ausmini
https://ausmini.com/forums/

Leyland Vans
https://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=102342
Page 1 of 2

Author:  FirstMini [ Sat Jun 22, 2024 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Leyland Vans

G'Day all, what is it with these Mini's? They seem to gravitate towards each other in to a collection when you really only want one! A bloke rings me out of the blue offering a Leyland van that was his paddock bomb. Anyway I said yes before looking but of course it will still come home. My question for you all is, how rare are Leyland vans? This one has a funky one piece rear door too which I suspect was a home made mod back in the day, sorry no photos yet. Thanks, Jonesy.

Author:  Steam [ Sat Jun 22, 2024 5:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

If you dont want the van you can give it to me. ;-)
Single piece rear doors were readily available in the UK in the 80's, made of fibre glass they were a good mod. I know cos I put one on mine decades go along with a single piece front.
Yours may be home made but that is not a prob, just make sure it is solid.

Author:  68+86auto [ Sat Jun 22, 2024 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

Have a look at the van register: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=101238

Leyland mini vans aren't rare but certain versions can be. For example my 1974 Van is nothing unusual however my 72 van is.

Author:  bharp831 [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 8:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

Why are some versions rare as the numbers for each year look very similar and was there a distinction between vans with side windows and those without? Also should updates to vehicles be listed in the register, eg our van is now a 4 seater. Also are there too few travellers in Australia too have a register.

Bazzz

Author:  drmini in aust [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

Travellers here are all private imports.
My mate has 3 Leyland vans, they seem to flock together.

Author:  winabbey [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

bharp831 wrote:
Also should updates to vehicles be listed in the register, e.g. our van is now a 4 seater.

The Registers show the specification of the vehicle as it left the factory. Engine, colour or other changes since are not intended to be recorded.

bharp831 wrote:
Also are there too few Travellers in Australia too have a register.

We only show Australian built vehicles. There may be a Register elsewhere for the Traveller.

Author:  68+86auto [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 10:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

bharp831 wrote:
Why are some versions rare as the numbers for each year look very similar and was there a distinction between vans with side windows and those without? Also should updates to vehicles be listed in the register, eg our van is now a 4 seater. Also are there too few travellers in Australia too have a register.

Bazzz


The register lists them as they left the factory. That means that ones on the list could also be piles of rust which aren't repairable.

If we look at just surviving vans (including repairable ones) some versions are uncommon. Try to find surving poverty pack centre binnacle Leyland vans, they don't seem easy to find. They were used as cheap work vehicles so usually didn't survive as long.

Author:  68+86auto [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 10:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

drmini in aust wrote:
Travellers here are all private imports.


That's what I thought and believe too. I recently pointed out that one "Traveller" was not one but everyone (not on here) seemed to want to tell me I was wrong. One claimed that it is an "Australian conversion" - still not a Traveller to me.

Apparently I'm wrong because it has four seats and windows (not the proper Traveller ones)

Author:  drmini in aust [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 10:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

I know of one converted van with rear seat and seatbelts fitted.

Author:  TK [ Sun Jun 23, 2024 12:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

There was a four seater van built by Leyland. Maybe three prototypes. The green one still lives. Compliance plate says 4 seater

Author:  bharp831 [ Mon Jun 24, 2024 7:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

Thanks everyone for the details about the register and the background to the traveller. Should have read again the article in Mini Experience that has the details about vans and travellers. Drmini Aus, our van (shown in our ID) is a 1970 van with side windows converted to a four seater, fully specified by a certified automotive engineer, so now you know of two. I did have for a while an Australian conversion traveller but ran out of steam for projects and sold it on. So now what do I call my conversion. I call it a traveller but maybe I need another name.

Author:  timmy201 [ Mon Jun 24, 2024 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

They’ve been converting vans into passenger cars for a long time. My grandad worked on one in the 60’s as the local dealer was considering selling them as an alternative to the saloon. They called them a station wagon

viewtopic.php?p=1035982#p1035982

Author:  drmini in aust [ Mon Jun 24, 2024 8:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

There's also quite a lot of vans converted to pickups (which were not sold here) but to do it properly it needs the vertical rear panel from a pickup and modify the sides to suit Just cutting down the van roof and sides looks wrong IMO.
An ausmini member in the Victorian high country did a very nice one.

Author:  1071 S [ Tue Jun 25, 2024 12:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

68+86auto wrote:
drmini in aust wrote:
Travellers here are all private imports.


That's what I thought and believe too. I recently pointed out that one "Traveller" was not one but everyone (not on here) seemed to want to tell me I was wrong. One claimed that it is an "Australian conversion" - still not a Traveller to me.

Apparently I'm wrong because it has four seats and windows (not the proper Traveller ones)


I seem to remember an article by Craig many years ago about a special prototype wagon that Leyland Oz built. Not sure what they called it, noting the Morrisi are "Travellers", Austins are "Countryma/en" and BLs are "Estates"....

Travellers are not converted vans. The structure is quite different. As far as the shell is concerned there are far more differences between the Traveller and a van than there are between an 850 and an S. It would be a major job to do a conversion..... New floors, subfloors, side structures, internal bracing etc before you even got to thinking about window and seats. I wonder how many of the van conversions included opening rear windows??

I think a ute conversion would be easier.

I suppose BMC thought of them as station wagons as they have "W" chassis numbers.

I don't know about Registers but if you do have a Traveller/Countryman Heritage can supply a build certificate (just send $$ :P.

BMC (in the UK) originally supplied vans without side windows so they could be registered as commercial vehicles; thereby avoiding purchase tax. Of course there were any number of people selling kits to add windows (don't know how many people fronted up with the extra tax 8).

Back in the day, Volvo sold kits to convert their (2 seater) vans into wagons to anyone looking to save a few dollars.... anyone remember whether the vans had 3 doors or 5??

There are quite a few Travellers around Canberra. Allegedly the British High Commission imported a group which were issued to the wives of senior diplomats.

Cheers, Ian

Author:  Timbo [ Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leyland Vans

As mentioned above, Travellers are completely different from vans. From the front doors back, almost every panel is different.

One of the rarest Mini variants ever built was the wooden load-floor van. From the outside it looks like a UK van with solid sides and the fixed front grille that they used, but on the inside it has the Traveller's wooden load floor, with space for the spare tyre under it, folding rear seat and rear side pockets. It was a tax special, built for certain markets where you paid less tax for a van, but could get away with 4 seats. I've only ever seen one, in NZ about 25 years ago. It had me scratching my head.

Tim

Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC + 10 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/