My 1969 Tourstar

[martin maltas]

Fancy that, another Roadranger

www.commervanspares.co.uk
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[Panky]

Well blow me down, I knew you couldn't last

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[arty1]

So is mine a roadranger or a tourstar, on the buff logbook its been entered as
a sundowner ! And should it have the stripe and trim down the side ?
All very confusing. Lol

 

[martin maltas]

Yours is a Tourstar, I've had one and no, it doesn't have a side flash

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[Panky]

The interior layout is very similar as both were designed by the same bloke

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[arty1]

Well thats sorted then , Tourstar it is From standing at the back
mine has the sink on the left and cooker on the right, no oven but a grill.
I think I will have to go and take some more photos and mail them to Pa
nky.
Funny world we live in with these Commers, I guess the person who wrote the description in the log book didnt know a thing !

 

[Panky]

Opposite way round to a Jennings. Bonnie does have a cooker but we know of a Tourstar with one too (they did mince pies at the Halloween meet), must have been an optional extra

Here's Bonnies interior, look familiar?

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[arty1]

Well thats sorted then , Tourstar it is From standing at the back
mine has the sink on the left and cooker on the right, no oven but a grill.
I think I will have to go and take some more photos and mail them to Pa
nky.
Funny world we live in with these Commers, I guess the person who wrote the description in the log book didnt know a thing !

 

[arty1]

Thats interesting Panky, mine has the curves for the bed ends, but I dont have handles on the drawers, they are like louvres at the side of the sink. Mine has a cream sink and drainer, not stainless. Under this is a water tank cupboard to feed the whale hand pump.Also at the back is the loo cupboard.On the offside is the lift up cooker cover and two cupboard doors that swing back to gain access to the grill.Closer along is a cupboard where the fridge lives Currently removed as defunct. The cab devider is split down the middle and each half moves side to side. Its all lovely inside, just a few dark marks on the wood, probably from being parked in an open barn and getting summer sun for all those years. One of the overhead cupboards is full of travel maps and guides all from the early 70's lovely! I really must go and take some more photos

 

[Panky]

There are detail differences but the layout is almost identical, here's Bonnie's cooker on the nearside of the van

The cupboard to the right houses the fridge, on the opposite side of the van is the sink - same type as your plastic one. The fresh and waste water tanks are under the offside bench seat.

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[arty1]

Very similar indeed. Only other things I can think of are that the roof skylight is tinted bright orange ! And there are fitted meshes to the skylight and the louvre windows to both sides making it mozzy proof
Im looking forward to renovating the interior. It really could do with the woodwork either varnishing or polishing as its looking dry. Im a bespoke picture framer by trade, so that will come easily to me. Im building a shepherds hut/living van of my own design too and i have fitted the same cooker as you have in your van

 

[Panky]

I wiped everything over with Danish oil, made quite a difference Any pics of the hut

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[arty1]

Day off today, so its off to check progress on Betsy-Anne and take some photos inside, and of my hut

 

[Panky]

Betsy-Anne's interior, looks so nice[^]

The shepherds hut, now this is a lovely piece of work[^]

I can see why you were attracted to the interior of the Tourstar.

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[mr rusty]

WOW they stole your wheels again!

that interior looks excellent , great buy [8D]

 

[arty1]

I cant do anything with metal, and avoid working with it at all costs. Now give me a bit of wood and im in my element. Its the detail that I like, polished wood , patina and stuff thats well made.

 

[arty1]

The shepherds hut is something that I have wanted to buiod for a long time.It is on an old bomb trailer.All the studwork is two and a half inch timber, covered in stirling board, then on the outside it is clad in Siberian larch t&g, renowned for its slow growing, it is impervious to water or rot.Two inch insulation in the walls and sheepswool in the roof. Its all got oak strip panneling inside.I dont know what I shall do with it when finished, maybe fund more Commers !

 

[renaultvation]

Lovely van and a lovely hut. Your framing skills are obvious in that window. It looks like a proper piece of craftsmanship. You obviously don't source your timber from B&Q!

Welcome to the madhouse. Nice to see someone else from sunny Suffolk!

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[arty1]

Thanks for your comments, The window was relatively simple to make, I wanted hardwood rather than soft for obvious reasons. Build it once , build it right. I would have loved to have worked in the Jennings factory, fitting out vans .

 

[Panky]

The first time I took Bonnie to a show was at Tatton Park in Cheshire, during the weekend three former employees of the Jennings factory at Sandbach came to visit. The first guy was a coach painter who was casting his eye over Bonnies paintwork - 'after my time' he said 'it's been sprayed'. The second guy was admiring the back bumpers - 'I made those' he said 'I was a blacksmith at the factory' - there where three of them. The last guy was checking out the interior, he did actually fit them out - 'My bedroom furniture is made of the same stuff as your interior' he said with a wink. Like you said Simon build it once, build it right

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