photos of the Safari factory

[michael1]

Hi every one i have found some photos i took when i worked at Safari in a round 1966-67 some of the factory and the vans and some of the workers that built your vans hope you find them interesting michael1



first photo is the factory yard from the road no2 photo is the polishing shop were i worked the manin the photo is my old work mate Sid but now passed away photo no3 is of the floor and side department

[michael1]

MORE PHOTOS










photos no 1&2 are the main assembly bay and the third is final finishing

[michael1]

MORE PHOTOS







IN THE FIRST PHOTO I AM THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE

[michael1]

GOT MORE PHOTOS BUT THE FILES ARE TO BIG TO DOWN LOAD MICHAEL1

[oliver1]

Very interesting; thank you.

I had never realised before that the height of the Safari roof was determined by the need to clear that low RSJ in the factory!! ....


Oliver

[Brian M]

Michael - these are fantastic pictures for those of us with a love of Safaris. If you can scan the larger pictures, you can then reduce the image size in a photo editing package, photoshop or similar and this will reduce the file size.

If you don't have the software please attach them (one at a time) to a series of emails and send them to me at [e-mail] and I will post them on here.

Michael do you remember the names of any of the other guys in the photos? Might help us with our meeting we are planning next year.

[Brian M]

These are Michael's other photos

[michael1]

Oliver the height of a Safari was not determined by the rsj the floors were pushed from the low floor bay to the main assembly bay that was twice the height of the floor bay the main factory was on two levels the top story was the machine shop the lower was floors/ sides/ metal and furniture departments main assembly took part of the machine shop for more height for any further information let me know

[oliver1]

My comment was firmly tongue in cheek.

Sorry if that was not apparent.



Oliver

[henry]

Great photos I've looked about ten times thank you very much indeed for sharing

For me the love of safari caravans is all about the shape I love wood and the timber frame behind the skin is a work of art

I've spent quite a long time Over the last year or so trying to work out how the frame was built by you and your mates in the factory I particularly like the bare frame shots

If you have any more please stick them up

Thank you

Gary

[oliver1]

Yet again this reply seems to have migrated itself to the wrong thread.

Sorry about that;  will try to track down the correct thread and re-post it.

=================================================================================

This will depend on the particular model, and although your description of "short wheelbase" PROBABLY narrows this down to one of the models in the size range 12-ft to 14-ft I would interpret that description as covering any model in this range.

I have the handbook for the 1978 model range, and I think that is likely to be close enough for your purposes. From the data table:

Model 12-2 13-4 14-2

Body Length 3.81m 4.01m 4.26m

Overall Length 4.90m 5.20m 5.46m

Body Width 2.06m 2.06m 2.06m

Overall Height 2.32m 2.36m 2.36m

Interior Height 1.88m 1.88m 1.88m

Average wt. Ex Works 750 kg 820 kg 820 kg

Maximum Laden Weight 996 kg 1032 kg 1100 kg

Tyre Size 155 x 13 R 155 x 13 R 185 x 13 S R

Max. tyre pressure 39 psi 39 psi 33 psi

Towing height to
centre of ball 380mm 380mm 380mm



I have taken the liberty to correcting two incorrect metric conversions (for the body length of the 13-4 and the overall width of the 14-2), but all other data are the figures given in the handbook, choosing the metric figures for everything except tyre pressures.

Note that there is a realistic possibility that uprated tyres may have been fitted at some time, in which case the maximum pressure will be that for the tyres actually fitted.

What is stated in the handbook to be weights are actually (of course ...) given in units of mass, but that is a frequent (indeed usual) misunderstanding. Professional physicists and engineers can readily sort that out for themselves, while most laymen don't appreciate the difference, so I have not corrected them here!

Hope this is helpful.



Oliver

[franni]

michael, thanks for posting the pics of the factory and the safaris in the making. i have recently acquired a 13/2 1968 one in Australia and love the history of her journey here. now it is even more wonderful seeing where she was made. maybe you even had a part in that. want to ask is it ok if i download your photos to keep in "Shirley's" history book. she is a beautiful caravan but needs lots of TLC [well, reframing actually, due to the ravages of time and water and borers.] we are entering a whole new [to us] world here but she is a delight to work on
thanks a lot
Franni

[michael1]

Hi Franni you are welcome to download photos sorry i have not replied before been on holiday i did all the polishing in your van some were in Australia is my best man at my wedding who also work at Safari when your van was made his name is David May if i remember correct he made the floors and sides as you can see in photo i was young then all other workers were older than me i am now 71 and most workers have passed away i think there are about 12 of us left that work there in the 23 years that i work at Safari if i can help you with any thing else just let me know and i would be glad to help
Michael1

[Deleted]

Loved seeing these photos, looks like they could have been my 1967 15/4 being built! Although judging by the wheel arch shape, I'd say it was 1965/6. Fantastic photos though! Great to see all the interior details and construction details for such comparatively early Safaris