Are campervans motorhomes?

[Simonjdcooper]

We often refer to our motorhome, a Burstner A645 as 'the camper', but it doesn't really have much in common with a campervan. Not when considering the dimensions...

We weren't to Stratford Upon Avon the other day, and tried to park in one of the nine spaces by the leisure centre, there were 8 motorhomes, ranging from older coachbuilds to snazzy A classes. And VW campervan.

So the car park was full for motorhomes in the motorhome parking area, but it got me thinking as we drove off, should vans be able to park in the motorhome bays? They are barely bigger than a car (esp if not lwb) and certainly don't need the extra length and width that a 6m+ coach build requires...

We ended up parking at waitrose (2 hours free) and the height barriers were not being used.

What do you think fellow funsters?

 

[TheMobileWanderer]

Apart from a few big ones. Almost every motorhome started life as a panel van. Some keep the original body shell, others don't, but they are all based upon, or converted from panel vans. But they are all motorhomes first.

Not sure that's correct. My take on it is:-
Class-A began as a chassis cowl (a cabless chassis cab) and the MH manufacturer built a new body and fitted it to that chassis.

Class-B was registered as a panel van and, if having been converted, is known as a Panel Van Conversion - a camper van. The whoosh-bang vehicles lol

Class-C was either a chassis cab or a platform cab onto which a habitation body was built such that the cab and habitation area are integrated.

Luton vans converted with only a doorway to the cab or separated completely from the cab are imv camper vans class-C.

That's not snobby. If I wanted to be snobby, I'd say that unless there's a dedicated lounge area, that isn't a dinette, it not a motorhome

 

[Pausim]

Not sure that's correct. My take on it is:-
Class-A began as a chassis cowl (a cabless chassis cab) and the MH manufacturer built a new body and fitted it to that chassis.

Class-B was registered as a panel van and, if having been converted, is known as a Panel Van Conversion - a camper van. The whoosh-bang vehicles lol

Class-C was either a chassis cab or a platform cab onto which a habitation body was built such that the cab and habitation area are integrated.

Luton vans converted with only a doorway to the cab or separated completely from the cab are imv camper vans class-C.

That's not snobby. If I wanted to be snobby, I'd say that unless there's a dedicated lounge area, that isn't a dinette, it not a motorhome

I think the A, B, C classifications come from the USA. I have not noticed the B classification being used much in the UK.

 

[Jim]

Apart from a few big ones. Almost every motorhome started life as a panel van. Some keep the original body shell, others don't, but they are all based upon, or converted from panel vans. But they are all motorhomes first.

Not sure that's correct.

Not sure why you think that. Most motorhomes are based upon panel vans

Class-A began as a chassis cowl (a cabless chassis cab) and the MH manufacturer built a new body and fitted it to that chassis.

That vehicle will be a panel van base. Ducato, Sprinter, Transit, Daily, ect. They might use some or none of the original chassis, but it's still sat above what is essentially a panel van. Some giant A Classes will use large truck or bespoke chassis, but most will use panel van bases.

Class-C was either a chassis cab or a platform cab onto which a habitation body was built such that the cab and habitation area are integrated.

Built on panel vans as above

Luton vans converted with only a doorway to the cab or separated completely from the cab are imv camper vans class-C.

Luton vans are still panel vans but with a big box

Almost every motorhome has a panel van at it's heart.

 

[David M]

Jim - I think you’re confusing “panel van” with “base vehicle”.

A panel van will be a “van” (like a metal box for carrying goods) with “panels” (as in side and back and roof).

Van conversions are indeed made from panel vans. Coachbuilt motorhomes are NOT based on panel vans, but on a chassis/cab (from, for example, Fiat, Ford, etc). Those arrive at the motorhome factory naked, never having been made into vans, and (apart from the cab) completely without panels. A-class motorhomes go one step more naked, arriving at the motorhome factory as a chassis/cowl - i.e. the necessary engine, transmission, dashboard and controls, but without any bodywork, doors or windscreen.

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[TheMobileWanderer]

They start out as chassis cowl, chassis cab or platform cab. Chassis cab also comes as a cutaway chassis cab where the rear of the cab and much of its roof are omitted. You can buy any one of them from a main dealer. (Mercedes, VW, FIAT ETC.) because they are sold in each of those structures.

Motorhome manufacturers build on chassis cowl or cutaway chassis cabs. Either:-
1. they don't need the cab because their construction is 'integrated' to include their own cab area within the GRP structure of the home,

2. They need part of a cab but not the roof or rear so they can incorporate the cab into the habitation area and have good space up top for overcab bed or storage.


In relation to panel vans, they leave the production line as panel vans, made so by FIAT, Mercedes, VW etc. They use a modified base vehicle to create the panel van.

I think of it in a family tree type of way.
Mum - the chassis cowl - has 4 children. The children are chassis cab, cutaway cab, platform cab and panel van.
Then first three children are adopted, say, by other parents, elddis and swift who form them differently into adult finished vehicles - big motorhomes with their own front and others with their parents front (the cab)

The panel van is the finished article from staying with the real parent.

That means, imo, because nobody chops a panel van to make a MH or luton that the base vehicle is just a chassis derivative and not a panel van.

That's just my granular analysis of it.

 

[Pausim]

That's just my granular analysis of it.

My granular analysis doesn’t go much beyond the kitchen cabinet where I might find some gravy granules.

 

[nicholsong]

I cannot see how a chassis cowl can be considered as a 'van' since it is not suitable for carrying goods nor passengers, having only chassis rails to load onto or sit on.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

Jim - I think you’re confusing “panel van” with “base vehicle”.

A panel van will be a “van” (like a metal box for carrying goods) with “panels” (as in side and back and roof).

Van conversions are indeed made from panel vans. Coachbuilt motorhomes are NOT based on panel vans, but on a chassis/cab (from, for example, Fiat, Ford, etc). Those arrive at the motorhome factory naked, never having been made into vans, and (apart from the cab) completely without panels. A-class motorhomes go one step more naked, arriving at the motorhome factory as a chassis/cowl - i.e. the necessary engine, transmission, dashboard and controls, but without any bodywork, doors or windscreen.

I think what he is saying if your motor is your home. Its a motorhome wether it have a mattress in the back or a all singing all dancing affair

 

[Jim]

Jim - I think you’re confusing “panel van” with “base vehicle”.

Yes, because most all the base vehicles of most all our motorhomes are built as panel vans of some kind. A classes won't have any of the bodywork, c classes just some of it and PVCs all of it. They are still the same under the hood. No matter how fancy it looks, we're almost all driving delivery vans. Stick a mattress in the back, and you're driving a motorhome

Yes, campervans are motorhomes