One of the joys of writing for Barn Finds is that occasionally a vehicle will come across our desks which can revive long-forgotten childhood memories. This 1968 Commer Camper is one that does that for me. For a short time in the 1970s, the Clarke clan called a Commer passenger van its family car. Admittedly, our Commer wasn’t as nice as this van. It was also painted Powder Blue and had an airbrushed mural of Jimi Hendrix on one side! But, I digress. This 1968 example appears to be in good condition for its age. It has recently undergone some major refurbishment work, and the owner is now selling it to raise funds to buy a house. It is located in Central Tacoma, Washington, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. The price for this British classic has been set at $8,000. I have to say thank you to Barn Finder Roger for referring a truly great van to us for me to write about.
There is no doubt that the exterior of the Commer could benefit from a cosmetic refresh. The Shore Beige and Polar White paint is now looking quite tired and carries plenty of marks and scratches. The panels also have several minor dings and dents. All of this looks like it could be easily repaired, and there is a possibility that the right buyer could perform the restoration work in a home workshop. What the van does appear to be short of are significant rust problems. There is surface corrosion present, but no signs of penetrating rust. Even if rust is found during an inspection, replacement metal is readily available from a number of British suppliers. The pricing appears to be very affordable, and several of them seem to be willing to ship to the US. Possibly the biggest bug-bear for the next owner is going to be locating a replacement grille. That is one item that is missing off this vehicle. I did a brief internet search and had no luck finding one. However, I must emphasize that it was a brief search, so a bit more work might bear fruit on that front. The glass all appears to be in good condition, while the van rolls on a relatively new set of Minilite wheels with new tires.
The Commer’s owner has just completed an interior refit of the van, and it all looks quite nice. Virtually everything has come in for attention. There are new floors, new upholstery, and refaced cabinets. The van is wired for 110volts, and also features USB facilities. For the more discerning potential owner, there is also an analog record player. So here’s a chance to break out that collection of old vinyl. Speaking of vinyl, the seat cushions are reversible. You will find cloth on one side and vinyl on the other. The interior converts to provide sleeping accommodation for three. One interesting thing to note is the fact that I can spot a sink, but no cooking facilities. Mechanically, it appears to be all good news with the Commer. Powering this classic is a 1,275cc Sunbeam Alpine engine. This sends its power to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. It isn’t clear how much additional power this combination supplies, but performance will almost certainly be better than it would have been originally. In standard form, these vans will cruise on flat ground fairly happily at 60mph. Anything above that speed and you can hear that the engine is working hard for a living. The entire drivetrain of the Commer has recently undergone restoration. The engine, transmission, and the rear end were all rebuilt. Most importantly, the cooling system also came in for attention. That is one area of the Commer that needs to be spot-on, as it can be marginal if it allowed to deteriorate too far. For all of the listed work, the owner doesn’t actually indicate how well the Commer runs and drives. I would expect it to do this quite well. What he does say is that all of the vehicle’s original documentation and service records will be included in the sale.
There is no shortage of people who love nothing better than to jump behind the wheel of a camper. Their goal is to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day living. A great many of those individuals do so in a VW of some description. The Westfalia has become an iconic camper, and they are not a rare sight on our roads today. This Commer offers a viable alternative to a Westfalia, and it is an alternative that is sure to attract plenty of attention wherever it goes. It wouldn’t take a lot of work to make this van sparkle, but it is ready to use and enjoy as it currently stands. I know that Summer is drawing to a close, so perhaps the exterior restoration could represent a great Winter project. Then when the weather warms up, you could be ready to hit the road and enjoy the great outdoors.
I am digging the turntable!
Adam, what engine do these things have?
Clearly stated in the article!
The sunbeam alpine had a 1725 cc engine.
My stupidity.
Actually, Adam states that ” Powering this classic is a 1,275cc Sunbeam Alpine engine. This sends its power to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. It isn’t clear how much additional power this combination supplies, but performance will almost certainly be better than it would have been originally”, so the question stands about what engine/trans would have been “original”?
I think it is a misprint. Probably a 1725.
IPowering this classic is a 1,275cc Sunbeam Alpine engine.
The Craigslist add says it’s a 1725 Sunbeam Alpine engine.
1500 or 1725cc sunbeam engine
Wow, great camper with a new interior…surprised its not sold by now, campers are selling quickly right now
A mural of Jimmi Hendrix? Really Adam? Your dad must’ve been one really cool dude! I’ll bet you had a really
great time riding around in something
like this too. We did the same thing for
a while with a ’58 VW bus. Dad bought
it when I was 9 or 10. Even though it was a standard bus, he turned it into a
mini camper complete with a 2 burner
stove. Just open the side doors, throw
a special awning that he made over them, fold down the seats, and presto!
instant camper. He traded it for a ’51
Chevy 3/4 ton longbed truck with a
matching metal topper over the bed.
Not long after that, he bought an old
Shasta camper to pull behind it. We kids
and our dog slept in the pickup while Mom and Dad slept in the camper. Now
that was adventure sleepin’!
Slap a VW emblem on it to really confuse people.
Looks like these came stock with a 58hp 1725cc inline 4. Both Sunbeam and Commer were part of the Rootes group (by 1968 mostly owned by Chrysler UK) so the the fact that they would share engines across their product lines is not unusual. I think the original reviewer was misleading in his description- the engine wasn’t transplanted from a Sunbeam Alpine, but rather the same engine was used in both vehicles.
1,275cc
Nope
Almost the same. The 1725cc in the Alpine got an alloy head with two downdraft carbs, where the Commer 1725cc got a different cast iron head with a single downdraft carb. These things I know becaue I have two of them, a ’65 and a ’66.
Hello Darren,
We bought the van and are enjoying it. I’m interested in (and wondering if you have any knowledge ?)seeing if the overdrive that some sunbeams have would work on the Commer? I’d love to chat w you about these rare cruisers, parts etc so reach out if you see this?
Much appreciated
J&X
Maybe the turntable is where the stovetop was originally located? Looks like the perfect size for a slide in range with small oven
These things were junk when new and you don’t see ANY now in the UK.
I have the elusive Commer grill! (And another Commer with lots of extra parts!)
hi Ted, we fell in lust with this Commer. we would like to complete the front end, so we will be looking for a grille with surround, nose panel “R” and front bumper with brackets. any assistance is appreciated !! We are in southern California. DRIVEN.CO 949/234-6353
Hello Darren,
We bought the van and are enjoying it. I’m interested in (and wondering if you have any knowledge ?)seeing if the overdrive that some sunbeams have would work on the Commer? I’d love to chat w you about these rare cruisers, parts etc so reach out if you see this?
Much appreciated
J&X
Hello Ted,
Do you have any parts for the Commer van?
We ended up buying the van and are looking for any good parts ( as spares or to upgrade) so please let us know if you have, know if anyone or find some in the future.
Much appreciated,
J&X
I have a complete cab/chassis with all running gear. It used to be a camper but the camper portion was apparently destroyed when it was owned by a British car club in Albuquerque NM. I also have a bunch of spare parts, including a front axle/suspension and a bed full of other parts. I have very little invested in it–let me know if you are interested…
There is a YouTube channel in England called “The Bearded Explorer”, if you go to his channel you will see a listing for a big Bristol car collection. Click to watch the video. Back in the yard full of old Bristol 400 and 403 bodies & chassis, is a complete Commer camper, and the interior looks very nice. It’s unusual because with the rainy weather in the UK, most of the older campers have leaked water, to the point where the camper body simply caves in.
I had the pick up version in the uk . Used it for hot shot runs . Did the trip from GT Yarmouth in Norfolk to the shetland isles . Scrabster airport if memory serves me well in about 1974 or 5 ish . This involved being loaded on the the St Clair ferry the older one in a metal cargo net . Real fun to drive cos you sat right up front next to the engine . Steering wheel like a table in your lap . Great work horse . Lots of fond memories .
A friend of mine in England has one of these, and he confirmed for me the record player replaces the original gas stove. I guess the current owner needs the sounds rather than cooked food!
Corgi did a model in these exact colours, The enngine fitted to Alpine and Commer in 1968 would be 1725cc in both cases, but extra power via twin carbs on the Alpine.
Have never seen a Commer with minilites…..
The overdrive gearbox from an Alpine or other Roots group car from that period fits straight in, just shorten the drive shaft, same for the rear end, my father drove a Commer minibus from London England to Athens Greece and back for a holiday, fitted with a 1725 engine and overdrive, not fast but it got there and back, 1970’s was an earlier version, originally 1600cc,
Browsing the British today I nearly fell out of my chair at the Commer …. because … I have two of them down here in smoky California ! Mine
are both Bluebird-bodied Highwaymen (UK) campers, but usually badged as Sunbeam Funwagons for the US. The 1966 is a 30k mile original that that now needs a a lot of interior work due to a leak and the ’65 is a total roach parts truck. Would love to know where this one went or get in contact with the seller, as US support is very scarce. Thank you Barn Finds !
Hello Pat,
I showed the van to my gf and she fell for it so it’s here in S California enjoying the coast. I would love to obtain any info on the overdrive if you have any or can refer me?
Much appreciated,
J&X
Almost the same. The 1725cc in the Alpine got an alloy head with two downdraft carbs, where the Commer 1725cc got a different cast iron head with a single downdraft carb. These things I know becaue I have two of them, a ’65 and a ’66.
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