Dormobile Roma Mk1 1968 on Bedford HA, £1,000, Scotland
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 3:32 pmThis is an advance notice of sale as the Roma won't be available for sale until after it MOT on 24th April. I am giving club members an opportunity to express an interest first. If a sale has not been agreed by the time it has been MOTd I will put it on eBay. If you are interested PM me.
Time has come for me to part with my Dormobile Roma campervan. This is based on the Bedford HA Van converted by Marten Walter in 1968. It is therefore the Mk1 version with the top hinged tailgate. My Uncle George bought it new in May 1968 and used it until his death in 1992. It then passed to me and I used it for a couple of years. However at that time I had no garage and it was deteriorating in the salt air. I sold it and it then was taken off the road in 1996. It passed through a couple of owners before I bought it back in 2014. It had had some bodywork done including a new front cross member but had not been on the road for 17 years! I got it through its MOT in May 2014 and it has been on the road ever since attending local shows and classic car runs as well as general use, it is a very handy little van! Over the years some of the original Dormobile interior has been lost so restoring it to original would not be easy, unless you have the parts. The roof is intact and elevates correctly. The canvas is there, though much repaired. It is the 'de-lux' version so has the 3rd bed, a canvas hammock, in the roof – though the canvas needs replacing as it has shrunk.
I have put in a rear seat, made the passenger seat adjustable and swivelling. The drivers seat has an inertia reel seat belt. There is a leisure battery with split charging and also mains electrics with hook-up and battery charging.
The radiator has been re-cored and fitted with a thermostatic switch so the engine cooling fan has been replaced with an automatic electric fan in front of the radiator. The dynamo has been replaced with and alternator of the type that looks like an old dynamo.
This year I have converted the Roma to front disc brakes with servo (as fitted to the SL90 models) so it now has modern stopping power. I changed the carburettor to the later Stromberg CDS model which improves the performance and allows the vacuum brake servo to be connected. The original carburettor and manifold come with it as do a number of other spares. There is paperwork with the Roma including all the old tax discs.
I have repainted the car by hand in the correct colour and though it looks good from 20 feet there are runs in it so it probably needs re doing by someone who can spray paint - I can't - I've tried. It is because of this, the lack of the interior parts and my remote location in Scotland for getting parts I have decided, reluctantly, that someone else needs to complete the work on the vehicle. I shall be sorry to see it go.
The reason I am not selling until after it has been MOTd is because I want the new brakes to be tested before a new owner takes on the Roma.
Model: Dormobile Roma Mk1
Year: May 1968
Mileage: 88,804 - though this will increase with use
Tax: Yes
MOT: to 24/5/17. New MOT to be obtained before sale which will run out on 24/5/ 2018 – or price reduced if it fails.
Pics: 3 pictures before it was repainted other pictures can be supplied since the repaint when (if) the weather improves.
The paint is now a lighter blue, similar to that of the bonnet.
Note the portable Waeco Fridge is NOT included in the sale.
Showing leisure electrics and second battery. Also servo and CDS carb.
Location: Scotland but can deliver, at cost; or of course collection from the Isle of Lewis is always possible.
Price:£1,500 plus delivery if required.
Contact details: PM me.
Time has come for me to part with my Dormobile Roma campervan. This is based on the Bedford HA Van converted by Marten Walter in 1968. It is therefore the Mk1 version with the top hinged tailgate. My Uncle George bought it new in May 1968 and used it until his death in 1992. It then passed to me and I used it for a couple of years. However at that time I had no garage and it was deteriorating in the salt air. I sold it and it then was taken off the road in 1996. It passed through a couple of owners before I bought it back in 2014. It had had some bodywork done including a new front cross member but had not been on the road for 17 years! I got it through its MOT in May 2014 and it has been on the road ever since attending local shows and classic car runs as well as general use, it is a very handy little van! Over the years some of the original Dormobile interior has been lost so restoring it to original would not be easy, unless you have the parts. The roof is intact and elevates correctly. The canvas is there, though much repaired. It is the 'de-lux' version so has the 3rd bed, a canvas hammock, in the roof – though the canvas needs replacing as it has shrunk.
I have put in a rear seat, made the passenger seat adjustable and swivelling. The drivers seat has an inertia reel seat belt. There is a leisure battery with split charging and also mains electrics with hook-up and battery charging.
The radiator has been re-cored and fitted with a thermostatic switch so the engine cooling fan has been replaced with an automatic electric fan in front of the radiator. The dynamo has been replaced with and alternator of the type that looks like an old dynamo.
This year I have converted the Roma to front disc brakes with servo (as fitted to the SL90 models) so it now has modern stopping power. I changed the carburettor to the later Stromberg CDS model which improves the performance and allows the vacuum brake servo to be connected. The original carburettor and manifold come with it as do a number of other spares. There is paperwork with the Roma including all the old tax discs.
I have repainted the car by hand in the correct colour and though it looks good from 20 feet there are runs in it so it probably needs re doing by someone who can spray paint - I can't - I've tried. It is because of this, the lack of the interior parts and my remote location in Scotland for getting parts I have decided, reluctantly, that someone else needs to complete the work on the vehicle. I shall be sorry to see it go.
The reason I am not selling until after it has been MOTd is because I want the new brakes to be tested before a new owner takes on the Roma.
Model: Dormobile Roma Mk1
Year: May 1968
Mileage: 88,804 - though this will increase with use
Tax: Yes
MOT: to 24/5/17. New MOT to be obtained before sale which will run out on 24/5/ 2018 – or price reduced if it fails.
Pics: 3 pictures before it was repainted other pictures can be supplied since the repaint when (if) the weather improves.
The paint is now a lighter blue, similar to that of the bonnet.
Note the portable Waeco Fridge is NOT included in the sale.
Showing leisure electrics and second battery. Also servo and CDS carb.
Location: Scotland but can deliver, at cost; or of course collection from the Isle of Lewis is always possible.
Price:£1,500 plus delivery if required.
Contact details: PM me.
