13 replies to this topic

[custardtart]

Hi Everyone

Has any members got any old photos of Old Vans and pick-ups that were used by racing teams, I remember Lotus had a Thames 400e flat bed to carry a race car.

I run a site for old vans at www.oldclassicvans.co.uk

Thanks Gary

[Vitesse2]

You'll find more than a few in the Transporters thread

[Ray Bell]

Hi Gary, and welcome to our happy home...

There is a thread about transporters, it's usually on the front page but sometimes slip to the second or third.

In addition to that, there's one of the 'personal photos' threads that's about tender vehicles etc.

Check them out, you might well find something. I do recall there was one serious posting a few years ago of an early post-war Dodge, about a 5-tonner, with a van body used by one of the famous race teams of the time. Or was it a Fargo?

[Tim Murray]

This one might also be of interest:

Supply and sponsor vehicles

[ensign14]

[bradbury west]

Whilst not "used by teams" as such, do not forget that in the late 1950s Tony Lanfranchi raced an 1172cc Ford Thames 300E van, possibly for its lighter weight compared with the saloons, sans windows, IIRC, for reduced wind resistance, a moot point considering drag perhaps. Brian Redman used a Minor 1000 Traveller/van?, his company car working for the family brush business, and the glorious Rev Rupert Jones rallied a Mini van in the early '60s when not in a works BMC car
Roger Lund

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Whilst not "used by teams" as such, do not forget that in the late 1950s Tony Lanfranchi raced an 1172cc Ford Thames 300E van, possibly for its lighter weight compared with the saloons, sans windows, IIRC, for reduced wind resistance, a moot point considering drag perhaps. Brian Redman used a Minor 1000 Traveller/van?, his company car working for the family brush business, and the glorious Rev Rupert Jones rallied a Mini van in the early '60s when not in a works BMC car
Roger Lund

JUSTIN LAW, Transit at FOS, Linguard Goulding used his mothers Hillman Minx estate at Enniskerry Hillclimb , PaulChadwick raced a mini woodie at Bishopscourt .

[mikeC]

There is/was a film of the 1967 BOAC 500 race at Brands Hatch, which shows what looks like a Ferrari-liveried Ford Transit towing the works entry on a trailer!
I thought the film was on YouTube, but I cannot find it now...

[john winfield]

Ensign, you wag. A small wholemeal, six croissants and something crusty for the weekend please.

[arttidesco]

In this pic you can seen an Escort Van used by the Connew Team that was on loan from Ford courtesy of Stuart Turner, you can read an amusing anecdote about its performance in paragraphs 7 & 8.

[andyrp26]

Whilst not "used by teams" as such, do not forget that in the late 1950s Tony Lanfranchi raced an 1172cc Ford Thames 300E van, possibly for its lighter weight compared with the saloons, sans windows, IIRC, for reduced wind resistance, a moot point considering drag perhaps. Brian Redman used a Minor 1000 Traveller/van?, his company car working for the family brush business, and the glorious Rev Rupert Jones rallied a Mini van in the early '60s when not in a works BMC car
Roger Lund

This was our contribution to racing old vans in the sixties.When it was sitting on the grid at Mallory the BRSCC came over and told us that if did any good it would be excluded from the results!We opted to rebuild it as a saloon, it later went on in others hands to be a successfull Mini Miglia racer.

[ianselva]

Whilst not a van , back in the 60s a friend of mine used to race an E type which he used to take to Brands in in the back of his Thames 6D tarmac tipper truck I seem to remember they had a ramp at Brands and Goodwood for just such occasions.

[Davidson10]

Check them out, you might well find something. I do recall there was one serious posting a few years ago of an early post-war Dodge, about a 5-tonner, with a van body used by one of the famous race teams of the time. Or was it a Fargo?

I'm sure the vehicle you are thinking of will be the Dennis Poore Dodge, Ray, newly restored and on show at Race Retro this year.
http://forums.autosp...hl=dennis poore
http://www.flickr.co...dwin/5478653805

[GeoffR]

Back in the late '70s/early '80s the works Nissan team at the Southern Cross Rally in Australia used modified E20 vans as service vehicles. Modified meant worked 240Z engines, 5 speed gearboxes, 4 wheel discs & Bilstein suspension. Having seen them in person they were certainly something else, reputed to be able to happily cruise at 140 km/h while towing a rally car on a trailer!
On a personal note, servicing on an Alpine Rally in the early '80s we borrowed a Mitsubishi van from Pedders in Melbourne, which was fitted with a 2.6L engine. From what I recall it still had the standard van running gear which limited top end speed, but acceleration was sensational.