white magic wildmoor

Profab Recreational Vehicles (PRV for short)are an experienced new manufacturer ofmotorcaravans. This apparent anomaly iseasily explained. Profab itself has been inbusiness for donkey's years, supplying qualityfabrications to customers as diverse as theaerospace and catering industries.Recreational vehicles are a comparatively newventure, though, with over 20 years at seniormanagerial level in the motorhome industry,partner Brian Jenkins is hardly inexperienced.

Jargon bustingNew readers may not be familiar withmotorcaravan nomenclature in general, andparticularly with 'dismountable', so here are a

few lines that may help.Motorcaravans can be subdivided into two

main groups, according to how they areconverted from the base vehicle. Panel vanconversions are just that, motorcaravansmade by fitting out a vehicle originallydesigned as a delivery van, usually with eithera rising roof or fixed high top.

Coachbuilt motorcaravans are made bybuilding and permanently fixing a specialcaravan body onto a chassis (or platform) cabor, in the case of an A-class, a chassis cowl(thus not even using the cab bodywork of theoriginal base vehicle).

Dismountable motorcaravans consist of aseparate living module, like a conventional

coachbuilt, mounted on the load bed of apick-up truck for travel. The difference is thatthe coachbuilt body can be left behind,allowing use of the pick-up (when on site orduring the off season).

For some reason that I've never been ableto fathom, dismountable motorcaravans sellbetter in the USA and Europe than in the UK.

The best of both worlds?Sounds tempting, but is there really amotorcaravan that combines all theadvantages of a touring caravan and amotorcaravan, and yet doesn't suffer from anyof the disadvantages of either? Er no, not yet!But the Wildmoor is the best shot at such acombination that I've yet come across.

V611 DYB and its ownersAt the time of writing, PRV did not have ademonstrator available for MMM to test, sowe are indebted to Chris and Mike Simpkinswho kindly offered me their own 'van forevaluation. Chris and Mike had requestedseveral changes from, and additions to, thestandard Wildmoor specification. I'll try topoint these out contemporaneously. Anadvantage of going to a small constructorsuch as PRV is that any bespoke alterations(within reason) can be accommodated.

Chris and Mike chose to have theirWildmoor built on the short wheelbase singlecab Tata with the 2-litre TDI engine andswitchable two/four-wheel drive (withselectable high or low ratio gearing).

ExteriorSaloon bar sages are often heard to commentthat most dismountables look as though a �

MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY JULY 2001 109

WHITE MAGIC WILDMOORPRV Wildmoor dismountable on SWB 4x4 Tata Loadbeta 2.0TDIJonathan Lloyd encounters the Wildmoor and falls under its spell

TEST REPORT EXTRA

PRV Wildmoor dismountable on Tata Loadbeta SWB 4 x 4. Featured vehicle actually belongs to MMM readers Chris andMike Simpkins.

109-113 test xtra wildmoor 6/7/01 1:57 PM

low-flying touring caravan has crash landedon the back of a pick-up. More a case ofcollision than integration! However, theWildmoor (when in travel mode) looks just likeany other coachbuilt. Aesthetically, a reallymassive step forward for dismountables isachieved by using a flat bed pick-up, andcontinuing the caravan body's sides to silllevel.

The Wildmoor's appeal is more than justskin deep. It has been designed and built byengineers, and (in my opinion) nowhere is thismore apparent than in the immensely strong,but lightweight, extruded aluminium frame,and in the reassuringly thorough methodologyinvolved in triple-sealing the GRP roof to theGRP walls. And that's not all; I'm told thatonly high quality sealant and beads are used,and all fixings have dedicated screwports,ensuring that the integrity of the panels ispreserved at all times. As a consequence, weare assured that there are no thermal bridgesin the insulation to give cold spots, and nochance of rainwater leaking through panelfixing holes.

Should some birdbrain crash their vehicleinto the dismountable body, any of the panelscan be easily replaced without disturbing themain structure.

Interior layoutWildmoors have a rear entrance door, usuallyin the middle of the back panel. The testvehicle had been specially made with itsentrance offset to the nearside, so that thereis room for mountain bikes to be stored onthe (extra cost) roof rack ladder.

On entering through the rear door, thekitchen is on the left, the wardrobe and toiletcompartment on the right, and the inward-

facing double dinette seats are straightahead. Being tallish, I could only stand up inthe lowered floor of the aisle between loo andkitchen. Shorter folk would also be able tostand in the dining area.

The entrance itself is a stable door with atinted double-glazed window in each half. Iwould have liked some sort of buffer orrestraint to stop the entrance door cloutingthe skirt when caught by a gust of wind.

An immediate upgrade I would make (were

I an owner) would be to fit a smoke alarm, fireextinguisher, and fire blanket. The owners hadalready placed a fire extinguisher in acupboard.

Dining and cateringEach double dinette seat comfortablyaccommodated two adults, and the supplieddining table was of adequate size. It is free-standing and quite light in weight, so can alsobe used outside.

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110 JULY 2001 MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY

General view forward. Two inward-facing settees were comfortable, and the free-standing table was at just the rightheight. Plenty of storage in the luton.

General view rearwards showing fridge, wardrobe and toilet compartment on offside… …and kitchen unit on right.


sink providing ventilation and natural light.Enthusiasts of either, or both, can augmentthe supply by opening the adjacent entrancedoor. A useful slide-out work surface emergesfrom just above the three-way fridge, whichitself is located on t'other side, opposite thehob.

There is plenty of cupboard and lockerspace available. Chris and Mike havecustomised it to hold their ownmotorcaravanning kit safely, and conveniently,to hand. They've got some superb storageideas (cheap, simple and effective) and I betreaders studying the accompanyingphotographs with a magnifying glass willpinch them!

Lounging The dinette seats are comfortable as they are,but I opted to sit with my feet up and myback leaning on the forward wall, adjacent tothe cab. The Truma Combi warm-air spaceheater quickly raised the temperature. Ontest, the 'van was subjected to sub-zerotemperatures, gales and floods, so thestandard Heki panoramic roof light was usedas a source of light rather than of ventilation.It was the first time I'd seen one of thesemounted longitudinally.

There were sufficient lights fitted asstandard, but as keen readers, Chris and Mikehave added a couple of additional spotlightsto provide optimum illumination.

Above each seat-back is a tinted anddouble-glazed (opening) window. This provedideal for rubbernecking at some Germans whowere caravanning close by and proceeded toerect a power-assisted solid-sided awning ofapproximately the same dimensions asCanada - a riveting spectator sport!

Smallest roomReally, it's more of a full-height cupboard forthe swivel-bowl cassette Porta Potti, than aroom. There was no washbasin or showerfitted as standard, but, with a clever bit ofjiggery-pokery, the bi-fold door opened out toform a three-section wall. This shut off therear of the 'van and enclosed the kitchen sinkfor washing, and a large area of floor (with fullstanding height) for changing.

The test vehicle had been fitted with ashower tray and cover under the floor, near tothe rear door. The kitchen mixer tap spoutextends out of the faucet to become theshowerhead.

SleepingIn the short wheelbase Wildmoor the onlyoption is a transverse double bed made fromthe dinette; though purchasers of the longwheelbase single-cab Wildmoor have thechoice of either longitudinal singles or a'ginormous' transverse double.

The dinette seats convert into a doublebed by extending the slats to bridge the gap,

TEST REPORT EXTRA

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Kitchen ready for action. Interlocking plastic dividers have been used to customise the upper cupboards.

Useful slide-away extra surface above fridge showspractical thinking.

Wardrobe has been customised to make better use of thevolume, and still leave usable hanging space.

Smallest room is really small, though it does have awindow and high-level cupboards...

...However, the clever three-section bi-fold door extendsthe compartment to include the kitchen sink.

The kitchen in the test 'van was practicaland easy to work in. Standard models have atwo-burner hob and grill, and just cold waterat the single sink. The featured 'van had beenequipped with a one-piece four-burnerhob/grill and integral sink with separatedraining sink. It also benefited from waterheated by a Truma boiler, supplying anelegant monobloc faucet.

Cook has an opening window above the


then lowering the backrests. It doesn't takelong and full access to all facilities remains.

A welcome feature of the Wildmoor was itsvery high standard of insulation. I slept in itduring two bitterly cold nights, and wassurprised by just how warm the unheated(whilst I was asleep) 'van remained.Presumably the lack of a (less well insulated)cab entered the equation as a contributoryfactor.

Parting is such sweet sorrow?The above might well be true, but with theWildmoor it is also easy. In fact, it's thesimplest and most foolproof method ofmounting/dismounting I've come across. Getit near-enough in position and the taperedrollers, plus self-centring channels, do therest. I managed to dismount and remount thecaravan body in less than 15 minutes,including retightening the load bed bolts.Don't forget to reconnect the road lightsbefore moving off. I did, but fortunatelyremembered after the first corner. (Rumours ofa 20-vehicle pile-up behind my indicator-lesschange of direction are probablyexaggerated!)

The unit is very stable when dismountedand supported only on its legs. In fact, one ofthe Wildmoor's party tricks is to standconfidently on three legs.

Two-wheel drive Tata testedIn short, the Tata performed well. The TataLocomotive Works have been building trucksand vans in India since 1954. The design andbuild of the plant responsible for the Loadbetawas a collaborative venture with Daimler-Benz. I am led to believe that the engine is,fundamentally, a derivative of the old PeugeotXUD unit, and that the drive train wasdesigned by Mercedes, and is built under

licence. I'm not sure whether its mechanicalantecedents are important, but some mightfind such a pedigree reassuring.

The turbocharged and intercooled indirect-injection four-cylinder engine was tractableand willing, providing the Wildmoor with verysprightly acceleration and a 70mph motorwaycruising speed. It was noisier than modernunits. The engine roared and the turbowhined, but neither was unbearably intrusive.

A progressive clutch, delightfully slickgearchange, and well-weighted power-assisted steering all contributed positively tothe driving experience. The footbrake seemedto require more of a shove than in some 'vans- though the stopping distances werecommendably short.

I was pleased to find that the angle of tilton the steering column was adjustable.

PRV fit Airide spring assisters to the rear of

the vehicle as standard, and with theseinflated to 40lb/sq in, Wildmoor was bothstable and surefooted.

Anything to criticise? Not much. Mostsignificant was that the exterior rear-viewmirrors were only just about big enough. Theinterior is more Moskvich than Maserati.However, although very plasticky, it wascomfortable, well equipped, and everythingworked. Finally, reading the trip was difficultat night, annoying rather than serious.

Mud plugging Ah, now here was another pleasant surprise.Whilst more expensive rivals rely on levers tochange from four-wheel to two-wheel drive,and from high to low ratio, the Tata performsthese operations electronically from a switchon the dashboard. It also locks the frontfreewheeling hubs without having to get out ofthe vehicle.

As this vehicle was actually Chris andMike's pride and joy I didn't really off-road,except for crossing a muddy field. Thosemore knowledgeable than I on 4 x 4s, claimaxle articulation to be good, the engine'sflywheel to be heavy, and the truck's centre ofgravity to be low whilst maintaining a goodground clearance. All these are features thatthe serious off-roader requires - apparently.

Despite Mike having a disabling heel injury,he and Chris love to travel to remotemountain areas, where they still manage somemountain biking and rock climbing. They havealready used the Wildmoor's off-roadcapabilities to take them to places abroadthat you just wouldn't be able to reach with aconventional motorcaravan (or car!).

Tata has a surprisingly well-developeddealer network and each new truck has three-year comprehensive and six-year anti-perforation warranties. The oily bits are very

WHITE MAGIC WILDMOOR

112 JULY 2001 MOTORCARAVAN MOTORHOME MONTHLY

Bed making was simplicity itself. There is plenty of storage available in the seat boxes. Dismounting and remounting were as easy as they look.

Tapered rollers and guide channels ensure that the driver does not have to reverse the truckback under the living unit with the accuracy of a brain surgeon performing microsurgery.

Cab is not at the forefront of design and style, but nevertheless was extremely functionaland comfortable.

Offset rear door and optional ladder allow convenientcarriage of bikes.


DIY-friendly, servicing looked to bestraightforward, and I've had no reports ofany serious problems from owners. Thebattery appeared to be capable of jump-starting a jumbo jet.

Before any smart comments are madeabout Tata's principal market being thefarming community, it should be rememberedthat this is exactly how Subaru started out inthe UK 25 years ago, and now look wherethey are.

Dismountable or demountable? Time to satisfy the terminally pedantic.Unfortunately, I'm an expert infinitive splitterand a grammar mangler of Olympianstandard. The late John Hunt (founder andmuch admired elder statesman of MMM) hada much better grasp of the correct use ofEnglish, both as she is spoke, and writ. Healways maintained that there was no suchword as demountable, preferring to use

dismountable. I'm just not sure any more, asdemountable seems to be in common use.(The OED lists demountable as meaning beingable to be dismantled and readilyreassembled - apt in this context.Interestingly, dismountable is not listed. Wewill, however, continue to use dismountable -in respect for John's memory, if for no otherreason. Ed) Anyway, what matters is howgood a motorcaravan the Wildmoor is. So, callit what you like, but make sure you rememberhow impressed I was.

Alternative underpinningsThe SWB Tata Loadbeta has been, up untilnow, the most popular choice for Wildmoorpurchasers. However, coincidental with thearrival of the new facelifted model, was thedebut of a long wheelbase single-cab and aLWB double-cab. The longer single-caballows for a dismountable body with twosingle beds or a huge double bed, as well as

a larger lounge area. The LWB four door,double-cab Tata has belted seats for five andwill still accept the standard Wildmoordismountable body.

The Tata really is a very capable truck, andmust be the cheapest 'serious' 4 x 4 on theroad. If a Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford orVauxhall is more your bag, then have a wordwith PRV, as most pick-up manufacturershave at least one model that is suitable.

A dismountable unit, available in variousstages of completion, from a bare shell to afully fitted-out unit, can be purchasedseparately if you already own a suitable truck.

ConclusionGood value, thoughtfully designed, well made,and potentially much more flexible than eithera standard coachbuilt motorcaravan or atouring caravan. It was about time somebodydeveloped the dismountable concept, andPRV have made a very impressive start.

TEST REPORT EXTRA

In briefBody: Aluminium-framed dismountable GRPcoachbuilt body with patented roll-on/roll-offpick-up conversion including Airide springassisters and all electrics.Standard equipment includes: Integral jackswith stainless steel extending legs. Tinteddouble-glazed windows with blinds andflyscreens, Heki panoramic rooflight. Two-burnerhob and grill, sink with pumped cold watersupply, three-way fridge, free-standing table.230V hook-up and consumer unit, managementunit, leisure battery, charging systems. Swivel-bowl cassette Porta Potti in extendablecompartment, fresh water tank.

Dimensions(Manufacturer's figures, on two-wheel drivesingle cab Tata Loadbeta 2.0TDI)Overall length: 5.23m (17ft 2in)

Overall width: 1.93m (6ft 4in)Overall height: 2.36m (7ft 9in) Double bed size: 1.85m x 1.45m (6ft 1in x 4ft 9in)Available payload: 540kg

Price(For standard models with 2.0TDI 90PS engine)Single cab: £21 000 Double cab: £25 000.4 x 4 models: add £2000On the road charges: £683 including 12 monthsroad fund licenceWildmoor shell only: Fully fitted including pick-upconversion: £8000 to £10 000 depending on sizePrice as tested: £25 975 on 4 x 4 SWB pick-upwith options fitted of Truma boiler and spaceheater, shower tray, hob upgrade, roof rack andladder, larger sliding windows between truck and

unit, extra interior lights, but excluding awningand solar panel

Manufacturer:Profab Recreational Vehicles, Unit C4, EarlswoodTrading Estate, Poolhead Lane, Earlswood,Solihull, West Midlands B94 5EW. Tel: 01564703976. Fax: 01564 703625. Direct sales only.

Owners' club:I was delighted to accept an invitation to theinaugural weekend rally of the WildmoorOwners' Club (a flock of Wildmoors?).Prospective members, and those who areseriously interested in purchasing a Wildmoorand wish to chat to owners, should write toDoug & Pam Cull, 3 The Cloisters, Brickhill Farm,Half Moon Lane, Pepperstock, Bedfordshire LU1 4LL.


Long wheelbase double-cab Tata accepts standard body. Long wheelbase single-cab Tata allows a longer caravan body.

'Remountable' being constructed on LWB Land Rover Defender - not for regulardismounting, but can be removed if you change the base vehicle.

Dismountable body on Nissan King-Cab.


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