Australia is home to a couple of hundred RV manufacturers, at least. Some specialise in offroad builds, while others offer a variety of formats to appeal to the widest customer base as possible. There are also RV manufacturers specialising in custom work.
Many manufacturers will offer a degree of customisation within their pre-determined layouts. They’ll let you swap out a few features here and there, perhaps add some shelves instead of cupboards, add a compost toilet instead of a cassette toilet – that sort of thing. True caravan customisation, however, takes a certain expertise that not all manufacturers can match. That’s not to say they aren’t clever in their own right. But when a manufacturer specialises in quality caravans built in high volumes, it can drastically slow production to alter a layout or specifications list to suit a one-off customer. And that’s assuming the manufacturer has the tooling in the first place to deliver on what the customer might want.
The good news is, there are numerous manufacturers that can work hand in hand with customers in order to build a functional, legal and safe van that is truly customised to their needs and wants. And that’s another point: a customer might have an interesting idea but to realise it in a way that meets all Australian Standards takes years of experience.
Regal Caravans has been on the job for a couple of decades. The company has built standard layouts, of course, but at the company’s core, it’s a custom builder. In late June, Regal had a couple motorhomes and caravans to show us. For me, it was a perfect opportunity to glimpse a few custom touches that you won’t necessarily find in an off-the-shelf caravan. After all, this company’s vans are hand-built. There’s no mass production going on in this factory.
CARAVANNING IS FOR EVERYONE
Why should people who are in wheelchairs or have other issues with mobility be precluded from the Australian caravanning lifestyle? They shouldn’t! Other companies, over the years, have offered wheelchair-friendly caravans, with one of the earliest involving a ramp configuration that would allow someone in a wheelchair to access the caravan.
Regal, however, has its own solution. It is part of the company’s Accessibility range, and it involves plenty of custom touches.
It starts with the German-made AMF Braun lift. Rated to 300kg, it operates very smoothly at the push of a button. The caravanner simply needs to position themselves in their chair on the lift, push a button on a control (which is on a long lead so it’s possible to reach and use), and the lift, well, lifts the person so that they can easily wheel themselves inside without impediment.
This system requires special chassis engineering – not something every manufacturer can offer – and naturally, the door needs to be widened too. Regal has achieved both in a seamless way on this very special van, which was built specifically for a customer.
The custom touches continue inside. First, the kitchen bench is built to a lower height, for obvious reasons, while Regal had the foresight to also fit a rain-sensing exhaust hatch in the ceiling. This hatch will automatically close when it ‘senses’ rain, and it can be also operated via remote control.
Further, when you look in the bathroom, you’ll find sturdy hand rails at both the toilet and in the shower. The shower in this example is the first one I have seen with two shower heads, one mounted on the rear wall, the other on the leading wall. The benefit to someone with mobility issues is obvious. And then there’s the fact that the shower cubicle does not have a traditional door or lip at the base, which means the customer can wheel their chair directly inside without impediment.
This van also had a completely flat floor, with an offside slide-out that opens up the interior substantially. Specifically, Regal omitted the traditional fixed dinette table, allowing the customer to shift themselves to the extra-large lounge within the slide-out. And finally, the van was given an east-west bed – a north-south bed would make moving from wheelchair to bed a more challenging task, while the east-west orientation means the wheelchair will be right there, next to the bed when the customer is ready to start their day.
Virtually all of these touches and ideas are customisations that you won’t find from a mass-producer.
REGAL CARAVANS OWNERS’ VAN
This is what happens when the owners of a caravan manufacturing company – in this case, the owners of Regal Caravans – decide to build themselves a van. This is an RSV (Regal Special Vehicle). It contains all of the usual features – and more.
First, it contains a vacuum cleaner. You might have seen one of these before but they’re not common. Essentially, it takes the bending out of cleaning the floor. Simply sweep the dirt to the front of the unit, turn it on (which you can do with your foot – the switch is large), and let the vacuum suck it up. No need to bend over to use a dustpan and brush – particularly good for the older or less mobile among us.
In the back of this RSV, the owners of Regal built themselves one very impressive bathroom. It’s not only huge, but the cupboard arrangement is a little unique – it sorts of ‘wraps’ around the wall-mounted front-loader washing machine, making it an excellent use of the space. It also results in some bench space below the washer. Very clever.
And then there’s the table treatment in the offside slide-out. As with the Accessibility van, there is no fixed table. Instead, Regal Caravans has used a portable table from a different supplier. This means that the table can be used indoors or out, and when not needed, it can be put away, resulting in a more open floorplan. But what to do with the table when it’s not needed? Simple! Regal has cleverly utilised the void between the lounge and the fridge, custom-building a slot to keep the table snug and secure. The slot is lined with carpet to ensure the finish of the table isn’t damaged.
Naturally, the van has an impressive 12V system too – three 200Ah lithium batteries, a 2600W inverter, and 1200W worth of solar. (Incidentally, the batteries are housed under the bed inside a sealed compartment, as required when the batteries are inside the van).
One other thing I liked was that the name of the van – Regal RSV – had been laser-cut into the chassis and given LED backlighting so that the name illuminates in red. Very eye-catching, especially at night!
GT AND THE JEWEL
Regal Caravans is also a dab hand at motorhome construction. The company turned its attention to motorhomes about five years ago, and it’s been full steam ahead.
The Mercedes Sprinter-based GT is a B class conversion which, if I’m honest, wasn’t as packed with custom ideas as the caravans, but it’s a lovely van nonetheless. Aside from the obviously strong and considered construction, I first noticed the ‘whirr-bang’ had been taken out of the ‘whirr-bang’ sliding door. I’m not sure if that’s just a Sprinter thing, but in any case, your caravan park neighbours would be pleased.
There’s only so much you can do with a van-based conversion such as this; however, Regal has fitted an honest to goodness club lounge in the rear. Sure, the club lounge precludes access to and from the rear doors, but you can get simple sideways-facing lounges that form a double bed instead, if you’d like to maintain that rear access. The club lounge in this layout, however, is attractive and functional. Because the lounge doubles as a bed (with the table lowered to form part of the base), I noted that the seat cushions were sensibly flat. Of course, Regal provides an infill cushion too.
But moving over to the Regal Caravans Jewel, a C class rig. C class motorhomes are essentially cab-chassis units that are often characterised by the Luton peak (the bit that goes above the driver’s cab). Often, you’ll find a a double bed in this space; however, Regal had instead fitted a suite of cupboards, which had the added benefit of making climbing to and from the cab super easy, without fear of banging your head on a bed base (which I have done more than once).
I also couldn’t help but notice the generous amount of head room, particularly just aft of the cab. Framed in aluminium and clad with fibreglass, this section of the roof is shaped in such a way that there is loads of head room – probably more than your typical C class van.
The interior fitout is reminiscent of Regal Caravans’ caravan fitouts, which I intend as a compliment. Everything is nicely and expertly finished off which, in my opinion, is what you’d expect from a custom builder. After all, a good custom builder has an eye for detail. And few eyes in the custom-building game are as sharp as those of Regal.
More info: www.regalcaravans.com.au
