Safari History

[pjohno]

Peter Hi
I used to make and repair caravans, boats and a stage coach.

I repaired a number of safari’s and would like to ask some questions about the history of safari’s caravans.

For a start - When did Abby/Cosalt stop coach building safari’s. Using unpainted aluminium panels and covering the joints with D mould, then spray painting the complete unit?

Peter

Email:- [e-mail]

[michael1]

HI to your first question 1982 the second is a bit harder and i work at Safari around 79/80 i think but it was a long time ago i hope this helps you

[mintaka22]

Hi,

PAINT FINISHING SAFARI CARAVANS

I only worked at Safari from 1981-82, but from conversations back then, I believe Safari stopped spray painting vans built with bare aluminum sheet in the mid 1970's. I was told they used Val-flash spray paint for some of the time, but changed to this or from it, I cannot recall which.

Following this, of course, sheet aluminum was bought in ready painted. On the shop floor, it was kept in a 'hot box' and stapled onto the van while warm, so that it would cool, contract and form a tight skin.

I hope this is helpful to you.

By my time at Safari, the former spray shop was the electrical fitting part of the assembly line, and the old spray pit had wooden ramps added either side of it. This effectively made the shallow pit deep enough for us to work under the caravan on gas pipes, etc. Pushing a big caravan up the ramps was a team effort!