Advertising Last completed movie pages 2000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter [T1N] Ep. 03Class: Cars, Chassis Cab — Model origin: 
![2000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter [T1N]](/i287343.jpg)
![[*]](/res/star.png){kind=small}
Background vehicle
Comments about this vehicle| Author | Message |
|---|---|
|
◊ 2010-03-16 09:33 |
Mercedes sprinter |
|
◊ 2010-03-17 00:25 |
With a typical British box-body. |
|
◊ 2010-03-17 09:59 |
That's the real Europe... German car with British body on French roads...  |
|
◊ 2010-03-17 16:10 |
... and maybe on Dutch plates? The front plate seems to be yellow ... BTW this type of body is called a Luton van in the UK; a box body wouldn't cover the cab. |
|
◊ 2010-03-17 20:05 |
@chris: I've looked for the translation here: http://www.dict.cc/?s=kofferaufbau There is no specific German term for the "Luton van"-body. .gif ";)") |
|
◊ 2010-03-17 21:16 |
@ingo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luton_body -- Last edit: 2010-03-17 21:16:12 |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 10:44 |
I've been trying to find more about the 'Luton body' description for some time now. I don't doubt that it was taken from the town of Luton, Bedfordshire but Wikipedia does not quote any references apart from photographs of actual van or trucks. I have found no other adverts or past (pre-1960s?) descriptions quoting the Luton body. Although Bedford trucks and vans were made in Luton it was also the home of Commer-Karrier, plus the trucks or vans would be supplied as chassis-cabs and the bodies assembled elsewhere. There were no body makers in Luton I believe. chris40 do you have any idea when the term dates from? I cannot remember it from before the 1960s. |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 11:19 |
Nor can I, but obviously Luton vans existed before that. The larger ones would perhaps be referred to as removal vans or pantechnicons. |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 11:30 |
Yes, I would assume they were introduced in the late 1920s or 1930s and the pantechnicon type body is an obvious example. But if the 'Luton body' term was in general use before the 1960s, I cannot find it. There was always rivalry between Ford and Vauxhall-Bedford at the time, perhaps it was due to advertising in the 1950s? Going further back it does not appear to be taken from horse-drawn wagons. Luton was the main hat-making town at the end of the 19th century but the wagons were open and nothing like the closed Luton body style. |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 14:02 |
It appears it was connected to Luton's hat manufacture and not the presence of Bedford (or Commer/Karrier) factories in Luton after all... From 'The Rise of Road Transport 1919-1939 by Charles Dunbar (1981). "Luton Van - In the 1920s to deal with the bulky straw hats which were the staple trade of Luton (Beds.) , vans working from that town were built with an extension over the driver's cab to give maximum space. This was a new idea and such vehicles were immediately dubbed Luton vans" Also from 'Characters of wood, WurliTzer & Wesley by Maurice H. Sanders (1990). About localised Bedfordshire history. "Now these heavy lorries transporting Luton-made hats to London already had the highest possible bodies... How to increase the capacity without a Trailer came to Bertie one day, chatting to Bill Parrott..? Why not bring the body over the cab and support it with two iron strays beside the radiator? This would add 90 cu.ft. of capacity for hats. That day the idea of a Luton van was concieved by two Luton men." Bertie and Bill Parrott worked for Motor Bodies Luton Ltd. who are still Vauxhall (previously Vauxhall/Bedford) main dealers in Luton today. The earliest contemporary publication mentioning a Luton van dates from 1946 so it was well known by then. -- Last edit: 2010-03-18 14:25:18 |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 15:40 |
![[:thumbs]](https://imcdb.opencommunity.be/images/smileys/thumbs.gif "[:thumbs]") Well done, Sunbar! You learn something every day on this site .gif ":)") |
|
◊ 2010-03-18 15:43 |
Yes, interesting info! |
|
◊ 2010-03-19 22:07 |
Oops, what have I caused with my incorrect diction?  I agree with chris40 and stronghold: you learn everyday something new at IMCDB!  |
Add a comment Advertising Advertising
