Help with Viscount Royal identification

[Deleted]

Hi everyone,
I was on here a few years ago but our restoration of our viscount royal stalled, but we're back  . We have a 27ft Royal which has had its drawbar shortened at some time and lost its chassis number. We are finding the number 1714 in several cabinets in the kitchen and bedroom and have been told that this could possibly be part of the chassis number. More clues are it has colonial interior, round interior lights, push out windows and doors that have the seperate opening for the flyscreen. The side flash is the 6/9 configuration used we believe into 1973. It also has an aircon sticker on the front window but only has polystyrene roof sheets none on the walls and has never had spray on insulation. Can't attach pics cause it says the forum has exceeded it's storage limits  .

Any help would be awesome

s1286.photobucket.com/user/3xcadillacs/media/IMAG0982_zpsf8p9xqsn.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3me   

s1286.photobucket.com/user/3xcadillacs/media/IMAG1008_zps0plycxik.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

s1286.photobucket.com/user/3xcadillacs/media/IMAG1004_zpsgvzsuh4p.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

s1286.photobucket.com/user/3xcadillacs/media/IMAG1003_zpsk1og0r51.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

[captivenut]

Looking at the laminate, external doors, push out windows, cupboard catches, etc, I'm inclined to think it's earlier than 73...but very impressive!

[Deleted]

Thanks captivenut we think it's before 1973 too. We're leaning towards first half of 71 due to the number being 1714. We are confused with the interior though after reading the resouce info on here. Our handles are the new style for '73 being the round white knobs on the drawers & the long white slightly fanned top on the cupboards. If it was early 71 that would make the chassis number 1714A we're thinking. We know that viscount changed their numbering system in '73 but as far as '71 & '72 are concerned does anyone know if each year started off with fresh numbering or did the numbering continue on over both years?

[pisces51]

G'day cadillacgirl,

As far as we know, when the Viscount numbering system was changed to have the "A" letter at the end of the numbers, they continued with this numbering system until the change in 1973 when they included the year number at the start of the numbers. I'm pretty sure they didn't commence from #1 each year, but just continued numbering the chassis consecutively from 1A to ??A.

We'll probably never know what the very last xxxxxA number was before the change in '73, but your number certainly looks like it must have originally been 1714A. You'll notice in the Viscount history thread that Viscount announced the introduction of "Aircon" insulation in September 1971, however I stress that when I did that research back in 2009 (I was "millard1399" forum name back then), I found a lot of information was out of kilter with the actual date. So, even though the Aircon was first advertised in the paper in Sept '71, it's quite possible the product was being added to Viscount vans for some months before that.

I also note that your cupboard handles are similar (same?) as those vans from 1971 in the history thread, so if your chassis number is truly 1714A, I'd be inclined to think your van is from somewhere around the middle of 1971 maybe??

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Hi Al,

Thanks for your help. It looks like we can narrow it down to 1971 so chassis number 1714A. Now to get on with the renovation

[Mustang]

Hi
caddilacgirl,
Welcome to our Classic Caravans forum.

The forum fosters vans from 1970 to 1980, & we welcome all comers interested in Classics.


Nice to see you start your own thread in the “Hall of Fame”, there you can post images from a third party such as Photobucket, Tinypic, Flickr etc.

You are almost there with posting your images, see this link
( I published one on your behalf)

Our sister forum Vintage Vans (1970 & earlier) have many duel members looking in, so ask any info about your project.

Cheers

Brent

(Forum Mod)

PS if you need corner windows, a local plastics guy made ours.

[Deleted]

Hi Cadillac girl,
Looks to me like a 1971 model with those cupboard door handles and knobs.
It's also not a colonial interior,they had ornate gold mouldings on all the cupboard doors and pelmets.My van is 1973 and has the colonial trim.
Great van btw!
Cheers
hughdeani

[Deleted]

Hi Cadillac girl,
Looks to me like a 1971 model with those cupboard door handles and knobs.
It's also not a colonial interior,they had ornate gold mouldings on all the cupboard doors and pelmets.My van is 1973 and has the colonial trim.
Great van btw!
Cheers
hughdeani