1970’s
The Casetta, Cosmopolitan, Caribbean and Continental…names from the 1960s but much-updated models for the 1970s. Fully double-glazed, attractive ‘smoked’ windows were adorned with pelmets; deeply upholstered, plush seating converted to extra-comfortable bedding; and Carver Trumatic space heaters with the latest Piezo lighting technology gave fuss-free, thermostatically controlled instant warmth.
Again, it was attention to detail, detail, detail, throughout the range. Cupboards with specially designed clips housing wine bottles; fresh water flushing toilets; soap and tumbler holders in washrooms; a baize-lined cutlery drawer; integral magazine racks…indeed, no luxury was spared.
Storage was ample – as you would expect with any Carlight – and lockers were roomy and easily accessible.
Owning a Carlight in the 1970s was just like owning a home from home, an airing cupboard to keep clothes warm and dry, a cocktail cabinet lined with mirror glass from which to serve the dry martinis, the specially designed kitchen drawers, one to hold vegetables, the other to store bread.
Floor coverings were carefully considered throughout every living area. Plush, high-quality carpeting was used for the main living area while the kitchen and washroom were floored in an attractive light-coloured vinyl for easy cleaning.
The 1970s caravanner was much more likely to be travelling further afield – even abroad – for longer periods at a time, so refrigerators were fitted as standard throughout the Carlight range. An extract from a letter written by a Carlight owner reads:
“You may be interested to know that we’ve put 80,000 miles on our Carlight Caribbean. We’ve worn out one set of tyres but otherwise everything has operated A-OKAY after four years of being more or less continuously on the move on some of the most tortuous and ‘kinky’ European roads, with mostly my own servicing to rely on. We have wandered in every European mainland country, sometimes more than once, with the exception of Russia and Albania.”
