GPO Vehicles

This van started life in 1960 as the Commer 1500 FC.  It had a 1500cc engine.

Commer Series One vans had two, later three, chrome strips between the headlamps and a red Commer badge above that along with a grille for the heater and fresh air inlet.

The Series Two arrived in 1961, a single year after the Series One. The engine grew to 1.6 litres and the grille was changed to improve cooling capacity. A simple mesh grille was fitted behind the chrome strips.

The Series Two A arrived in mid-1963, with the name Commer picked out in letters rather than being in a badge. It also had a new grille, placed just above the bumper, made of three chrome strips. The number plate moved up the front panel to go between the headlamps.  The range was extended in September 1965 and the engine was upgraded to the newly announced 1.7 litre Rootes unit, producing 58 bhp.  The new model had a lozenge shaped grille which improved air flow for the larger engines, and had proper indicator lamps below the sidelamps. The range was renamed the PA 1500/2500 series.

In August 1967, the range was renamed the PB series. Not much else changed apart from the handbrake working on the front wheels and an alternator being used.

1974 saw the van name change to the Spacevan and new rear lights fitted.  The 1750cc engine became the standard.  The makers name was changed in 1976 from Commer to Dodge.

In 1977 the vehicle had updated seat trim, front radiator grill and a new dashboard.  February 17th 1983 saw the last Spacevan come off the production line.

In the picture below the rear aerial is fixed, but can be rotated.  The front aerial can be moved towards the front of the van by a toothed belt and can also be rotated.  Between the two large aerials are twin broadband dipoles.

To prevent water entering the dummy roof and being driven into the mechanism by the forward movement of the vehicle, the slot necessary to allow fore-and-aft movement of the front aerial is closed by a heavy-duty zip-fastened neoprene cover. Two sliders are used: one is mounted on the front of the aerial support, the other on the rear. The cover is thus opened in front of the aerial and closed behind it as the aerial moves.

This vehicle was used to detect VHF Radio receivers and VHF / UHF Television receivers.

These detector vehicles had previously been allocated one to each region, but this model was allocated two to each region.

These vehicles are supplied in a pale blue colour and the rear windows have heating ducts to prevent condensation build up.