series 2 carawagon build no's

[dudley]

Hi

After another monday spent in front of
a computer at gaydon,I now have the
build no's

252 rhd export 2.25 petrol 1962 to 1971.............131

277 rhd export 2.25 diesel 1962 to 1971............. 36

346 rhd export 2.6 petrol 1967 to 1971............. 128

Total Series 2 (3 door)..................... 295

Still a lot less than i had imaged Searle's had built
If only we could find out how many are left(on the
road and in storage).

Regards

Phillip

[RMS]

Thanks again Phillip

[Calum]

Superb, thanks Philip

[Calum]

Just a sort-of related pic of my early 6-pot Carawagon returning to its 'birthplace' as it were... This was only a couple of weeks after it had been returned to the road. I drove the 270 miles down to Goodwood for the Revival Meeting, which I attend every year, and camped in it for the weekend with my girlfriend. Thames Street is very narrow and even on a Monday mid-morning like this it was too busy to stop whereabouts I believe the factory to have been. I really need to stop and ask a local to be really nerdy next time I am down that way!! This pic was taken on Thames Street, but where the road is wide enough to allow me to stop for some 30 seconds or so!



I would really like to see the records at Gaydon to see how many 6-pots were converted before mine... possibly not many and I doubt if any survive which are older than mine now? That green one which appeared on ebay recently was the closest in age and spec I have ever seen to mine, but that too was later. Mine is SPJ 623F as seen above, and I know the location of SPH 509F, quite a few chassis no's later at 34600099D. Every time I call round, however, the chap is never at home!!!

[RobW]

Wonder how many were bought and then converted - ie didn't go direct from the factory.

[RMS]

That we will probably never know.

I understand the reason Searle and Dormobile used export chassis vehicles was a tax issue - presumably they were exempt from whatever 'purchase' tax was applicable at that time

It would probably have been an expensive route for an 'ordinary' customer to buy a 109" and then take it to Searle or Dormobile for conversion. Probably cheaper to buy it converted from new, unless someone bought one second hand, where depreciation would have been a factor

Cheers,
Robin.

[dudley]

hi

if you would like to pm me your chassis no.callum
i can tell you how many were built before yours.

regards

phillip

[dudley]

hi

the 1st S2 (3 dr) carawagon built was a 2.25 petrol 08/03/1962 in limestone

the last S2 (3dr) carawagon built was a 2.6 petrol 19/08/1971 in bronze green



regards

phillip

[CurlyKangaroo]

Hi All,

I know I am replying to a very old thread but I have just read this now and wished to qualify the information presented as I found it very interesting and curious.

I have a 1968 S2A Carawagon (lights in rad support) that I am restoring in Australia.

Carawagons are very rare here.

As I understand it, from the previous owner in Perth WA, the vehicle was driven from the UK to Australia back in the day by an English couple.
It as sold on to a single gent who used it for approximately 1-2 years and then he sold it to the owners that I purchased it from who then used it as a family camping holiday vehicle before the engine overheated and it was then parked up and sat for 25 years.

The vehicle I have has every conceivable additional extra except for the slide out awning tent at the rear and the door mounted cooker.

It has,
German made VDO cruise control!!!
Air conditioning
A full Lucas gauge kit
Full blinds all the way around
Jerry can holders x2 on the front
Jerry can holder on the rear
bonnet lock
fuel tank lock
spare wheel on bonnet
spare on back door
Gal roof rack on front section of roof
head light grills
grills on all other lights
adjustable front seat
plug for 12v shaver (for him)
dual battery system
apparently it had a toilet fitted in the centre console position (for her) but this has long been removed
deluxe interior lining
Spot lights
Fridge positon mountings

BUT....
THE CHASSIS NUMBER IS 25115240D

This number contradicts the information presented in the thread stating that all S2/2A RHD Export variants had a Serial Number starting 252...

Can anyone shed any light on this anomaly?

I am rather new to this.
Regards,

Darren (In Australia)

[RMS]

Hi Darren,

Wow, your 'option' list on your Carawagon sounds very comprehensive!
I would think some of those were after-market mods - I can't remember seeing any Searle documentation mentioning air-con or cruise control

What engine does it have now, or are you reconditioning the original?

It would have been interesting to have seen the toilet arrangement (which was a Searle option) - I suspect it would have been a simple bucket with toilet seat and a clip on lid to keep it from splashing when travelling. I remember my parents having an early caravan with just such an arrangement, before the advent of flushing porta-pottis.

As said earlier in this thread, it was possible to purchase a 109" Land Rover and take it to Searle for conversion, which could explain the 251 chassis number.

There may also have been times when Searle could not purchase base vehicles on export chassis numbers - perhaps a quota per year? Or, if a customer was in a hurry, Searle might have purchased a base vehicle from stock, or used a stock vehicle they had in their showroom (they were dealers as well as converters), rather than ordering a new build on an export chassis number.

I hope that helps

By the way, where are you located in Australia?

Cheers,
Robin.