The invertibrate of Blighty.

[fordperv]

(says in mock irish accent)  top o the mornin to ya, got any cats or battriez

 

i love transit vans, a company called don law racing which was just around the corner from where i lived were xj220 specialists i always stopped to have a drool, they had an xj220 powered transit van i cant remember the reg, but i presume it was this one, the only giveaway on the exterior was the xj220 wheels

 

[Cavcraft]

I'd love to find a really early (1985 I think) single rear wheel Mk3 panel van and restore it to standard spec.

[cort16]

The early ones are getting so thin on the ground now you could see a mint low miles one appearing on brown star classics for 4 grand or something. The early ones of there are nearly 30 years old!

[Captain Mainwaring]

Last of the proper Transits imo.

 

Aye, I've always thought this. A Tranny just isn't so without that clattery 2.5 noise.

Always been fond of these 'smileys', I drove a family friend's around the block a couple of times before I passed my test. 

Think it must have been one of the slow starting, quick at top whack ones because I remember it crying out for second at about 4mph. 

The tippers and Flaresides have become something of a favourite with the scrap metal fiends around these parts.

[Cavcraft]

First was only ever a crawler gear really, sort of just for taking off when loaded.

[wuvvum]

Funnily enough I've had six Mk3/4/5 Transits, but never a Di.  Three have been turbo diesels, two 2-litre Pintos and one a 2-litre twin cam.  None of the pez-engined ones had PAS, even the P-plater, but I don't know if it was standard on the later Di's due to the extra weight of the engine.

 

They're actually one of my favourite vans - they feel like a proper commercial without being a complete cunt to drive like, say, an old-shape VW LT or an LDV 400.  My current Ducato is almost too refined in comparison, although the much taller gearing (3000 revs at 80) makes it a more pleasant place to be on the motorway (and better on diesel). 

 

The only two things that put me off smiley Transits are their ability to almost completely dissolve between one MoT and the next, and the fact that all but the very last of the Di's aren't allowed into London.

[cms206]

The ones to get - if you can find someone who can get them - are ex-British Airways, if you can put up with the moronic specs. Of the ex-BA examples we ended up with, two were flaresides, one was a combi, three were JetStarts (D-reg with 6700 miles on the clock) and one was an automatic luton van, all Di powered.

 

A local coach operator runs an early square headlight snoopy with a 4-speed 'box on a '95 M (M876 DDS for those who flickr) which is surprisingly pleasant to drive.

[AndyW201]

First van I drove for a living was a Di mk3 for Cleveland Copiers in Middlesbrough, when I was 19. It'll have been about 1993ish, so H42 MEF won't have been all that old. Like everyone else, I'll never forget that engine note and that nice snick-snick gearchange. I remember dropping off a photocopier and a load of office supplies at a big customer's factory. He asked me and the lad working with me if we'd shift a bit of furniture up to his house at Wolviston. Our gaffer said okay, so the customer said to follow his son up to the house. So laddo in Dad's Range Rover Vogue went tear-arsing off up the A19 with us in this Tranny Di blatting along at about 80-90 ish trying to keep up, with a load of expensive furniture in the back. It must have been one of the good ones as it had a decent top end and would happily spin the back wheels on anything like a damp ish road. It was replaced with a new 1.9d Citroen C25 (badge engineered Talbot Express) which was pathetic in comparison.

Not long after that, I was occassionally driving another Di, an 8 seater minibus for a local taxi firm. That looked the biz, colour coded white with bull bars and a row of spotlights on the front. Certainly got peoples arses going like Louis Armstrong's lips when they saw that in their mirrors, thinking it was a police van! Is H524 HHN still out there, It was quite recently, being used as a crewbus for a cleaning firm.

Many happy miles as a Di driver. I did always prefer the looks of the early mk3s with the smaller rear arches and narrow rear track.

 

But now I drive a 12 plate Sprinter with three figure cruising ability, 6 speed box, cruise control, Bluetooth, etc. Shame that Transits seemingly arent as good as they used to be...

[tooSavvy]

H524 HHN ^^^ 2007, unlicenced. Colour YELLOW?

 

tooSavvy

[retrogeezer]

I expect to see you around the local roads shouting 'anyoldiron' through a shit PA system..

[Cavcraft]

It's done it's first little job today. What a PITA that was, shifting some old sofas for a mate. Oh well, the air horns are still a source of great amusement. Except to my mate who was asleep at the time.

[garycox]

Want a roof rack? I've still got this one cluttering up my parents' garage:

 

 

That van was fucking ace.

[Split_Pin]

Hey Cav if you want an early one then there's a local Haulage company near me with a C reg one in blue. It's stashed in a barn with about fifty or so other commercials and the owner is an enthusiast who has kept trucks he ran from the late 60s and eventually restored them, so whether he will sell it I don't know.

[Jim Bell]

This Transit thread lacks Fred. Unusual.

[outlaw118]

Has anyone alerted her?

pm'ing her now.

[FredTransit]

bloody phone. I wrote a post, hit send/post whatever but it didnt register. Anyway. This will run on veg and will fly if you turn the pump up. Pop the little tin cap off the top and use turn the nut/screw under it a quarter turn try it. If theres black smoke back it off. Also check the leak off on the front injectors had the mod done to stop air collecting in the system

[2Thumbs]

Gotta love an old Tranny... Got such a distinctive sound, brings back my childhood. I've driven a couple circa. 2010 ones, and they do drive very well. Recently did 1000 miles over the course of 3 days in one and I would have happily done it again.

 

The XJ220 Transit hasn't had an engine swap or owt, they took the Jag body off the chassis and swapped it for a Transit body, hence the wheels.

[Cavcraft]

Thanks Gary, how much do you think they'd cost to post please?

 

 

IanL: yeah more details could be fun, thanks.

 

Fred: we used to do that to our old tyre house Transits, seem to recall we had to arse about with the accelerator pedal too though? Also doesn't it eventually knacker the pump and/or engine up? How do I know if the leak off have been done please?

 

Right, shifted some rubbish from a house to a skip for some hateful stig in this Mon/Tues. I won't be in a rush to do this again, it smelt like a thousand dead rats in the back of the van and still stinks after 4 bottles of bleach have been used.

It was a God send for collecting another 'ped yesterday though, and an old/flimsy wardrobe door just about held out as a ramp to get the scooter on. Got a few more little jobs lined up and I might be getting paid to deliver the scooter too, assuming the 'buyer' isn't a complete tit, of course.

[Split_Pin]

I'm liking the 'man with a van' thing, I was just thinking this morning how that would make a good little earner for me!

[FredTransit]

as long as you are not on fly by wire leccy pedal you dont do owt but turn it up. The front injector has a return pipe Basically the return pipe

from the back injector gets

swapped with the front one. If

you want I can help with it. All you need is £4 worth of diesel return pipe.

[wuvvum]

I thought only the turbo diesels were fly-by-wire?  Could be talking bollocks though.

[Lankytim]

I used to hire old trannys like this one to tow car transporters, I used to absolutely love them. As nice to drive as a car, loads of grunt, good driving position and of course stacks of load space I'd deffo hit one now. Shame they're all clapped out bangers nowadays.

[warren t claim]

I fucked up the pump on my Tourneo running it on bio diesel. Beware!

[Cavcraft]

Thanks, Fred. I've got some leak off pipe here from a job on my 306, I'll pm you when I get chance, cheers.

 

Does seem very good on fuel this van, quick 50-ish mile round trip to Liverpool and back today and the gauge has hardly moved. It doesn't half go too, and will (I think) go past motorway speed limits without too much bother. My MFI wardrobe door motor scooter ramp isn't holding up quite so well though.

[wackywacerwill]

Scaffold plank does the job nicely. Mine broke only when driving over it with said van to break the bead on a set of tyres, lasted just long enough to complete the job though was pretty much match sticks by the forth one.

 

I've a tow bar here up for grabs with a great (for slicing in half whoever you reverse into) home made metal step. I can vouch for the fact that the chassis will bend before you get your back doors caved in.

[beko1987]

I can vouch for the fact that the chassis will bend before you get your back doors caved in.

Fnarr fnarr

[garycox]

Thanks Gary, how much do you think they'd cost to post please?

 

No idea, they're quite big obviously and fairly heavy (I think they're mainly aluminium though, but I might be wrong).

 

Could you recommend any courier type services?

 

If it's too much and you wanna arrange some sort of elaborate pony express instead, they're in Bexley, Kent.

[I_am_Diesel]

I had one a few years ago to carry my motorbike around. I had to replace the injection pump and I became friends with the local Ford dealer buying kits to rebuild the door locks but apart from that I loved it. I was single at the time and it wasn't too popular with my lady friends so I sold it and bought a BMW 325 tds but I couldn't get my R6 in the boot. Massive Fail!

[Lankytim]

Not particularly interested but any more pics of the rust, reg, mileage e.t.c?

[Cavcraft]

Yeah no bother, it'll be tomorrow now if that's ok? Mileage I think is pretty low (for one of these) and about 132k. Wheel arches vary from shit to comically bad, pictures will follow tomorrow or something.