ID van please

[nvs34]

Hi, im mick. New to this site.
Ive just purchased my first van. but need some help on working out who made it. Ive been looking around this site and think its an alantic? Any ideas? Thanks.

[Franklin1]

Hi mick, and welcome to the forum! I'm going to have to disagree with it being an Atlantic van. From what we understand about Atlantics, they apparently didn't change the design of the shell during the time they were made (although the internal layouts could be changed). So if you look at the vans in the Atlantic History thread ( vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=chat&action=display&thread=2037 ), they only have one window per side, whereas yours has two. I also reckon yours has been modified at the front and new larger windows installed. The sudden change in the roofline above the front windows suggests to me that some major surgery has been done on your van at some stage (I could be wrong!). The drawbar also appears to have been modified and an extension tube added to the front. My guess is the original tow coupling sat on the plate where the sidebars meet at a point. All of which makes it somewhat difficult to give you an accurate identification. Assuming the side aluminium windows are original (...they appear to be), then it would date your van around the mid-50s or later.
The photo of the rear of your van shows a faint outline in the ply where a window might have once been. Does it look like a window has been taken out and the opening filled with ply?

All in all mate, you've got me stumped. It's like someone going to the plastic surgeon and coming back with a new face...

It'd be interesting to know what your van has been through during it's lifetime!

Looks like a very good project ahead of you!

cheers,
Al.

[Jikah]

Hello Mick,

I am wondering if in fact the front of your van has been lengthened to incorporate the window between the door and the front and the corresponding window on the other side. That would account for the front roof line and the need to increase the length of the draw bar.
Enjoy the restoration, Ian.

[nvs34]

Thanks guys,

Although the front windows look like they have been added, the timber around them looks orginal. When i start rebuilding it the truth may come out. Yep, the front top has been "modified", not in a very good way. I plan on getting the orginal curve back.
From what i can tell, the front as not been extended. but yes it once had a rear window.
When i start on it, i'll post some pics.

thanks
mick