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FindRamrodaCF-a-thon


somewhatfoolish

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Back in '83 I did a summer as a fencer doing farm fences and local authority work, garden and boundary fences.

The company was a bit of a phoenix from a failed family firm so the vehicles were a bit of a mix of what was cheap, mainly CF pickups. However there was a van. A black CF auto, petrol, S plate. It had belonged to a mobile disco and had Soul Express written on the sides in orange and red '70's looking thick swoopy script.

Must have looked so professional when a group of young lads in arrived in it to fix a garden fence.

 

 

Sent from my Redmi 4 using Tapatalk

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Not to curse it - but I'm currently awaiting a CF recovery being welded in the cab area as a hauler....... they do exist for not too* much folding Eddy. The one I'm chasing is running a slightly warmed over Frontera disiesel - that will change in time though.

I love these vans -

 

This is bloody expensive though!

post-21918-0-48068700-1516711266_thumb.jpg

 

while this is ready for the zombie apocalypse - and looks terrible for it!

post-21918-0-68940400-1516711266_thumb.jpg

 

Happy hunting fella!

 

Both courtesy of Marktplaats.nl

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post-4559-0-37688200-1516712245_thumb.jpg

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/30684-bedford-cf/

 

Optimistic?  Oh yes, certainly, but if you don't ask, you don't get.  It's not as if I'm after like-for-like: there's no way on earth I could afford a CF as nice as my Rover.  But something a bit shabby, clinging to MoT by its fingernails, might be a bit more of a prospect.  I have to be able to drive it home and go to work in it the next day, and as long as it'll do that and keep doing it, and will lock up when I leave it, then I'll be happy.  I won't begrudge essential work, because I know that 40-year-old vehicles usually need something; but I can't take on a project that has to be delivered to me and then spend 12 months getting welded.

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It's nice to see these far-flung vans, if only to relive the 70s with some of them!  Realistically though, any van I'm going to end up with (if at all) needs to be in northern England already.  Or maybe south-west Scotland.  Shipping is out of the question, for the same reason as a cash-buy; it's got to be something I can go and get as a daytrip.

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Another antipodean, and it is Nissan diesel powered, but, mr Hairnet is poised to jump on a plane any moment to make the collection easier.

A genuine Doormobile camper.

One life, live it. Just do it, ad nauseum.

Oh did I mention it is well priced too. Even if it needs work.

 

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/other/auction-1527389954.htm?rsqid=975d5c2fb5f447b39c7d51b4a4ddaea1

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It's nice to see these far-flung vans, if only to relive the 70s with some of them!  Realistically though, any van I'm going to end up with (if at all) needs to be in northern England already.  Or maybe south-west Scotland.  Shipping is out of the question, for the same reason as a cash-buy; it's got to be something I can go and get as a daytrip.

 

Dude - if you find a van anywhere near my place here on 'the mainland' I'll gladly use it to come over visit either the family in NE or brother in Scotland - whichever is easier...... and drop it off en route. Cheap enough to fly back or a perfect excuse to buy UK MX5 or other shite (same cost probably) to return in!

 

AND - whilst also being able to collect/deliver Mobylettes of various decreptitude for other 'specialists' - WIN WIN

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Another antipodean, and it is Nissan diesel powered, but, mr Hairnet is poised to jump on a plane any moment to make the collection easier.

A genuine Doormobile camper.

One life, live it. Just do it, ad nauseum.

Oh did I mention it is well priced too. Even if it needs work.

 

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/other/auction-1527389954.htm?rsqid=975d5c2fb5f447b39c7d51b4a4ddaea1

Hmm no mention if the plates are still live though or if the RUC are somewhere near paid upto the current miles, cheap camper holiday though, we paid much more to hire a poxy hi-ace hitop for a month last time.

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I already knew the CF was popular Down Under.  Way back in the 70s I used to watch an Australian cop show called Bluey, and I well remember a white CF kicking off a major plot in one episode.

attachicon.gifCF Bluey.jpg

OMG Bluey. The worst ever TV cop show. You had to watch it late at night while drunk. It was so bad it was funny, like a TV "Plan 9 from outer space",

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Er, no thanks.  One thing I particularly don't want is an I-scream van.  Likewise I don't want a camper, Luton, horsebox, or even a pickup really.  I'm not even all that keen on LWB.  A basic standard van, or at a pinch, minibus, is perfectly good enough.

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I worked with a band in the late 80's and used the work van (BMC J4 or a borrowed Tranny or Sherpa)  in the beginning to get them to the occasional gig. 

When the gigs got more often it was decided to invest in a van. As the guy's in the band didn't have driving licences and knew nothing about motors it was down to me to find suitable transport.

The first was a shonky green Lwb Dodge 50 that toured Holland and Germanland. Tales of this for another thread perhaps.

The second was ? Yep! A BEDFORD CF.

A 350 Diesel Lwb twin wheel in a flat grey. I think the colour came from the Portland navy base which was not far away.The body work had been worked on and had got to the spray level but it wasn't running very well and the owner didn't know what was wrong. The engine wouldn't get above about 1500 revs. I was pretty sure it was a clogged fuel filter and got it for about £400. Changed the filter and it was all systems go.

Didn't think the grey was a rock band colour and as we didn't have the loot for a spray job and being, amongst other trades, a professional painter I got some good brushes and painted it matt black. 

The four speed box managed a lofty 55 mph loaded up and not much more empty, and empty the back end jumped all over the place.

The seats were fukin awful. The drivers seat only adjusted back and forwards and was fukin hard.

Something had to be done.

Found a bench seat with 3 recliners in a scrap yard that someone had made and welded them in the back which were fought over by everyone, including me, but didn't solve the front ones obvs.

Found a scrap CF 2 luton with better seats AND a 5 speed box.

Band van for 3 years or so doing gigs in England, Holland and Gerland. Then when they split up in Holland they gave it to me. That, and five years of being roady, sound and light guy, gig, coffee, food and other, erm things arranger, was what I was left with and I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

After that I rented it as driver and sound man for local bands in Tilburg. Tex Mex. Buddy Holly tribute, Hard Rock, female comedy, jazz etc.

Met a laydee, as you do, and toured round France, Spain and ended up living in Portugal.

Had it for about 7 years until it blew up in Chester where we went to get married. Went back with a Mk2 Tranny which was ok but not a CF. 

Loved the CF and would have another. Still quite a lot in Portugal. Ok, Lhd, but with the crew cab windows, a lot easier here at junctions  and on the m/way to see the offside.

Blaa'd enough and no help whatsoever to Mr E Ramrod. 

Mind you ,how much would it be to change one over from left to right ? Scrap one here and one from less rusty climes ? Mmm.

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I already knew the CF was popular Down Under.  Way back in the 70s I used to watch an Australian cop show called Bluey, and I well remember a white CF kicking off a major plot in one episode.

 

attachicon.gifCF Bluey.jpg

Bluey is fantastic! That Bedford scene is on YouTube in a Bluey car chase compilation video I can’t seem to find at the moment.

 

What you need to watch is Bargearse, a 1990s “reboot” of Bluey...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u9bWQoQVIQ

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SERIOUSLY?????  Oh wow, that's brilliant!  And in such an Autoshite way too.

 

NB verdict delivered after watching only a couple of minutes, including the opening credits.  I'm going to have to watch more later when I have more time.  Let me know if you find the chase compilation!

 

Fucking brilliant, I'm never going to forget that.

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