Mk2 Transit Pacemaker
Discussion
So given it has been sat for years and had no fuel in, I installed an electric lift pump and stuck it into a 10l fuel can to start with to try and get it fired up
2019-05-02_10-54-27 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Bled through to the bleed port on the injector pump okay
2019-05-02_10-53-56 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
And also to the injectors, however still a none start. Been sugested to me to crack off all the injectors and crank the engine, doing them up one at a time and it should sort it, will try this tomorrow, got dark on me today trying to bleed them.
2019-05-02_10-54-13 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2019-05-02_10-54-27 by Old_Chad, on FlickrBled through to the bleed port on the injector pump okay
2019-05-02_10-53-56 by Old_Chad, on FlickrAnd also to the injectors, however still a none start. Been sugested to me to crack off all the injectors and crank the engine, doing them up one at a time and it should sort it, will try this tomorrow, got dark on me today trying to bleed them.
2019-05-02_10-54-13 by Old_Chad, on FlickrWell I have it running 
With a bit of assistance from the transit FB group, found that there is a fuel stop solenoid on the injector pump that wasn't wired in, wired it in and it started perfectly. Think the PO was telling me porkies that it ran okay with this engine before as there was no spare wiring in the engine bay that may have dropped off etc.
Anyway, discovered this is a late banana engine, off a mk4-5 transit and one of the best ones to have along with a later 5 speed gearbox. Off to the garage over the way now its mobile to assess the welding required for the mot.
With a bit of assistance from the transit FB group, found that there is a fuel stop solenoid on the injector pump that wasn't wired in, wired it in and it started perfectly. Think the PO was telling me porkies that it ran okay with this engine before as there was no spare wiring in the engine bay that may have dropped off etc.Anyway, discovered this is a late banana engine, off a mk4-5 transit and one of the best ones to have along with a later 5 speed gearbox. Off to the garage over the way now its mobile to assess the welding required for the mot.
moved under its own steam for the first time in about 3 years.
2019-05-04_03-17-40 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2019-05-04_03-17-40 by Old_Chad, on FlickrDecided to restore the transit correctly in more time, and maybe that v8 will go in.....
So for this summer I have just aquired a horsebox to convert into a sales bar, will also help in the final layout of the trasit interior.
60339306_10156380644652358_4459806650466828288_n by Old_Chad, on Flickr
So for this summer I have just aquired a horsebox to convert into a sales bar, will also help in the final layout of the trasit interior.
60339306_10156380644652358_4459806650466828288_n by Old_Chad, on Flickrwell trailer is pretty much finished, still waiting for its lights to be wired up. Lots of leasons learnt for the bus build, which is going to be done slow time over the winter. First job, need a full set of mild AT tyres for it, don't want it getting stuck on wet grass fields. Then MOT time to see the tale of woe
IMG_20190713_101803 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20190713_101803 by Old_Chad, on Flickrstarted as the picture above in blue, got it down to its bare bones and replaced everything apart from the metal frame and underpinnings
2019-05-27_09-53-53 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2019-05-27_09-54-32 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2019-06-03_09-08-17 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20190627_190848 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20190627_190706 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20190622_171539 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
All told with fridges, electrics, materials, original trailer purchase it has come in under £3k
2019-05-27_09-53-53 by Old_Chad, on Flickr2019-05-27_09-54-32 by Old_Chad, on Flickr2019-06-03_09-08-17 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20190627_190848 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20190627_190706 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20190622_171539 by Old_Chad, on FlickrAll told with fridges, electrics, materials, original trailer purchase it has come in under £3k
I've only just found this topic, whilst searching for information on a sister vehicle. A very interesting thread and with my bus anorak hat on, here is more info.
Your Transit was part of a large batch delivered to the Southern National bus company who were based in Taunton but who operated across Somerset and Dorset. Fleet numbers 300-335 approximately were delivered for “Taunton Shuttle“ services. At the time minibuses were quite radical, they were cheap to run as the driver could get a reduced PSV licence and therefore needed less training. They were cheap to run and so more services could be run compared with full size buses. Their compact dimensions also meant that they could penetrate housing estates easily offering a more personal service.
Originally the Taunton buses arrived in the vivid cherry and cream colour scheme and that carried on until about 1992. They were then repainted into the yellow livery with green stripes as per your later picture. This allowed them to be moved between depots easily, as the Transits in Yeovil, Weymouth and Bridgewater were in different colours. Buses got swapped between depots so a standard colour was adopted.
They ran in daily service until at least 2000, by which time Southern National had been taken over by FirstGroup. New owners gave the fleet a much needed update and the Transits were mostly sold for scrap. 8-9 seemed to have escaped that fate.
The original engines were the Ford 2.5Di unit, introduced to the Transit in 1985. This engine replaced the 2.4 York diesel and was a very reliable engine, if lacking refinement!
Now the situation with the bodywork is not so clear. Your bus is an adaption of the Walk-thru van body built by Dormobile of Kent. However the actual conversion was completed by a firm called Robin Hood bodybuilders who were based in Hampshire. They took the Dormobile parcel van and cut out windows, fitted the interior etc. They were one of a few firms who conducted such conversions.
The Pacemaker body was originally developed by another Hampshire coach builder called Strachans. They developed a walk-thru body for the Mk1 Transit and were licenced by Ford as an official supplier. They adpated the van into a minibus and called it the Pacemaker. Strachan closed down in the early 1970s and Dormobile acquired their designs, adapting the Pacemaker for other chassis including the Bedford CF.
I'm the 1980s when the boom for minibuses came around, Dormobile couldnt supply them quickly enough and so arrangements were made for other bodybuilders to convert the Dormobile van body to buses. Your bus is a Dormobile outer van body with a Robin Hood conversion to minibus spec, rather than a purely Dormobile product.
Sorry if I have bored you all to tears. 🤣
Your Transit was part of a large batch delivered to the Southern National bus company who were based in Taunton but who operated across Somerset and Dorset. Fleet numbers 300-335 approximately were delivered for “Taunton Shuttle“ services. At the time minibuses were quite radical, they were cheap to run as the driver could get a reduced PSV licence and therefore needed less training. They were cheap to run and so more services could be run compared with full size buses. Their compact dimensions also meant that they could penetrate housing estates easily offering a more personal service.
Originally the Taunton buses arrived in the vivid cherry and cream colour scheme and that carried on until about 1992. They were then repainted into the yellow livery with green stripes as per your later picture. This allowed them to be moved between depots easily, as the Transits in Yeovil, Weymouth and Bridgewater were in different colours. Buses got swapped between depots so a standard colour was adopted.
They ran in daily service until at least 2000, by which time Southern National had been taken over by FirstGroup. New owners gave the fleet a much needed update and the Transits were mostly sold for scrap. 8-9 seemed to have escaped that fate.
The original engines were the Ford 2.5Di unit, introduced to the Transit in 1985. This engine replaced the 2.4 York diesel and was a very reliable engine, if lacking refinement!
Now the situation with the bodywork is not so clear. Your bus is an adaption of the Walk-thru van body built by Dormobile of Kent. However the actual conversion was completed by a firm called Robin Hood bodybuilders who were based in Hampshire. They took the Dormobile parcel van and cut out windows, fitted the interior etc. They were one of a few firms who conducted such conversions.
The Pacemaker body was originally developed by another Hampshire coach builder called Strachans. They developed a walk-thru body for the Mk1 Transit and were licenced by Ford as an official supplier. They adpated the van into a minibus and called it the Pacemaker. Strachan closed down in the early 1970s and Dormobile acquired their designs, adapting the Pacemaker for other chassis including the Bedford CF.
I'm the 1980s when the boom for minibuses came around, Dormobile couldnt supply them quickly enough and so arrangements were made for other bodybuilders to convert the Dormobile van body to buses. Your bus is a Dormobile outer van body with a Robin Hood conversion to minibus spec, rather than a purely Dormobile product.
Sorry if I have bored you all to tears. 🤣
Somewhere I've got a photo of my uncle and one of these, a C-reg, dark green IIRC, and Tiverton on the destination board. I think the reg suddix was FFJ. After leaving the army he worked for Devon General until deregulation. KInd of ended up running in the family, as now I work for a private coach operator.
mercedeslimos said:
Somewhere I've got a photo of my uncle and one of these, a C-reg, dark green IIRC, and Tiverton on the destination board. I think the reg suddix was FFJ. After leaving the army he worked for Devon General until deregulation. KInd of ended up running in the family, as now I work for a private coach operator.
Devon General were the first company to really embrace minibus operation. They had a huge number of Mk2 Transits and then later mk3 Transits, all with Devon issue registrations. scrw. said:
Thanks for the info! Resto on the bus will be starting next month, still struggling finding inner wings, they are patched at rotten and I really dont want to patch some more.
Good luck with it, unfortunately rot was the enemy of these once withdrawn from service its worsened as they are not inspected as regularly as when they were service buses.You can fit the 3.0 'essex' V6 into a Transit, Ford built them as SVO option for Police and Ambulance vehicles.
Bump for this. Lost my mojo for the van, it has sat being very sad all winter. Main sticking point was the inner arches, they are shot. Well I have just found a pair of new inner arches, so about to pull the trigger on new inner arches, front wings, bonnet and a new front panel. Will give me something to do while I decide if I stick with the diesel or throw a Ford 4.6 v8 in it, really need it to be auto....
jp.bolton said:
Hi, if you are considering selling your van in the future let me know, I have two of these and always on the lookout for another one!
You don't have any spare bits do you? Really want to put an original near side door back in, not the crappy effort currently installed.Edited by jp.bolton on Sunday 26th April 19:44
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