Cheltenham Owners Club
Guide to determining the year of manufacture of individual
Cheltenham caravans
The following are some of the key design changes that may help in
determining the age of a particular Cheltenham caravan manufactured
between 1956 and 1982.
From 1963 on the first two numbers of the 5 figure chassis plate are the
model year.
The chassis plate should be riveted to the draw bar cover, however many
are missing, or have been replaced and may therefore not be accurate.
1956 – 1965 The Early Models – The first Cheltenhams with
fibreglass panels.
1956 GRP roof and front introduced,
Sable introduced
1958 Ribbed roof introduced.
Cupboard door handles wooden with Formica on face
Chrome swing down exterior front door handle
Sable single window moulded into back GRP wall.
Lucas L579 rear lights, lenses secured with miniature coach bolts.
1960 Hydraulically damped coupling.
Independent suspension on introduced on Springbok.
1961
Puku model introduced.
1962 Bijou gas-lights (Morco No 1) introduced.
Kudu model deleted from range at end of the year
1963 Chassis numbers commence model year.
Fawn introduced, with GRP roof down to top of side windows and
plywood floor
GRP toilet on two door models. GRP front doors.
Springbok receives full fibreglass rear panel with three bay
windows, front-end moulding revised with wrap round front similar
to the rest of the Cheltenham range.
PVC covered ceiling common to all models.
All models now have independent suspension as standard.
1964 50mm tow hitch supersedes 2" size.
1965 Finned draw bar cover fitted to all models, to allow for fitting of
optional extra electric reverse lock out.
Tubular vertical grab handles fitted to Pukus & Sables
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1966 – 1972 The Clubman Years, wood veneer, and 3 bay rear
window
Full bay three-rear window introduced on 13 ft and 15ft models in
the same style as Springboks.
Interior cupboard handles now recessed grey plastic type
Nyala introduced through “Southern Caravans Ltd “only
Springbok fitted with lantern roof.
Flush tear drop exterior handle introduced in early 1968 (launch
Springbok still has recessed swing down handle)
Nyala now available to UK market.
Sable now has cutlery drawer at corner cupboard.
Concealed lens fixing introduced on the same pattern Lucas rear
lights as previously fitted.
5 Stud wheels introduced on Pukus and Sables.
Late 68 models GRP glazed stable doors available as an option.
Fawn roof now similar to Sable with aluminium on sides above
windows.
Plastic surrounds inside window reveal, superseding painted
aluminium fabrication.
Screwed on waterspouts.
Formica changed from speckle to cross hatch design.
Smooth folded aluminium door thresholds instead of ribbed
extrusion.
Projecting grey plastic cupboard handles fitted to all models
Springbok lantern roof light canopies now separate aluminium
pressing instead of part of roof GRP moulding.
Springbok solid oak drawer fronts superseded by plywood as per
smaller models
Springbok now has curved end grab handles.
Roebuck model supersedes Puku 4
Fawn door on British side (nearside) and T&G Floor
Fawn tongue and groove softwood floorboards
"Hella" taillights introduced, rear body moulding changed to suit.
Roebuck model dropped half way through year
Sable and Puku models now have drawers deleted from sideboard.
Two floor to work top doors with shelves inside fitted instead.
Squarer section stainless steel side trim with black stripe in
middle.
Late 1972 white plastic mouldings to cover ceiling panel joints.
4 Stud wheels 5 ½” stud spacing introduced on smaller models.
1973
1973 – 1976 The “Modernised” vans, these vans feel brighter
& airier with their photo-finish veneer and additional fixed
vents
High level streamlined front lights
Die-cast side badges with model names fitted
Rectangular aluminium exterior door handles
Hardwood mouldings re-introduced to cover wall panels.
B&B Beta 4 hitch with reversing lever
Polished aluminium hubcaps
Exterior access door to gas bottle and fixed vents in front door
to comply with new gas safety standards.
Black plastic pull cupboard handles of same pattern as previous
grey type.
Oribi 4 berth introduced to replace Nyala.
Chipboard floor until late 1973 when models revert to T & G.
Under floor fibreglass insulation wrapped in polythene included.
Photo veneer interior introduced on all models. (First models did
not have Hockey stick beading to cupboard edges).
1974
1975
1976
Super Sable introduced with most Sable optional extras as
standard, readily identified by twin rows of exterior stainless
steel side moulding.
B&B Sigma auto reverse hitch fitted.
PVC wall cladding an option on all models
Production ceased in original Cheltenham factory
Fawn, Sable & Puku production started at Stephens and West
(Stirling Caravans) factory at Cirencester.
Vinyl wallpaper and no pelmets.
Very few produced.
1978
1978 –1982 The Ferndens, Top quality interior woodwork
makes these vans sought after, although somewhat heavier
than earlier models
Production of Sables and Puku 2s recommenced at “Fernden
Caravans” factory in Kent.
Locker on front drawbar, originally housing the boiler for central
heating system and hot water system for shower, hence
ventilation louvers on front of box.
Toughened glass windows (to meet new safety regulations) in
anodised frames incorporating top drop vents.
PMG rear lights fitted, no chrome surround.
Moorlight roof fitted with standard caravan plastic adjustable
stays instead of original Cheltenham quick release bars.
Cabinet and panel work in high quality oak veneer.
1980
1982
Caravan framework of heavier construction than earlier models.
Corner Steady legs changed to standard B&B type (splayed out
rather than Cheltenham style of splayed in).
All production ended.
Please note that the above does not list all the changes in the range, for
example; upholstery, cookers, heaters, fridges and water systems, as
these may well have been changed several times during the life of the
caravan.
Alterations could also have been made by previous owners, which make
the caravan appear to be a newer or older example than it actually is.
Doors get fitted from different age vans, late type water spouts and
stainless trims are also commonly fitted to older vans.
Any van fitted with double-glazing has been modernised with units from
ECCO in Halifax, as no Cheltenham caravan had this luxury fitted as
standard.
Look for those items that are part of the structure and cannot be easily
changed.
Jack Salter and Bill McCreath May 2006