Talk to me about Bedford cf's....UPDATED with moar pics!

[barmatt]

The missus and I have been hankering for a retro camper for a while now, this one is quite local to me and I'm going to look at it tonight, it's only got about a months ticket left and according to the mot history it's going to need a couple of springs, a ball joint and a few other bits for its next one but the price is right and I have time and workshop space to do it.

I am completely unfamiliar with these things though, what are the main failings and what should I really look for?

http://www.swapz.co.uk/swapz/5547627/Bedford_cf_250_camper_swap_this_weekend/

opinions please....

[The Moog]

For campers it is the state of the interior especially damp. Damp kills them quicker than anything. It warps the wood and causes them to rust inside out.

 

We had the ex Dollywobbler CF which was fab. But frilly around the edges. Loved it to bits. It had the bigger engine which was great although drums all round made braking interesting!

 

Personally I would have thought £2k was a bit steep for it.

[barmatt]

 

Personally I would have thought £2k was a bit steep for it.

 

As with everything on the swapz site it has been overvalued by the vendor, that isn't the price I have agreed to subject to viewing.

[Six-cylinder]

As with everything on the swapz site it has been overvalued by the vendor, that isn't the price I have agreed to subject to viewing.

If it is not rusty and the interior is not damp, while I know nothing of classic motor caravan values it looks like a lot of fun for that kind of money.

[cort16]

The main enemy is going to be rust given the short mot. I think they're slow but pretty bomb proof.
We went on holidays on one when I was about 7 and sheep got in and eat all our biscuits

[Keymaster]

What Moog says.

 

If you're happy with the cab and chassis then great, but on a coachbuilt it's the caravan bit that you really need to be sure of.

 

Your nose can tell you a lot, but get a damp meter and use it all over the internal walls and ceiling. Readings up to 15% is considered normal, any area reading over 20% will need some sort of investigating & rectification. If you're handy with woodwork it's not hard to do, but you really don't one riddled with it as it would become a never ending task of misery to sort out.

 

If you're in the market for one, go look at it. But don't let yourself fall in love with it. Be objective 😃

 

Good luck

[wuvvum]

These are probably one of the more capable old campers, assuming it has the 2.3 slant four (which presumably it would on that year) - they have enough grunt to avoid becoming a mobile traffic island, although they do like a drink.  From memory (it's a long time since I drove one), steering is heavier than a Transit and brakes aren't as good, but compared to a Type 2 or a Commer or even a Sherpa they're a decent drive.

 

The camper bit doesn't look too bad from the pictures - as others have said, damp is the main problem with old campers and caravans, so poke around in all the corners.

 

What happened to the camper in Yarmouth?  Did that fall through?

[Dave_Q]

The main enemy is going to be rust given the short not. I think they're slow but pretty bomb proof.

We went on holidays on one when I was about 7 and sheep got in and eat all our biscuits

This would be a red card for me, no way could I risk sheep eating my biscuits.

 

Otherwise, see vehicle reg for general AS opinion.

[barmatt]

What happened to the camper in Yarmouth?  Did that fall through?

 

It may still go ahead if this doesn't happen but it snapped its clutch cable the night before I was going to collect which I found suspicious and then the guy admitted to me that he hadn't driven it, he'd just bought it and "sold" it on to me without seeing it and he was getting excuses from the seller who was now saying the gearbox was fubared, so I said let's call it quits. But if this is a lemon I may still go back to that one because if is just a knackered gearbox I've got a mate who has a collection of old transit engines and boxes.

[barmatt]

 

Otherwise, see vehicle reg for general AS opinion.

 

The reg has "spoken" to me a bit.

[mercrocker]

Mechanically the CF I had remains one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned.   I think the general consensus on the body bit is the dampness, that would certainly be my worry.   Also you might want to inspect the cab area around the top of the screen, those over-cab bits can trap dampness against the steel with inevitable results.   I don't recall any parts issues although I had mine some ten years ago.

 

Rust-wise CFs do not seem any worse than other contemporary vans - check the door step panels and front footwells for wob.   I would have to do something about that mascara round the grilles but thats just me.

 

You don't seem to get much of a camper project for less than 2K nowadays......

[Rocket88]

CF is a good drive. that old slant four is a good lump, although, as previously stated, likes a drink

[Junkman]

Is it even possible to hazard a guess as to how a vehicle is, of which the newest examples are knocking at the 30 year door?

 

Like all non-yank pre-1990s vans they are dreadful, one cannot possibly imagine what a miserable work environment they provided.

Thus for someone, who prefers to spend the equivalent of hundreds of nights in quite nice hotels on a shonky campervan,

they must be the pinnacle of desirability.

[barmatt]

CF is a good drive. that old slant four is a good lump, although, as previously stated, likes a drink

 

From what I've read I expect to get around 18mpg, which isn't surprising from a 30+ yr old pez engine dragging a bungalow around and I don't think we'll be doing millions of miles in it. Although if I do buy it I will be looking at the possibilities of fitting an overdrive.

[dean36014]

Looking at the pictures I'd be concerned why on the photos the top half, grey portion on the nearside appears to be a sheet of wood.  Note that its correctly corrugated on the offside but is flat on the nearside and appears to stand proud from the rest of the side panel.

[barmatt]

Looking at the pictures I'd be concerned why on the photos the top half, grey portion on the nearside appears to be a sheet of wood.  Note that its correctly corrugated on the offside but is flat on the nearside and appears to stand proud from the rest of the side panel.

 

Good spot, I hadn't noticed that. I will ask what that's about.

[dean36014]

its probably covering up accident damage as its next to impossible to get any external panels with the correct moulding. Check for damp, damp, even more damp, floor for delamination and the cab for rust, especially the cab roof as the tend to rot due to the conversions. The fact its been wallpapered inside means it could be hiding a lot during its renovation.  

[eddyramrod]

As others have said: be REALLY alert for the slightest signs of damp in the camper bit, and run a mile if you find any.  Rust in the metal bits is most likely to be cab steps, floor, door bottoms, maybe windscreen frame, but check everywhere anyway.  The T plate makes it 1978/79, which to me says it should be a 2.3, the slant-four: ideal choice but a thirst of legend.  The listing says 2 litre, which would be the Opel engine that replaced the 2.3.  Pretty sure that's the Carlton/Cav/Manta engine.  The front suspension was rather more sophisticated than Transits: double wishbone with coil, rather than beam axle and leaves, so you got a vastly better ride.

Good luck.

 

In summary: water ingress is the enemy, literally everywhere.

[Cavcraft]

The advert says it's a 2.0 petrol, I think. Pretty sure they were fitted to the very last of the CFs (the CF2) and were probably Carlton units.

 

We had a 2.3 'pop top' CF about 10 years or so ago, coaxed it through an MOT (they rot like a bastard) and drove it to Cromer for holiday. It struggled a bit on the way as it hadn't really been used for a couple of years and sipped fuel like there was no tomorrow. Coming home though it sort of bedded itself in and was lots better in the economy stakes.

 

The short MOT would concern me, my pc is playing up so I can't see the pictures but if the reg number is visible it's probably worth typing it into the MOT history check on the web. The underside and the front wheel arches were the worse for rot that I can remember on CFs. 

[dean36014]

Registration number: YES147T

 

• Vehicle makeBEDFORD
• Vehicle modelMIDI
• Date first used9 May 1979
• Fuel typePetrol
• ColourWhite

 

MOT history of this vehicle

• Test date11 April 2015
• Expiry date10 April 2016
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading74,663 miles
• MOT test number3056 6150 5120
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

  Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

  Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

  Nearside Rear Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

  Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

  Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

  Nearside Rear Electrical wiring damaged, but not exposing bare wires (1.9.2c)

  Offside Rear Electrical wiring damaged, but not exposing bare wires (1.9.2c)

  Oil leak

• Test date1 July 2011
• Expiry date6 July 2012
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading74,071 miles
• MOT test number4790 6288 1180
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

  Leading edge of bonnet starting to corrode and seperate from inner skin.

  Small amount of play in N/S front wheel bearing.

  O/S and N/S rear spring swinging shackle bushes starting to deteriorate and shackles rubbing against chassis.

• Test date28 June 2011
• Test ResultFail
• Odometer reading74,068 miles
• MOT test number2552 8907 1126
• Reason(s) for failure
  
  Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

  Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

  front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

  Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

  Leading edge of bonnet starting to corrode and seperate from inner skin.

  Small amount of play in N/S front wheel bearing.

  O/S and N/S rear spring swinging shackle bushes starting to deteriorate and shackles rubbing against chassis.

• Test date7 July 2010
• Expiry date6 July 2011
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading73,077 miles
• MOT test number2324 5808 0424
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

  N/S/R BRAKE CABLE ONT RETURNING CORRECTLY

  N/S/R shockabsorber lower bushes starting to deteriorate

  rear diff lecking

• Test date5 July 2010
• Test ResultFail
• Odometer reading73,073 miles
• MOT test number5714 8678 0134
• Reason(s) for failure
  
  Offside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

  Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

  N/S/R BRAKE CABLE ONT RETURNING CORRECTLY

  N/S/R shockabsorber lower bushes starting to deteriorate

  rear diff lecking

• Test date8 August 2009
• Expiry date7 August 2010
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading72,198 miles
• MOT test number4727 2032 9206
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Nail in offside front tyre

  Nearside non obligatory mirror loose

  Propshaft centre bearing excessively worn

• Test date8 August 2009
• Test ResultFail
• Odometer reading72,196 miles
• MOT test number6945 9052 9209
• Reason(s) for failure
  
  Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)
• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  Nail in offside front tyre

  Nearside non obligatory mirror loose

  Propshaft centre bearing excessively worn

• Test date6 August 2008
• Expiry date5 August 2009
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading72,006 miles
• MOT test number4341 7951 8211

• Test date9 April 2007
• Expiry date8 April 2008
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading71,328 miles
• MOT test number1630 4979 7484

• Test date12 May 2006
• Expiry date11 May 2007
• Test ResultPass
• Odometer reading71,066 miles
• MOT test number7105 2273 6148

• Test date5 May 2006
• Test ResultFail
• Odometer reading71,063 miles
• MOT test number5718 4562 6127
• Reason(s) for failure
  
  Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

  Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

  Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

  Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

  Brake master cylinder fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1e)

  Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

  Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

  Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Search again

 

 

[purplebargeken]

Rust. I think the windscreen and rubbers are a bit hard to get.

[skattrd]

Have you bought it yet?

[cort16]

What about now ?

[barmatt]

Camper is a no go, it just needs too much doing, it showing signs of historical damp in the back, there was a lot of filler in the wings, pillars and steps and it had been sealed badly.

Shame really as it's not beyond hope just not for the money he's asking.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[DVee8]

Did you ask why one side is different to the other?

[sierraman]

At least with a fitted bed you'll have somewhere comfortable to sit whilst waiting for the AA to attend.

[Royale80]

Evening all,

I'm will be in  the same boat in a year or so-looking for an "older" camper van(getting rid of the caravan).

There was a lovely looking LWB CF with a pop up roof on ebay a couple of weeks for £4000.

 

Looked the business but can only tell by viewing.

 

Off topic-a friend had a CF back in the 80's with the 3.3 straight six in and side exhausts. Did go well. Stopped by the rozzers one night-they said "that sounds meaty for a 2.3"-he had it insured as a 2.3.

His brother tried to tune it one day and it never went right after.

 

Steve

[barmatt]

Did you ask why one side is different to the other?

 

I did aand the chap didn't know but to me it looked like it was a repair panel.

[michael1703]

How about

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1981-Clssic-Chevy-day-van-/281955055028?hash=item41a5d4b5b4:g:yqYAAOSwzgRWv0pe

[barmatt]

How about

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1981-Clssic-Chevy-day-van-/281955055028?hash=item41a5d4b5b4:g:yqYAAOSwzgRWv0pe

 

  no taa, I have criteria for our camper.

 

1. i need to be able to stand up in it, I'm 6'1"

2. I want a bed over the cab (can't be arsed making a bed every night)

3. It needs a loo (the missus is funny about peeing in fields.

 

So if anyone sees anything that fits these I'd love to see it.