Post by westycapri on Aug 31, 2016 20:34:06 GMT 1
Hi All,
Thanks for the warm welcome, I've started a thread on another forum so will copy over where I am so far with the van then keep it updated going forward. I'm keen to capture any advice and get any comments that you guys have, or if anyone has any history of the van (it shows up in google image search for Mk2 Transit Camper so maybe known around the forums).
Cheers
Josh
First copy over as below from a cpl of weeks ago;
I like camping and I like cars so the next step was obvious….
Combine the 2 into a beast of a Transit! I’ve been on the lookout for one of these for years, whenever they’ve come up I’ve not been in the financial position, they’ve sold so quickly or they’ve been rough. This one however turned up on eBay a few weeks ago and looked great in the photos. I had a chat with the gf (been in her ear about this for our whole relationship) and we decided to go for it. I spoke with the previous owner over the phone and he was a nice chap and sent me some pics of the worse areas on the van. TBH they weren’t that bad so I thought whats the worse that can happen…
Fast forward a week and I was getting an 8.07 train out of Euston to Liverpool on a Friday evening to go stay with a mate so he could give me a lift across to the Wirral the next morning. A couple of beers to catch up turned into a few and a Kebab on Friday night, but due to my excitement I was up early and raring to go. We got across to the Wirral by 9.30 and there it was in front of me… It was a bit dirtier than in the photos but was as described, every panel and chassis cross-member has had work but he was solid.
Some of the additional pics that came separately from the ad:
So I handed over the cash and went to the seaside straight away with my mate Phil…
Then started the long drive back to London. Obligatory First fill up pic…
Then got home about 8 hours later…
The 8 hours wasn’t just because of the slowness of the van, traffic was also a nighmare and I wasn’t being particularly great at holding my bladder for more than an hour. The van did however perform faultlessly… bar the curtains falling down when I opened up the side windows and hit 50mph.
So what have I bought… Its a Transit Autosleeper delivered in May 1978, Key facts
- 4 speed gearbox
- uprated 2.0 OHC high compression pinto engine. He cruises comfortably at 60 and has enough left that it will accellarate when heading up hill.
- It averaged 25mpg on the drive down.
- It has such modern appliances as a sink,
- a 2 way gas and electric fridge,
- 240v hookup,
- a stove and grill,
- a pop top roof,
- leisure battery
That was pretty much Saturday done. Sunday was a trip to my GF parents to give him a rundown… he’s called Pugwall btw after the rubbish 90’s Kids TV show. We stopped at a carboot and I purchased some ramps that were cheap then swung by Halfords to pick some cleaning bits up... Never spent so much in Halfords on cleaning potions and chemicals– came to about £50.
Parked him/it up at the gf parents house and started to clean…
Strip down
Mid clean…
Pics now clean
My favourite thing… the 1 electric window
When he was clean we went for a short drive to a viewing spot, had a beer and some snacks to celebrate the ending of the cleanathon.
Its getting late now so will hold it there hopefully gives you a flavour… to say I’m happy with it is an understatement.
Cheers
Josh
Thanks for the warm welcome, I've started a thread on another forum so will copy over where I am so far with the van then keep it updated going forward. I'm keen to capture any advice and get any comments that you guys have, or if anyone has any history of the van (it shows up in google image search for Mk2 Transit Camper so maybe known around the forums).
Cheers
Josh
First copy over as below from a cpl of weeks ago;
I like camping and I like cars so the next step was obvious….
Combine the 2 into a beast of a Transit! I’ve been on the lookout for one of these for years, whenever they’ve come up I’ve not been in the financial position, they’ve sold so quickly or they’ve been rough. This one however turned up on eBay a few weeks ago and looked great in the photos. I had a chat with the gf (been in her ear about this for our whole relationship) and we decided to go for it. I spoke with the previous owner over the phone and he was a nice chap and sent me some pics of the worse areas on the van. TBH they weren’t that bad so I thought whats the worse that can happen…
Fast forward a week and I was getting an 8.07 train out of Euston to Liverpool on a Friday evening to go stay with a mate so he could give me a lift across to the Wirral the next morning. A couple of beers to catch up turned into a few and a Kebab on Friday night, but due to my excitement I was up early and raring to go. We got across to the Wirral by 9.30 and there it was in front of me… It was a bit dirtier than in the photos but was as described, every panel and chassis cross-member has had work but he was solid.
Some of the additional pics that came separately from the ad:
So I handed over the cash and went to the seaside straight away with my mate Phil…
Then started the long drive back to London. Obligatory First fill up pic…
Then got home about 8 hours later…
The 8 hours wasn’t just because of the slowness of the van, traffic was also a nighmare and I wasn’t being particularly great at holding my bladder for more than an hour. The van did however perform faultlessly… bar the curtains falling down when I opened up the side windows and hit 50mph.
So what have I bought… Its a Transit Autosleeper delivered in May 1978, Key facts
- 4 speed gearbox
- uprated 2.0 OHC high compression pinto engine. He cruises comfortably at 60 and has enough left that it will accellarate when heading up hill.
- It averaged 25mpg on the drive down.
- It has such modern appliances as a sink,
- a 2 way gas and electric fridge,
- 240v hookup,
- a stove and grill,
- a pop top roof,
- leisure battery
That was pretty much Saturday done. Sunday was a trip to my GF parents to give him a rundown… he’s called Pugwall btw after the rubbish 90’s Kids TV show. We stopped at a carboot and I purchased some ramps that were cheap then swung by Halfords to pick some cleaning bits up... Never spent so much in Halfords on cleaning potions and chemicals– came to about £50.
Parked him/it up at the gf parents house and started to clean…
Strip down
Mid clean…
Pics now clean
My favourite thing… the 1 electric window
When he was clean we went for a short drive to a viewing spot, had a beer and some snacks to celebrate the ending of the cleanathon.
Its getting late now so will hold it there hopefully gives you a flavour… to say I’m happy with it is an understatement.
Cheers
Josh