Fully-Restored! A Beautiful 1961 Bedford CA Camper Van

This beautifully restored 1961 Bedford CA Dormobile camper van was rebuilt by the team on the YouTube channel Mad Works Garage. The project saw no end of surprises, but the result is one of the nicest Bedford CA Dormobiles we’ve ever seen come up for sale.

Inside you’ll find comfortable accommodations for two, with a humble kitchenette with a sink, running water, and some counter and storage space. It currently has 72,269 miles on the odometer, but the vast majority of this was from before the restoration.

Fast Facts: The Bedford CA Van

• The Bedford CA was introduced in 1952 as Bedford’s first true light commercial vehicle, designed to meet postwar Britain’s need for nimble, affordable vans. It had a semi-forward control layout, a separate chassis with steel body, sliding doors, and a versatile platform adaptable to panel vans, minibuses, ambulances, and campers.
• Power came from Vauxhall’s four-cylinder engines, starting with a 1.5 liter unit at 50 bhp, later enlarged to 1.6 and 1.8 liters for slightly higher performance. Simple mechanicals like leaf springs, drum brakes, and column-shift gearboxes made it easy to maintain, and upgrades like synchromesh gearboxes improved drivability through the 1960s.
• The CA became a workhorse for Britain’s fleets, used by Royal Mail, police, utilities, and countless small businesses. Coachbuilders converted it into ambulances, mobile libraries, and campers, with Martin Walter Ltd.’s Dormobile versions gaining particular fame for their pop-up roofs, fold-down beds, and compact kitchens that helped popularize camping culture.
• The 1961 Bedford CA Dormobile shown here underwent a major restoration by Mad Works Garage, including chassis blasting, rust removal, alternator conversion, rebuilt brakes, a diesel heater, new paint, and modern camping amenities. It’s now running well, and it heads to auction with Historics on the 20th of September.

History Speedrun: The Bedford CA

When Bedford introduced the CA van in 1952, it marked the company’s first serious move into the light commercial sector. Bedford, General Motors’ British commercial vehicle subsidiary, was already well known for its larger trucks and buses, but the postwar years had created a different need. Britain’s rebuilding economy relied on small businesses, delivery services, and public utilities, all of whom wanted a nimble, affordable van with enough carrying capacity for everyday work.

The Bedford CA was designed precisely to fill that role, and over the course of its 17 year production run, it became one of the most familiar vans on British roads.

Development of the CA began in the late 1940s, as Bedford studied rivals like the Morris J-Type and Ford Thames. These vans had shown the value of compact dimensions, but Bedford aimed to improve on them by offering a slightly larger load space while retaining easy maneuverability for use in the countless small laneways in the country, many of which dated back before medieval times.

The design team settled on a semi-forward control layout, putting the driver’s seat above the front axle to maximize cargo room in the back, without making the van too long.

When the CA debuted at the 1952 Commercial Motor Show, it had a separate chassis with a pressed steel body. This construction meant it could be produced in numerous forms – panel van, chassis cab for specialist bodywork, minibus, and later camper and ambulance conversions.

The front styling, with its three-piece windscreen and large grille, gave it an instantly recognizable, almost human-like face. Sliding doors came as standard, allowing drivers to hop in and out quickly on delivery rounds – a practical touch that became extremely popular with tradesmen and delivery drivers.

Under the (small) hood sat Vauxhall’s trusty 4-cylinder unit, borrowed from passenger car lines. Early versions used the 1.5 liter overhead-valve unit producing around 50 bhp, adequate for city speeds but rather strained on longer runs. Later updates saw the fitment of 1.6 and eventually 1.8 liter units with more torque and slightly higher top speeds, pushing the van beyond 60 mph – heady stuff for the time.

The van’s mechanicals were straightforward – leaf springs, drum brakes, and a column-shift manual gearbox. In 1964, a full synchromesh gearbox became available, a welcome upgrade for drivers in urban traffic. By the late 1960s, the CA was still simple compared with rivals, but it had built a national reputation for dependability – and that counted for a lot.

The Bedford CA quickly became one of the default light commercial vehicles for countless fleets across Britain. The Royal Mail ran them in large numbers, as did police and ambulance services. Utility companies and small shopkeepers alike adopted them, while newspapers and dairies relied on CAs for daily distribution.

Its adaptability meant that bodybuilders could easily convert the van to specialized tasks. Ambulances based on the CA served in towns and cities across the country, and mobile libraries were popular too.

Coachbuilders like Martin Walter Ltd. found a successful niche with their Dormobile camper conversions. By fitting the CA with a pop-up roof, fold-down beds, and compact cooking facilities, they transformed the humble work van into a desirable weekend and holiday vehicle.

These camper conversions gained popularity through the late 1950s and 1960s, providing affordable vacations for families eager to explore the countryside. Alongside the Volkswagen Type 2, the Bedford CA Dormobile helped define postwar British and European camping culture.

Throughout production, Bedford updated the CA in smaller details, rather than wholesale redesigns. In 1959 the van gained a wider single-piece grille and larger windscreen for better visibility. Further revisions included upgraded dashboards, improved brakes, and more comfortable seats, though its basic architecture remained unchanged.

By the late 1960s, however, the CA was showing its age. Competitors like the wildly popular Ford Transit, launched in 1965, had moved the bar with more modern styling, improved performance, and greater cargo capacity. Bedford responded with the CF van in 1969, a forward-control design that would carry the company into the 1970s and beyond.

The Bedford CA Camper Van Shown Here

This particular 1961 Bedford CA began life as one of the popular Martin-Walter Dormobile conversions, a British-built rival to the Volkswagen Camper. Originally equipped with the familiar 1.5 liter inline-four shared with the Vauxhall Victor, this example was bought by a previous owner as the basis for a sympathetic restoration with some new modern conveniences thrown in for good measure.

The work was entrusted to the YouTube channel Mad Works Garage, which oversaw an extensive program that included chassis shot blasting, repairs, powder-coating, full rust removal, and bodywork taken through to primer.

Mechanical updates were also carried out, including an alternator conversion, a Kenlowe-style electric cooling fan, rebuilt brakes and engine, and provisions for improved camping use like an underfloor water tank with an electric pump, a diesel heater, and power inverters with USB charging.

With roughly £20,000 invested, progress stalled before the van reached completion. It was subsequently sold, painted, and fitted with an interior before passing to the current owner and vendor as a non-runner. Fortunately, the issue proved minor: a carburetor adjustment brought the van back to life, and it is reported to run and drive well today.

It’s now due to roll across the auction block with Historics Auctioneers on the 20th of September with no reserve attached – potentially making it a great buy for the right person.

Images courtesy of Historics Auctioneers