Modern Commer Replacement

[Steve Pyro]

There is no Commer Owners Club in the UK, only in Holland for some reason. They must be strange folk. Commers are catered for by the Classic Camper Club.

Andy, take a look at this
http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/BobPrattCamper.htm
The guy bought one in South Australia !

[Steve Pyro]

The Berkeley is one of those quirks of manufacturing and marketing

I recall a guy I knew in the later 80's with one of these.  The original engine expired so he transplated a Honda 750 four engine in.  It went somewhat better after that.  

[Andy Zarse]

Did you not see it when you were out there? Funnily enough, I saw one in superb nick in New Zealand last year.

Bob is a man after my own heart. I quote from his webpage, he says he prefers:  "....a full-height body and a rear entry, making for a very comfortable lay out..."

Who could want more?

[Steve Pyro]

Bob is a man after my own heart. I quote from his webpage, he says he prefers:  "....a full-height body and a rear entry, making for a very comfortable lay out..."

Star player  
I've just done some more surfing and .... yes... there's a Yahoo group for the Commer camper - have you joined yet ??

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/campervan/

All known life is here  

[Steve Pyro]

Wayhey, they have Commers in Japan (or some other Oriental place??)

http://www.geocities.co.jp/MotorCity-Circuit/1867/ourcars/commer/commer02.html

What would I do without Google ?

[Andy Zarse]

Yes, I joined but it's as dull as ditch water.

Commers in Japan? There is a rumour that Toyota took one over years ago and took it to pieces, worked out how they could make it cheaper and better. There were not many forward control vans prior to that. It became the HiAce, the rest is history. It is not as wide as a Commer due to domestic road tax reasons in Japan.

Britain leads, gets copied, then overtaken. It is the old story.

[mgmark]

The Berkeley is one of those quirks of manufacturing and marketing

I recall a guy I knew in the later 80's with one of these.  The original engine expired so he transplated a Honda 750 four engine in.  It went somewhat better after that.  

Steve,

         Indeed, engine transplants were/are popular and I have been looking at the same sort of thing to up the power output - the main problem with the bike engines is the lack of a reverse gear and the relatively tall height of a four-stroke not fitting under the bonnet.   The original gearbox is an Albion made 3 or 4 speed with reverse.   A fellow Berkeley owner is just about to take his hillclimbing and/or sprinting after transplanting a Rotax 2-stroke - with slightly over 100bhp on tap it should be entertaining!  

[Steve Pyro]

From what I remember he fabricated a chain drive from the output shaft of the bike engine to the transmission of the Berkeley ??

In the kit car world, people are now fitting Hayabusa and Fireblade engines to 'Seven' type kit cars.  These engines are canted slightly so as to reduce the height.  There are a number of specialist manufacturers making simple reverse gear mechanisms to fit after the bike transmission.
These are either epicylic assemblies enabling reverse, or else a simple electric motor that engages to provide rewards movement.
You pays your money etc......

[mgmark]

Indeed you do - and at £600-odd for a Quaife reverse assembly, I think I would be heading into jury-rigged electric motor territory!   The Hayabusa/Fireblade bike engines are popular, but the dear old Berkeley really doesn't need anything quite that powerful - working out the maths, something more modest with around 70bhp would give a top speed of around 120mph and 50-60lb/ft torque a 0-60 time of about 6 seconds - that said, the bloody thing is frightening enough at an indicated 60 !

[gibberish]

Commers are catered for by the Classic Camper Club. It's all-action, madcap craziness in the CCC! Click here to read what they get up to:

http://classiccamperclub.tripod.com/memberstales.htm

I especially like the bit about camping next to the tramp's soup kitchen.

 

Oh lord!  Malcolm and the wheel..................counds like a determined chap

[Steve Pyro]

The dear old Berkeley really doesn't need anything quite that powerful

Come to think of it, the one I know of that was converted, as far as I remember, was a 3 wheeler (2 at the front) - am I going senile ??

[mgmark]

Come to think of it, the one I know of that was converted, as far as I remember, was a 3 wheeler (2 at the front) - am I going senile ??

Steve,

            You may well be going senile. but not in this respect.   Berkeley produced more 3 than 4 wheelers, because they could be driven with road tax and a licence for a motorbike.   The 4 wheelers are exactly the same except the shape of the back end and the obvious addition of the fourth wheel...

[Steve Pyro]

Rick M,
You missed out last time but it's here again - and in Peterborough

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2446723767&category=14256

[Steve Pyro]

Alternatively, if you want a slightly larger Commer

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2445704068&category=18307

[Steve Pyro]

Or something a bit smaller

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3569715547&category=16481