Sherpa Freight Rover LDV alert

[auntiemaryscanary]

Outside Halfords 23/6/25. Hope it's going somewhere nice for a holiday...

...must be a fairly late one.

Phew, not a problem, just topping up the oil. Good man. It's got to better than this hideously painted Caddy.

[Snipes]

Was the 400 simply a scaled up sherpa?

[shampooefficient]

Pretty sure SYP also had Sprinters and I wonder what the system was for allocating them... "Sergeant at that station has terrible aftershave, they're getting the LDV"

[ProgRocker]

Leyland Sherpa brochure video if anyone's interested.

 

[fairkens]

This is still earning a living. Snapped this morning. Not as old as I thought 2003 according to the MOT history

[Cavcraft]

I think the first van I ever drove was a 1700 'O' series Freight Rover, then a 400 twin wheel with the Peugeot engine. The latter felt like a Ferrari compared to the former. They also had one of these (a  real one, not a model) in the same colour blue as the photo...

[Westbay]

[Steviemillar]

This lives close to me, might be engine-less going by the height of the front end?

 

[AnthonyG]

On 23/06/2025 at 20:05, Snipes said:

Was the 400 simply a scaled up sherpa?

Was a widened version, created during the early Freight Rover years so early to mid 80s. 

I used to know someone who worked in engineering design for BL, he said he spent much of 1973 driving Sherpa prototypes round the MIRA test track!

I think BL were pretty pleased with the end result given the complete lack of money they had to do it. GM spent much more on the CF and that wasn’t really much more successful than the Sherpa.

Amazing that one basic design lasted from 1974 to 2005, particularly considering parts of the back half dated back to the 1950s!

[AnthonyG]

On 22/06/2025 at 17:27, New POD said:

And a police van 

I do love this van, it looks like something out of a Wallace and Gromit story!

[warren t claim]

Guess the film.

[jonathan_dyane]

10 hours ago, Steviemillar said:

This lives close to me, might be engine-less going by the height of the front end?

 

4x4?

[Dobloseven]

1 hour ago, warren t claim said:

Guess the film.

Quatermass Conclusion!

[JMotor]

I found a progress picture of that Convoy mid restoration.

He certainly wouldn't tackle another one that rotten ever again. I'm genuinely surprised he carried the job on.

I'm Glad he managed it, but it was an eye opener to say the least.

Oh. The door still shuts perfect, maybe even better than it did new! 🤣

[Asimo]

See this at local events. (They also have CF and Marina vans in use)

I particularly like the way the hi-top roof (presumably fibreglass) has copied the pressed form of the original steel roof. Which seems to be the same pressing as the BMC  J4 van of 1960...

[neil72]

Sherpa Camper Van that appeared locally recently

[Steviemillar]

A Y reg LDV outside a ramshackle house in a posh(ish) area local to me

 

[Rightnider]

On 22/06/2025 at 22:46, 500tops said:

 

This is amazing 😍

 

Colour coded battery!

Or was it just in the paint box?

 

[busmansholiday]

Quite appropriate that the Isle of Shite had them....

 

 

[captain_70s]

Saw a scruffy Freight Rover with a big camper body earlier today heading towards Dunfermline. It was going uphill making a lot of noise but not going anywhere fast, big queue of cars behind it.

[R Lutz]

On 25/06/2025 at 19:43, AnthonyG said:

I used to know someone who worked in engineering design for BL, he said he spent much of 1973 driving Sherpa prototypes round the MIRA test track!

So do I! He went on to be Longbridge's RWD specialist, finishing off the MG SV. 

[Snipes]

I just noticed the Post Office van with the sliding doors. 

Don't see sliding doors any more. I guess they're less "safe"?