The Bedford CF for 1976 came with only minor visible changes, non-reflective wiper arms and on Deluxe models a 5-way adjustable driver’s seat along with additional sound deadening, revised floor trim, engine cowl and doors - with armrests fitted to slam door versions. The standard warranty was still 1 year but now had no mileage limitations. Welcome to CF-UK, The Bedford CF Van and Camper Club. A club open to anyone and everyone with an interest in the Bedford CF and Bedford / Opel Blitz It's a small area of the internet dedicated to the Bedford CF in all it's forms including motorhome, camper, van and pick up. ENTER CF-UK The Bedford CF UK Van & Camper Site. Bedford CF Autosleeper. Excellent condition. Registered 1979. MOT`d until May 2017. 3ltr petrol engine. 4 speed manual transmission. Needs to be viewed to be appreciated. In excellent condition. No rust or corrosion. The underside is in superb condition. The Venician Blue 2 pack solid paintwork has been finished to a superb show quality finish. The Bedford CF for 1976 came with only minor visible changes, non-reflective wiper arms and on Deluxe models a 5-way adjustable driver’s seat along with additional sound deadening, revised floor trim, engine cowl and doors - with armrests fitted to slam door versions. The standard warranty was still 1 year but now had no mileage limitations.
Early Bedford Conversion “Porthole”
Bedford CA Porthole. One of the first motorcaravans in semi-mass production, this developed from the Utilabrake type people carrier. A small elevating flip top roof was fitted, giving headroom above the cooker and sink. It slept two, and was simply called a Caravan by Martin Walter. They never used the term Motorcaravan or Camper.
Early Bedford CA “Romany”
Late Bedford CA “Romany”
Bedford CA Romany. This is the definitive Dormobile in the general publics’ eyes. The Bedford CA developed, with bigger engines, stretched wheelbase, bigger windscreens, and the Romany developed with it. Larger roof with two bunk beds. Dormatic Seats making up into two single or one double bed. Cooker, sink, and a toilet bucket stored in a locker in the floor. 1,600 cc Vauxhall Wyvern engine, column gearchange (optional 4-speed box). At shows, this is the Dormobile most people relate to.
Bedford CA “Debonair”
Bedford CA Debonair. This was the very stylish glass fibre coachbuilt on an extended CA chassis. It was glass fibre from the front wings back. Full height, so no flip top roof needed. It was the top of the range, and had two separate bedrooms, a toilet compartment, and a cooker with oven. A fridge was an optional extra. Unfortunately, being such a stylish vehicle had its drawbacks, with many an `ice cream van’ joke being bandied about.
Bedford CF “Romany”
Bedford CF Romany. With the appearance of the Ford Transit, General Motors’ Vauxhall/Bedford division rushed into production of the larger Bedford CF, based on an American design. Dormobile used their basic CA Romany plans and built the CF Romany. A very large flip top roof. Not a great success, and now very rare.
Bedford CF “Freeway”
Bedford CF Freeway. A much better, and more stylish CF than the CF Romany. Long side windows, Plywood bases to seats providing better storage. Two burner gas cooker with grill, and a fridge as an optional extra. A very popular conversion. Also available on the Ford Transit. A special version was available in pink, complete with pink elevating GRP roof.
Bedford CF “Calypso”
Bedford CF Calypso. During a downturn in sales, Martin Walter / Dormobile produced this low price model. Similar to the Freeway, but somewhat basic fittings, smaller windows too.
Bedford CF “Landcruiser”
Bedford CF Landcruiser. On company plans, called the `open plan Debonair’ this used the main coachbuilt body of the Debonair, but as stated, was open plan .A full double bed behind the cab, with a clever sofa / bunk bed arrangement to the rear. In the rear offside was a toilet compartment.
Bedford CF “Deauville”
Bedford CF Deauville lll. In a break from Dormobile tradition, this had a large aluminium box body, with a bed in the overcab luton. Aimed at the hire market, it was fully fitted with full dining area, fridge, oven, toilet etc. Many feel it was not the most stylish compared with their Glass Fibre designs, but a very practical long term holiday vehicle.
Bedford HA “Roma”
Dormobile Roma on a Bedford HA Viva van base. This is the smallest (and cheapest) of the Dormobile range.
With a `rock and roll’ rear bench seat, and a folding extension to the rear, is has one double bed, and one bunk bed. Just a one ring cooker with toaster, and a fold up sink, it has just the basics for three. Aircraft style lap tables make up the eating arrangements.
The original model had a glass fibre and plywood `shed like’ extension fitted to the fold down rear door, but for the Mk 2 model, Dormobile developed a lift up rear door with an easier pram hood type extension. The success of this model led to a similar Dormobile built on the Ford Escort van.
The Bedford CA Dormobile camper provided thousands of middle class British families with their own mobile holiday homes in the 1950s and ’60s. Campers and caravans would flood the British motorways during the summer holidays, much to the chagrin of regular motorists.
Holidaymakers would head north, east, south, and west – some to the coast and some to the countryside but all would end up in caravan parks of some description, typically just a glorified grass field with some basic amenities, and hopefully a small town pub within walking distance.
Made For Each Other – Bedford and Dormobile
Bedford and Dormobile (coachbuilder Martin-Walter) were two British companies that were ideally suited to a symbiotic relationship. Bedford was the pre-eminent truck and commercial van builder in Britain in the mid-20th century, Bedfords were sold around the world and proved particularly popular in Australia and New Zealand. It’s no exaggeration to say that simple commercial vehicles like Bedfords were a life-blood of British industry, but Dormobile made them a life-blood of British holidaymakers too.
Martin-Walter, the makers of the Dormobile conversion, were initially founded back in the 1700s to make harnesses for horses, by the 1800s they were making carriages as well, and when the automobile revolution began the company switched to building cars, and vehicles for the military and industry. By the 1950s the company’s focus shifted to producing their popular Dormobile conversions which could turn your Bedford, Land Rover, VW Bus, Vauxhall, or Austin into a fully-equipped camper.
Bedford Cf Interiors
The Bedford CA Dormobile Camper
Of all the Dormobile conversions the Bedford CA Dormobile would become the most famous and the most prolific. It’s not known exactly how many were made but it was enough that they became a common sight during the summer and clubs of enthusiastic owners started popping up around Britain.
As with most Dormobiles the Bedford CA conversion featured a new roof that’s hinged on one side when popped up there are twin slide out bunks in the ceiling. In order to offset any feelings of claustrophobia when laying in your bunk, the flip-up roof also had twin windows and and openable vent.
Bedford Cf Interior Colors
Inside the camper you could specify a number of different interior options including simpler items like a sink and a cooker, right up to more expensive options like a toilet and an ice box refrigerator. Perhaps the cleverest element of the interior was the “Dormatic” twin front seats which converted into beds, although they may not have been the most comfortable beds in the world they did the job, and they allowed the Dormobile to sleep up to four people.
Sadly, many of the Dormobiles didn’t survive the ’70s and ’80s, the company itself went bankrupt in the ’80s and for a while it seemed like it was the end for the unusual British campers. Thankfully the company was revived in the 1990s and they’re still in business today making camper conversions for Land Rover Defenders and Volkswagen vans.
Original Dormobiles from the ’50s and ’60s are now hugely collectible, and they can be frequently seen at vintage motoring events around Europe like the Goodwood Revival.
The 1961 Bedford CA Dormobile Camper Shown Here
The 1961 Bedford CA Dormobile camper you see here was sold new in New Zealand, over the course of its life it was restored before being sold to a new owner in the United States where it currently resides.
Inside this camper has a more modern interior with cabinetry, a sink, a Waeco portable refrigerator, and portable gas camp stove. There’s a 40 litre wastewater tank, a Zempire camping latrine, twin fold out bunks in the roof, the signature Dormatic front seats, and a small roof rack at the front for additional luggage.
Bedford Dormobiles are an exceptionally rare sight on the road in the USA, if you’d like to read more about this one or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on RM Sotheby’s.
Photographs: ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Dormobile Advertising Material: Courtesy of Dormobile
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Bedford Cf Van Interior
Bedford Cf Interior Doors
Bedford Cf Camper Interior
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