jayb1
New Member
Vicount, Ambassador, Alumvan, 18'6", 6 Berth, 581E. I purchased this van in Townsville in 1978.
Posts: 5 
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Post by jayb1 on Jun 23, 2015 20:58:44 GMT 10
I was on the look out for any markings that might give me a year but alas none. Just a few measurements in feet & inches. There's nothing on the wiring either, just 3 core Red, Black & Bare for the earth 15 amp power wire. The DC Wiring is White twin 10 amp. No marking s on the PVC wiring insulation. The only Material Tag I found was hard to read so I used a blue filter to bring the writing up a bit.
The Serial number is correct at 581E & it's before the dolly wheel. I'll get a close up of it tomorrow. I thought it a bit strange too. Maybe the welder started to put the number on first then realized his mistake, I don't know. It could be one of the earliest. The aluminium cladding is the Log Cabin profile, as regards the paint it does dust of easily with a rag. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 24, 2015 17:19:12 GMT 10
Hi Jayb1,
Well that's got me stumped! The serial number definitely says '581E'...
I wondered if the A-frame on you van had been replaced, because on many - maybe even most - Ambassadors the serial number is written between the jockey wheel and the body, rather than below the brake cylinder at the front. However, there are also several examples on this thread where the serial number is in the same place as yours.
Hopefully someone knowledgeable about serial numbers like Franklin1 will come along and enlighten us both, eh?
Don Ricardo
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Post by Franklin1 on Jun 24, 2015 22:30:34 GMT 10
The Ambassador chassis number got an "E"-prefix from the mid-1960s up until about 1971. For unknown reasons, the numbering system then went back to start at 1, and the letter E was added after the numbers. From memory the highest E-prefix number I've seen is E11033 on an Ambassador from the early 1970s. Maybe the welders threatened to go on strike if they weren't paid an allowance for having to now weld a letter plus 5 numbers onto the chassis, seeing as how they'd only had to weld four numbers for the past umpteen years (...and yes, I jest...  ). Management might have thwarted that claim by rejigging the numbering system - who knows?! jayb1 will see a lot more Ambassadors from the early 1970s on the Classic Caravans forum . cheers, Al. |
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jayb1
New Member
Vicount, Ambassador, Alumvan, 18'6", 6 Berth, 581E. I purchased this van in Townsville in 1978.
Posts: 5
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Post by jayb1 on Jun 25, 2015 20:58:07 GMT 10
Thanks for that Franklin1. I was told that the van was a 1976 model when I brought it, but seeing the Vans here made me doubt that. I guess is a 76 going by the number. So I'll be going over to the Classic Caravans. Flick.
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BlueBird
Full Member
Monica and Shaun
Posts: 209
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Post by BlueBird on Aug 3, 2015 17:15:07 GMT 10
Hi Franklin1, I have a Viscount Ambassador 12ft caravan with the chassis number E1878. It is registered as a 1962, but looking at your photos, it looks like it has the pattern of the 1968 make, however the numbers match up more with the early 1960's make. I'm not real good with posting photos, but you can see a photo of my "Bluebird" on my profile. Thanks, Monica  |
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dardz
New Member
Posts: 2 
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Post by dardz on Sept 13, 2015 15:54:27 GMT 10
Hi All, Im new to this forum and vintage caravans...Have just bought this little baby which is registered as a 1976 Viscount with chassis number E7162. Can anyone shed any light on if this is its true 'rough' year of manufacturer please? s1032.photobucket.com/user/dardz777/library/Viscount%20Van |
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Post by sportsman 1 on Sept 14, 2015 10:30:10 GMT 10
Hi Dardz, going by the chassis number, paint design, etc I recon yours is a 1968.
Leigh
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 14, 2015 10:53:25 GMT 10
Hi Dardz, Great to hear about your acquisition. Welcome to the vintage caravan fraternity! With due respect to Sportsman1, I think your van is actually a 1969 model.  As shown in your photo, above, the two bits of the upper and lower flashes aren't joined at the ends as they were on the 1968 model Ambassador, and it appears from reading through this thread that the Ambassador serial numbers didn't hit the 7000's until 1969. Don Ricardo |
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Post by sportsman 1 on Sept 14, 2015 13:18:34 GMT 10
Thanks DR, always happy to be put back in the corner!
I said 68 due to the fact that E8135 had a date of February 69 written on the cupboards and as Dardz' van is E7162 (almost a thousand earlier) I doubted if they would have built a thousand in the month, especially taking Christmas holidays out.
This, to my mind would make it late 1968. (or thereabouts!)
Leigh.
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Post by moparman on Sept 14, 2015 16:38:10 GMT 10
Our Viscount Amassador has a chassis number E8184 Inside wardrobe it is stamped 21 Jan 1969. Hope this may help!  Cheers Moparman |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 16, 2015 14:33:59 GMT 10
Hi Sportsman1, Moparman and Dardz, Sportsman1 and Moparman - thanks for your posts about the vans with an E8xxx serial number. That's very useful information, particularly in tandem with the dates found in the two vans. I was basing my comments on the info assembled by Franklin1 at the beginning of this thread, but it would appear that that now needs to be amended. Franklin1 identified vans with flashes the same shape as those on Dardz's van as being 1969 build. But based on your info - and unless the serial numbers on the vans aren't sequential  - vans built in 1969 must clearly have had an E8xxx serial number, and a van with an E7xxx serial number like Dardz's must be from 1968. That means the 'lightning flash' flashes on Dardz's van must also have been introduced in 1968, not 1969 as Franklin1 thought. We learn as we go! So Dardz, looks like your van is 1968. And sounds like it might be worthwhile looking inside your cupboards and wardrobe to see if you can find an actual build date written somewhere. Don Ricardo |
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Post by sportsman 1 on Sept 16, 2015 19:15:33 GMT 10
Hi DR,
I think it is the same for the caravan industry as for the car industry. Updates, changes, etc are done for the new models but are not necessarily done from January 1st. A new design, model, etc for, say, 1966 and are thus called the 1966 models are likely to be available late in the previous year.
Point in question, generally speaking the 1953 model Vauxhalls all have a sidelift bonnet and 1954 models have a front lift bonnet. This change was actually made in November 1953 and I know of one car surviving that was built in 1953 but has the 1954 bonnet. Similarly the new 1955 model was not released until February 1955, thus the last of the old style 1954 cars were actually built in early 1955!
Where a specific date of manufacture is not known it is probably ok to refer to them as being of the particular year model, but where a known date is available we can then narrow it down to an approximate month and year as applicable.
I get this all the time as a dating officer for the Vauxhall Club, and each one that comes along gives us another point of reference.
Keep up the great work, it is much appreciated.
Cheers,
Leigh.
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leeron
Junior Member
1966 Viscount Duralvan 14' 6
Posts: 69
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Post by leeron on Sept 16, 2015 21:43:19 GMT 10
Hi Franklin1, I have a Viscount Ambassador 12ft caravan with the chassis number E1878. It is registered as a 1962, but looking at your photos, it looks like it has the pattern of the 1968 make, however the numbers match up more with the early 1960's make. I'm not real good with posting photos, but you can see a photo of my "Bluebird" on my profile. Thanks, Monica Hello Monica, The van in your profile picture is very much 1968 if the stripes are original to the van and looks closer to 15 foot. pull the drawers out and look on the underside for date marking in pencil or under the table or under the slide out stove table. most viscounts peices were marked with the original chassis no. , van length and date so they got put into the correct vans after each peice being made. |
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Post by sportsman 1 on Sept 16, 2015 22:51:47 GMT 10
E1878 fits in to the 1966 period according to the information on page 1. E1308 is shown there as a 66 and 67 vans are up in the 3000's
Bit hard to see the paint design on yours but it appears to be the same as the 66 versions as well.
Leigh.
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leeron
Junior Member
1966 Viscount Duralvan 14' 6
Posts: 69
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Post by leeron on Sept 18, 2015 23:16:25 GMT 10
Hi All, Im new to this forum and vintage caravans...Have just bought this little baby which is registered as a 1976 Viscount with chassis number E7162. Can anyone shed any light on if this is its true 'rough' year of manufacturer please? s1032.photobucket.com/user/dardz777/library/Viscount%20VanHow did you go Dardz? Had a look under the tables, drawers etc. Yet? |
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dardz
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by dardz on Oct 7, 2015 9:15:02 GMT 10
Hi All, Im new to this forum and vintage caravans...Have just bought this little baby which is registered as a 1976 Viscount with chassis number E7162. Can anyone shed any light on if this is its true 'rough' year of manufacturer please? s1032.photobucket.com/user/dardz777/library/Viscount%20VanHow did you go Dardz? Had a look under the tables, drawers etc. Yet? Hey Leeron, I have been removing some of the cupboard panels and found the rear of the laminate date stamped July 1968 So its easy to say that its not a 1976!! Thanks for everyones help. |
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jeffo
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by jeffo on Nov 24, 2015 16:43:56 GMT 10
G'day All, I am still getting my head around these forum threads, as I'm a newbie. Anyway, I have just bought a Viscount 13'5 Ambassador registered as 1969, which after some initial reading on this forum I was happy thinking that I had an Aluminium frame, but no such luck. Turns out it's timber. Then I checked the chassis number, which is D1878, and from reading further, I realized it must be actually around a 1965 vintage. I tried to attach a couple of 765kb pics but seem to suffering from a technical malfunction. The van has had a couple of half hearted attempts at being renovated, so I am not at all interested in trying to bring back to original, but rather blend the mod cons with the retro charm.
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Post by mibosa on Nov 24, 2015 18:34:10 GMT 10
To either assist or create confusion with the Viscount identification process, my Viscount Ambassador is a 15' aluminium frame model with the number E1419. In various places within the van there is the date of 28/10/66. A number of the cupboard doors have 9115 in pencil, no letter prefix. My van has two small windows at the rear on the door side which I presume provided ventilation for bunk beds, which are no longer present.
Regards,
Bob.
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Post by Don Ricardo on Nov 24, 2015 20:04:15 GMT 10
Hi Jeffo,
Welcome to the forum. Great to hear about your Ambassador. It sounds like you're on the money about it being a 1965 model, based on the serial number. The other clue on Ambassadors and other Viscount variants is the shape of the coloured flash or panel on the sides. The shape changed each year (more or less). In any case if your van is 1965 that would explain the timber frame.
As you've probably seen, the other thing to look for in your van is the build date written in cupboards, the bottoms of drawers and other internal panels. A lot of Ambassador owners have found the date of their van in those types of places.
You mention not being able to post photos. If you've tried to do that using the Atttachment button, the reason is that that function isn't working at the moment. The other (and actually the more satisfactory) way to post photos is by posting them from an online photo storage website such as Photobucket or Flickr. There are instructions on how to do that in the 'Forum Guidelines & Helpful Hints' section of the forum.
It'd be great to see photos of your van. I'm sure a lot of us on the forum would like to see them, as well as photos of your progress as you do it up. Let us know if you have trouble working out how to use Photobucket, etc, and someone will be glad to help you.
Don Ricardo
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jeffo
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by jeffo on Nov 25, 2015 19:15:00 GMT 10
Hi Jeffo, Welcome to the forum. Great to hear about your Ambassador. It sounds like you're on the money about it being a 1965 model, based on the serial number. The other clue on Ambassadors and other Viscount variants is the shape of the coloured flash or panel on the sides. The shape changed each year (more or less). In any case if your van is 1965 that would explain the timber frame. As you've probably seen, the other thing to look for in your van is the build date written in cupboards, the bottoms of drawers and other internal panels. A lot of Ambassador owners have found the date of their van in those types of places. You mention not being able to post photos. If you've tried to do that using the Atttachment button, the reason is that that function isn't working at the moment. The other (and actually the more satisfactory) way to post photos is by posting them from an online photo storage website such as Photobucket or Flickr. There are instructions on how to do that in the 'Forum Guidelines & Helpful Hints' section of the forum. It'd be great to see photos of your van. I'm sure a lot of us on the forum would like to see them, as well as photos of your progress as you do it up. Let us know if you have trouble working out how to use Photobucket, etc, and someone will be glad to help you. Don Ricardo Thanks for the welcome and feedback Don. I'll have to get organized and set up photobucket or similar. As for colour flash markings, unfortunately the van has been painted at least twice from what I can determine. It currently has reasonable coat of 2-pack white, and is sealed up like a drum. Even the window frames have been silverfrosted (which is less than ideal), so I have to work out how far to go with external restoration work. I did pick up on the previous posts about possible dates scribbled on the back of furniture components, and yes there are numbers marked, but nothing that seem to relate to dates. I will keep looking though. I'll make sure I get some photo's posted next time. |
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Post by Gidget on Nov 28, 2015 12:51:37 GMT 10
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Post by starburst on Dec 3, 2015 11:17:06 GMT 10
...my Viscount Ambassador is a 15' aluminium frame model with the number E1419. In various places within the van there is the date of 28/10/66....Regards, Bob. Well I just pulled the table out on our van because I had noticed some fine chipboard flakes on the floor and thought I should investigate. There is a faint penciled inscription underneath which indicates E1407 and what looks like either 5/10/66 or 15/10/66. Due to the state of the crumbling chipboard it's difficult to read. I gave it a couple of coats of clear lacquer which has stabilized the chipboard and preserved what's left of the inscription. Cheers, Sam |
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Post by fordprefect on Dec 3, 2015 20:28:25 GMT 10
Hi all,
Any idea why there are round or square wheel arches.
My 68 E6189 has round as above.
This is a Sydney Van
Regards Alex
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Post by Don Ricardo on Dec 3, 2015 21:36:07 GMT 10
Hi Starburst and Fordprefect,
Great to read the info you've contributed about your respective vans. With information like that we're beginning to build a good picture of the serial numbers and build dates for Ambassadors, which is exciting to see, and very helpful for other Ambassador owners.
Fordprefect: I'm not sure which van you are referring to as 'above'. However, in answer to your question, we do know that because Viscounts and their variants (such as Ambassadors) were built in three different factories in three different states, there seem to have been a number of small and bigger stylistic differences between the vans built in the different factories. One difference is in the shape of the wheel arches. If your van was built in the NSW factory and has round wheel arches, then that may indicate that all single axle Ambassadors built around the same time as yours in NSW could have had round wheel arches. Logically it may also mean that an Ambassador about the same age as yours with a round wheel arch may have been built in the NSW factory. Notice that I said 'may'. At least your post provides the basis for a theory about the shapes of Ambassador wheel arches which we didn't have before.
Out of interest, what indicates that your van was built in Sydney? If you are able to tell us, that may also help us work out which factory various Ambassadors came from.
Don Ricardo
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Post by fordprefect on Dec 3, 2015 21:58:10 GMT 10
Thanks Don,
We are the second owner of this van after the passing of the first owner some 4 to 5 years ago
His daughter mentioned that her father had brought the van home from the factory in sydney and it was his pride and joy being used for annual holidays
It's in pretty good condition and we had no trouble with registration.
I also have some original paperwork and specifications indicating sydney manufacture.
The Side view of the69 above is similar to our van except we have the flash that is complete like the other 68 pictures.
My tyre is partially covered by the curved wheel arch as above size is 6.50 x 6.50 x 13 in light truck
It is a 13.5 foot single axle ambassador.
How can I get some photos from my phone to upload? Is there an easy click and drop function or i can message to a mobile number for assistance with uploads
Thanks Alex
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). Management might have thwarted that claim by rejigging the numbering system - who knows?!
