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March 1973….what a great year that was eh?
The year I started out on my own, blimey?…my first van….
We meant business in those days!!!!
Anyone else dare to share their early van photo’s I wonder?….Penguins Leyland J4 van maybe? Alex’s Morris Minor? Perhaps even Ken’s Chopper Bike? :innocent:
Re: And in the beginning….
Blimey, didn’t have a camera in those days, and certainly not the passion to take a picture of a bleeding old van.
Ford Thames based on the 100E, side valve, no heater, no radio, 3 speed G/Box. Windscreen wipers driven off the vacuum side of engine the manifold, soon as you took your foot off the accelerator the wipers would go mad.
Oh how I yearned for a Vauxhall Viva HA van, 4 gears and a stubby little gearstick.
The lads today don’t know they are born.
Alex
Re: And in the beginning….
At Hotpoint I drove Perkins engined diesel Trannies, they needed an oil change every 2,500 miles, also the odd petrol Tranny, they really could motor. Even had a few weeks in an old Ford 10/12, column gearstick, 3 speed box, based on the Ford Consul. Once did a couple of weeks in an old ex English Electric, Ford Anglia van, lovely little motor.
The BMC vans were the worst of the lot, the Austin/Morris J4’s and the Marina vans were s***e. The Ford Escort was the first half decent van that Hotpoint used.
When I first went on my own I used what was until then the wifes Ford Fiesta. Then bought a second hand Escort estate, then a 2nd hand, real smokin, Ford Granada 2.8 auto estate with all the toys. Never, ever wanted to drive a van again. 😉
Jim.
Re: And in the beginning….
gegsy wrote:You, erm like trannies then Jim :duck: :snigger:
Greg
You wouldn’t understand Greg, its a MANS van. 😛 😆
Jim.
Huh?
The oldest van I ever drove was an old Bedford HA thing. Got it on two wheels though on a bend… that was impressive, if a little scary. 😉
K.
kwatt wrote:Huh?
The oldest van I ever drove was an old Bedford HA thing. Got it on two wheels though on a bend… that was impressive, if a little scary. 😉
K.
Thats just a fancy name for Martins Viva.
Now if you had driven one of these Bedford vans I would be impressed, column gearchange, you could hear them coming a mile away if the road was bumpy, they made the most distinctive clunking sound going over bumps.
Jim.Re: And in the beginning….
Okay, I’ll own up. The first van I had that was really “mine” was a 1.7 (non-turbo) “D” plated Astra van. All the others that were before that were shared, so don’t count.
So, in the interests of research I had to find out what it could do…
Allegedly the rims were from a Ferrari although I still hold doubt on that claim. The suspension was re-jigged by a rally expert and, in combination with the flared arches which said rally expert modified and the wide wheels/tyre combo it kinda went round corners as if it were on rails. The tracking was also sorted along with the other stuff they have to do to make it all work, I don’t fix the damn things, I just drive them.
Then he de-restricted it for me, stiffened the body rigidity a little and pumped up the power a little.
Then I stripped out the interior, fitted the obligatory race seats etc. when it wasn’t fashionable and fitted an Alpine sound system and all was well… for a while.
I still took out the sump 3 times, at the same hillock, on the same road. The taking off wasn’t an issue, I did however need to work on the landing part. I just told people it was enthusiastic driving, worked for me.
I beat a Cossy in that van. Seemed the driver of the Cossie wasn’t so keen on corners and, on a twisty Scottish road, that’s not such a good thing to be being scared of. 😆
It went from Padstow to Stewarton in 8 hours. I was impressed.
Then I bought an Alfa 146Ti. Well, as they say on Top Gear, you’re not a petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa.
I’ve had several. Some worked, some didn’t. That’s the way it is with Alfa’s, great fun when they work and utterly, utterly frustrating when they don’t, especially when you want them to.
One thing I will say is that the 146 was some bus for doing service calls, it was well rapid on a fast A or B road.
Now I’m all sensible, level headed and don’t step out of line. Honest, I dont’.
Really.
I still loved my Sud, even if it never really worked right.
K.
Re: And in the beginning….
Started my business 12 years ago with £40, a box of tools and a sale – or – return agreement with a local shop on the spares.
The best part was my van. Morris Ital 1.3 ex – water board white / rust coloured. £50 no MOT. 🙁
Repaired the body, swapped the engine for a 1.7 ohc, s/hand gold seal gearbox and sprayed it Ford electric blue. (cue smutty comments :rolls: )
It looked great, went like the wind and cost me about £300 in total. 🙂
Sold it 2 years later for £550!! The guy came up to me in the street after seeing ‘For sale’ in the back window. He offered me £550 cash. Strange, as there was no price on the notice.
I then bought a MK3 Escort van – to find at the next MOT a year later that it needed a whole new floor. The plywood had been carefully painted by the seller to disguise the holes. 👿 Ditched it and bought a Talbot Express van. Ugly, noisy but refused to break down.
Then I decided to contract hire a new Citroen Dispatch……..but please don’t start me on that……. :haier: :bang: :angry4: :cuss: Good van, u’kin useless company. They collectively couldn’t run a bath without supervision. Utterly…:cuss:Steve.
Re: And in the beginning….
eastlmark wrote:Blimey Martin, I had to wait till 1980 to get a viva van!
You have good taste Mark 😉
In 1975 business was on the up and I bought my first brand new van…..
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