1969 Commer PB Camper Rescued From Years Inside A Shipping Container

Some purchases start with an auction catalogue, an advert or a tip-off from somebody who knows somebody.

This one started with a WhatsApp message.

A few photographs landed on our phone showing an old Commer camper van that had been stored away for years inside a shipping container.

It was exactly the sort of message we like receiving.

If you’ve got an old car, motorcycle, van or camper sitting unused and you’re wondering what to do with it, you can WhatsApp us some photos on 07494 851220.

In this case, those first pictures eventually led to us buying this wonderfully untouched 1969 Commer PB camper.

The easy bit was agreeing to buy it.

Getting it out of the container was going to be rather more interesting.

A 1969 Commer PB Camper

We initially thought this was probably a Commer PB, and the year fits perfectly.

The distinctive forward-control Commer van arrived at the beginning of the 1960s, with the revised PB version appearing in 1967. It remained part of the range until the familiar shape evolved into the Commer SpaceVan in the 1970s.

Our example was first registered on 6 November 1969 and is recorded by the DVLA as petrol-powered with a 1725cc engine.

Today these old Commers have become far less common than the VW campers and Ford Transits that tend to dominate the classic camper scene.

Which is one reason we like this one so much.

It’s unmistakably from another era.

The narrow track, wonderfully rounded front, simple dashboard and huge expanses of glass give it bags of character before you’ve even opened the back doors.

Then you look inside.

Despite the years of storage, much of the old camper interior is still there, complete with cupboards, table, seating, curtains and its elevating roof.

It looks less like somebody has restored an old camper and more like everyone simply got out one day and left it behind.

That’s far more interesting to us.

Years Inside A Shipping Container

At some point the Commer was put into a shipping container, where it remained for many years.

That may sound like an ideal place to preserve an old vehicle, but shipping containers aren’t necessarily the friendly dry environment people imagine.

Unless they’re properly ventilated or insulated, changes in temperature can cause moisture in the air to condense against the cold steel walls and roof. It’s sometimes referred to as container sweat.

And moisture plus an old British vehicle is rarely an ideal combination.

Our Commer certainly carries the evidence of its long sleep.

There’s corrosion around the body, particularly along some of the lower sections and seams, and the exterior has acquired the wonderful streaks, stains and patina that only decades of neglect can really create.

We’re certainly not going to pretend it’s a pristine camper that’s ready for a tour of the Highlands.

But that’s not why we bought it.

No MOT Since At Least The Digital Records Began

One of the first things we normally do when looking at an old vehicle is check its online MOT history.

With this one, there isn’t one.

Electronic MOT records were introduced in 2005, and searching the Commer’s registration doesn’t return a single test.

That doesn’t tell us exactly when it was last on the road, because any MOTs from before the digital system wouldn’t necessarily appear online.

What it does tell us is that there is no record of it having an MOT since electronic records began more than 20 years ago.

Combined with what we know about its long period of storage, it’s fair to say this old camper hasn’t seen regular road use for a very long time.

And sometimes that’s part of the appeal with vehicles like this.

You open the doors and start piecing together the story from what has actually survived.

Time To Call Neil

Buying an old vehicle that has been stationary for years is one thing.

Extracting it from a shipping container is another.

So we sent someone who tends not to be particularly troubled by awkward collections: our trusted transport man, Neil Gaskins of NG Vehicle Logistics.

Very little seems to faze Neil.

Which was useful, because the Commer wasn’t planning to leave its container without an argument.

The first challenge with any long-stored vehicle is establishing whether the wheels actually want to turn.

One of the front wheels on this one had made its decision.

It didn’t.

The Front Wheel Wasn’t Going Anywhere

A seized wheel can make extracting an old vehicle surprisingly difficult.

If all four wheels rotate, even a dead vehicle can normally be carefully winched in the direction you want it to go.

Once a wheel locks solid, things become rather more interesting.

The vehicle doesn’t necessarily follow the path you’re expecting. A locked wheel can drag sideways, dig in or cause the vehicle to change direction as the winch pulls it.

That matters even more when you’re trying to manoeuvre something out through the relatively narrow opening of a shipping container and onto a transporter.

Brute force isn’t the answer.

This was a job for a little more persuasion.

Out came the slippery Jim and a snatch block.

Slowly Does It

There are times when vehicle recovery looks spectacular.

This wasn’t one of them.

It was the sort of job where patience matters far more than making everything happen quickly.

With the recovery gear set up correctly, the Commer was gradually coaxed forward.

A little movement.

Check where the wheels are going.

Adjust.

Move again.

Repeat.

Eventually that rounded Commer nose, which had been staring out from the darkness of the container, began emerging into daylight.

Then the rest followed.

Years after being pushed into storage, the old camper was finally outside again.

That’s always a satisfying moment.

Safely On The Trailer

Once clear of the container, there was still the small matter of getting it properly loaded.

Again, the seized front wheel meant simply pulling it straight up the trailer wasn’t quite as straightforward as it might look.

But experience and patience won.

The Commer was eventually sitting safely on the bed, strapped down and ready for the journey back to East Anglia.

Looking at it outside for the first time gave us a much better idea of what we’ve actually bought.

It’s crusty in places.

The paint and bodywork tell the story of its storage.

Those tyres have certainly seen better days.

But it’s wonderfully complete-looking, full of period character and still has an old camper interior that makes you immediately wonder where it travelled when it was younger.

Are We Going To Try To Start It?

No.

We know that’s probably not the answer some people want to hear.

Getting a long-dormant engine running can make a great video, and there is always something satisfying about hearing an old vehicle fire for the first time in years.

But we’re currently rather overrun with cars.

There are more vehicles here waiting for our attention than there are hours available to give them all the recommissioning they deserve.

And sometimes the sensible thing is to recognise that.

Rather than throw a battery on it, pour fuel into it and see what happens, we’re leaving the Commer alone.

The next owner can decide exactly how they want to approach waking up that 1725cc engine.

A Clean-Up, Then Off To Auction

Our plans for the Commer are therefore fairly simple.

We’ll give it a clean and have a proper look around it, but we won’t attempt to start or recommission it.

After that, it will be heading to Anglia Car Auctions for their November 2026 classic sale.

And in some ways, we think that’s the right outcome for a vehicle like this.

It will go to auction much as we found it, rather than being cosmetically transformed or hurriedly coaxed back into life simply to make it easier to sell.

Potential buyers will be able to see the project for what it is and decide what they would do next.

Restore it?

Preserve as much of the wonderfully aged appearance as possible?

Recommission the mechanicals and leave the outside alone?

Turn it back into a usable period camper and disappear for the weekend?

We suspect people will have very different ideas.

Old Campers Like This Are Getting Harder To Find

There was a time when old British camper vans like this could seemingly be found everywhere.

They were holiday vehicles, weekend accommodation, festival transport and, eventually, cheap old vans that were often parked at the bottom of a garden when their travelling days were over.

Time hasn’t been particularly kind to them.

Steel bodies rust, interiors deteriorate and bulky non-running vehicles have a habit of becoming inconvenient once nobody wants to use them anymore.

Many disappeared.

That’s what makes finding a largely complete 1969 Commer camper still wearing the scars of its former life so appealing.

It isn’t perfect.

It isn’t running.

And there’s plenty to investigate.

But it survived its years inside that container.

Now it’s back out.

Have You Got Something Sitting In A Garage, Barn Or Container?

This Commer came to us because somebody sent us a message on WhatsApp.

That’s genuinely all it takes to start the conversation.

If you’ve got a classic car, motorcycle, camper van, commercial vehicle or unfinished project sitting in a garage, barn, workshop, shipping container or outbuilding and you’re thinking about selling it, we’d love to hear from you.

It doesn’t need to be running, freshly restored or even particularly easy to move. As this Commer proves, awkward collections are something we’re quite used to dealing with.

We buy vehicles outright and can arrange collection from across the UK.

The easiest way to contact us is to send a few photos and some basic details by WhatsApp to:

07494 851220

Or you can use our simple online form here:

https://ukbarnfinds.com/selling-your-classic-car/

No pressure and no obligation, just a straightforward conversation about what you’ve got.