Sherpa gearbox - which one for 1980?
Discussion
Good lord what a brave purchase!
I can still remember how bad these things felt to drive ( not driven one for 30 years) as in dreadfully bad;
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
and all the sherpa's I drove had crunchy gears ( even going up).
Hope you have some fun with it.
I can still remember how bad these things felt to drive ( not driven one for 30 years) as in dreadfully bad;
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
and all the sherpa's I drove had crunchy gears ( even going up).
Hope you have some fun with it.
Wow !!! In my eyes it looks brilliant. There in lies the problem.
Anything "Ubercool" in my eyes normally has the Taste Police all over me like a rash (I have two daughters and an artistic wife)
Perhaps key phrases like "Retrochic" and "Beige is the new pink" could come in handy ?
The other option is when its raining lock out anyone who fails to see the true beauty ....
If you plan to attend any Classic Camper events let me know as I now have a "Beer Trailer" !!!!!
Anything "Ubercool" in my eyes normally has the Taste Police all over me like a rash (I have two daughters and an artistic wife)
Perhaps key phrases like "Retrochic" and "Beige is the new pink" could come in handy ?
The other option is when its raining lock out anyone who fails to see the true beauty ....
If you plan to attend any Classic Camper events let me know as I now have a "Beer Trailer" !!!!!
As for terrible to drive, bear in mind that I have owned a Series Landy with a diesel engine, no overdrive, and very marginal brakes (also a good petrol one with an overdrive and OK ish brakes). I have also driven a VW van - original spec, horrid and gutless aircooled engine, four speed box, terrible brakes, and so on. I am old enough to have rented early Transits. Thus I am used to driving truly appalling vehicles. Having said that, I may need a big sweaty drink later this evening. Devon to Oxon in a Sherpa van on a Bank Holiday Friday, plus in and out of Bristol to collect an old Honda commuter bike, but at least I will be mostly against the traffic flow (the getting back out of Bristol, early evening, after getting in may be challenging).
Train from Didcot at 1356, yikes!
Train from Didcot at 1356, yikes!
IroningMan said:
The O Series is a real gem to sit behind...
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
rallycross said:
I can still remember how bad these things felt to drive ( not driven one for 30 years) as in dreadfully bad;
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
I guess the "Light Steering" Sherpa was heavily loaded at the rear and the "Heavy Steering" had the stuff up the front .... and/or some big variances on tyre pressures ...
I delivered swimming pools as a student and had some "on job training" on where to put the weight ... I had only been driving a Mini for a couple of years before migrating to a fully laden lorry ... happy days ...
Balmoral said:
IroningMan said:
The O Series is a real gem to sit behind...
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
rallycross said:
I can still remember how bad these things felt to drive ( not driven one for 30 years) as in dreadfully bad;
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
Or else you needed arm's like legs to pilot them (see what I did there).
Breadvan72 said:
As for terrible to drive, bear in mind that I have owned a Series Landy with a diesel engine, no overdrive, and very marginal brakes (also a good petrol one with an overdrive and OK ish brakes). I have also driven a VW van - original spec, horrid and gutless aircooled engine, four speed box, terrible brakes, and so on. I am old enough to have rented early Transits. Thus I am used to driving truly appalling vehicles. Having said that, I may need a big sweaty drink later this evening. Devon to Oxon in a Sherpa van on a Bank Holiday Friday, plus in and out of Bristol to collect an old Honda commuter bike, but at least I will be mostly against the traffic flow (the getting back out of Bristol, early evening, after getting in may be challenging).
Train from Didcot at 1356, yikes!
BV, what you want is to find an old Sherpa ambulance that's being scrapped. They have the Rover V8 and 5 speed 'box. I used to service a couple of them and they went like sTrain from Didcot at 1356, yikes!
t off a shovel!J
I arrived home quite late but all safe and sound, after a long and tiring but only mildly adventurous day. Van and bike both good. I will post some updates and pics later on today, and may start a thread for the van in Readers' Cars . The bike is lovely, and in showroom condition, but as a modern (1998) example of a not at all rare mid 70s commuter bike (it looks and rides mid 70s), it probably does not warrant its own thread.
I will just briefly say that I can't understand why people here and elsewhere suggest that Sherpas are pigs to drive. This one is responsive, relatively smooth for an old van, has lots of legs in third and fourth gears, handles fine and stops well. The steering does not feel as heavy as that in a VW van, and - unless my memory of old Transits is failing - the Sherpa overall feels better than one of those. The van cruises happily at 65, and will go over 70 (but I did not want to push it, in case that led to me pushing it); but I think that an overdrive gearbox would definitely finish it off (or finish it off). Much better to drive than an old Landy (I like old Landies) and streets ahead of a Dubbervan.
Furniture removals will cost extra, but I am happy to throw parcels to lie unnoticed behind bushes and get soaking wet in the general vicinity of people's houses, for a moderate consideration.
I will just briefly say that I can't understand why people here and elsewhere suggest that Sherpas are pigs to drive. This one is responsive, relatively smooth for an old van, has lots of legs in third and fourth gears, handles fine and stops well. The steering does not feel as heavy as that in a VW van, and - unless my memory of old Transits is failing - the Sherpa overall feels better than one of those. The van cruises happily at 65, and will go over 70 (but I did not want to push it, in case that led to me pushing it); but I think that an overdrive gearbox would definitely finish it off (or finish it off). Much better to drive than an old Landy (I like old Landies) and streets ahead of a Dubbervan.
Furniture removals will cost extra, but I am happy to throw parcels to lie unnoticed behind bushes and get soaking wet in the general vicinity of people's houses, for a moderate consideration.
I think its an early 1980 ... most BL products sat in a disused coal siding for at least a year before being registered ... could you check inside the sills ?? (and I think "in" is more appropriate than "on" :-) !!)
The Taste Police gave it the Retrochic seal of approval last night ... apparently you need matching 80s Tupperware.
Hugo a Gogo said:
I'd just spotted the pics in the other thread, big Morris badge on the back door
filling out your BL lineup nicely
that's ace that
Insurance company says "Fright Rover" (the young lady could not read the word "freight", and said "fright").filling out your BL lineup nicely
that's ace that
DVLA says Austin-Morris.
Badge on front says A-M. Badge on back says Morris.
Haynes Book of Lies says Freight Rover.
Confusing? Not at all!
My dad had a 1983 era (Y plate) ex post office one with sliding doors. It was the diesel version and had a realistic top speed of 50 mph. Flat out it would do 60 but it wasn't happy about it at that speed. I drove it at pretty much 50 everywhere and learned a lot about conserving momentum and vehicle handling.
As for the steering being heavy, that's a factor of it not being maintained properly, if everything is greased and oiled regularly it will be fine. It has a steering box so there are loads of linkages that become stiff unless religiously maintained. Ours had a good quarter turn of slack in the wheel too which made things exciting.
As for the steering being heavy, that's a factor of it not being maintained properly, if everything is greased and oiled regularly it will be fine. It has a steering box so there are loads of linkages that become stiff unless religiously maintained. Ours had a good quarter turn of slack in the wheel too which made things exciting.
finlo said:
Balmoral said:
IroningMan said:
The O Series is a real gem to sit behind...
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
Early Sherpas have a pleasing lightness about them,
rallycross said:
I can still remember how bad these things felt to drive ( not driven one for 30 years) as in dreadfully bad;
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
steering that is so heavy even Geoff Capes might struggle when parking one
Or else you needed arm's like legs to pilot them (see what I did there).
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