Gerty - 1965 LWB Camper (or will be again)

[peejaysea]

Hi Guys....Meet Gerty.
She is a 1965 109" ex ambulance / camper / overlander with an interesting history.



Originally built as a pick-up she then had a bespoke ambulance body made and fitted, shipped to Kenya for the Red Cross / St. Johns Ambulance in late 1965 and used there until 1969. Previous owner purchased her in 1969 whilst living in Kenya and he / his wife travelled around Africa in her. In 1974 they decided to return overland to the UK - via India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy and France - hitting Blighty after six months.

She was then used locally and finally rested up in early 2004, in a barn until 2014.




An expat LR enthusiast in the US discovered her, had her sympathetically restored and was about to ship her stateside when his wife discovered his intentions. Needless to say adding another series LR to his collection (of 10 apparently) did not go down well.
So he agreed to sell her - without even driving her!




I found her last November in deepest Dorset. Now Gerty is a member of our family.



I have some ideas of things that I would like to change or add (watch your PM's Jabbawocky!) and planning on using her over the summer for some camping trips - perhaps a jaunt to Scotland.

Digging into her past a bit more too and am currently in touch with her first "UK" owners.

Regards
Paul

[romanyrose]

G'day matey, now i really like that different which is what i like and well done from what i can see and to be honest puts my work to shame but i use what i have very much like the old Romanies did.
I must say i am looking forward to seeing that in the flesh so to speak and especially inside and under the bonnet.

Catch you later. R-Rose .

[peejaysea]

G'day matey, now i really like that different which is what i like and well done from what i can see and to be honest puts my work to shame but i use what i have very much like the old Romanies did.
I must say i am looking forward to seeing that in the flesh so to speak and especially inside and under the bonnet.

Catch you later. R-Rose .

Thank you for your comment romanyrose.

Not my work - all commissioned by the chap who was going to ship her Stateside - thankfully it fell though and then I jumped in. She still needs a few things doing but hey ......aren't they always work in progress!

Sure - she is not a Dormobile or Carawagon but she will do the trick for me I believe.

Hoping to get out and about in her over the summer - looking at Scotland at present.

Regards
Paul

[romanyrose]

G'day Paul, non of mine are the classic type that Robin or the lads own and drive but are all done in a way that suite me and the way i like to travel also as you might have guessed by my posts i use what i have or just come across having been a traveler from when i first got my bike licence many many years ago.
I must say i look forward to pictures of both inside the engine bay and the camper side of things not to judge but to enjoy other peoples idea's that i am not ashamed to say i feed off but never do it the same because i just like to be different but with my home comforts.
Compliments always make one feel good not that i get many because i like a colorful truck that some i feel are offended by what i do but life is short and i love my hobby/obsession and a Romany by name because i love being at ease with nature when on my travels.
Again i have to say i look forward to more pictures and information as you go along making your truck your own.

Catch you later. R-Rose

PS sorry for the waffle i am known for talking the hind legs off a donkey and being at ease with nature

[gossamer]

Splendid truck.

Come t'Pit.

[peejaysea]

Splendid truck.

Come t'Pit.

Hi gossamer

Hoping to get to a few events this year, not easy as I presently live in Luxembourg but work overseas in Afghanistan (where I am presently). Back home in May and will be getting a couple of jobs sorted on Gerty. Hoping to get to Scotland in the summer, see my folks and then head up to the highlands / islands with SWMBO and the dogs.

Thanks for the post.

Regards
Paul

[peejaysea]

G'day Paul, non of mine are the classic type that Robin or the lads own and drive but are all done in a way that suite me and the way i like to travel also as you might have guessed by my posts i use what i have or just come across having been a traveler from when i first got my bike licence many many years ago.
I must say i look forward to pictures of both inside the engine bay and the camper side of things not to judge but to enjoy other peoples idea's that i am not ashamed to say i feed off but never do it the same because i just like to be different but with my home comforts.
Compliments always make one feel good not that i get many because i like a colorful truck that some i feel are offended by what i do but life is short and i love my hobby/obsession and a Romany by name because i love being at ease with nature when on my travels.
Again i have to say i look forward to more pictures and information as you go along making your truck your own.

Catch you later. R-Rose

PS sorry for the waffle i am known for talking the hind legs off a donkey and being at ease with nature

Hi romanyrose - please - waffle on, nice to get some interest / feedback

I would have like to go the more classic dormobile / carawagon route but TBH I am really happy with Gerty and it gives me the opportunity to put my stamp on her - and some of our history to her story!

I have a couple of ideas floating around at present - as she is pretty much a blank canvas inside. No rush to be honest - I just want to have some fun and get out and about in her.

Photo's as requested -

engine bay:


rear camper:



rear prior to refurb:








As stated, pretty much a blank canvas.

Open to ideas!!

Thanks for the interest
Paul

[Jabbawocky]

Hi Paul.
She looks a great truck and will make a great camper. A rear awning, cooker on the back door, rock and roll bed and some additional well designed storage (pinching ideas from both Carawagons and Dormobiles), and she will take you any adventure you desire. The rear awning could be a Carawagon pullout frame? You could add a pop top to allow you to stand up in her?

As you have dogs, I would suggest one of the best additions to your truck is a kennel. We take our dogs on our trips in the UK and they travel in the rear of the Dormobile whilst traveling. Once we arrive at our camp, the dogs have to come out of the vehicle and after years of using different types of restraint, I eventually decided they needed there own safe mobile kennel and built a special trailer to keep them safe. The trailer doubles as a log carrier and we put the bikes in the back when travelling. Once on-site, the bikes come out and the dogs go in. They floor is carpeted and they bed is in there. Their water in fixed in one of the tool boxes and the front windscreen lifts to give loads of ventilation.

If you need any assistance, only too happy to help. If there is anything you want making and galvanising, give me plenty of notice as to keep the price down I have to send a job lot of items to get economies of scale.

Cheers Mick

[romanyrose]

G'day Paul. thanks for putting up the pictures i love engine bays and what others have done but i also like to make mine individual to me and the same goes for the camping side of things but because i don't weld i go the nut and bolt route as you might have gathered by the way i talk of what i try and achieve at least a bit each day.
Robin and Mick knock all sorts up to help others on there way to making up there campers but there are others that go there own way which makes life interesting if nothing else.

I must say i look forward to a bit of fire side waffling with a or two to help the tails of life gone by not that i need it but it helps others that have to listen .

Catch you later. R-Rose .

[peejaysea]

Hi Paul.
She looks a great truck and will make a great camper. A rear awning, cooker on the back door, rock and roll bed and some additional well designed storage (pinching ideas from both Carawagons and Dormobiles), and she will take you any adventure you desire. The rear awning could be a Carawagon pullout frame? You could add a pop top to allow you to stand up in her?

As you have dogs, I would suggest one of the best additions to your truck is a kennel. We take our dogs on our trips in the UK and they travel in the rear of the Dormobile whilst traveling. Once we arrive at our camp, the dogs have to come out of the vehicle and after years of using different types of restraint, I eventually decided they needed there own safe mobile kennel and built a special trailer to keep them safe. The trailer doubles as a log carrier and we put the bikes in the back when travelling. Once on-site, the bikes come out and the dogs go in. They floor is carpeted and they bed is in there. Their water in fixed in one of the tool boxes and the front windscreen lifts to give loads of ventilation.

If you need any assistance, only too happy to help. If there is anything you want making and galvanising, give me plenty of notice as to keep the price down I have to send a job lot of items to get economies of scale.

Cheers Mick

Hi Mick

Thanks for the positive feedback. As previously stated, presently a blank canvas - I have some ideas (as you suggested - cooker on rear door and storage probably boxes for now). She has a rear awning that came with her - yet to see it up. No great rush TBH and would like to look around and get some ideas from others and their set ups. Currently looking through the Members Vehicles threads for inspiration A pop top could be intersting - especially being 6ft 4" I have been on your website and have a shopping list in mind!!

I love the mobile kennel Great idea.

We have a travel crate (soft style) that The Boys use when we travel. Infact we have two - one for in the house that they sleep in and one for the car - then there are no great surprises when it gets zipped up! We rescued the two of them from France just over a year or so ago. Not been back to the UK with them yet (but thay have their Pet Passports) so the summer could be quite an adventure for us all.

Hope to see you about and will PM you to discuss some options.

Thanks again
Paul