Ian_Fearn Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hello all, i'm trying to find out more about a motorhome manufacturer called Foster & Day. I believe they ceased trading a few years back and i'm trying to get some info regarding the conversions they made to a number of ex ambulance GMC 6.2 V8 diesel chassis. Can anybody help?? Many thanks, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I did a quick Google using: "Foster & Day motorhomes" as the search terms and came up with a bunch of hits. Perhaps some of them might be of help to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I saw them - I think they're all vans for sale. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Tried all sorts of google searches but nothing concrete has come up. I had hoped somebody with a better knowledge of the older motorhome business might know something. I'm trying to find some pictures, info on the 6.2 diesel and generally if they're any good. Have heard mixed reports on the 6.2 lump, the american sites say they're good but have heard bad reports too. We recently sold a 1.6 n/a diesel camper which was agonisingly slow and i want something with some grunt next time :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Ian: There's a bit about this on http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/gentleman/jun05.html I believe the review Jonathan Lloyd ("Gentleman Jack Bancroft") mentions was published in MMM magazine in September 1999 and the Foster & Day model name was "Vandura Tristar". You should be able to purchase a monochrome reprint of the review from MMM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 thanks, thats useful, do you know how i can get this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Just read MMM and seen I can order it BUT does anybody have a copy I could get quicker than the quoted 2 weeks in MMM? I'll put a seperate post up! Thanks a lot, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbow-Chasers Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Just one thing to note......i recall when they were ambulances (they had them at my local hospital) they were phenominally unreliable. So much so, they hit the headlines as being dangerous to peoples health as they broke down so often. Many we found parked up in favour of the old ambulances! If you want something more powerful, look at turbo deisel. If you don't want turbo then look at merc or similar, or if you can find one a toyota/nissan. It is hard to suggest without knowing what you want from a vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 From memory F & D went out of business 6 -8 years ago. They built conventional alloy sheet on wooden frame bodies. By now water ingress via the seams would be the main concern. Beg, borrow etc a damp meter or better still get someone who is used to using one to check before buying. I have a hazy memory that the reliability problems involved auxilliary drive belts jumping off the pullies. A sudden loss of power steering on a tight bend answering an emergency is to say the least undesirable. The 6.2 was non turbo and delivered about 130hp so although it will be faster than a 1.7 T3 your licence is not in great danger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 When I was in the Fire Service, we had a GMC 6.2 litre V8, on an H plate, at my fire station. It was a Rapid Intervention vehicle, with a crew of two and carried all the specialised equipment required for road accidents.I drove it a number of times, and once the engine had 'run in', I was really impressed with its speed. Oddly enough, I saw it last year at teddington lock on the Thames. It was sold out of the Service some years ago, and a diving company had bought it. They were using it to carry all their tools and equipment. According to the driver they bought it at auction and it doesn't miss a beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeontour Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I know a little about these 'vans. As has been said, they were all built on a batch of GMC chassis cabs that had previously been used as ambulances. They did not convert the ambulance body, which was removed and replaced with a new (at the time) conventional timber frame, aluminium clad body built onto the chassis. First to the body. Don't necessarily discount the 'van on account of it's age. A good friend of mine has recently sold a similarly aged F&D 'van with essentially the same body built on an early 1990's Iveco ambulance chassis. It was in very regular use for it's entire life, as a result of which it was completely sound and dry. The furniture was orginal and very sound, after a re-upholster it looked like new. (Personally I doubt the furniture in today's mass produced 'vans will last as well). However I have seen other examples which spent most of their time parked up which were in poor condition. Classic sleepy 'van syndrome really. The GMC chassis was an odd animal. In the States it was known as a good, solid, reliable workhorse. From memory they offered a greater payload than a similar sized European c/cab, hence the idea to mount a heavy ambulance body on them. With proper maintenance and a full service history these units, like most US commercial diesels are good for 300,000 miles. Of course, if they aren't serviced properly, including using the correct fluids (a common problem), then expect mechanical issues. The problem with these c/cabs came when someone decided they should be converted to right hand drive. The American design was based on the vehicle only carrying one person, the driver, for most of the time. Like many American commercials (and RV's), the engine / transmission intrudes into the passenger area. Not unreasonably the design gave the vast majority of the footwell space to the driver, so in left hand drive form all was well. However in right hand drive, the space for the drivers feet was tiny, best compared to a 1970's Fiat car. With huge pedals there simply wasn't space for most drivers to drive safely. That I believe was the real reason why the ambulances had the reputation they had and were taken out of service. You must take a test drive before buying. You could see into their yard from the M62. It seemed to take years to sell them all off. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Ian, re review - check your inbox for a PM from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hello Ian Foster & Day were built Nr Rochdale, I Know they dont build them anymore but last time i past there were some vans and a couple of motor homes being sold there. I am going to Rochdale on Tuesday, will call round and see if i can find out anything. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Thanks again for the info and thanks to RobinHood for persevering with my limited IT availability to get me a copy of the MMM article. I'm still quite keen although a test drive would be imperative given its a bit of an oddball motorhome. At the money i'm looking at though it would appear a bargain on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Again, thanks to Robin Hood i've got the article. Am a bit frustrated now though as the vehicle is 3901kgs gross weight which apparently includes an 800kg payload. I'm only licensed to drive upto 3500kgs, is there anything i could do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Hello Ian Called at Foster & Day, the premises ar now split into 3 or 4 units. I was told that the units are still owened by a Mr Day but could not find out any more. It might be worth ringing Castleton Van Sales Tel 01706 644001 & try www.drive4cars.com as they are two of the units. I think the van place is were i saw the motorhomes. The only thing you can do about the weight problem is to down plate to 3500kgs, but you would only have 401kgs as your pay-load then. But in saying that some of the modern M/Hs have only that, and some even less. Not much but hope it might help Regards Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 Any idea how i would go about down plating it?? Would i be legal to drive the vehicle in an unladen state? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Hello Ian NO!! do not drive it, even if it only weighed 2000kg unladened,t is the gross weight which matters, That is it is over your licence class. to down plate you need to find your nearest HGV. MOT station. they will give you all the details you will need, they are very helpful And i dont think you will need to do much to the vehicle if anything, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeontour Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hi Ian I've just been through this exercise, albeit the other way round. It's a relatively simple process to down-plate a motor caravan, but it's not through an MOT station. Whether it's viable is a different question as a down-plated 'van with no payload will eventually lead you into problems. The first thing to do is contact the trading standards dept that covers the area the 'van is in and ask them for a list of the approved public weighbridges. Get the vendor to take you and the 'van to a weighbridge on the list and get each axle individually weighed. Should cost around £10 and you will get a printout with the weights on. If the 'van weighs in at less than 3500kg with the two of you in it and some fuel, then you can start to consider down-plating. If it's on or at the limit then you are obviously snookered. Remember you need at least 150 kg above the weighbridge allowance for fuel, water, gas bottles, beer, food, clothes, kit etc etc. If you can go ahead a specialist firm (I can provide details) will be able to advise what is possible and what if anything needs doing, but they will need very detailed technical info about the 'van (including the axle weights). Final stage is that they issue a new VIN plate and documentation that you take to the local DVLA office. After which the van is legally at the new weight limit, which of course you have to abide by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 I looked into this today. By the time the 2 of us are in it, full of fuel, water, gas, bikes, food, clothes, pots and pans etc etc it'd just be wayyyyy over the 3500kg limit. I'm thinking about doing the C1 test now, has anybody else done this? It strikes me that it wont be long till motorhomes over 3500kgs will have a very small market as those who can currently drive upto 7500kgs will reach 70 and us young'uns dont have the licence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vwsween Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I know this thread is old, I came across it when searching for info on the foster and day VW Horizon Classique Coachbuilt. If anyone wants to know more about that vehicle please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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