1976 Franklin Snipe poptop - X900

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Hi all thanks for your great forum. I am a new member trying to work out if I am a classic van owner and on the correct site! I think our family van is a Franklin Hunter. Can anyone confirm type and year of manufacture?

Chassis no. X900. Reg label says registered in 1980. Pop-up, 12 ft long. Franklin on front of van. Retro cushion covers, 240v or 12 v, gas or electric Electrolux fridge.... Table at front drops down for double (small) bed and couch at back of van converts to small bed also.

Can post interior pics if this would help identify. Any info welcomed. Mary

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Hi Mary,
Your van is a Franklin Snipe,they came out in 1976 as a 12 ft model and then came 14 and 16 footers.they had a wooden frame covered in white aluminium.
Yours must be a 1979 model registered in 1980,just can't remember the chassis numbering system!
It also has the Franklin made wind out windows,so look after them as you can't get spare parts anymore!
Hope this is helpful for you.
Cheers
Hughdeani

[ForumMod]

G'day Mary K, and welcome to the forum!

I'm going to differ from hughdeani, and say your van is from 1976, pending some further information from you...

I'm still waiting for indisputable proof to say whether the 'X' series is from 1976 or '77, but it will be one or the other, and you may be able to help in that regard. I can't see a small oval RVMAA badge on the doorside of your van (click on this link to see what they look like). They are usually fixed somewhere between the door and the front edge of the van, and usually around doorlock height. Can you see one anywhere in that area, or even two rivet holes where one might have been?

Your chassis number means it's the 900th chassis built in the year, so it would have been built around Feb/March/April that year. If it was built in 1977, I would have expected to see the RVMAA badge on your van. If it was built in 1976, that would explain why there's no evidence of one being there. So, you have to get out your detective equipment, and see what you can find for us.

The other thing I notice on your van is a sticker at the top left corner of the door. Does that sticker say "Snipe"??

cheers,
Al.

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Thanks Hughdeani for the quick response and info. Will do a little research on Snipes and great that I just make the classic era! Good to know re need to care for the window winders.

The van is in pretty good cond. and we have used it for last few summers. We replaced the pop-up when we bought it as it had mould, and have replaced small amt panel and sealed leak causing panel damage in back corner. We have only used the van on 240V but I would like to lknow more about 12v use and gas stoves (can you advise any links to discussions re this?) so more options for use. Gas stove currently not in van but came with van. Planning to update curtains to match rest of interior too (a photo of front interior currently). Will post once done. Thanks Mary K.

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Thanks Al for your informative post. On checking for the badge you refer to I cannot see one between the door and front of the van, although there is a 'serviced by Sovereign Carravans' sticker just to front of lock beside door that could be covering rivet holes....

The sign on top of door (see below) says 'insulate with styroline'. If I come across any further info, similar vans etc. will post. Many thanks for your help and the great forum Mary K.

[ForumMod]

Thanks for the info, Mary K. It sure helps to sway me towards believing the 'X' series is indeed from 1976. As much as the RVMAA initiative was launched in Feb 1977, I'm convinced that manufacturers were actually fixing these badges to vans in the latter part of 1976. If you click on this thread and scroll down about 7 posts until you come to an "Attachment" link (it says Caravan at dealers 008.jpg), click on that and you'll see a Franklin Hunter with a RVMAA badge immediately left of the doorlock. Note the chassis number is X7929, which I now believe to have been built near the end of 1976.

Also for your interest, if you click on this thread about a Franklin Hunter with the chassis number of W8372 (and the 'W' series was the year before the 'X' series), you'll see very, very similar upholstery fabric in that van, to what's in yours. This Franklin Hunter would have been built very near the end of the year, and then yours is built very near the start of the next year, hence the similar upholstery pattern.

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Yes Mary and Al,
Looking at the interior of your snipe,the vinyl dates it to one of the first models.Later models had very chunky hard wearing cloth upholstery.the early models also had a 2.5 cubic frig,and no cover on top of the stove,one overhead cupboard over the sink and none across the front and back.
I see someone has also changed the rear jacks to European ones,and the top canvas is now vinyl.
Cheers
Hughdeani

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Thanks Hughdeani, yes only one high cupboard above sink (see pic below), a previous owner added a shelf above the removed stove (now a microwave located in this space). There is a sliding shelf above the space where the stove once sat (pic below). On opposite wall there is a wardrobe. Cupboard doors and drawers have cream and gold borders to wood tone surface and many wood panels have gold edging 'tres flash'!

Keen to smarten/ repair/ touch up surfaces and have coordinating crockery etc but partner and teenage boys usually just want to know what are we doing and what's there to eat while we are caravanning! One day.... Will send pics of glamping 70s style.
Once again thanks for your assistance and forum Mary K