UK factory conversions were 1st started in 1956 Canterbury Pitt/Devon/Moortown with only Devon conversions
approved by VW at that time
Surviving busses are few and far between, I was lead to believe that the oldest known survivor was a Devon the suggested bus being the boatyard bus

but I have recently discovered

In 1981 Devon launched a competition to find the oldest UK camper conversion
the winner a 1957 Devon registered 12/7/1957 won a revamp of its
interior.....pictures I have show it with new cushions covered using 1979
bay Moonraker material

In 1988 Volkswagen commercial vehicles launched another competition with 100
plus entries the joint winners consisted of the above Devon and a 1957
Canterbury Pitt the owners and there wives were sent on an expenses paid
trip to west Germany

Both of these busses still survive today the oldest being the Devon

the list below are registration dates from the DVLA not chassis number dates as often found in BD listings

12/7/1957 Devon (mentioned above)
1/8/1957 Boatyard bus Devon....
18/4/1958 Sumpters Devon
5/5/1958 Canterbury pit (see for sale section)
6/58 NZ Devon
7/7/1958 Canterbury pit (mentioned above) 57 registered as 58
13/8/1958 Mango Devon
?/?/1958 Canterbury pit
3/1 /1959 Devon 58 registered as 59

Pictures and a few other busses to follow

anyone know of any others....I have not searched the SSVC van register

hows it going Ian?

How about the guy selling his Canterbury Pitt camper in the for sale section the other week, then he pulled it down as he decided not to sell it.

my old bus had a original devon interior and that was a 58 van but register on 3 january 1959 but still had the ribbed bumpers and interior had the devon cooker inside the curve door ,gas lamp above and all the cupboard`s . not seen it in years but it`s still on road but never does shows

Fine thanks Rob .......which one was that then list amended


Paul any picture could you PM me the reg please

it was on Sunday night at 1900 hrs.

Stil on VZI but withdrawn from sale.

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=690172

Photos here:

http://s1107.photobucket.com/albums/h39 ... 957%20bus/

Advertised on here also but withheld.... the 3rd oldest UK camper and oldest Pitt if you go by chassis number

that not my old van ,i remember that van bitd as used to be parking around wraysbury ,middlesex

pic of mine [img]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v607/stuntmaster/?action=view&current=DSC03547.jpg



[/img]

At £13k I was ready with the readies when it was withdrawn from sale.

The one advertised on here and then withdrawn had a registration date of 7/08/1958

I already had a picture of your old Devon Paul this one below ?....did you see this thread ? viewtopic.php?f=2&t=63796&p=493782&hilit=boatyard#p493782

correct but




along with everyone else Russ

never seen that pic before and cool as , that was when i lived in devon about 95 96 i believe . should never had sold that van as always miss it and sold it for 2k in 97 i believe

Take off The Samba Paul via Rich Bigbulli....details added above.....its not been taxed for a few years

to be honest the last time i saw it ie 98 at bug jam it was looking pretty rusty due to the summer it had at the coast with me the year before .i sold it to a guy called ronnie and i know he changed the gearbox as was original when i had and a pig to get in third at times due to worn cog .
there was another early van reg heg something that was palm green and i have a hunt through some old pics as always looked out for old van`s when had mine as not many out there compare to now

HEG is the oldest Devon and on the list above, the pics I have the tap area is missing..... can you remember what your floor covering consisted of....another member who had a 58 clearly remembers rubber matting.... unfortunatly thats not OTR anymore