Worlds Fastest Van

[Jerzy Woking]

Not exactly of interest to everyone on AS, but seeing that it is Guy Martin that's trying to help develope/help build and drive it, it should be interesting.

 

Channel 4, 9pm tonight.

[mercrocker]

I bet it still won't beat a rusty white Sprinter on the last drop of the day.....

[sierraman]

No come on it’s a Bedford Astramax.

[Lacquer Peel]

Nissan Vanette

[PiperCub]

No, it's definately the diesel Astramax driven by a 17 year old electrician's apprentice, fastest vehicle ever. 

[Bren]

I did Widnes - Southampton in 3.5 hours in an astramax. This included a stop for food at Corley services. It would take longer by phone.

[DVee8]

All wrong, a white Ford transit connect.

[Floatylight]

No, it's definately the diesel Astramax driven by a 17 year old electrician's apprentice, fastest vehicle ever.

We had a couple of those at the council, had been bought blue and sprayed green, then left to bake for too long which are all the interior plastics brittle, which meant most of it snapped and broke off over the years.. One lost all its oil after putting a hole in the sump after hitting a roundabout with serious adverse camber at about 70 (in a 30 limit) the other one got to an indicated 110 on the A38 before pulling off at a slip road and the driver hearing a terrible knocking noise and realising he was still in 4th.. For the rest of it's time on lease it would intermittently stop with a terrible clonk, and restart after being left for a few minutes and then winding over slowly.. I should point out I was not the driver on any of the above occasions....

 

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[sierraman]

Nissan Vanette

I can hand on heart say, the slowest van ever. Especially the dreadful diesel they did. Quickest it’s ever likely to go is off a cliff.

[Lacquer Peel]

I can hand on heart say, the slowest van ever. Especially the dreadful diesel they did. Quickest it’s ever likely to go is off a cliff.

I had one and thought it went okay but I have a long history of NA diesels and know how to drive them - ie not like a turbo diesel or petrol.

[dollywobbler]

I had one and thought it went okay but I have a long history of NA diesels and know how to drive them - ie not like a turbo diesel or petrol.

 

OK doesn't mean it's actually quick. I used to drive one, and it would do 80mph. The challenge was finding a road long enough. Wasn't the official 0-60mph time something like 27 seconds? Like a 2CV.

[sierraman]

Wasn’t the engine accessed from a panel over the gearbox tunnel on those?

[Lacquer Peel]

OK doesn't mean it's actually quick. I used to drive one, and it would do 80mph. The challenge was finding a road long enough. Wasn't the official 0-60mph time something like 27 seconds? Like a 2CV.

That was the Nissan Serena lugging the weight of seven seats, windows and the associated trim. It's hard to find 0-60 times for vans of the era but I doubt if a Vanette is much slower than a non turbo Hiace or Transporter.

Maybe it's a phoney perspective but I found driving non turbo Xantia and Primera diesels much more frustrating because you expect something car shaped to go quicker.

[Lacquer Peel]

Wasn’t the engine accessed from a panel over the gearbox tunnel on those?

Panels under the seats, a lot more accessible than cab forward vans with engines under the scuttle..

[dollywobbler]

That was the Nissan Serena lugging the weight of seven seats, windows and the associated trim. It's hard to find 0-60 times for vans of the era but I doubt if a Vanette is much slower than a non turbo Hiace or Transporter.

Maybe it's a phoney perspective but I found driving non turbo Xantia and Primera diesels much more frustrating because you expect something car shaped to go quicker.

 

The Vanette Cargo I drove was like a larger Serena. It was painfully slow empty.

[beko1987]

My taxi to and from school (out of area) was a Nissan Serena. Put me off them for life! Horrible thing

[Lord Sterling]

I've driven the current shape Transits which is what Guy Martin is using. They are pretty quick. Can't say I've not taken one to 3 figures before.

 

I've also driven the Nissan Vanettes sister the Serena. Slow but not an actual bad drive all round.

 

I have an irrational hatred of VW T5s.

[Lacquer Peel]

The Vanette Cargo I drove was like a larger Serena. It was painfully slow empty.

My Vanette Cargo was just as slow laden as unladen, it's a torquey very old fashioned diesel with low gearing in a light van, they're quite good at their jobs of being vans.

[chrisjvm]

Wasn't there a Tranny van with mid mounted XJ220 engine/box and running gear a few years back... Or did I imagine it?

[Snipes]

Wasn't there a Tranny van with mid mounted XJ220 engine/box and running gear a few years back... Or did I imagine it?

It was the XJ220 development mule. I guess either that or the Espace shaped F1 silhouette thing Renault did would be fastest?

[Jim Bergerac]

There was and it was actually the testbed for the XJ220 engine:

 

In the US, Ford do the Transit with a Twin Turbo 310hp V6.

[chaseracer]

We had a couple of those at the council, had been bought blue and sprayed green, then left to bake for too long which are all the interior plastics brittle, which meant most of it snapped and broke off over the years.. One lost all its oil after putting a hole in the sump after hitting a roundabout with serious adverse camber at about 70 (in a 30 limit) the other one got to an indicated 110 on the A38 before pulling off at a slip road and the driver hearing a terrible knocking noise and realising he was still in 4th.. For the rest of it's time on lease it would intermittently stop with a terrible clonk, and restart after being left for a few minutes and then winding over slowly.. I should point out I was not the driver on any of the above occasions....

 

Ah, such happy memories 

 

D'you remember the time Dave Sims brought back a laser printer from Wilnecote High in one of the Excudospatches, forgot to tie it down properly and had to do a hard stop on the A51?  Not sure he ever got the toner out completely, either from the van or himself...

[Richard]

 

In the US, Ford do the Transit with a Twin Turbo 310hp V6.

 

I think it's already got one of those engines in it from the last time he attempted to break a record.

[Floatylight]

Ah, such happy memories

 

D'you remember the time Dave Sims brought back a laser printer from Wilnecote High in one of the Excudospatches, forgot to tie it down properly and had to do a hard stop on the A51? Not sure he ever got the toner out completely, either from the van or himself...

Yep, many stories to tell, remember a Bedford Midi being reversed down a flight of steps and crushing the fuel tank and a Sherpa that used 5L of oil a day... Oh and another AstraMax that someone on work experience had to be cut out of when it was upside down in a field... Happy times..

 

 

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[They_all_do_that_sir]

Big fan of Guy, looking forward to this later

 

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[Burnside]

Fastest Van I've driven myself was a 2004 Mercedes Sprinter CDI LWB which easily hit 3 figures and I never ever found it good at drifting either. I was young and foolish is my excuse!

 

But from a proper AS prospective my old 1992 1.6D Renault Extra Van managed 114 at a pretty reasonable rate once before I found out it was a lightweight edition due to the rot which maybe also helped.

 

Worst Vans without a doubt are Iveco Dailys. Not that there that slow it's just that there a total piece of crap build quality wise and having driven one that tried to set fire to itself while driving it didn't help. Use to look forward to the garage giving me there T reg Transit Lwb with the Banana Engine in as it was superior in every way even if 0-60 took all day. Accurate gear changes were essential which was a challenge I much enjoyed.

 

An as for the VW T5/6 omg epic build etc whatever there not that good give me a Transit any day.

[Matty]

Astramax 1700 diesel was my second car (van) at 18. Fast as fuck with everyone in the back and the orange beacon going on the roof. Compared to a 999cc Uno it felt quick anyway. The police pulled me over due to the beacon. "You appeared to have lost the car you're towing sir. I'm not towing. Well turn that fucker off then before I book you!"

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

I got my peugoet boxer 1.9 n/a over a wunner on the m11 once. Needed all 3 lanes to go straight. Van was never the same after... Neither was I...

[HMC]

Fired up the telly for it here, here we go

[Matty]

I used to like guy. Then the wife said she quite fancied him. When I sulked she said I should take it as a compliment. "After all he has shaggy hair, dirty hands and talks with a funny accent. Like you!" God love her...