Ford Supervans

[Roscobbc]

For those of us perhaps old enough to remember the original Ford Transit Supervan (and the ones that followed). My memory was seeing the Gurney Eagle/GT40 powered early Transit van on various race tracks and then a few years later and surprisingly in the front drive of a local Hornchurch house following Andy Brown's purchase in the early 70's. Andy goes into the history in quite some detail about the build on Jonny Smith's Late Brake Show.

 

[phild]

I well remember working, with many others, on that project as a Ford Apprentice at the trade school in Harold Hill. Would have been around 1971/72, maybe a bit earlier, from memory. We rebuilt a Merlin engine also, those were happy days.

 

[Chevrolet]

Nothing like a nice Ford van? Guy turned up at my house a few weeks back with his "£62 grand" limited edition one. Flared arches/Oz mag wheels/special interior etc.

 

[Nassau65]

Wow, that’s a kick arse van, looks fantastic, but £62k for a Transit, worlds gone mad.

 

[Chevrolet]

Wow, that’s a kick arse van, looks fantastic, but £62k for a Transit, worlds gone mad.

MS-RT Version he was telling me:

Ford MS-RT - Sport Inspired Commercial Vehicles

MS-RT are redefining what’s possible in a commercial vehicle. We take tough and reliable Ford models and give them a sporting edge with bold and expressive design.

ms-rt.com

 

[Nassau65]

Makes the A Teams van look rather tame.

 

[Chevrolet]

2000 PS. That's more like it!

 

[Roscobbc]

Wow, that’s a kick arse van, looks fantastic, but £62k for a Transit, worlds gone mad.

For £60K you'd have at least expected a Coyote power plant!

 

[Nassau65]

Great memories of Ford Transits as a young “ dogsbody” in the family business helping the deliveries to west end restaurants on Saturday’s
We had the sliding door versions. Great fun sitting there wizzing along with the doors slid back. Very cool during the summer. Was even better once I got my license and could drive one.
Our later VW transporter vans were tame and boring in comparison.

 

[Roscobbc]

Back in the early/mid 70's when I was working for an electrical retailer I occasionally got to take a 'Transit' home for a weekend or evening (which eventually became permenant for a few months. This was a 2 litre V4 Luton bodied version. And even though relatively slow it was quieter, smoother and more pleasant to drive than many cars of the day. That was eventually replaced with a twin wheel 35 cwt long wheelbase Beford CF van. These were really crude, noisy and had really harsh springing. However with its Vauxhall 2300 cc OHC engine, (and a 5 speed ZF gearbox if I recall) with 4.56 or 5.11 rear axle would leave most other cars behind at the traffic light grand prix's.......but at 50 mph if was flat out and unbearably loud inside - it seem that all the metal structural strengthening formers in the van would rattle and vibrate in unison.

 

[Nassau65]

Vans were just workhorses back then, they were there to do a job.
Same as the US pick up truck, there for business.
Now, well they are a statement. Imagine in the 70’s or 80’s telling someone Cadillac & Lincoln would make pick ups. You would be laughed out the showroom.

 

[Nassau65]

Me/Dad always liked the EL-Camino. A very versatile car/truck. Rear bed, with the comfort of a caprice/impala. Same I suppose as the Ford Ranchero.
The last one I had was a Choo Choo , full options including factory side exhaust. Should never have sold it.