Hi everyone,
My partner and I have been van-camping (or freedom camping as it's known here) enthusiasts for quite some time now having spent many trips touring the South Island (of New Zealand) in our Nissan Largo more than a handful of times. New Zealand has a massive freedom camping (and house-trucking) community with the sight of a converted bus parked out the back of someone's house being a pretty common on the road. This created a pretty healthy case of 'van envy' and the search was on to find the most unique and coolest ride.
Then by chance we saw our first Commer 1500 (or similar). It was parked at a garage getting repaired of course. Instantly we were in love. It's cute little front, it's stubby profile. We wrote a little note for the owner to contact us if they were interested in selling to which the mechanic commented "I really don't think you want this one" with defeat written all over his face.
Sadly she wasn't for sale (or not really, the owner had taken to painting her with house paint?!) and the hunt began for our darling. Several months later we found 'Ruby' online. We of course forgot about the auction ending and missed out - or we thought. A buy now offer was put up and all we can say is that it was meant to be.
She's a '67 1500 apparently. I'm not sure if that's at all accurate based on what I've researched but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a local re-badging thingy. She's not similar to anything I've seen overseas - ie side door etc.
Rechristened 'Commy' with an eventual blood red paint job with a big black star and massive list of mods and additions planned hopefully in about a year we should have the ride of our dreams.
Leon & Tia
My partner and I have been van-camping (or freedom camping as it's known here) enthusiasts for quite some time now having spent many trips touring the South Island (of New Zealand) in our Nissan Largo more than a handful of times. New Zealand has a massive freedom camping (and house-trucking) community with the sight of a converted bus parked out the back of someone's house being a pretty common on the road. This created a pretty healthy case of 'van envy' and the search was on to find the most unique and coolest ride.
Then by chance we saw our first Commer 1500 (or similar). It was parked at a garage getting repaired of course. Instantly we were in love. It's cute little front, it's stubby profile. We wrote a little note for the owner to contact us if they were interested in selling to which the mechanic commented "I really don't think you want this one" with defeat written all over his face.
Sadly she wasn't for sale (or not really, the owner had taken to painting her with house paint?!) and the hunt began for our darling. Several months later we found 'Ruby' online. We of course forgot about the auction ending and missed out - or we thought. A buy now offer was put up and all we can say is that it was meant to be.
She's a '67 1500 apparently. I'm not sure if that's at all accurate based on what I've researched but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a local re-badging thingy. She's not similar to anything I've seen overseas - ie side door etc.
Rechristened 'Commy' with an eventual blood red paint job with a big black star and massive list of mods and additions planned hopefully in about a year we should have the ride of our dreams.
Leon & Tia
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