Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4287 Location: South Cheshire

Changed the engine in one of those years ago, all done outside, we had to make some very tall axle stands to get the hight required to drop the lump out !

By the way GF you can post more than one picture in each post, it will save you a lot of time over submitting one per post Smile

Dave

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22837 Location: UK

What are the plans for it GF?

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

I have not had this van on the road for at least ten years.

I put it in one of my storage buildings, which had various doors.

The door in front of the van was blocked when I constructed a large covered roofed area outside to store more stuff.!!!

I always intended to get the van out but other projects came along and the poor van never saw the light of day until yesterday dinnertime.

To get the van out of one of the other doors, a car and caravan had to be moved, plus spares and parts moved and neatly stacked away.

I had to use a set of vehicle skates which I made a while ago to pull the van sideway`s.

A friend photographed came round to give me a hand.

Once outside we could see it better.

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

After a good clean she starts to look a lot better.

A brief history.

I built this exactly 30 years ago, and vowed never to sell it as it was the first of my better creations at the time.

On first sight it may look like an ordinary Bedford CF, but nothing could me more from the truth.

See next photo.

G.f

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4880 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
Like the blacksmith's work on the grill, or did you do it cold with mild steel?
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

Cannot post any photo`s at the moment, photobucket doing maintenance work.

In the mid 1970`s and 1980`s I was heavily into the custom and hot rod scene.

I had seen many vans which had been modified but a lot had what we called bolt on goodies. No real craftsman built body work, just bolt on fibreglass wheelarches, roof spoilers, stick on graphics, wide wheels that did not suit the vehicle etc.

I decided to build a cal look van, this took its name from the type of hot rod or van being built over in California at the time ( early 1980`s ) that had smoothed out bodywork and subtle modifications constructed from sheet steel, and handmade in body shops correctly.
Everything is welded in place and built to last.

The testament that this van was built properly is that this one is still around, all the others that were on the show circuit 30 years ago except a very few are now recycled dog tins or cans of beans.!!!

I took a standard Bedford CF van that a musician owned at the time, so it had not been abused like a builders van.

First job to give the van some get up and go and make it into a better handling vehicle was to remove the standard running gear.

A fully rebuilt Rover V8 engine and automatic gearbox was fitted.
This looks like a factory modification, it fits so well.

Why did we never have V8 commercials in the UK, our vans were so underpowered with 4 cylinder engines fitted and low gearing..

And before you say it is because of economy reasons, this van will cover more miles per gallon than the standard 2 litre Bedford at the time, which had low gearing and revved its nuts off at 70 miles an hour. .

The rear axle was rebuilt with a Vauxhall Cresta differential, which gave better gearing.

The braking system was fully rebuilt with improved brake linings and works fine with the Rover V8.

The front doors were originally sliding, I fitted slam doors.
At the time you could purchase body panels for these vans from the local Vauxhall dealer, so I fitted a side loading door and new pillars.

The rest of the van had a lot of subtle modifications carried out to the bodywork....

Bumpers removed and body smoothed over.
Twin Fiat front lighting.
Escort front indicators.
Plynth built for number plate.
Badges removed.

The custom built grill was my idea one evening whilst in the workshop.
Why not construct some wrought iron work with CF V8, which is what the van is A Bedford CF with V8 running gear. So I bend up some flat bar and made the lettering.

Side passenger and drivers doors shortened, and panelled underneath with storage lockers to the footwells.
Wheel arches modified to accept larger wheels and tyres.

Custom built number plate housing to rear door.

Triumph 2000 rear light units fitted to custom built panels built into the rear quarters.

Rear bumpers removed.

De-seamed to give a smooth line to the bodywork.
Rear valance panelled smooth.

Full custom built interior for sleeping and cooking if needed.

The exterior paint is a BMW colour called Ibershott, popular in the 1970`s

Toured all over the UK and continent from when I built it in 1983 up until about ten years ago.

Attended Truckfest Easter weekend at Peterborough in 1984 just as I finished building her.

Won best van, best paint, best interior etc at many events up and down the country for the first 10 years then decided to retire her from the show scene when other projects I built took over.
She won best built van at Silverstone when they celebrated Motor 100 way back in 1985.
Custom car and Street Machine magazine judged the vehicles and I took part in some parade laps of the circuit with the powerful trucks that were racing at that time.

Who remembers Truck racing.?
Barry Sheene was a driver.

As this year is the 30th anniversary since I built her, I am putting her back on the road and taking her to shows as a retro project.
There is a lot of interest in vehicles at the moment that were on the show circuit years ago, were stored away and now have seen the light of day for the first time in ages.

After cleaning her yesterday afternoon, I put a battery on her, the electric fuel pump started ticking, after drying out the electrics after powerwashing her underside and the engine bay, I built up oil pressure and she then started.
After warming up she ran great, she then drove up and down the driveway for the first time in ten years.

The braking system has been checked over today, shoes cleaned , drums cleaned and everything adjusted correctly.

She was stored away properly so nothing has seized up, corroded or perished.

I also changed the oil and filter.

The inside had some cobwebs and the paintwork was a little dusty but she has cleaned up well.

Now all there is to do is get her MOT`d.

As an aside the later Bedford CK MK2 had a removable front end for easier removal of the engine.
_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

COMMAD · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:03 pm Post subject:

Very nice indeed... Smile

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.

Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.