Americans who know all about the Volkswagen camper might not be aware of its European rivals. For example, the very cool 1968 Commer Van from Great Britain was sold mostly in the home market—but not in the US.
There’s a Commer Caravan Autosleeper on eBay selling in Costa Mesa, Calif. for $28,900 or best offer.
The Rootes Group owned Commer before Chrysler acquired the marque in 1967. The group’s Sunbeam Alpine was imported under Chrysler ownership. Americans also got Hillmans and Humbers, though in tiny numbers.
But Commer vans were not part of the US portfolio. However, Rootes exported them to Canada. That’s how this rare left-hand-drive unit got to North America.
Vintage Vacationing in a Commer Van
The front-engine, rear-drive Autosleeper is a good fit for the #VanLife era. They’re not only cute as a button (dig the retro pods for the front turn signals) but well equipped and nicely designed. They’re practical too, because the engine was identical to the 1,725-cc four-cylinder unit in the Alpine.
There are three regular doors, two of them on the passenger side, and barn door-type rear entry. This Autosleeper was eventually sent across the border to Washington State, where it was restored, inside and out.
British rock groups did their tours in Commer vans, but they used the beat-up, bare-bones examples that led hard-working lives. Legend has it that Keith Richards was sleeping on an amp in the back of one of these when the back doors flew open. The police found Richards at the bottom of a ravine, still sleeping on the amp.
These Autosleepers were intended for more sedate vacationing in Blackpool and Torquay, where the sun came out infrequently and the beaches were the pebbly variety.
A Working Record Player
The listed Commer van has beautiful wood cabinets, padded flooring, colorful reversible cushions, and a dining table that folds up to reveal passenger van seating. There’s a bed that accommodates six-footers, a 110-volt inverter to plug in appliances, and modern USB charging points and Bluetooth audio.
The piece de resistance is an analog record player. It’s only works when the van is stationary, but it’s much nicer than the on-the-go 45-only players that were in 1950s Chrysler products. It plays LPs!
The top pops up for more headroom. And there are privacy curtains all around. There’s also a working sink, but a stove or hot plate would make a good addition.
Read this: 6 Must-Have Items for a Camper Van Conversion
A Viral Van Waiting to Happen
On the mechanical side, restorers rebuilt the engine and four-speed transmission. The Minilite alloy wheels wear radial tires.
The original paint and bodywork have some challenges, but nothing that daunting. There’s a fairly deep gouge on the passenger door, and surface rust around the grille. The windshield has a blemish. The owner calls this road damage “whiskey kisses.” There’s no evidence the van was in a major accident.
If the engine fails, builders can easily procure another one. eBay has Alpine parts of all description. The parts specific to the Commer van will be harder to find.
Nonetheless, let’s say a gorgeous young couple buys this Autosleeper, refurbishes the two-tone bodywork, installs a new windshield, and adds a retro-looking stove. If that happens, it’s only a matter of time before this vintage camper goes viral on social media.
