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When is a Campervan a Motorhome?


Gwendolyn

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Agree with Brian to an extent

Campervan - basic facilities with a tent top

Motorcaravan - Coachbuilt body on a Motorised chassis, with same (generic) equipment as a Caravan.

Motorhome - American RV - with full Home style cooker, fridge, washing machine which normally operate on Mains Electric (or in-built Generator)

 

So I guess that leaves PVC High Tops - maybe Camping Coach is appropriate >:-) >:-)

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Can anyone pre-date this? My fathers own design - custom "campervan"?

From circa 1955 - ish

A Ford Thames van with foam panel seats which went flat to make 2 beds in the back where my sister & I slept during our "campervanning" holidays to Italy & Spain. My parents were in a canvas ex army bell tent with massive wooden pole! He bought the van as a van to avoid purchase tax, kept it a year, then got a local chap to fit side windows in the back. I remember having to stop on Gross Glockner to allow the rad to cool.

 

Then in about 1959-60 he bought one of the first Bedford Dormobiles and we went all round Europe Spain Portugal Yugoslavia etc.

It had a tilt roof with two canvas bunks in the top, a cooker & a sink, but no toilet. It was neither a campervan nor a motorhome - it was a "Dormobile"!! It was our "home" for many happy summer months.

 

Jeremy ( the L'AimeDuck)

thamesvan1.jpg.024b8a4991c7c26a249b26838d4f5692.jpg

dormobile2.jpg.f2c579e5ee879bfa328e6a7f676e0f6f.jpg

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Surely if its a converted van with a big sliding door its a camper van. If on the other hand its a coach built job with a little door and looks like a caravan on four wheels its called a motor home.

 

Not that it matters, we all choose a configuration that suits our needs.

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My cousin has just visited form Canada and referred to my VW as a 'Westfalia'. I guess not many Dormobiles made it to the USA and Canada. Personally I'm quite sure that it's a 'campervan' although I generally refer to it as a 'VW camper'.

 

Can't quite see the problem with the term 'motor caravan'. It seems to describe exactly what it is. I think it should apply to anything larger than a VW but smaller than an RV. Always feel that motorhome sounds a bit pretentious although maybe it's appropriate for larger vehicles. Do you stay on a caravan site or a housing estate?

 

Is it the 'Jeremy Clarkson effect' and the negative portrayal of caravans in the press that causes a problem?

 

Peter

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