An early Safari

[Brian M]

Brian (Original Message) Sent: 20/03/2005 19:08

Alec sent in this picture of a Safari he used to own. I've never seen one like it, no stripe at all, and no dropping front windows.

Anyone care to date it?

[Brian M]

From: OliverShaw1 Sent: 20/03/2005 20:04
Based on Brian's timeline, the absence of the contrasting stripe possibly makes it pre-1962. However that is not conclusive; I have very occasionally seen Safaris with this stripe the same colour as the rest of the body, particularly early ones. Of course I have no way of knowing whether they had been repainted, any more than we know whether this one has ... And likewise the "horizontal" beadings along the edge of the coloured stripe could have been removed over the years.

The non-drooping windows are more indicative - if only we knew what the indication meant! Brian's timeline makes no mention of when they came in, so I presume that they were already a feature in 1962 when his timeline starts.

But very recognisably the Safari shape, so post-1950, and I would tentatively guess late '50s or '60/'61.

Note the very interesting development of the roof shape above the door. Working backwards in time we see that the later ogee curve developed from a distinct cusp (See Old Classic Safari Caravans\Safari201) at some point in the late 60s (Brian's timeline dates this shape of contrasting stripe as post-1966).

Then, somewhat earlier, we have this very extreme curve, where as the main part of the outer roof panel runs aft towards the door it curves right over on top of itself, like a wave about to break. There must be some interesting aerodynamics around that edge when towing at any modern speed, but at the time this 'van was built the UK speed limit for towing was only 30 mph, so modern speeds would probably have been way outside the design brief.

Note also that this one has a vertical beading about half way between the front of the 'van and the door. We have seen this feature before, on the photo of Craig's much later 'van, which we thought might be late sixties although Craig was told it is 1971, and if he is confident in that dating I would accept it. Were these vertical beadings the result of later repairs (panel joins), or what were they?

Regards,



Oliver

[Brian M]

From: AlecGatherer Sent: 22/03/2005 09:52
I didn't own this early Safari, I spotted it when holidaying in Doricland, where the Gatherer family originate (Huntly).
Trawling through my caravan magazine archive I find gaps in the collection just where they would have been at their most useful. But pending a more in-depth search, I found this:
Modern Caravan June 1961 - Pearman Briggs are advertising the Safari Super Sixteen (£649). There is a line drawing of a caravan in the shape of the Safari Four, i.e. clerestory extending down the front vertical face into a bay window. To put it another way, the immediately recognisable 1950's style. The advert also mentions the Safari Four (£459), the Safari Senior (£569), Super Senior (£679), Sixteen (£539), and Tourhome (£895). Had they recently introduced a radical new body style, I feel that even the Pearman Briggs reticence would have mentioned it.

The Caravan February 1963 - Pearman Briggs are advertising the "new" Safari 17ft 4-berth. It features the later styling usually associated with Safari, i.e. downturned front window, horizontal contrasting colour stripe etc. It does appear in the illustration to have a full-length clerestory rather than a ¾ -length, but that could be a trick of perspective. It is obviously a continuation of the styling value of the Findhorn shape. The advert mentions the 12/2, 12/4, 15/4, 15/5T, and 17/4. There are small line drawings of each model, but they seem to be the same line drawing but with door position changed slightly to suit model configuration, and so are not particularly reliable. They all have the same styling as the 17/4 featured.
So from this I feel that the strange and beautiful Safari in the photo was made between July 1961 and January 1963, so if it were described as a '61/'62 that would be as accurate as I can get.
Final points - wherever I am a Riley RM is never far away. I own several, repair them for a (ha ha!) living, edit & publish the owners club mag, and generally eat, sleep, & dream Rileys. By the way, the RM Club is having a long weekend at a pub in south Cheshire, with a bowls tournament on the Sunday (which should be fun, as none of us can play!) - 6th to 8th May. Contact me if any of you would like to come along (in your Safari of course).
I love the style of this Safari - but wouldn't like to tow it. It would create some wonderful shapes in a wind tunnel! A similar model was for sale in Surrey last year, at £250 -did anyone ever buy it?
If anyone can help me fill the gaps in my period caravan literature archive I would be grateful - but not at recent e-Bay inflated prices please!

[Brian M]

From: lifesafari Sent: 29/03/2005 07:27
HELLO BRIAN AND OTHER GROUP MEMBERS my best guess after looking at the photograph is a 1964 model. I owned one in scotland many years ago and this was a 1964 model according to the serial number using current logic. A good friend of mine has the same model in devon his is a 1964 model I believe the one in the photo has been repainted as mine was red and white his unrestored example is also red and white a very tendy colour at the time for all those members who are old enough to remember the red and white lambretta,s of the period i hope this helps and does not confuse matters. also the roofline, the molycroft roof above the door I have only seen it on safari,s of this period with the forward facing wave, it is very pronounced I towed mine with a leyland fg boxvan so I never did have any problems, but i think the aerodynamics of the safari models we all love with its positive downforce where it is needed above the axle help explain why the faster you go the more stable they become, regards andy lifesafari

[michael1]

The picture is avery early one that shape this was the first one after the 1950 shape i think the year was1961/62

[mikeruthellie]

We're new members - our newly purchased caravan is a 12 footer - just like this except a stripe which may have been added later. The serial number is 62180 and the key that came with it has a tattered brown label with 1962 Saffari (sic) caravan written on it. It has the flat not rounded door, and the two windows at the front and the shaping on the roof which has been mentioned above. Presumably the serial number does mean that it is 1962? which may help with the dating debate?
It has a wooden dinette table at the front, and gaslights

Mike Ruth and Ellie