MOTOR CARAVAN CONVERSIONS
Park-Rangers
are Land Rover based camper conversions manufactured by Hall Park
Garage Ltd. of Berkhamsted, Herts. Years of
manufacture are unknown but from the brochure pictures they include
early through late 1960's. The black & white pictures
illustrating this page come from a single brochure with low resolution
newspaper quality pictures. The colour pictures are from
later Park-Rangers.
The Park-Ranger's distinctive splitting roof is illustrated in
the factory brochure. However it appears that this style
of roof was abandoned early in production and replaced by fiber
glass roofs that raise up horizontally.
Park - Ranger conversions were available in two different 4 berth
layouts (In layout B the berths are 4 feet long & therefore young
child's berths). The
brochure shows Park-Ranger conversions based upon the 109 two door
Land Rover and says that conversions based upon the 88 will be
fourth coming. I
have not heard of any 88 based versions actually built.
It should also be noted that most or all were built to order with
hand made cabinetry and currently available fixtures, so it is
possible that the interior features, while built on layout
plan A or plan B may be unique to each Park Ranger.
From the Brochure:
SPECIFICATIONS:
Overall height with roof down - 6 feet, 9 inches
Interior height with roof down - 3 feet, 11 inches
Interior height with roof erected - 6 feet, 4 inches
ELEVATED ROOF:
Patented nylon/PVC rot proof material with tubular support
fame.
FITTINGS:
- Double burner with broiler Calor cooker
- Provision for 2 propane containers (4L GAZ containers)
- Plastic sink with pumped water supply and exterior
drainage.
- Table
- Wardrobe
- Fitted cupboards
- Optional refrigerator
- Curtains in 'Folkweave'
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NOTE: The Park Ranger
illustrated in the brochure has the rear interior furniture
installed on opposite sides (mirrored) from the plan A interior
illustrated above and the Park Ranger pictured below. I flipped
the brochure interior images horizontally to create an easier visual
comparison between the floor plan diagram and the later park Ranger
shown below. So obviously at least one Park Ranger
was built with an interior mirrored to the layout plan.
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Interior with early top down. The roof fabric fits
inside under the middle and is held rolled up by straps. Think
of a Dormobile top with 4 roof windows cut lengthwise down
the middle and hinged on both sides.
When open the roof windows become vertical side windows
and the rolled canvas becomes the roof held in a shallow
peak by tubing. |
Top bunk set up.
Wardrobe is in the left rear corner with the sink stand
just forward of it. Forward of the sink stand is
a double wide side facing seat. |
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Rear kitchen area:
All the furniture is constructed of oak and formica.
At the right rear is the fitted cupboard with the optional
refrigerator installed. Forward of that is the stove
stand with the Calor 2 burner cooker and broiler. Additional
storage is below the cooker.
The sink is opposite the cooker. You can see the
table erected between the two double wide side facing seats.
There is limited additional storage under the side seat
cushions. between the body side bench and the wood. |
Rear view with early top
erected. |
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The
standard top bunks are cot type with poles that drop into
custom aluminum brackets screwed into the front and rear
vertical wood sections of the pop up assembly. |
The Park Ranger, like its Dormobile cousin tries to stuff a lot
of full size caravan features into an approximate 4 foot by 6 foot
rear interior space. As a result storage space gets skimped
on. If you wish for longer than a holiday weekend get away
a trailer would come in handy.
If you have any additional information about Park - Rangers, pictures
or brochures that you could send high grade photocopies of please
contact me so that I can make this page more complete. Thanks.
Pictures of actual Park Ranger Land Rovers:
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This is a 1968 Park-Ranger
Land Rover Caravan imported from the UK to California in
2004.
The interior of this vehicle fits the brochure layout
for type A sleeping arrangements.
Additional pictures of this
vehicle. |
This is a 1964 Park-Ranger Land Rover the UK. Caravan
conversion manufacturer stickers are absent. I've tentivly
classified it as a Park-Ranger based upon its standard Park-Ranger
interior layout.
The interior of this vehicle fits the brochure layout for
type A sleeping arrangements.
Additional pictures
of this vehicle. |
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