In 1773 a harness manufacturer known as the Martin Walter company was founded but they soon began building coaches and carriages. With the invention of the motor car they started to produce high quality bespoke coachwork on Daimler and Rolls Royce bodies. In the early 1950’s they identified a need to come up with a vehicle that combined family and utility use and apparently there is the story that one of the Martin Walter directors noticed people were actually sleeping in their vehicles whilst waiting for a cross channel ferry crossing. So he came up with the idea of designing a vehicle that could be used to travel in and also to sleep in, and in 1952 they produced a model using a Bedford CA where the seats formed a bench for sleeping and a cooker was fitted. It was known as the Dormobile which is based no the French word dormir, meaning “sleep” By 1956 the Dormobile trademark, the raising roof and the swivel seats that folded in various ways were designed. No other converters were as well set up and Dormobile were the main producer of affordable campers.
The name Dormobile became an established name such as Hoover or Biro and was associated with quality yet affordable motor caravans and in 1960 when the move into the VW Campervan market reflected both the potential size of the market and the recognition of a very different style and image brought by the VW Bus. Such was the success of the “Dormobile” elevating roof was actually adapted by Devon as a standard option from 1962-67 instead of their own version. Westfalia also offered the Dormobile roof as an option for camping equipments.
In the late 1970’s Dormobile hit financial problems and did not convert any of the T25 models but in 1984 the business ceased trading. However in the late 1990’s the business was resurrected by former employees and now supply genuine spare parts.
In 1961 the new Volkswagaen Dormobile made its debut at the Earls Court Motor Show with the famous slogan “Famous the world over, Volkswagen and the Dormobile Caravan. Here is another fine Dormobile conversion - a real home on wheels with that sleek, smart continental look’. It was available through the main VW Agents and became an officially approved VW convertion so they carried full VW warranty, and the Devon was the only other which carried similar backing at that time.
The literature at the time decribed it to be the aspirational lifestyle of middle England in addition to being an ideal home on wheels and ideal as a mobile grandstand at sports meeting, races and other outdoor displays or meetings of all kinds. It the weather changed then the huge roof windows gave an excellent viewpoint and there were always refreshments laid on, and having a radio was a great optional extra.
The Bay Window Dormobiles 1968 - The Dormobile Motor Caravan D4/6
With the new shape came a chance to alter the layout and the design and the front seat fold out cooker was patented and to allow more height in the cab area for cooking the elevating roof was moved forward and the interior was remodelled to create more living space. Upholstery was in wool moquette and finished in poppy red or gold with contrasting PVC borders and the roof canvas was either green and white or red and white.
There was also available a two berth with a fixed roof and optional extras included a childs cab bunk, tent awnings, chrome hubcaps etc.
LHD conversions were also available for export around the World.
The Dormobile D4/8 1970
A totally new version of the VW Dormobile was introduced with luxury rather than economy at the forefront. It was designed to seat 8 people in the forward facing position and also sleep 4 adults with an additional child in the optional cabin bunk.
A refrigerator was also available for the first time and a gold coloured removable carpet was added for that extra bit of luxury and to match this the curtains were a soft orange with the seat upholstery also keeping the gold theme.
The d4/8 was available with or without the elevating roof.
The VW Campervan Dormobile conversion is still much cherished today and many well kept models come up for sale from time at VW Campervans for sale
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