Canterbury Pitt?

[admwllms]

I've recently been told that my bus was a Canterbury Pitt conversion. Seems to be the case from everything I've read but details on these are so thin on the ground that I thought I'd reach out and ask if anyone's got any pics or information to share? My interior is completely stripped – except the bed – but I'm as sure as can be that the roof's original.

Cheers

 

[ozziedog]

Come on you guys,,, who knows anything about these Canterbury Pitt conversions ?? ANYONE!!! And do we have any on this forum.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,, C`mon,, own up,, come out come out wherever you are :lol: :mrgreen: :lol:

 

[Lee C]

I thought they only did them for 2 years on the bay as the old guy died in 68???

I may be wrong, it happens more often than you'd think :roll:

 

[ozziedog]

So rare as rare as rare can be then,, rarer than rocking horse poo, and rarer than the back teeth of an ageing hen or maybe as rare as me running out of words,, eh Mick

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Anybody know another one ??????? :mrgreen:

 

[Clem]

I think I've only heard of two or three ever before, pretty rare conversions. There was a mint one magazine featured a few years back. I may be able to find the feature.

 

[admwllms]

Cheers guys, Clem that would be awesome if you get the chance. Weird to hear that he died in '68 though, as mine was registered in 1971 according to the DVLA. Hope I'm not on the wrong track! Here's a pic of the tatty roof from the interior, taken before we started doing it up.

 

[admwllms]

Okay, so I ran the M-Plate through that online M-Plate checker, and I might be a bit of a dope here but I don't quite get it. Everything matches up (didn't know it was originally all white) but it says something about a Campmobile? I don't even know what they are either... No mention of Canterbury Pitt either but I don't know if there should be on the M-Plate.

 

[Graham L]

Copied from the history section of this site confirming whats already been said,

Canterbury Pitt

Canterbury Pitt was one of the popular conversions of split-screen vans during the nineteen-sixties. Owned by Peter Pitt, started as the Pitt-Moto caravan Company, then merged with Canterbury sidecars in 1961, production moving to South Ockenden in Essex. Conversions continued based on the newly-introduced bay window van in 1967, but when Peter Pitt died in February1969, the franchise to produce his designs ceased and Canterbury Pitt Motor Caravans discontinued VW-based conversions.

Today the bay window conversions are rarely seen, usually appearing on 'F'-registered vans.

Conversions

Canterbury Pitt -Bay - 1967 - 1968


I would think based on this info its unlikely that yours is a Canterbury Pitt unless it was swapped from an early model, if the M code plate says Campmobile then its a Westfalia Conversion from the factory, something does quite add up here :?: :?:

 

[Graham L]

Found this thread from 2006 as well, some pictures on page 2

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also Angus has a 68 Canterbury Pitt, hes currently living in the US and hasnt done any work on his bus for a while but theres some more pics of his on his personal website here http://www.mystuffonline.co.uk/5.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[admwllms]

Thanks a lot Graham L, I see what you mean!

The Campmobile bit is slightly dimmer than the rest of the text on the M-Plate website so I don't know if that means it definitely is a Campmobile? Just can't see it being a Westfalia to be honest (didn't realise that's what Campmobiles are). Next to the M-Plate was a little paint code in German, which translated as pastel white.

Having said that it makes sense that an earlier roof could have been replaced with the one that's on it. Thought it original but what the hell do I know? Looking at Angus's website, it's only the roof that looks a *bit* like Angus's – great website btw – but not an exact match.

Theres' a lot of holes and stuff from where jailbars and little extras like that appear to have been fitted before it was stripped (I'm guessing a hammock thing was in the front too) but they are no longer there and it's totally bare so it's tricky to say what it looked like inside. My bed is totally different though.

 

[KevH]

Just a thought, but what date of manufacture and country of origin is the M-Plate indicating?

If after '68, and assuming that the Canterbury Pitts were no longer produced after Pitt's death in '68, then that ought to be definitive.

It could be a stripped out Westy with a CP roof taken from a donor bus of the pre-68 era. Still a nice thing to have of course.

 

[admwllms]

Yeah good point, it says, Planned production date: Monday, 29 March 1971 (registration was a little later in August if memory serves). So a full three years after his death.

Oh and destination was: England, Ramsgate.

 

[KevH]

Not originally a CP conversion then, probably a Westy, but importantly still an Early Bay

You could try to track down the buses history to see who, when and why the modifications were done. You can get a list of former owners/keepers back to sometime in the 1970s from DVLA and with luck that might help, especially if the mods were made relatively recently (ie in the last 30 years or so!!!!!!!!!!). :lol:

 

[admwllms]

Haha yeah I guess the early bay part is the main thing

Yeah I might try and do some more digging then, don't really care what it was but would just be nice to know – mostly because I'm a nosey bugger!

 

[David Eccles]

basically whats said above re dates is about right....
Canterbury Pitt Moto Caravan ceased production round about Sept 1969. Peter Pitt died in Feb 1969 and he held all the rights which were not transferable on. Peter Pitt had the first one for his own use.
I know of only one fully original condition 1968 survivor, same owner since new, not into VW bus scene so unlikely to see it about. You can find pics and specs of the Bay versions in my book VW Camper Inside Story 2nd Edition, including the survivor. I have come across 3 or 4 others, none of which are complete and in need of TLC! I think there are probably only 2 or 3 original spec and fittings CP buses on road nowadays? There are two cooker styles, the old door mounted split style but mounted on bulkhead, which became a bigger swing out style in 69.

 

[Davydomes]

You can find pics and specs of the Bay versions in my book VW Camper Inside Story 2nd Edition

Great book BTW - reference it a lot.

 

[admwllms]

Cheers David, was actually looking at that book the other day so about time I picked it up!