A Dormobile is a camper van modification by Martin Walter Ltd. Popular in the 1950s and 60s they are essentially a conversation of a car or van into a camper.
These modifications usually consist of a fiberglass roof which provides extra sleeping space and they often also have windows in them to let in light. Often the roof would be hinged at the side and a folded tent of fabric would expand into the space. As models got more sophisticated they were fitted with more separate sleeping compartments. Most vehicles also have a caravan style interior with seats fitted and cooking appliances.
The first Dormobiles were made from Bedford CA vans but they became so popular that they were applied to other makes and models of car and vans.
Although, the conversion was originally carried out by Martin Walter Ltd the word Dormobile has become a generic name for this type of conversion.
Some Dormobile experts claim that only a camper conversion carried out by Martin Walter Ltd can be classed as a true Dormobile and are easily spotted by the riveted metal ID plate fitted to the car. However, for others the name has become synonymous with camper conversions, much like hoover is now a generic term for vacuum cleaners, and to them the term can be applied to any vehicle which has been converted using parts from the Martin Walter Ltd factory. This was sometimes done with conversion kits from the firm which were exported to be fitted by other companies – these were especially popular in the USA.