Just thought some of you might find it intresting.Frankie.
Volkswagen Dormobile with elevating roof
Motor Caravan Test
Motor, March 16, 1968
The VW Microbus was replaced last autumn by the Clipper and Kombi,
vehicles of similar shape but a few inches longer. Revised front-end
styling includes a one-piece windscreen; rearwards of the cab the side
door now slides backwards (previously it opened outwards in halves);
there is now walk-through from the cab to the interior; the engine has
been increased in capacity to 1,584 c.c.; and there is trailing arm
rear suspension.
This is the basis of the Martin Walter Dormobile conversion which we
tested in elevating roof form, ... with four berths and an optional
extra fifth for a child. Without an elevating roof the prices drops by
85 Pounds and there are, of course, no roof bunks.
The vehicle was notable for being light to drive, for having a simple
and neat arrangement for sleeping, ingenious "kitchen" location and good
living space for a van of this size.
ON THE ROAD
Driver and passenger have comfortable individual seats with a small
range of fore-and-aft movement and an even smaller range of adjustment
for the back-rest angle; in general the comfort and furnishing of the
cab are up to the standard of many private cars. The foot controls are
light, especially the clutch, and the centrally placed pull-out hand-
brake is light and powerful; the large, near-horizontal steering wheel
is comfortable to use; the stalk below it controls winkers, flashers
and headlamps. The heating was poor but we later tried a similar vehicle
and from that we had plenty of warmth.
The VW Dormobile is reasonably quick off the mark and could probably be
cruised at its top speed of around 65 m.p.h. In practice we found it
preferable to keep below 60 (or 40 m.p.h. in third) because at these
points a resonant beat came in which proved slightly annoying to those
in the cab and uncomfortable for passengers in the rear. There is, in
fact, much more noise in the back of the van than the driver thinks.
The stowed cooker was a source of rattle but Martin Walter state that
this is being rectified.
We made some fairly long journeys on wet roads and found the VW stable
and safe, except in strong cross-winds. Rough roads are taken in a
restrained float and pitch is damped out quickly.
All round vision from the driver's seat is good and even without the
external rear-view mirrors there are no notable blind spots.
The rear-mounted engine is reached through a low-mounted flap and is
thus not easy to work on; even checking the dipstick is awkward in poor
light.
SEATING AND SLEEPING
Normally there are four forward-facing seats ... two in the cab and two
on the bench seat at the rear of the living space. The Dormobile we
tried had the optional extra and removable rearward-facing single seat
located to the rear of the gap between the front ones.
With the roof raised to give over 8 ft. of headroom two stretcher bunks
are quickly erected from their stowed positions at the sides of the roof
and the "ground floor" double bed is formed in two easy movements by
pulling a loop at the rear of the bench seat which raises it and the
back rest into the horizontal position from where they are slid easily
to the offside of the van.
In usual Martin Walter fashion, the cushion at the forward end is raised
slightly to act as a low pillow. The table, aided by additional screw-in
legs, supports the overhanging section of the double bed. The most
difficult bunk to erect is the optional child's stretcher berth over the
driver's compartment where the space is somewhat confined for
manoeuvring it into position on its supports.
STORAGE
There is adequate drawer and cupboard space for crockery and pots and
pans in the region of the sink although the largest of the cupboards is
occupied by the three 3-gal. water containers. Behind the front
passenger's seat there is a small hanging wardrobe tall enough to take
a suit on a hanger, and there is space for bedding and other bulky
objects beneath the bench seat in the body of the van and beneath the
permanently positioned rear portion of the mattress. Space beneath the
bench seat would normally be the housing for the optional extra awning
when not in use. The gas bottle takes up no interior space being carried
in the nearside of the engine compartment.
LIVING IN IT
The gas stove (two burners and grill) folds away between the back of the
front passenger seat and the wardrobe; when erected it causes no
obstruction. The cook would normally sit on the driver's seat to work;
she could stand outside with the passenger's door open but would then
find the gas taps difficult to reach.
Four people can sit down comfortably to eat at the table making use of
the two steel-framed folding chairs supplied. Alternatively the optional
extra rearward facing seat can be used. On each side of the sink (fed by
a foot pump) there is plenty of Melamine covered space for laying out
dishes.
We found the main double berth quick to erect and comfortable to use
but in mid-winter the interior of the van suffered considerable heat
loss with the elevating roof raised; to prevent a quick drop in
temperature it was best to sleep with the roof down with only two
people in the van. The optional Solarsol gas heater was very effective
and raised the interior temperature quickly.
--------------------------------------------
Performance
(Load equivalent to driver and two passengers)
Comfortable cruising speed: 55-60 m.p.h.
Top speed (banked circuit): 65.2 m.p.h.
Acceleration, 0-50 through gears: 23.0 sec.
Standing 1/4 mile: 26.5 sec.
30-50 in top: 22.0 sec.
Hill Starting: 1 in 3 gradient. Handbrake held, restart accomplished
with clutch slip. (NOTE: Facing forward on 1 in 3 down
grade, van slid down with back-wheels locked).
Fuel consumption on tour: (2-star petrol) 21-4 m.p.g.
Speedometer: At 60 m.p.h., 1 percent fast;
At 30 m.p.h., 6 percent fast;
Mileage recorder 2 percent slow.
Specification
Length: 14 ft. 6 in.
Width: 5 ft. 9 in.
Height: 6 ft. 9 in.
Ground clearance: 7-1/4 in.
Turning Circle: 40 ft.
Fuel capacity: 13.0 gal.
Engine: 1584 cc, air-cooled flat four; 57 b.h.p. (gross)
Transmission: Four speed (all syncromesh)
Tyres: 7.00 x 14
Extras offered:
Roof rack*: 5 Pounds, 5 Shillings.
Child's Bunk*: 9 Pounds, 18 Shillings.
Occasional seat*: 9 Pounds, 10 Shillings.
Solarsol gas heater*: 10 Pounds, 0 Shillings, 9 Pence.
Gas cylinder (6 bl.),
tap and regulator*: 7 Pounds, 2 Shillings, 8 Pence.
Side sun awning: 14 Pounds, 2 Shillings.
Also embellishments for exterior, crockery, cutlery and many other
items.
* Fitted to test van
Easy to use conversion on new VW 1584 c.c. Kombi. Four berths (two in
elevating roof); optional fifth bunk for child. Costs 1,213 Pounds,
10 Shillings (1,255 Pounds, 6 Shillings, 5 Pence as tested).
Made by Martin Walter Ltd., Dormobile Works, Folkestone, Kent.
Length of test ... 400 miles.
Volkswagen Dormobile with elevating roof
Motor Caravan Test
Motor, March 16, 1968
The VW Microbus was replaced last autumn by the Clipper and Kombi,
vehicles of similar shape but a few inches longer. Revised front-end
styling includes a one-piece windscreen; rearwards of the cab the side
door now slides backwards (previously it opened outwards in halves);
there is now walk-through from the cab to the interior; the engine has
been increased in capacity to 1,584 c.c.; and there is trailing arm
rear suspension.
This is the basis of the Martin Walter Dormobile conversion which we
tested in elevating roof form, ... with four berths and an optional
extra fifth for a child. Without an elevating roof the prices drops by
85 Pounds and there are, of course, no roof bunks.
The vehicle was notable for being light to drive, for having a simple
and neat arrangement for sleeping, ingenious "kitchen" location and good
living space for a van of this size.
ON THE ROAD
Driver and passenger have comfortable individual seats with a small
range of fore-and-aft movement and an even smaller range of adjustment
for the back-rest angle; in general the comfort and furnishing of the
cab are up to the standard of many private cars. The foot controls are
light, especially the clutch, and the centrally placed pull-out hand-
brake is light and powerful; the large, near-horizontal steering wheel
is comfortable to use; the stalk below it controls winkers, flashers
and headlamps. The heating was poor but we later tried a similar vehicle
and from that we had plenty of warmth.
The VW Dormobile is reasonably quick off the mark and could probably be
cruised at its top speed of around 65 m.p.h. In practice we found it
preferable to keep below 60 (or 40 m.p.h. in third) because at these
points a resonant beat came in which proved slightly annoying to those
in the cab and uncomfortable for passengers in the rear. There is, in
fact, much more noise in the back of the van than the driver thinks.
The stowed cooker was a source of rattle but Martin Walter state that
this is being rectified.
We made some fairly long journeys on wet roads and found the VW stable
and safe, except in strong cross-winds. Rough roads are taken in a
restrained float and pitch is damped out quickly.
All round vision from the driver's seat is good and even without the
external rear-view mirrors there are no notable blind spots.
The rear-mounted engine is reached through a low-mounted flap and is
thus not easy to work on; even checking the dipstick is awkward in poor
light.
SEATING AND SLEEPING
Normally there are four forward-facing seats ... two in the cab and two
on the bench seat at the rear of the living space. The Dormobile we
tried had the optional extra and removable rearward-facing single seat
located to the rear of the gap between the front ones.
With the roof raised to give over 8 ft. of headroom two stretcher bunks
are quickly erected from their stowed positions at the sides of the roof
and the "ground floor" double bed is formed in two easy movements by
pulling a loop at the rear of the bench seat which raises it and the
back rest into the horizontal position from where they are slid easily
to the offside of the van.
In usual Martin Walter fashion, the cushion at the forward end is raised
slightly to act as a low pillow. The table, aided by additional screw-in
legs, supports the overhanging section of the double bed. The most
difficult bunk to erect is the optional child's stretcher berth over the
driver's compartment where the space is somewhat confined for
manoeuvring it into position on its supports.
STORAGE
There is adequate drawer and cupboard space for crockery and pots and
pans in the region of the sink although the largest of the cupboards is
occupied by the three 3-gal. water containers. Behind the front
passenger's seat there is a small hanging wardrobe tall enough to take
a suit on a hanger, and there is space for bedding and other bulky
objects beneath the bench seat in the body of the van and beneath the
permanently positioned rear portion of the mattress. Space beneath the
bench seat would normally be the housing for the optional extra awning
when not in use. The gas bottle takes up no interior space being carried
in the nearside of the engine compartment.
LIVING IN IT
The gas stove (two burners and grill) folds away between the back of the
front passenger seat and the wardrobe; when erected it causes no
obstruction. The cook would normally sit on the driver's seat to work;
she could stand outside with the passenger's door open but would then
find the gas taps difficult to reach.
Four people can sit down comfortably to eat at the table making use of
the two steel-framed folding chairs supplied. Alternatively the optional
extra rearward facing seat can be used. On each side of the sink (fed by
a foot pump) there is plenty of Melamine covered space for laying out
dishes.
We found the main double berth quick to erect and comfortable to use
but in mid-winter the interior of the van suffered considerable heat
loss with the elevating roof raised; to prevent a quick drop in
temperature it was best to sleep with the roof down with only two
people in the van. The optional Solarsol gas heater was very effective
and raised the interior temperature quickly.
--------------------------------------------
Performance
(Load equivalent to driver and two passengers)
Comfortable cruising speed: 55-60 m.p.h.
Top speed (banked circuit): 65.2 m.p.h.
Acceleration, 0-50 through gears: 23.0 sec.
Standing 1/4 mile: 26.5 sec.
30-50 in top: 22.0 sec.
Hill Starting: 1 in 3 gradient. Handbrake held, restart accomplished
with clutch slip. (NOTE: Facing forward on 1 in 3 down
grade, van slid down with back-wheels locked).
Fuel consumption on tour: (2-star petrol) 21-4 m.p.g.
Speedometer: At 60 m.p.h., 1 percent fast;
At 30 m.p.h., 6 percent fast;
Mileage recorder 2 percent slow.
Specification
Length: 14 ft. 6 in.
Width: 5 ft. 9 in.
Height: 6 ft. 9 in.
Ground clearance: 7-1/4 in.
Turning Circle: 40 ft.
Fuel capacity: 13.0 gal.
Engine: 1584 cc, air-cooled flat four; 57 b.h.p. (gross)
Transmission: Four speed (all syncromesh)
Tyres: 7.00 x 14
Extras offered:
Roof rack*: 5 Pounds, 5 Shillings.
Child's Bunk*: 9 Pounds, 18 Shillings.
Occasional seat*: 9 Pounds, 10 Shillings.
Solarsol gas heater*: 10 Pounds, 0 Shillings, 9 Pence.
Gas cylinder (6 bl.),
tap and regulator*: 7 Pounds, 2 Shillings, 8 Pence.
Side sun awning: 14 Pounds, 2 Shillings.
Also embellishments for exterior, crockery, cutlery and many other
items.
* Fitted to test van
Easy to use conversion on new VW 1584 c.c. Kombi. Four berths (two in
elevating roof); optional fifth bunk for child. Costs 1,213 Pounds,
10 Shillings (1,255 Pounds, 6 Shillings, 5 Pence as tested).
Made by Martin Walter Ltd., Dormobile Works, Folkestone, Kent.
Length of test ... 400 miles.
