Dormobile based on estate/station wagon

[McColm]

Hi Guys,
Martin Walter Ltd of England converted panel vans and camper vans into Dormobiles. They can also be seen on long-wheel base LandRovers.
I haven't seen any on ordinary cars, hatchbacks or estates yet, I dare say that the odd Mini Clubman Estate would be an ideal candidate. Apart from the new BMW Mini range in 1/24 or 1/25 plastic. It would be feasible to stretch the Austin/Morris Mini. This is tiny in 1/24 scale so something bigger might be better.
The rare Volvo estate is the next European model that I've come across whilst searching on line.
There is a better choice either American station wagons or Japanese estate cars.
A while a go I started whiffing the Revell FX4 Taxi cab and used another Revell kit from the VW T series camper van for the interior.
A fellow Whiffer saw a taxi that had already been converted in the real world without the Dormobile extended roof.
I intend to build a few in the future.

[Hobbes]

I recently saw one based on a Ford Escort Mexico estate. Well cramped with the rear seats still in place.

[PR19_Kit]

IIRC Dormobile converted an FD Victor Estate at one time. I had an FD Estate myself at the time which is why I noticed it in the motoring press but I'm darned if I can find a pic of it anywhere now. I'll ask my friends in the FD Owners Club and see if they know anything about it.

[McColm]

Thanks for the interest Guys. I saw a concept BMW Mini estate 4x4 that had been given the Dormobile folding roof. I suppose for one person its just enough space, a larger estate could accommodate two adults. With tents added on a small family would enjoy the delights of camping.

[McColm]

I could use a Impala as that looks very similar to the Vauxhall FD Victor. Not too sure if there was a FD Victor in plastic. The Nomad would look good as well. Both kits have been repackaged.

There is a company up in Scotland called Handy Campers that use the Ford Transit mini-van. With twin rear and side doors. The inside is fitted out with all the essentials for camping and comes with a yawning attached to the side of the van. There are no side windows and apart from the signage it is just a small silver van.

[PR19_Kit]

I could use a Impala as that looks very similar to the Vauxhall FD Victor. Not too sure if there was a FD Victor in plastic.

There is, or was anyway. Airfix did the estate in 1/32 and I've just finished turning one into a slot car for a saloon car event in October.  

But the kit is very rare and costs a fortune on ebay these days, I'd had mine in The Loft since the 70s when I had my 1:1 scale version. The Impala is about TWICE the size of an FD Victor though.

[McColm]

Thanks Kit.
Apart from the RangeRover and BMW Mini estate car, Jaguar and the odd European models. I'm limited in the estate department. There aren't that may hatchbacks either in 1/24 or 1/25 scale.
Mostly 2-4 door cars. The Ford Capri is mostly in racer or the MKI. The American road car versions are rare and can be very expensive.
The odd mini-van can be found, this could be kitbashed with a BMW series 5.
There are a few 'real world' examples on Google.

[PR19_Kit]

Tamiya did a superb Volvo 850 Estate on both road car and BTCC versions in 1/24. I've got both of the kits as I ran one for 2.5 years and loved it, best car I ever had.

Mind you, a Dormobile 850 BOGGLES the mind.  

As for hatchbacks AMT did a Mk 1 Golf some years back, I'm not sure if it's still around. I tried to convert one into a Mk I Astra for the same reason I got the Volvos, but failed ingnominiously....  

[McColm]

They come up on eBay sometimes between £20-40 and if its a house clearance even cheaper.
I'll keep an eye out .
Possibles based on current off the shelf stock would be:
Jaguar
E-Type
MKII
XJS V-12

RangeRover
Mini
Renault 5
2CV
Austin FX4
Bedford Rascal

[zenrat]

Landcruiser Troopies make good campers.

[Hobbes]

They come up on eBay sometimes between £20-40 and if its a house clearance even cheaper.
I'll keep an eye out .
Possibles based on current off the shelf stock would be:
Jaguar
E-Type
MKII
XJS V-12

Good luck finding an XJS kit, they're getting rare and expensive.

[McColm]

Landcruiser Troopies make good campers.

Thanks for the photos, I've seen the Landcruiser in a plastic model kit form and the Jeep equivalent.

[McColm]

EBay has thrown up quite a VW Golf motorsports and road cars. There is a Volvo T5 and Cherokee Jeep also on line.
Just a pity that I'm not in any position to buy any, but I did see my collection of cars on the KitKrazy website.
However the ideas keep me in good spirits.

[Mossie]

Thr new Trabant Universal would fit in nicely and might cause a bit of head scratching.

Hummer H2, all blinged up with some of those new Humbrol multi effect spray cans?

[McColm]

Great idea.
Its the VW T3 camper van that the interior will be based on using plasticard and the Dormobile canopy made to measure.
The Italeri Rolls Royce Phantom II or the Minicraft RR Silver Cloud Phantom Squire. There is no Daimler DS420,but a reworked grill might work.
The American muscle cars are large enough.