transplant modern engine into bedford CF

[gigglepin]

a lady i know has got a bedford CF ambulance ,,engine is slightly fecked and it's attached to an auto box..we had a conversation .lat night . at the pub,  about putting a modern lump in it ...both she and her hubby were a bit tipsy 

 

what i did manage to ascertain was she wanted to turn it into a camper and have manual box not auto ..although that might change when she sobers up

he was on about putting a merc engine in..i said that i'm sure some one some where will have wacked a modern engine in one already ...

so  does anyone know of one that's been done ?

[steveo3002]

 

beford engine swap into youtube brings up a few bits

[320touring]

I was just going to post that skid factory video:)

[garbaldy]

If you can shoehorn a v8 in a cf then anything can be made to fit in the hole.

[320touring]

If you can shoehorn a v8 in a cf then anything can be made to fit in the hole.

Or the hole can be made larger..

 

Thinking sensibly, if it's going to be a camper, you want something simple, that will happily sit about for ages then have a period of intense use with no complaints.

 

I'd go for an old idi diesel of some sort- like the 2.8 nissan engine/Merc om603/transit Banana diesel etc

[sierraman]

Could be tricky if we’re talking a ‘new’ engine, all the sensors and bits and bobs would be a right swine. 2.0 Ford Zetec might be a shout, readily available and the parts to convert to RWD and carbs are out there.

[DodgeRover]

What's in it at the minute? The Holden 6? If you need to change I wouldn't do diesel. An omega 3.0 v6 with auto box (rebuild the box first with a proper thrust washer rather than the plastic shit they used). I'm guess they will run ok on a cut down loom as they are popular unlimited bangers. With the emissions shit dumped and cats (£££s) weighed in they go well.

LPG could be added if fuel economy is an issue, using a tank with dual take offs will stop them getting ripped off for little gas bottles for the cooker/ heater all the time.

 

People have fitted the Frontera and transit Di engines but usually the front cross member has been cut by frankly stupid amounts.

[Ghosty]

Automatic CF?

 

Buy a manual one and swap it with Eddy!

[Pete-M]

If you can shoehorn a v8 in a cf then anything can be made to fit in the hole.

 

Rover V8 and CF both used BW 35 auto boxes, which makes life rather easy.

[0ldCh0d]

A honda Vtec engine?...2.0 or 2.2 petrol?....people shoehorn them into mini's...

[JeeExEll]

About 30 years ago a company I worked for had a rough looking CF minibus fitted with the standard carbed V8 and 5-speed from a Rover SD1. Made it quicker in a straight line for a heavy old bus, and nice burbly single exhaust just in front of the rear wheel.

First gear was never used ever and the gearing of the standard axle meant it did something like 11mpg in everyday general use. Unbelievable appetite for petrol, you could almost see the fuel gauge moving. The fact that the business was situated 10 miles from the nearest town or petrol station didn't help running costs and a few trips into town each day would soon empty the tank and bank account.

Not ideal for a touring van unless you swapped the diff. I think higher geared (lower ratio number) diffs from Vauxhall Crestas, etc, were interchangeable in the CF axle casing. That particular CF was rotten and scrapped early 1990s.

Think running expenses of a V8 Sherpa LDV. Only the police / ambulance service could afford to run them.

They do sound great tho

 

Easy conversion too.

[gigglepin]

keep the ideas coming, i got the  feeling that he  [husband ]was fed up with it  ,,,as hed done loads of work on it already,,,and she doesnt want to give up on it 

[sierraman]

If speed isn’t an issue then the 2.3 TD from the Frontera should slot in. In fact I’d have thought a Frontera would be a good donor, maybe one of the 2.0 fitted to the 2 door ones. Or the 2.8 TD Isuzu unit.

[holdyerhandout]

Well the original and horrible slant 4 was intended to be part of a family to include a diesel V8...  Best van motors have easy torque so I'd swerve any high revving 16 valve.  The Ford DOHC 8 valve i4 from the scorpio/sierra from the early 90s was available (but sold in tiny numbers) on the transit and worked well enough from a drive perspective if heavy on fuel. If you want maximum diesel misery the Peugeot 2.3 from the 505 (and Granada taxi) would certainly allow plenty of time to look at the scenery 

[warren t claim]

Keep it simple. Fit a Nissan 2.7 diesel from a TX1 taxi.

[John F]

What about a Land Rover 200 TDi or 300 TDi unit?

 

They're pretty much entirely mechanical so shouldn't be too much trouble to get in & running.

[Cavcraft]

 

 

You can close this thread now.

[danthecapriman]

Sticking with the family and using an Omega V6 and box would be probably my thoughts. Or if you fancy diesel, what about the Vauxhall/BMW engine from an Omega? Like that estate dollywobbler had?

 

I must be honest though, if I was going to the trouble of modding the van I’d do it right and get a small block Chevy V8 and autobox into it! Go big or go home etc etc!

[Wingz123]

Keep it simple. Fit a Nissan 2.7 diesel from a TX1 taxi.

I was just about to suggest this....though would recommend a turbo’d one from a terrano with all that weight of a camper to lug about...

[danthecapriman]

Volvo T5!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

There was LWB coachbuilt camper on the eBay Tat thread a few years ago with a Nissan 300ZX Turbo lump in it , think it was 3.0 straight 6 thing out of an 80's Vegas Fat Elvis era one.

[0ldCh0d]

Volvo T5!

Brilliant suggestion, that lovely 5 cylinder warble.....& impressive speed.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

That 300zx engine camper still exists and its taxed and tested!

 

These pictures are from the eBay listing I remember but reproduced on here:

http://bedfordcf2van.blogspot.com/2014/07/ebay-bedford-300zx-turbo-camper.html

 

Also on this site is a story about another CF which was fitted with an experimental Lotus 907 !!

It covered over 200,000 km with no engine problems just a lot of transmissions, tyres and brakes!

 

All these vehicles have Lotus engines!

[Dan the van]

That CF was Lotus's test mule for the 907.The Jensen Healey was next before it went in the Elite.

[omegod]

I'd rather suggest the Omega 2.6 or 3.2 engine as they are fly by wire, mostly,  so would make for an easier transplant. The autobox is quite substantial but they are a piece of piss to convert to manual  

[Rocket88]

Omega four pot auto would also do the job.........with an auto box.........rear wheel drive for ease of transplant.and it keeps it all GM. V6 would be ideal........or something Mercedes / BMW...?

[twosmoke300]

I’ve always wanted to fit a 2.2dti engine and box from an omega to one of these

[omegod]

If it helps I have a low mileage 2.2 petrol Omega engine sitting on a pallet as well as a manual gearbox kit..... 2.2 DTI is a good engine until it shits it's injection pump 

[twosmoke300]

It’s not that common ! My old vectra was finally scrapped at 200k on its original pump .

Don’t know why the dti got this rep when it’s the same Bosch pump in transits , focus , vag tdis etc etc

[eddyramrod]

I have to say, being a fan of an auto box, that the thought of an Omega V6 and auto in a CF is very very appealing.