Serial Numbers

[Gordon McLaren]

Matthew,

As it seems a quiet time of year as far as the forum goes, i was wondering if you could post a breakdown of how many Portafolds you have managed to obtain serial numbers for year by year as I can imagine their must be some with a lot and some with a little per year, due probably to the economics of the time they were built.

Also, do you have pics of your Portafold? to post in the owners gallery. The thing that I enjoy when seeing other vans posted in the gallery is that they all have their own differences, no 2 appears to be the same.

cheers Gordon

[Admin]

The first instalment of figures.

These are the estimates I have of how many Portafolds were produced in each year.

1966 - Anywhere between 0 and 66
1967 - Anywhere between 44 and 110
1968 - Either 109 or 110
1969 - Either 102 or 103
1970 - Anywhere between 68 and 87
1971 - Anywhere between 35 and 93
1972 - Anywhere between 151 and 177
1973 - Anywhere between 121 and 199
1974 - Anywhere between 1 and 210
1975 - Estimate of 9 produced


I will update these as I get more chassis numbers.

There'll be more to follow when I have some statistics worth posting.

[txfsealord]

So that would indicate a total Portafold production of between 700 & 1000-ish?

Survival numbers are quite impressive then, aren't they? There must've been 40 odd at Wroughton this year (I meant to count them & never got a round too it), and that's just 1 regional rally!

Any ideas yet on Ansfolds? And is ours, made in March '78, the newest so far apart from Dave's post-production one?

Steve Lord

P.S. New hubcaps look great & put the rest of the van's exterior to shame!

[Admin]

Going by what I think I know there could be anything up to (or more than) 1112 Portafolds produced. That's if they used every number and didn't skip any!


As for the Ansfolds I'm still missing huge gaps in my database so it's very hard to calculate any figures like I've been able to with the Portafolds.

What I can tell you is that the earliest Ansfold I've found is dated January 1976 and the latest is June 1980. And yours Steve is bang in the middle! Sorry

[petman]

can you date them by any other means?

Mine has no numbers as the front plate as been cut about some what ( I myself have had to lower the hitch by 2in )

My Portafold has the fins at the rear with an additional peak at the rear and a raised ridge down the middle.
On the inside it is fitted with the front shelf ( not a table)and a small light fitted into the fron panel
It runs on indespension type units ending in a splined shaft, which allows you to raise and lower the ride height by moving the axle arm around the spline. The brakes are rod/overrun type and the wheels are 12inch early mini with the "nipples" for the hub caps
All the above looks orginal with no extra holes or extra mounts etc and the suspension arms are "old shool" made from heavy cast iron with 1/2 inch course thread nuts and bolts
The chassis, that I can see inside looks like its made from "gas pipe" ( It is threaded at one of the ends ?)The hitch is made from square box section and looks orginal (it is moulded into the body)
The rear lights are round single units ie old landrover ( as in the Cresta picture) and the reflectors are fitted to the lower half and not the end of the fins

I have only seen two others in the flash and both have had the combined light units and looked a lot younger

Ater looking at the sales brochures the nearest looking one to me is the second one down but with no table or signs of one ever being fitted and "open" style wheel arches

What date was that produced??

I hope the above is of some help, as I would love to find out the age of my much loved PORTIE even if its not spot on

Can anyone help......Has anyone got the same "model" as me but with a datable plate
Please help

[Isaacsman]

Can someone explain what the chassis numbers represent in relation to year built?

[Admin]

Can someone explain what the chassis numbers represent in relation to year built?

Not sure what you mean Michael.

[Admin]

An update of figures.

These are the estimates I have of how many Portafolds were produced in each year.

1966 - Anywhere between 18 and 66
1967 - Anywhere between 44 and 113
1968 - Anywhere between 109 or 130
1969 - Anything up to 95
1970 - Anywhere between 75 and 93
1971 - Anywhere between 35 and 110
1972 - Anywhere between 151 and 233
1973 - Anywhere between 121 and 200
1974 - Anywhere between 24 and 286
1975 - Anywhere between 9 and 216


I will update again when I have any significant changes.

[Admin]

These are the estimates I have of how many Portafolds were produced in each year.

Thanks to a 1969 model owned by Neil (hads) I've been able to revise my figures slightly.

1966 - Anywhere between 1 and 66
1967 - Anywhere between 44 and 130
1968 - Anywhere between 109 or 195
1969 - Anywhere between 1 and 95
1970 - Anywhere between 75 and 122
1971 - Anywhere between 35 and 110
1972 - Anywhere between 156 and 233
1973 - Anywhere between 121 and 195
1974 - Anywhere between 24 and 286
1975 - Anywhere between 9 and 216
1976 - Anywhere between 1 and 123 (the ones built at this time were actually made by ASN mouldings)


I will update again when I have any significant changes.

[Admin]

These are the estimates I have of how many Portafolds were produced in each year.

Thanks to a 1968 model owned by Anthony (triumphtone) I've been able to revise my figures slightly.

1966 - Anywhere between 1 and 66
1967 - Anywhere between 44 and 130
1968 - Anywhere between 112 or 195
1969 - Anywhere between 1 and 92
1970 - Anywhere between 75 and 122
1971 - Anywhere between 35 and 110
1972 - Anywhere between 156 and 233
1973 - Anywhere between 121 and 195
1974 - Anywhere between 24 and 286
1975 - Anywhere between 9 and 216
1976 - Anywhere between 1 and 123 (the ones built at this time were actually made by ASN mouldings)


I will update again when I have any significant changes.