|
Post by Brian M on Oct 27, 2008 20:39:53 GMT
From: nbuilder (Original Message) Sent: 26/06/2006 19:26 Hi, Finally moved my old Safari to a new home. Still in South Wales but on a friend's land so a more secure, permanent place. It moved the ten miles down the road ok. Bit hair-raising and got lots of (possibly admiring, possibly concerned) attention on the way. I have put a photograph onto the pictures gallery on this site ("Nicola's Battered Friend") and would really appreciate it if anyone could give me an idea on it's age. I also have a few pictures of the interior if this would help. Many thanks! Nicola
Note from BM - Pic would not transfer, will try again in the future
|
|
|
Post by Brian M on Oct 27, 2008 20:40:40 GMT
From: OliverShaw1 Sent: 26/06/2006 22:15 From the photo it looks like a 17-S, probably dating from somewhere in the range 1974-78, and if I am right about identifying the windows from the photo it is 1974-76. So yet another 17 surfaces from out of the woodwork (or perhaps the undergrowth in this case?). You see a total of four in about 30 years, and at a distance you hear of a like number of others over the same timespan, and then a whole rash of them turn up more or less all at once. Just like buses, really! The 4 rooflights (on one side only) appear to have been unique to the 17-S. It is certainly post-1970, and I think post-1973, because of the shape of the side stripe and the flat top to the door. It is also probably pre-1979 because of the wheel arches. The absence of wheel spats is not conclusive, since they may have simply disappeared over the years, but the actual apertures themselves look narrower than the wheels, whereas once the wheel spats were introduced in 1979 the apertures were made a little wider (so that when changing a wheel it could be withdrawn through the aperture rather than having to partially drop the wheel beneath it). However, wheel spats apart, it is most certainly pre-1980, because the 1980 17-S had the extra roof light on the offside rather than the nearside. I am not sure precisely when this change came in, but we do know that the 1980 Sales Brochure shows it on the offside, and that an older one (I regret I don't remember the date) that was for sale on Anglesey a short time ago had it on the nearside (as yours does). The other clue is that I very tentatively think it is single glazed; if so, that would narrow the field considerably, and put it at not later than 1976. That was the transition year; we know of at least two, and I think now three, 1976 Safaris that were partly double and partly single glazed. So my buest guess is 1974-76. It has lost the gas bottle locker, which might otherwise have helped with the dating. And likewise it looks as though it has also lost the plate with the serial number, which would have been conclusive. Beyond that, have a look at the two substantial strings on Exterior Changes and Interior Changes on the Dating Safaris message board; you know other aspects of your 'van that are not apparent from this one photo, and most of the information is now set out in those two strings. Key pointers for the this body shape over the period from 1970 to the end of the line in 1982 are the front window, whether single or double glazed, the shape of the gas bottle locker, the type of moulding on the interior furniture, type of pelmets, the shape of the rear panel and the rear lights, the type of window catches, method of securing grab handles, and (probably for 1982 models only) the type of Zig unit fitted. That colour scheme wasn't original, though! Regards, Oliver
|
|