1975 Viscount Ranger 16ft - T59003

[Deleted]

Hi All, I have just bought a 76 Viscount Ranger Chassis #T59003 16ft x 8ft.
I'am assuming 1976 as the first Rangers were made by Viscount then and the Chassis # I think would put a year behind the numbers recorded in 77, according to Viscount records here on Classic Caravans.
The van appears to be in reasonably good condition, but I'll check it out properly when I have it trucked home tomorrow.

Guess it will be a full rebuild with interior design to suit the other half & I.

Fortunately the exterior is pretty good and should polish up without respray, it has been in a shed on a property for a few years, there is a fairly big dent in rear of roof which hopefully after interior cupboards are removed will push out, also has water damage around four seasons hatch so that will need to come out and be resealed.

Will post photo's soon as. Looking forward to it, have done a few, and enjoyed vans over the years.

Ranger

[ForumMod]

G'day ranger, and welcome to the forum!

Looks like you've found evidence that the Ranger model was being built earlier than 1976, although not too much earlier, by the looks. Your chassis number shows a 1975 build date, and the 9,003rd chassis built that year would surely be very near the end of 1975. It's quite possible they started building the van in late 1975, and perhaps not completed it (or not got the relevant electrical certificate) until early 1976. The van may have even sat around for a while before being sold in 1976, such was the state of the caravan industry at the time. Sales were slowing down, and it was only a year later in 1977 that 25 manufacturers around Australia closed down due to the collapse in the industry.

I've changed the heading of this thread to reflect the actual chassis number. It will be interesting to see if you discover any evidence of the certificate date once you get the van home.

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Thanks Al
Going through the records I find it interesting that on Aug.19 2009, Visco posted a publication for Viscount Royals from Caravan World 1976 and that the interior of that Royal is identical to the interior of this Ranger I have bought.
Cheers