1973 Clansman - Van Test

The subject of this month's test, the T Line Clansman is a luxury two-berth tourer which is now just one year old. It has two features which clearly distinguish it from the rest of the range. The first is its top-of-the range £1.094.50 ex works (inc. VAT) price tag and the second is the absence of the magic prefix 'Glen' which for many years has been associated with all Thomson tourers.
The 16 cwt. (ex-works) 13 ft. 9in x 6ft. 9in. Clansman shell incorporates a shallow Vee-roof which offers 6ft. 4in. of headroom in the centre of the van The Thomson shape should, by reducing drag, be a petrol saver and it also minimizes the chances of Side winds deflecting the van from a straight course.
Front and rear panels above and below the waist level in the pre finished 22 swg aluminium exterior are raked inwards to produce the quite distinctive Thomson 'T'-line. The hard wood interior framework in which all joints are half-lapped and screwed has a particularly rigid feel and there were no ripples anywhere on the exterior walls.
Mineral wool, 25mm thick, is used to fill wall and roof cavities between the metal exterior and the 2.7mm printed-ply. Fine-limed oak interior. One inch thick expanded poly styrene which is standard insulation on the underside of the ½in. tongued and grooved floor can be fitted to the walls and roof instead of fiberglass wool for an additional sum of £5 10.
Including the fixed unit in the stable door the van has six anodized windows by Ellbee. Only two of these can be fully opened. These are the units at the front of the side wails which also include drop back vents at the top. Apart from louver vents fitted into the windows along the rear wall all other windows are fixed. Purchasers are not given the option of having an opening window fitted into the front wall.
The van is mounted on a B & B chassis including B&B Mark III independent suspension, a Sigma coupling (when available), 9in. rod operated Lockheed brakes and 6.70 x 13 (4 ply) tyres on 4½J x 13, 4 stud wheels. Thomson recommend a maximum load, without restriction of speed, of 20 cwt. The tyres will certainly cope with an additional 1¼cwt at speeds below 62 m.p.h.
The hitch height to the centre of the coup ling for level ride is a rather low I5½ in and nose weight ex works is 112lbs. Thomson recommend a touring nose weight of 142lbs which might be heavy for some cars.
Other external features of note include a compact drawbar gas bottle chest with lock, a drawbar shroud, a stone guard along the front wall, awning and part side wall channel, number plate, rubbing strakes and four inlet outlet sockets in the rear wall to supply water ser vices to the kitchen and toilet room at the rear of the van.
Nothing new here as the Clansman incorporates all the well-proven traditional ideas in its layout. These include two full-length single beds separated by a bedside chest of drawers at the front, cocktail cabinet with fridge unit below on the nearside wall and the wardrobe on the offside wall. The kitchen and self contained toilet room is along the rear wall.
Pre-finished limed-oak printed plywood walls and an all - white ceiling make a striking contrast to the darker polyester 'Teak' finished surfaces of the table, working tops, refrigerator door and fronts of certain shelves. Man-made tweed mattress and backrest covers and looped pile floor carpet were in a rather bright purple and red with curtains to match.
Although the curtains do not have overlap ping rails they are generously cut to ensure complete window coverage. The curtains are attached to rather ornately patterned nylon rails. However, it is good to note that stout plastic curtain retainers are fitted to each window instead of the time consuming cords found in so many vans.
The five inch thick single beds measure 75in x 24 in and 72 in x 24 in on the near and offside respectively. They are comfortable for sleeping and seating and have cleverly raked backrests which at night fall back flat to the walls. The Melamine surfaced 36in x 27in table hooks on to the bedside cabinet so that its length is effectively increased by another two feet.
Dining space for four is generous and when not in use the table is stored in a special toilet room wall rack. The settees will seat six in comfort and with a little bit of ingenuity it is possible to arrange them laterally to make up a double bed.
Life can be difficult in a caravan with poor or inaccessible storage facilities. The arrangements in the Clansman are virtually faultless. Bedding locker tops in ¼in thick chipboard are sensibly hinged to allow easy access with the mattresses resting parallel to the side walls. The locker floors are covered with PVC and very thoughtfully Thomson insulate sections of the wheel box that fall in here with carpet.
No fewer than seven head lockers encircle the front half of the van, from the doorway on the nearside to the wardrobe attached to the opposite wall. Two short gaps that are left between the front and side wall lockers serve as 'library' space.
As the side wall lockers do not touch the ceiling there is additional shelf space above. Each fall-front lid, like most Thomson doors has a piano hinge and a strong anti-spill catch. The lockers are an aid to tidiness on site but care must be taken not to overload them with heavy items that could upset stability when on the move.