Sherpa Freight Rover LDV alert

[Saabnut]

18 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

Is my memory playing up, or were early Sherpas ever sold as ‘Austin-Morris’, like the last J4s? I presume this was so they could be sold out of either franchise without bothering with different badges. 

My '78 camper has "Leyland-AM" as the make on the V5 so possible

[quicksilver]

19 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

That is lovely, a proper J4 with a snout like the Tundra green one you posted above.

Is my memory playing up, or were early Sherpas ever sold as ‘Austin-Morris’, like the last J4s? I presume this was so they could be sold out of either franchise without bothering with different badges. 

According to AROnline it was launched with the cumbersome title of "The new Leyland Van from Austin Morris" but within six months was renamed the Leyland Sherpa. Late seventies Sherpas did indeed have the green/blue Austin-Morris badges on the grille, and the last of the pre-facelift vans around 1981/2 were badged as Morris Sherpas in that brief period when BL decided Morris would be the brand for all light commercials that also spawned the Morris Metro.

[New POD]

10 hours ago, quicksilver said:

According to AROnline it was launched with the cumbersome title of "The new Leyland Van from Austin Morris" but within six months was renamed the Leyland Sherpa. Late seventies Sherpas did indeed have the green/blue Austin-Morris badges on the grille, and the last of the pre-facelift vans around 1981/2 were badged as Morris Sherpas in that brief period when BL decided Morris would be the brand for all light commercials that also spawned the Morris Metro.

Would they have had the Plug hole of doom logo ? 

Still in use on trucks built in India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashok_Leyland

Apparently they call it the Hurricane logo. 

 

 

[Wibble]

This one is just round the corner from me:

 

[Wibble]

MOT history and mileage suggest this could go again, without too much trouble. Been sat since last March.

[warch]

On 12/09/2025 at 20:08, Saabnut said:

My '78 camper has "Leyland-AM" as the make on the V5 so possible

O/T my Triumph is recorded an Austin Rover Group Triumph on its MoT paperwork. 
 

It’s a motorcycle manufactured in the late 1990s, and Triumph motorcycles separated from the car arm during the 1930s so were never part of BL or it’s successors.

[Heavyspanners]

This is on FB Marketplace at the moment. The day of the ten grand Sherpa has dawned!

What happened? Did Sherpas suddenly become sought-after classics, or something?



It's a Devon Kalahari, built by Devon Conversions of  County Durham (still going strong today).  I wonder if there's a company called Durham Conversions in Devon? The Kalahari was considered quite a high-end camper at the time. They came with metallic paint and trendy side graphics. Looking at the pictures on the Devon Conversions website, those graphics still seem to be a feature of the current range.

The seller says "It’s a Devon Khalari conversion which probably first existed as an old post van."  NO IT'S NOT - Devon Conversions only worked with new vehicles. If it really was "an old post van" it would be (a) knackered, and (b) not worth ten grand.

Still, that could be a bargaining point. "Nah, sorry mate, can't give you ten grand for that. It's only an old post van, see."

It would have looked like this when new:



Ten grand for a Sherpa. Crumbs. They'll be importing them from Malta next!

[Snipes]

A snazzy camper van built apparently from new isn't really a "typical" Sherpa though. 

[Heavyspanners]

On 11/09/2025 at 00:50, barrett said:

 

This is an oddball – an electric jobbie, which was apparently a proper factory thing. This was a wreck when I saw it a decade ago so if it's still there I doubt there's much left. Shame.

 

Freight Rover was ahead of the game when it came to fuel options. You could buy the Sherpa as petrol, diesel, LPG or electric from the factory.

If you search for 'electric sherpa' you get some sort of AI-generated blither-blather which claims that only a small number of prototypes were made. Nope, the electric Sherpa was a production model available to anyone, although it was mainly big organisations whose fleets did a lot of start-stop urban driving who bought them.

[Very nice swan neck lamp post in this picture. And the postie isn't even wearing shorts! Ah, it was a different world...]



Electric Sherpas were fitted with a drive train bought in from Lucas. The Bedford CF van was offered with the exact same kit. I've never seen any detailed technical info, but going by this diagram of the basic layout, the motor was at the rear end, driving into the diff via a rather odd arrangement with a backward-facing propshaft. Why not turn the motor around so it drives directly into the diff?

Putting the motor at the back meant there was no propshaft running the length of the vehicle, so the entire under-floor area could become the battery box.



Going by the figures, it had a respectable top speed but the acceleration seems rather slow. I wonder if that was deliberately limited so that the batteries wouldn't be flattened by a heavy amp-drain when the driver gave it some welly? In general, even a relatively weedy electric motor should give good acceleration, because you get all the torque, all the time.

Not bad performance, though, when you think it was all done with lead-acid batteries. I can't help wondering what you could get out of an electric Sherpa with a few upgrades using modern EV stuff...

I've never seen an electric Sherpa for sale, although I keep looking, just in case. There was an electric Bedford CF on eBay a while back, but the owner was breaking it for parts for his petrol CF. I don't think he knew he had a rarity.

 

[Heavyspanners]

4 hours ago, Snipes said:

A snazzy camper van built apparently from new isn't really a "typical" Sherpa though. 

The thing is, the camper versions aren't rare. They're the commonest flavour of Sherpa about these days. It's the panel vans which have mostly vanished from the world.

I think it might be possible to get a good price for a factory-produced camper in top-notch original condition, low mileage, no rust - but it really would have to be show-winning quality. The £10,000 one on Marketplace has had the interior messed about by at least two owners and the exterior is a bit rough, so it's really no better than a rather beaten-up DIY conversion now.

There's another Devon Kalahari on FB Marketplace at the moment for £4500, which is a bit more realistic. All the trendy graphics are intact on this one, so without even seeing the interior it looks like a better vehicle for a lower price.



 

[Dan302]

42 minutes ago, Heavyspanners said:

Freight Rover was ahead of the game when it came to fuel options. You could buy the Sherpa as petrol, diesel, LPG or electric from the factory.

If you search for 'electric sherpa' you get some sort of AI-generated blither-blather which claims that only a small number of prototypes were made. Nope, the electric Sherpa was a production model available to anyone, although it was mainly big organisations whose fleets did a lot of start-stop urban driving who bought them.

[Very nice swan neck lamp post in this picture. And the postie isn't even wearing shorts! Ah, it was a different world...]



Electric Sherpas were fitted with a drive train bought in from Lucas. The Bedford CF van was offered with the exact same kit. I've never seen any detailed technical info, but going by this diagram of the basic layout, the motor was at the rear end, driving into the diff via a rather odd arrangement with a backward-facing propshaft. Why not turn the motor around so it drives directly into the diff?

Putting the motor at the back meant there was no propshaft running the length of the vehicle, so the entire under-floor area could become the battery box.



Going by the figures, it had a respectable top speed but the acceleration seems rather slow. I wonder if that was deliberately limited so that the batteries wouldn't be flattened by a heavy amp-drain when the driver gave it some welly? In general, even a relatively weedy electric motor should give good acceleration, because you get all the torque, all the time.

Not bad performance, though, when you think it was all done with lead-acid batteries. I can't help wondering what you could get out of an electric Sherpa with a few upgrades using modern EV stuff...

I've never seen an electric Sherpa for sale, although I keep looking, just in case. There was an electric Bedford CF on eBay a while back, but the owner was breaking it for parts for his petrol CF. I don't think he knew he had a rarity.

 

I can't wait for @Kiltox to get an electric Sherpa

[TMP_319]

7 hours ago, Heavyspanners said:

This is on FB Marketplace at the moment. The day of the ten grand Sherpa has dawned!

What happened? Did Sherpas suddenly become sought-after classics, or something?

Ooh this might be my chance to flog mine for twice what it's worth. 

In fairness they're not easy to find nowadays although as Heavyspanners points out the ones that are still around are mostly campers.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, TMP_319 said:

Ooh this might be my chance to flog mine for twice what it's worth. 

In fairness they're not easy to find nowadays although as Heavyspanners points out the ones that are still around are mostly campers.

I wouldn't be betting on it! 🤣

[grogee]

T shirt arrived. 

I bought an XL and I'd say their sizes are on the snug side so maybe go one up from your normal size. 

[Rustybullethole]

On 14/09/2025 at 10:57, Snipes said:

A snazzy camper van built apparently from new isn't really a "typical" Sherpa though. 

Still looks like an old post van though.

 

[Rustybullethole]

Currently on ebay

[Rustybullethole]

And another

 

Running, or rather not running a 2.0 ford dohc lump. 

Edited September 16 by Rustybullethole

[Heavyspanners]

1 hour ago, Rustybullethole said:

Running, or rather not running a 2.0 ford dohc lump. 

 

That's quite a rarity - a short wheelbase, low top, panel van. That version of the Convoy didn't sell in large quantities because it didn't offer much extra space over the cheaper Pilot.

Not sure it's worth the best part of a grand with all those bits missing, though. It looks suspiciously like someone started to break it for spares. You'd need another spares van to put it back together!



The Convoy (and the 300/400 series) is a very different vehicle to the Pilot/200 Series/Sherpa. It's not just a Sherpa with a bigger body. Hardly anything is directly interchangeable...apart from the cab doors.

In a way the Convoy is like the Ford A Series, which was Ford's next size up from the Transit. The Ford A Series looks very much like a big Transit, but hardly anything is directly interchangeable...apart from the cab doors.

 

[AnthonyG]

If you look hard at that A series brochure, there was an artic tractor version!

I remember reading that the A series was developed in a real rush as at one point in the early 70s it looked like normal ‘light’ lorries e.g, the smaller D series, TKs, Leyland Terrier etc might be banned completely from some urban areas, and Ford wanted to be first with the answer. The proposed ban then never happened and they were left with a bit of an orphan. 

[Snipes]

On 14/09/2025 at 11:23, Heavyspanners said:

Freight Rover was ahead of the game when it came to fuel options. You could buy the Sherpa as petrol, diesel, LPG or electric from the factory.

If you search for 'electric sherpa' you get some sort of AI-generated blither-blather which claims that only a small number of prototypes were made. Nope, the electric Sherpa was a production model available to anyone, although it was mainly big organisations whose fleets did a lot of start-stop urban driving who bought them.

[Very nice swan neck lamp post in this picture. And the postie isn't even wearing shorts! Ah, it was a different world...]



Electric Sherpas were fitted with a drive train bought in from Lucas. The Bedford CF van was offered with the exact same kit. I've never seen any detailed technical info, but going by this diagram of the basic layout, the motor was at the rear end, driving into the diff via a rather odd arrangement with a backward-facing propshaft. Why not turn the motor around so it drives directly into the diff?

Putting the motor at the back meant there was no propshaft running the length of the vehicle, so the entire under-floor area could become the battery box.



Going by the figures, it had a respectable top speed but the acceleration seems rather slow. I wonder if that was deliberately limited so that the batteries wouldn't be flattened by a heavy amp-drain when the driver gave it some welly? In general, even a relatively weedy electric motor should give good acceleration, because you get all the torque, all the time.

Not bad performance, though, when you think it was all done with lead-acid batteries. I can't help wondering what you could get out of an electric Sherpa with a few upgrades using modern EV stuff...

I've never seen an electric Sherpa for sale, although I keep looking, just in case. There was an electric Bedford CF on eBay a while back, but the owner was breaking it for parts for his petrol CF. I don't think he knew he had a rarity.

 

OK, but more importantly are those the real headlights lol?

[quicksilver]

2 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

If you look hard at that A series brochure, there was an artic tractor version!

I remember reading that the A series was developed in a real rush as at one point in the early 70s it looked like normal ‘light’ lorries e.g, the smaller D series, TKs, Leyland Terrier etc might be banned completely from some urban areas, and Ford wanted to be first with the answer. The proposed ban then never happened and they were left with a bit of an orphan. 

I had a Matchbox toy of an A series tractor unit.

The real things were by all accounts utter shite, which would be explained by the rushed development. The York diesels were apparently notoriously difficult to start, to the extent that at least one operator resorted to carrying not just one can of Easy Start but a whole box of them just to ensure they could get them going! The Sherpa seems positively brilliant by comparison.

[Dobloseven]

The Devon Kalahari and Safari campers based on the Pilot and Convoy were sold through the LDV dealer network,which was almost unique in the day.

[warch]

1 hour ago, quicksilver said:

 The York diesels were apparently notoriously difficult to start, to the extent that at least one operator resorted to carrying not just one can of Easy Start but a whole box of them just to ensure they could get them going! The Sherpa seems positively brilliant by comparison.

I was walking around the Shrewsbury Steam Rally classic car section with my dad a few weeks ago and he was reminiscing about this very subject, apparently the special school for delinquent kids he worked at had a fleet of York engined Transits which were notorious for not starting with a slc of boisterous yoofs onboard whilst out on outward bound day trips and weekends away.
 

People love to go on about how great the 70s were, but one feature you forget was that you were absolutely fucked if you were miles from anywhere or it was a Sunday or there was no one on hand to lend assistance in those pre mobile days.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Dad had a 1984 Transit lwb single rear wheel with 2 rows of seats so 6 seats and I have fond memories of this one. But it was dangerously slow, fully loaded and with a fully loaded trailer in the mountains of Norway was no fun. Did this have a York engine or the newer one? It was a diesel and in the registration register I see that it had a displacement of 2360.

It lasted to 2008.

And sorry for the thread deraling.

[Dobloseven]

39 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Dad had a 1984 Transit lwb single rear wheel with 2 rows of seats so 6 seats and I have fond memories of this one. But it was dangerously slow, fully loaded and with a fully loaded trailer in the mountains of Norway was no fun. Did this have a York engine or the newer one? It was a diesel and in the registration register I see that it had a displacement of 2360.

It lasted to 2008.

And sorry for the thread deraling.

The later 2.5 direct injection engines arrived around 1985 and would have been a big improvement.We had a 1987 sloping front swb minibus and it was quite a decent thing,replacing a 1982 1.8 diesel Sherpa.The engine would start instantly with no preheat.

[EyesWeldedShut]

45 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Did this have a York engine or the newer one?

2360 would be the much applauded* York. We had them at work, fully laden, downhill motorway, with a following wind it was good for about 51 mph

[Dyslexic Viking]

2 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

2360 would be the much applauded* York. We had them at work, fully laden, downhill motorway, with a following wind it was good for about 51 mph

Thanks, then it most likely had a York engine.

This Transit was a somewhat rare spec I Guess. LWB single rear wheels, rear hatch not barn doors and side doors on both sides at the back and from new delivered as 6 seats. And even stranger, it was first registered in Norway at the beginning of 1984 but was not road registered until the end of 1984. So from what I've heard, this was part of a fleet at an electricity company, so I'm wondering if the first year it went on construction  registration plates for only off road use on a hydroelectric power plant being built in the mountains, it's entirely possible.

[grogee]

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Dad had a 1984 Transit lwb single rear wheel with 2 rows of seats so 6 seats and I have fond memories of this one. But it was dangerously slow, fully loaded and with a fully loaded trailer in the mountains of Norway was no fun. Did this have a York engine or the newer one? It was a diesel and in the registration register I see that it had a displacement of 2360.

It lasted to 2008.

And sorry for the thread deraling.

We're a broad church here Viking. Transits are welcome, as are Bedford CFs. 

[R Lutz]

On 16/09/2025 at 20:35, Dobloseven said:

The Devon Kalahari and Safari campers based on the Pilot and Convoy were sold through the LDV dealer network,which was almost unique in the day.

I was brought up around Freight-Rover. My dad had a Land Rover 2.5 400 series dropside from new. D838KGR. No PAS. Loved it. My uncle ran 200-series vans with the Perkins Prima. He went through loads of 200-series.

I bought one of the very last LDV Camper vans from Devon. It was a 55-plated XLWB Sahara, then the biggest panel van on the market bar none. The people who own Devon were my neighbours, lovely people. They had the exclusive rights to LDV conversions and they were fully factory approved. They made stacks of the Pilot based Kalahari models. But lesser spotted is the LDV Cub conversion, also factory sanctioned. 

They refused to convert the Maxus..

[warren t claim]

As needs some LDV Cub action.