In the modern world we take it for granted that the best motorhomes are highly developed leisure vehicles with the latest tech, trends and all-year-round usability. We have a seemingly endless choice from both imported makes as well as home-grown motorhomes. But turn the clock back 50 years and things were very different.

By the late 1950s the coachbuilt motorhome had re-emerged after losing its market share to the touring caravan during the early 1930s. By the late 1960s, sales of coachbuilt motorhomes were on the rise, and so too were motorhome manufacturers, with 99% being built in the UK.

Jennings was a passenger coachbuilding company and one of the early motorhome makers, starting in the 1930s as a caravan manufacturer before eventually changing to motorhomes in the early 1960s, becoming part of the ERF lorry building group. (The connection with ERF had actually begun in the mid 1930s, with Jennings building the cabs for the then-new ERF Cheshire-based truck company.)

Over the years, Jennings began assembling coachbuilt motorhomes to order, alongside a standard line-up of models. These included different sizes of motorhomes; as well as building specials using a lorry chassis, the company could also manufacture compact motorhomes such as the long-wheelbase Land Rover coachbuilt in 1968.

The Jennings factory was small and production kept low, because the company wanted to concentrate on fine craftsmanship, ensuring that their motorhomes compared to the best on the market. It primarily used Commer chassis cabs as well as the Ford Transit, and the brand had a loyal following.

Although not cheap to buy, the Jennings was distinctive with its hand-sprayed bodywork and hand-finished real veneer furniture, which set them apart from the competition.

By the mid 1970s the Jennings motorhome brand was discontinued, as inflation and the oil crisis hit hard.

The Jennings legacy

Five years after Jennings closed, a new motorhome dealership called Spinney set up near Sandbach. Founded by Nick Holland, the company prospered and was soon in need of larger premises, moving to the site that it currently occupies at Knutsford Road, Cranage.

Spinney has taken over several caravan dealerships in recent years, and celebrated 50 years in business in 2025. Now run by Nick’s sons, Ben and Charlie Holland wanted to hunt down the first type of motorhome sold by their father in 1975: a Jennings Road Ranger on a Commer chassis.

For the 50th milestone the Hollands wanted a 1970 Road Ranger, but thought the task could be a difficult one. Then they found one listed for sale, which by a happy coincidence was only a few miles from where their father had sold his first motorhome.

Ben and Charlie were quick to go and see it, and when they arrived to view the ’van they were met with another surprise. The owner, who had bought the Jennings when it was just six months old, had been Ben and Charlie’s primary school teacher!

The Road Ranger had been in a barn for years and was looking rather sorry for itself. It was soon loaded onto a low loader and taken to the Spinney Flintshire dealership, where they had a chap who was rather good at spraying, named Bob Jones.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob who talked me through how he had done the work – he had transformed the tired-looking paint and bodywork and worked his magic on it, bringing it back to its former glory.

The interior was very original and in perfect order, so Ben and Charlie left it as it was, just giving it a good clean (if you think your ‘van could do with some TLC, don’t miss our tips on how to clean a motorhome). The Road Ranger went on a tour of the Spinney branches, and we caught back up with it at the Cheshire branch.

The Road Ranger

The motorhome layout offers a storage area above the cab, while the lounge is just behind the cab. The rear is then taken up with a split kitchen, the fridge and motorhome cooker placed on the left side, with the sink unit opposite. The wardrobe is situated at the rear corner, opposite a toilet compartment, with the entry door sited at the rear.

The Electrolux fridge is from the early 1970s and works solely on gas, while the Calor gas cooker has an oven/grill but just a two-burner hob.

The opposite-side kitchen is fitted with a stainless-steel sink supplied with cold water via an original Whale hand pump.

Above this is a single gas light, with other illumination taken care of by 12V ceiling lights. The toilet compartment is just that – no shower but just a place to put a portable loo in, as was the way back in 1970!

The wardrobe opposite is surprisingly large for a two-berth, but Jennings owners usually took longer trips, so storage was important.

Surprisingly, the portable TV is a Sony colour model – a TV that would have cost a few bob back in the mid-1970s. Colour sets used more power, too, so if you were running off the battery for any length of time it would risk seriously draining it.

The upholstery is all original, while the Commer chassis cab also sports its original facia apart from the addition of a stereo cassette player. The cab is quite spartan by today’s standards, but the Commer was easily a match for the Transit and Morris J4.

It was meant to be

The Jennings Road Ranger is a genuine timewarp, and what luck for Ben and Charlie to find it so close to home – it seems that fate has played a hand here!

The Jennings is a real gem, with its solid build and stylish GRP roof with sweeping lines in 1970s style. This charming example of motorhome history is a reminder of how far leisure vehicles have advanced over the years, culminating in the stylish and high-tech spec you will see if you’re looking at choosing a modern motorhome.

Back in 1970 the Jennings motorhome was a proper upper-crust leisure vehicle, and to find this one was a real stroke of luck. There are a few out there, but mainly on Ford Transits.

Check the Spinney website to see if the Jennings Road Ranger is due a visit to your branch. I can recommend going along to see it – the Road Ranger is a real step back in time!

For those of you who are looking at an older ‘van to tour in, don’t miss Diamond Dave’s thoughts on buying an older motorhome.

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