Increase footprint?

R

Reuben

0
Hello everyone. I'm now the proud owner of a Commer Spacevan Camper! Acquired from Steve - the one that was advertised on this Forum back in December. My girlfriend and I are selling-up and heading for Europe in the summer, hopefully not to return to the UK for a couple of years! So for part (at least) of that trip, the Commer's going to be our home, all going well.

Some pics are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcktfld/sets/72157594469041789/

I was just wondering if anyone's ever improved the ride / stability of one of these by spacing the front wheels out a bit to match the back wheels. Is it possible? Anyone got any experience with this? I don't want to ruin the look of it but wouldn't mind a bit more stability!
 
Evening Reuben and hello to everyone.
As a newby This is my first contribution to this forum so I hope you find my comments helpfull.
I'm no expert on steering geometry but I suspect you will be getting into a whole world of trouble if you try and space-out your Spacevan. I have limited knowledge of widening the track on Minis, looks great but the steering gets (even) heavier and the extra leverage on wheel bearings reduces their life dramatically. Magnify this with the weight of a PB and I recon it would be like trying to control a two ton bunloaf with a tiller. The other option would be to transplant a wider assembly from another vehicle, not a simple job I suspect, trouble is you would then have to chop away at the wheel arches and doors to allow the front wheels to turn. Better to stick with what the creator gave us, all part of the charm of owning a Commer - as the salesmen would say.

Panky
 
hi there panky i just read your reply ,and i couldnt have said it better myself,although i am in the starts of doing up my own camper .and im going for that cool ratty look but on the verge or mild custom ,i was informed by another source that if i wanted more power that a rover montego engine will slot straight in as they have the same engine mounts ,mmm i might go for the turbo option what do you think, im going to look into it a bit more though first ,i will keep you all posted.
 
Hi Woolfy,
Hmm, turbo charged two litre ratster. A picture is forming in my mind. Think of the BIG balloon you always get one of in a packet at Christmas, inflate it to the point where it is about to burst and then let it go. A sedate acceleration gradually changing to a manic skitter about accompanied by fruity fart with ever increasing volume before finally deflating with a shrill frrrip. An interesting project non the less, the Tego Turbo was a potential Cossie beater in its day but as usual with Rover stuff of the era proved unreliable and basically crap. If I was going the Rover route I recon the way to go would be to squeeze in that loverly V8 gem (OK so not all Rover stuff is crap). Would sound gorgeous but would probably be just as uncontrollable, a bit like strapping eight balloons to to a beach ball and letting go. The guy I bought my van off (Harvey the RV, the van not the guy) new a bloke who had fitted a Sunbeam Rapier engine complete with twin carbs and a straight through exhaust, you could hear it coming for miles and the acceleration was almost brisk but because of the low gearing top speed was little better than normal. I experimented a while ago and fitted an old Stromberg carb with a home made manifold adaptor to my bog standard engine. The whole thing was topped off with a pancake filter and fired up. The engine ran as smooth as you like and initial impressions were good, the old girl took off like a rocket, well I had the milkman worried, and the induction roar from the filter was something to behold. After a short test run to check for leaks a decision was made to head for the hills of Wales that weekend and push the envelope of the newly found levels of performance. It proved to be quite an expensive weekend as performance does come at a cost, about 12 miles to the gallon. I think I'll redesign the adapter one day and try again but there are other priorities - that like getting the beast road worthy again.

Cheers
Panky

PS Sorry Reuben we appear to have hi-jacked your string.
 
Now then Boys, this is all getting a bit silly- But while were on the subject of Rover bits etc, "Hows about that then"
IMG_0820.jpg

Something I just happen to have laying about in the shed! Rover 3.5 V8 with shorrocks blower and 600cfm holley carb?????????
Go nicely mid mounted in the back of a Commer pickup- Whatever next
 
hi there mart,( i want it i want it) where did you pick that big lump up from,i might just squeez that inbetween my to front seats ,with a bit of jiggery pockery that is. by the way is that a vauxhall victor or something like that in the back ground,just out of interest,because it looks great.
 
Got it from somewhere near Northhampton, it was built for drag racing but never used. Now waiting to go in my 1930 model A. Car in the background is my Plymouth Valiant.
Have you got the floor pans yet?
 
Back to panky's earlier ramblins, the Holbay engine is supposed to be a reasonably easy exchange. Although the twin choke carb and manifold and head off most of the later Rootes motors, with the 1725 engine, is even easier.
 
Phwoor, tasty. Would require a slight power bulge in the engine cover I suspect. Nice and warm in the winter though.
 
you mean to say that you take you van out in the winter ,even with the skinny front wheels and handling problems, mind you i dont need a hot engine or heater in mine ,as the girls always say i am hot stuff already and i have a big power bulge,ha ha.
 
Hey Panky, thanks for the reply! Haven't been on the forum for a while and I'm not subscribed to this post or whatever hence no reply.
We got the van up on ramps a few days after I posted that and I immediately came to a similar conclusion after looking at it!
I think once you get used to driving the van it doesn't seem like such a big deal - just takes some getting used to after having driven a big fat capri for so many years!

Cheers
 
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