New Member from C.I.

[KNJGSY]

Hello,
I'm from Guernsey. A real resident, not a tax exile.
I am an ex- Trannie owner. I had a face-lifted Mk.1 Transit 90 , that's the one with the grill change, not the boxy-front.
It was an ex-hire fleet one imported here from the UK. Rusted away in the salt air because the original owners must have bought their fleet in primer and not top-coated the underside. Discovered this too late. Well, I was young at the time.
It gave a good drive though.

My first contact with the Transit was as an apprentice at the Ford Apprentice Training School Harold Hill, Romford in 1969.
The annual project for 1969-70 for the second-year apprentices was the conversionof a Mk1 van, on contract to the Commercial Division, to take a 7 litre V8 engine. This was the predecessor of Supervan 1.

They took the 428 motor out of a Galaxie and the lads made it fit in next to the driver - I remember a big red 'on' light on top of the dash.
The engine was tuned up by a specialist firm and re-christened (by the driver) as a 'Boss Mustang' V8. It turned out about 450 bhp.

The van was demo'd on Rallycrosse (the BBC2 special on the trannie, produced some time ago includes a clip of this - not that you'd know - one orange transit with a black grill racing around a field.) Apparently it ran over a cameraman at one point.

We first-years caught the opportunity to push it onto the track at Walthamstow Stadium where it did battle in a series of demos against Stock, MiniStox and Superstox - coming second out of three each time. The driver was a young chap called Barry Lee.
By this time it had been beefed-up, got side-pipes and wide wheels.
It also went on a regular racing circuit and was said to have peaked at a hairy 150 mph.

At the end of Summer 1971 it 'retired'. It was our task after our exams to strip and prepare it for the following year's project: Protoype V6 fit.
I finished that year too. My last task was with the parts manual, building up the parts requirement for the new project. That was to result in the V6 motor fit for ambulances for Northern Ireland.

Commercial Division went on to commission the build of Supervan 1 using GT40 bits. A lot safer at 150 mph.

The Trade-School Trannie did feature in an article in Triple C during 1970/71.

After a big leap in time, woriking in IT, I found myself driving the firm's Mk3. (I am a bit-part in aero engineering now). But we have down-graded to an Escort.

I have also owned a Bedford CA, CF350, Leyland FG550 Tipper, and my old "British Racing Green 4 Litre straight-six 2 seater", er - Morris FG40 Tipper, and an Escort 1100 Van. All gone now.
Currently run a Kangoo car (don't knock it - van-derived cars with sliding doors - a touch of French genious) and fantasise about finding a late Dodge RB75 or RB44 - (4x4 Dodge 50s) ... just right for our narrow roads, here. No spare money, won't happen.

Who knows I may get another Transit one day & deliver freight.

KNJ

[Luke]

welcome mate

you dont have any pics of the old projects do you to scan and post on here

[devilsquest]

welcome

[Altransit]

Welcome to the forum mate

I take my bus to Guernsey every year in August, and have fun negotiating the roads but have got used to it now.

We stay at Vazon bay, is that your part of the island

[djswampy]

Sounds like an interesting course.


Hello.

[baby stepside]

your story sounds really interesting
ive heard of barry lee somewhere?
i used to have family in romford
interesting about the ambulances
welcome to the forum
i for one would be really interested in anything you have to say

[Ford Sprung Van Tastik!!]

Welcome

[john]

sounds like you know your stuff
hello

[motorwise]

welcome

[AndyG]

Welcome

[BigNeil]

welcome to the forum

[gemini]

Welcome

[ovlov]

Welcome

[Smooth Hound]

welcome

[guiness888]

Hi
was at training school from 1970 and remember the van conversion you mention. i was trying to find out some history of the trade school but having no luck any help would be apprecited