessional job apart from the hole in the headlining where the sunroof used to be.

[1664]

It says motorcaravan on the v5

Well, that's the important bit as far as you're concerned for insurance and speed limit purposes