Supervan 1

[FredTransit]

Pure transit porn, don't care if it's been posted before......

 

 

In case you can't see the embed

 

 

 

[Formula Autos]

No need to apologise for posting that!

 

I've never seen Supervan 1 in the flesh (so to speak), but I have seen Supervan 2 at the Commercial Vehicle museum in Leyland - IIRC it was based on a Ford C100 (a Group C sportscar from the early '80s). Shittily awesome!

 

Even better though is Supervan 3 - a scale model of the wedge shaped Transit shell (5/6 or 7/8 scale or something, so as to match the wheelbase of what they were given) on a Benetton B194 chassis (that's the one Schumacher won his first championship in). It's been in various colour schemes over the years, including that of a Royal Mail van. I've seen it tear-arseing around Silverstone at an indecent rate. It even made the front cover of Max Power magazine once. Pure class.

 

Don't go thinking I read Max Power though.

[maxpower]

No need to apologise for posting that!

 

I've never seen Supervan 1 in the flesh (so to speak), but I have seen Supervan 2 at the Commercial Vehicle museum in Leyland - IIRC it was based on a Ford C100 (a Group C sportscar from the early '80s). Shittily awesome!

 

Even better though is Supervan 3 - a scale model of the wedge shaped Transit shell (5/6 or 7/8 scale or something, so as to match the wheelbase of what they were given) on a Benetton B194 chassis (that's the one Schumacher won his first championship in). It's been in various colour schemes over the years, including that of a Royal Mail van. I've seen it tear-arseing around Silverstone at an indecent rate. It even made the front cover of Max Power magazine once. Pure class.

 

Don't go thinking I read Max Power though.

did someone say maxpower?

[FredTransit]

Supervan 1 was the only REAL van, based on the real steel transit body shell. even the Mk2 was a copy of the van body shell.

[warren t claim]

I'm surprised they needed to use a LWB shell.

[FredTransit]

It's a Short Wheel Base mate.....

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Has it got a GT40 engine?

[FredTransit]

could be, but I am not 100% sure.....

[VWPowered]

awesom stuff

[Torsten2001]

When I saw Supervan I was expecting some Reliant 3 Wheeler action

[Pete-M]

Holman and Moody made the GT40 lumps. 400 bhp is probably something similar but tuned for more torque

 

Those front wheels don't half stick out on it. Anyone got a full on working replica built?

[whitevanman]

I think Supervan1 ran a Cosworth V8, can't remember the engine designation though, it was the same as the F1 engine at the time.

[chaseracer]

Info here, if the pics download...: www.rebelvanners.co.uk/SUPERVANS.htm

[Twiggy]

...brilliant Fred - I loved it...

[CreepingJesus]

The engine was a Cosworth DFV (Double Four Valve) IIRC. Probly the most successful engine in F1, and coupled to a Hewland 'box, just as it would have been in Lolas, Lotuses, Brabhams etc., of the day.

In fact. I'm sure I recall reading that the back end was basically a Lola F1 car (wishbones, halfshafts etc., sent over by Eric Broadley as he was a good mate of Ford Motorsport), tho' not built by Lola.

All the Supervans give me a little smile; just to think that they spent time, money and effort on these barking mad projectiles. Ditto the RenaultSport F1 Espace.

 

EDIT: Actually the engine, to be absolutely correct, was a Cosworth DFL; the 3.9L endurance racing version.

 

EDIT: Just got the vid to work. It is indeed a Dan Gurney-built 302ci. I now want the soundtrack, complete with music, but minus the voiceover!