Post by Brian M on Jan 29, 2009 10:14:29 GMT
From: Mick (Original Message) Sent: 06/06/2006 21:35
Hi, I maybe going to see a Safari I am thinking of buying, I think from what I have read on here its a 17ft 4 berth with the features of an early 70's van. It is in reasonable condition and has been used every year but hasnot ben towed far, just in and out of the same dry barn on the site for over 30 years. What are the main things I should look out for, there is the usual rotten wood, and the chassis condition. Is there anything else to watch out for that is a potential problem? If I was to buy it I would replace the tyres before towing it hundreds of miles home as they are probably the original ones from new. What size are they likey to be and how heavy is this model. Any advise would be great..also what arethey worth, I know its a hard question to answer without seeing it or having more details, just a range from poor to good would be handy...
Cheers Mick
The van in question is on Ebay now in Anglesey, easy to find on there.
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Recommend Message 2 of 9 in Discussion
From: Sylvesteruk1 Sent: 06/06/2006 22:05
Mick,
The approx net weight ex works is 20.66 cwt max weight 25.6 cwt so if you are thinking of towing it with a classic car you will need plenty of grunt. Tyres are 185SR 14 reinforced at 43 psi. The one you are thinking of in ebay looks like a 1977 model.
One of the area`s to look at is the grab handles if there is any rot in the timber they will come off in your hand. Look inside at all four corners in the grab handle area for damp and rot.
As for the chassis remember that it is in an area of salt air and having collected a few classic cars from Anglesey I know what that can do to steel.
Happy bidding.
Mike
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Recommend Message 3 of 9 in Discussion
From: Mick Sent: 07/06/2006 00:30
Thanks for the info, how can you tell its about '77, I can tell its between '74 and'78 from the info on here.
I would be towing it with an old Series 2a Landrover, not a lot of speed but enough pull...
Do you think it would be worth getting, if so any idea on price?
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Recommend Message 4 of 9 in Discussion
From: OliverShaw1 Sent: 07/06/2006 09:36
Interesting; from the type of front locker (gas locker) I would have put it as a little earlier than '77, but I cannot yet be certain about the precise date of the transition to the later design. However the other clue is that it looks to be single glazed, which surely puts it as not later than '76; we know of at least one '76 12-2 that is partially double glazed, apparently from new, so this appears to have been the transition year for double glazing.
Another interesting detail is the additional roof lights, 4 each side. I have never seen that on any other Safari. Certainly both my 17-2s (1978 and 1980) have only 3 each side, as do the photos in both the 1970 Sales documents and the 1980 Sales Brochure. The price list with the 1970 sales documents suggests that the only 17 made at that time was the 17-4, but by later in the decade all three were being made, and the 1980 Sales Brochure photographs all 3 of them; and all four of these photos show just 3 rooflights per side.
It does not appear to be simply a retro-fitted additional rooflight, placed alongside an existing one, in that the two are evenly spaced on the rear rooflight panel, so if it was retro-fitted it would have entailed moving the single vent and therefore providing a complete new aluminium skin for that panel - albeit that it is only a small panel. One just wonders therefore whether this was a one-off, specified at the time of build.
Mildly intriguing interior photo, the first one. I thought it was only sailing dinghies that were supposed to be prone to capsize!
"Is it worth getting?" - if you can cope with the weight, as your vehicle surely can (albeit slowly), and if you have space to store a 'van of that length, the 17s are magnificent 'vans, the flagships of the range. The other purely personal question is whether you want a 4-berth or a 2-berth, and if you want a 4 then do you prefer this layout or do you prefer to look for a 17-S (i.e. the end bedroom model). I will post the relevant pages from the 1980 Sales Brochure for you in the Pictures section, so that you can assess this; although yours is certainly much earlier than this the basic layout did not change. You might like to also visit the 1970 Sales Documents album, already posted in the Picture section.
Or, if you want a 4-berth, even if you prefer a 17-S is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush? The 17s, of any configuration, are fairly rare beasts, and although several have surfaced over the last 12 months or so, that is very exceptional; there seem to have been more coming onto the market over the last 12 months than over the previous 15 years! And there are not all that many available, because so few were made; not all of those have survived, and some of those that have survived are in stable long-term ownership. So although you could find a 17-S advertised tomorrow, you could equally wait years before the next one is offered.
The real question is what sort of condition it is in, and I don't think there is enough information in the advert to properly assess that. But it is certainly worth a telephone discussion with the vendor's brother, as suggested; if you like what you learn from that, and if you are keen to acquire a 17/4, then it is probably worth the journey to go and view it.
Oliver
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Recommend Message 5 of 9 in Discussion
From: ClassicSafariman Sent: 07/06/2006 10:10
Correction - eBay Safari 17, and Roof Lights:
I see from the centre spread in the 1980 Sales Brochure that one of the 17s, presumably the 17-S but I could not be dogmatic about the identification - has 4 rooflights on the offside, but still only the usual 3 on the nearside.
And looking again at the interior layout of the eBay Safari, this does in fact appear to be the 17-S, not the 17-4.
It would appear therefore that the 4 rooflights may well be standard, and that in some years (perhaps the earlier years) they were fitted to the nearside and in other (later?) years to the offside.
Sorry about the errors.
I was however correct, strictly, in saying that I had never seen the 4-light arrangement on any Safari; although I have seen most models I have never actually seen a 17-S in the flesh, only on photos!
Oliver
Hi, I maybe going to see a Safari I am thinking of buying, I think from what I have read on here its a 17ft 4 berth with the features of an early 70's van. It is in reasonable condition and has been used every year but hasnot ben towed far, just in and out of the same dry barn on the site for over 30 years. What are the main things I should look out for, there is the usual rotten wood, and the chassis condition. Is there anything else to watch out for that is a potential problem? If I was to buy it I would replace the tyres before towing it hundreds of miles home as they are probably the original ones from new. What size are they likey to be and how heavy is this model. Any advise would be great..also what arethey worth, I know its a hard question to answer without seeing it or having more details, just a range from poor to good would be handy...
Cheers Mick
The van in question is on Ebay now in Anglesey, easy to find on there.
First Previous 2-9 of 9 Next Last
Reply
Recommend Message 2 of 9 in Discussion
From: Sylvesteruk1 Sent: 06/06/2006 22:05
Mick,
The approx net weight ex works is 20.66 cwt max weight 25.6 cwt so if you are thinking of towing it with a classic car you will need plenty of grunt. Tyres are 185SR 14 reinforced at 43 psi. The one you are thinking of in ebay looks like a 1977 model.
One of the area`s to look at is the grab handles if there is any rot in the timber they will come off in your hand. Look inside at all four corners in the grab handle area for damp and rot.
As for the chassis remember that it is in an area of salt air and having collected a few classic cars from Anglesey I know what that can do to steel.
Happy bidding.
Mike
Reply
Recommend Message 3 of 9 in Discussion
From: Mick Sent: 07/06/2006 00:30
Thanks for the info, how can you tell its about '77, I can tell its between '74 and'78 from the info on here.
I would be towing it with an old Series 2a Landrover, not a lot of speed but enough pull...
Do you think it would be worth getting, if so any idea on price?
Reply
Recommend Message 4 of 9 in Discussion
From: OliverShaw1 Sent: 07/06/2006 09:36
Interesting; from the type of front locker (gas locker) I would have put it as a little earlier than '77, but I cannot yet be certain about the precise date of the transition to the later design. However the other clue is that it looks to be single glazed, which surely puts it as not later than '76; we know of at least one '76 12-2 that is partially double glazed, apparently from new, so this appears to have been the transition year for double glazing.
Another interesting detail is the additional roof lights, 4 each side. I have never seen that on any other Safari. Certainly both my 17-2s (1978 and 1980) have only 3 each side, as do the photos in both the 1970 Sales documents and the 1980 Sales Brochure. The price list with the 1970 sales documents suggests that the only 17 made at that time was the 17-4, but by later in the decade all three were being made, and the 1980 Sales Brochure photographs all 3 of them; and all four of these photos show just 3 rooflights per side.
It does not appear to be simply a retro-fitted additional rooflight, placed alongside an existing one, in that the two are evenly spaced on the rear rooflight panel, so if it was retro-fitted it would have entailed moving the single vent and therefore providing a complete new aluminium skin for that panel - albeit that it is only a small panel. One just wonders therefore whether this was a one-off, specified at the time of build.
Mildly intriguing interior photo, the first one. I thought it was only sailing dinghies that were supposed to be prone to capsize!
"Is it worth getting?" - if you can cope with the weight, as your vehicle surely can (albeit slowly), and if you have space to store a 'van of that length, the 17s are magnificent 'vans, the flagships of the range. The other purely personal question is whether you want a 4-berth or a 2-berth, and if you want a 4 then do you prefer this layout or do you prefer to look for a 17-S (i.e. the end bedroom model). I will post the relevant pages from the 1980 Sales Brochure for you in the Pictures section, so that you can assess this; although yours is certainly much earlier than this the basic layout did not change. You might like to also visit the 1970 Sales Documents album, already posted in the Picture section.
Or, if you want a 4-berth, even if you prefer a 17-S is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush? The 17s, of any configuration, are fairly rare beasts, and although several have surfaced over the last 12 months or so, that is very exceptional; there seem to have been more coming onto the market over the last 12 months than over the previous 15 years! And there are not all that many available, because so few were made; not all of those have survived, and some of those that have survived are in stable long-term ownership. So although you could find a 17-S advertised tomorrow, you could equally wait years before the next one is offered.
The real question is what sort of condition it is in, and I don't think there is enough information in the advert to properly assess that. But it is certainly worth a telephone discussion with the vendor's brother, as suggested; if you like what you learn from that, and if you are keen to acquire a 17/4, then it is probably worth the journey to go and view it.
Oliver
Reply
Recommend Message 5 of 9 in Discussion
From: ClassicSafariman Sent: 07/06/2006 10:10
Correction - eBay Safari 17, and Roof Lights:
I see from the centre spread in the 1980 Sales Brochure that one of the 17s, presumably the 17-S but I could not be dogmatic about the identification - has 4 rooflights on the offside, but still only the usual 3 on the nearside.
And looking again at the interior layout of the eBay Safari, this does in fact appear to be the 17-S, not the 17-4.
It would appear therefore that the 4 rooflights may well be standard, and that in some years (perhaps the earlier years) they were fitted to the nearside and in other (later?) years to the offside.
Sorry about the errors.
I was however correct, strictly, in saying that I had never seen the 4-light arrangement on any Safari; although I have seen most models I have never actually seen a 17-S in the flesh, only on photos!
Oliver