Rapido C03 Awning Question

[machra]

Looking to buy a Rapido C03 however when browsing one yesterday I noticed that there was very little room between to top of the habitation door and the roof of the van and I doubted you could fit a Fiamma type awning due to the lack of space between the two. I asked the salesman and he said he ‘thought’ you could fit an awning but wasn’t sure. I have looked through the Rapido catalogue and an awning is neither a factory fit nor on their extras list. This means I would have to have one retro fitted and based on past experience of having a dealer fit things on the van I am loathed to go down this route. 

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm not aware that Rapido has ever offered a 'Fiamma type' awning as a factory-fitted option on any of their motorhomes, let alone on a panel-van conversion like the C03 model.

However, despite the top of the sliding side-door being close to roof-line, it would still be practicable to have an awning retro-fitted as shown on the image below of a similar design Rapido V55.

 

Fiamma and Thule both market this type of above-the-roof awning and (I believe) the Ducato's standard mounting-points for a roof-rack are used for the awning's brackets.

https://fiammastore.com/product/fiamma-f80s-awning-for-ducato-jumper-boxer/

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/awnings/awnings#filter=compatibility-rvs-lov-id-1395541%2Crvmountinglocations-1398224

[Robinhood]

The C03 is a low-profile coachbuilt, Derek, not a PVC.

All the "C" series have a habitation door which approaches the roof profile, made rather more restrictive by an awning light mounted somewhat higher.

Nonetheless, though it seems likely that an awning isn't offered as a factory fit, it is patently possible to fit one as evidenced by a number of images obtained via Google (showing different models of awning used).

Presumably one or other of the special roof adapters is used.

The recent sale detailed here shows a different fitment:

https://www.spinney.co.uk/rapido-series-c-c03-19191

 

Edited November 18 by Robinhood

[Derek Uzzell]

Mea culpa. 😐

[Mickt]

19 minutes ago, Derek Uzzell said:

Mea culpa. 😐

You speak Latin Derek

[machra]

Thanks for the replies. Seems like the only option is to go retro fit. As I say I am uneasy about retro fit - based on experience of having a solar panel fitted by dealer where they just screwed into the roof and didn’t seal anything meaning we had a leaky roof from day one. Two ‘fixes’ later and we gave the van back trading in for the Burstner I have now. Making sure everything I wanted on the van was factory fitted. 
Robinhood - I saw the Spinney van and noticed it had the awning mounted on the roof, a bit like a panel van. Is the picture you posted a C03? I cannot make out the numbers on the van and I cannot find the picture searching through google?

[Robinhood]

The Spinney advert is definitely for a C03 (and the pictures look correct).

From the location of the badging, I'd guess the awning was a Thule/Omnistor, rather than Fiamma, and it looks like it could be a 6300 (at least semi- roof mounted). Though that is definitely only a guess.

[Derek Uzzell]

The photo below is from a French advert for a Rapido C50. This C-range model is longer than its c03 sibling, but has the same height and width dimensions. As with the Spinney example, the awning is mounted on the roof rather than on the side.

My 2015 coachbuilt Rapido 640F had the same 2.75m height as C-range models and, when an awning was retro-fitted, it was positioned on the side not on the roof. Critically, however, the 640F's awning light was much lower down and not above the entrance door.

Incidentally , the photo in Robinhood's earlier posting comes from here

https://www.blurent.com/en/secondhand-vehicles/rapido-c03/

The motorhome is a 2024 C03 and has a FIAMMA F45S awning.

[machra]

Thanks to you all for the information. Very much appreciated