RE: Video: Ford Supervan

[busta]

There's a split second near the end of the clip where they have fresh air under both inside wheels going around the s-bend. Can't help but think the 'race suspension' needed a little more fine tuning. Lowering it 6 inches wouldn't be a bad start!

I wonder what the performance of the current most powerful transit is? IIRC the top spec diesel engine is around 230hp, so in low-line panel van spec probably wouldn't be far behind the 7 sec 0-60 of the supervan.

[monthefish]

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

This is Supervan 1 surely?

[neiljohnson]

So very cool wish motor manufacturers still built mad things like this

[G0ldfysh]

monthefish said:

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

This is Supervan 1 surely?

Both the first 2 pics are of the same vehicle, just a couple of different stickers.

[niva441]

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

No, SV2 was based on the C100 group C car, suspension, Coswarth DFL engine and gearbox. Analagous to the use of GT40 parts in SV1, but with weight taken out of the body (especially higher up) by the use of composites.

[monthefish]

G0ldfysh said:

monthefish said:

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

This is Supervan 1 surely?

Both the first 2 pics are of the same vehicle, just a couple of different stickers.

Yes, possibly.

The point I'm trying to make is that supervan 1 will be the one featured in the article, and not either of the ones listed above as 'supervan 1 & 2'

[martisracing]

In the mid 1970's the Supervan 1 ended up at the Ford apprentice traing school down in Essex less engine and gearbox. When I did my apprenticeship there as well as Supervan they had a silver rodgoing GT40 and the London to Mexico winning Escort 'FLH'. During the year I spent there both the GT40 and supervan were sold. The Escort was in 'as finished rally' codition but has since ended up in the Heritage centre Gaydon with a teribble restoration including computer cut vinyl graphics (the original was traditionally sign written) and competer cut vinvl sponsor stickers. A real shame.
What happened to Supervan 1 after it was sold I do not know.

[radiomike]

martisracing said:

In the mid 1970's the Supervan 1 ended up at the Ford apprentice traing school down in Essex less engine and gearbox. When I did my apprenticeship there as well as Supervan they had a silver rodgoing GT40 and the London to Mexico winning Escort 'FLH'. During the year I spent there both the GT40 and supervan were sold. The Escort was in 'as finished rally' codition but has since ended up in the Heritage centre Gaydon with a teribble restoration including computer cut vinyl graphics (the original was traditionally sign written) and competer cut vinvl sponsor stickers. A real shame.
What happened to Supervan 1 after it was sold I do not know.

In 1970 the apprentice school at Harold Hill built the first super Transit, mid mounted 7 litre Galaxy engine with 3 speed gearbox driving the standard rear axle. It was painted bright orange and was demonstrated at Lydden Hill and Walthamstow stadium driven by Barry Lee. I was involved with banding the standard Transit wheels, fabricating a cable gearshift and making the engine cover out of fibreglass.

The GT40 was also there at the time, I remember spending 2 days fitting a replacement clutch.

[jr@]

niva441 said:

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

No, SV2 was based on the C100 group C car, suspension, Coswarth DFL engine and gearbox. Analagous to the use of GT40 parts in SV1, but with weight taken out of the body (especially higher up) by the use of composites.

SV2 got rebuilt and turned into SV3

[cboi23]

Heres my vid of Supervan 3 when I visited the heritage centre : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mzIU_cHy1Q

Also my heritage facebook page if you want to see some of the collection : http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=...

Edited by cboi23 on Wednesday 15th December 14:45

[wombatcdn]

atco said:

sunsurfer said:

wombatcdn said:

I once went to a job interview at TWR back in the 90s and in a dusty corner of the shop floor there lurked a late model Transit. My interviewer, doing the factory tour, stopped at this van and asked me to look in through the back window. Inside lurked a full subframe and powertrain for the XJ220. (It was only afterwards that I noticed the massive rubber at all four corners!) Apparently they used it as a test mule for the powertrain etc, and used to amuse themselves by pulling up next to 911s et al at red lights, and flipping off the driver in true white man van fashion. When the light went green, aforementioned stockbroker/drug dealer/w.h.y. would stomp it only to watch the Trannie disappearing off up the road.

The Transit was lighter than the XJ220 so it was actually quicker 0-60 and 0-100, however aerodynamics took over further up the scale and it only topped out about 160mph.

Never got the job :-(

Great story - cheers

Is that not the Goodwood Transit
http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&am...

Yeah it could be or else maybe another test buck that TWR ran originally. The one I saw had literally no interior in the back, must have been loud as hell in the cab.

[grumpy52]

track test at the time claimed it could have both front wheels off the tarmac under harsh use of right foot exiting bends at silverstone,looked to almost hit the footbridge with the roof as with the right foot buried you were looking at the sky !!

[dinkel]

niva441 said:

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

No, SV2 was based on the C100 group C car, suspension, Coswarth DFL engine and gearbox. Analagous to the use of GT40 parts in SV1, but with weight taken out of the body (especially higher up) by the use of composites.

Wikipedia says: "DFL > In 1981 a variant of the DFV named the DFL (for long-distance) was produced ( . . . ). The engine was modified to a larger capacity of ( . . . ) 3,955 cc (241.3 cu in) version. Both versions used wider bore and longer stroke dimensions than the standard DFV, and were tuned for reliable power during endurance events. ( . . . ) The 3.9 L version never achieved the same success as its smaller sibling (3,3), but was used to power the Supervan 2 promotional projects.

[billy whizz2]

martisracing said:

In the mid 1970's the Supervan 1 ended up at the Ford apprentice traing school down in Essex less engine and gearbox. When I did my apprenticeship there as well as Supervan they had a silver rodgoing GT40 and the London to Mexico winning Escort 'FLH'. During the year I spent there both the GT40 and supervan were sold. The Escort was in 'as finished rally' codition but has since ended up in the Heritage centre Gaydon with a teribble restoration including computer cut vinyl graphics (the original was traditionally sign written) and competer cut vinvl sponsor stickers. A real shame.
What happened to Supervan 1 after it was sold I do not know.

Supervan 1 was bought by one of the apprentices who is a friend of mine, (if he wants to add his name I will let him) who put it back together and then sold it when he got married. it has since the 1980's disappeared but Ford went looking for it for the 40th anniversary of the Transit and found that it was still registered with DVLA to my friend.

He has always regretted selling it and there is now a long term project underway to re create Supervan 1 from the original drawings and parts are being hunted for high and low.

[NHK244V]

monthefish said:

NHK244V said:

I think SV1 qot rebuilt into SV2 ?

This is Supervan 1 surely?

yes it is ?
i posted the pics of SV2 cos that's what i thought SV1 was built into ?

But i think it was 2 used to build 3 as posted later on (i wont post pics of SV3 in case it confuses matters again)

[Santapod_1970]

Supervan racing an escort at Brands Hatch was there in 1970 when i was an apprentice at Harold Hill Trade Schhol. Also the GT40 was there.