People are increasingly choosing to downsize and live in RVs. It doesn’t matter if they park the RV and live on a small plot of land or if they travel the country to see what they can see; it’s a way of life that many people value. If you enjoy the RV lifestyle, you’ll be interested to know that the oldest known motor caravan is being auctioned off. It is for sale at the National Motor Museum in the United Kingdom.

The antique RV was built on a 1914 Ford model T chassis modified by coachbuilder Biaco, according to the listing. To avoid any misunderstanding, they are calling it a caravan, but that is simply the British term for an RV. The vehicle was commissioned by the owners of the Bentalls Department Store chain. It can sleep four people and can be traced back to the days when horses and buggies ruled the road.

The RV has many retro features that you will appreciate. The front seat is styled after a leather couch and can be easily turned around to face the living area. There is also a cast iron stove, so you can cook in style. A mail slot is also included in the door. The old coach had been abandoned for many years before being purchased and restored. That occurred in the 1970s, and it has remained operational since then.

According to Yahoo!Finance, Motorcaravan magazine wrote about the coach in 1987, saying: “The quality of material and workmanship is superb in every way and the result of the restoration is a pleasing and comfortable motor caravan, albeit that it is achieved by different means. However, I am not aware of any modern design that offers such a large amount of storage space.” That’s high praise coming from such a well-known authority on the subject.

There are other similar vehicles with a long history, but this is thought to be the oldest. According to Fox News, another one was built in 1915 by Roland Conklin but is no longer standing. Because it had full bathroom facilities, it is widely regarded as the first motor home.