Luke's Minibus mk1

[Luke]

Well here she is, ive had here for a long time, looking back she wasnt in too bad a condition when i got her but ive let her go a bit! daily driver for 5 yrs etc gettin loads of abuse as transits do and this was the result- originally a mk1 i fitted mk2 front end - due to the cost of mk1 front panels. Shes now nearing the end of a full shell restoration! (got to say thanks to my mate steve@ccr whos doing all the bodywork for me )

[Luke]

and heres a shot from the rear!!! That back door has been replaced now!

I think the new colour will be ford mercury grey

[FredTransit]

AAAAAW! Couldn't you have held onto the MK1 front end? Don't you miss it? It's not as though MK2's are thick on the ground any more though....... Mind you, we have just bought a Mk2 phase2 and will be putting the phase1 front end as they are getting rarer. Did you see that one on ebay (81 I think) that went for £600?

[Luke]

Ive kept the bullnose front panel and bonnet - there currently helping with my pickup restoration! But the wings were proper rotton but i do have a pair of (NOT FOR SALE) n.o.s. mk1 wings ready to possably go back on with a future conversion back to mk1, but i'll be wanting it flat front - and yes i do know that the engine wont fit - well easly anyway - but theres allways a way

[FredTransit]

but i do have a pair of (NOT FOR SALE) n.o.s. mk1 wings ready to possably go back on with a future conversion back to mk1, but i'll be wanting it flat front - and yes i do know that the engine wont fit - well easly anyway - but theres allways a way

Would it help if I beg? Please see 'nice and nasty' in Gallery. You will need to cut the firewall to fit the engine, and possibly go auto (though I am not sure)

[Luke]

Would it help if I beg? Please see 'nice and nasty' in Gallery. You will need to cut the firewall to fit the engine, and possibly go auto (though I am not sure)

hehe those wings are going nowhere other than on my van!!!
yeah i guess the bulkhead has gotta be cut, i just want her back on the road 1st mabe ill fit em next full rebuild and theres no chance im going auto either

[FredTransit]

Damn! Well, we have an auto with a V8 though, so not a lot of room to spare.

[FredTransit]

Just having a closer look at your pics, and I noticed the drivers mirror. Is it an LDV (Sh*rper!) head, and if so, how did you fit it to the Mk2 arm?

[Luke]

Not sure fred, for years i only drove it round with 1 mirror on (interior miror only) MOT requirements etc. bit of a pain when towing though so i took that one off a mk2 in a scrapyard where i was working, but left it in the back of the van for ages and it got cracked! but i fitted it anyway, better than nowt! i think it said brittax on it but ive chucked it now (aint having no cracked mirrors on after the restoration

[FredTransit]

If it's a plastic mirror head with a rubber gasket around the glass, it's a later LDV. We fitted the complete earlier chassis cab LDV to our extra lutons cos the arms are longer and you can see past a wide body better than with the standard ones. They are plastic too, but a straight swap for the transot, but the newer ones have a different mounting bracket, and you ahve to drill new holes in the door/wing to fit them, which we are not keen on for obvious reasons. I din't know that the later ones would fit to the trannie arms, making them easier to fit.

[mk2panelvan]

I think the MK1 mini bus with the MK2 front looks great......makes you look twice at the number plate!...lol
Hows it going? anymore pics of how it is now??
Great van fella

[Luke]

She's getting there (new babys have slowed us up a bit!! ) - im gonna put up some piccs when she's done!! dont want to spoil the effect!!

[mk2panelvan]

Will look forward to the finished van, great job.
Good look with the children they are worth the time they take up

[Luke]

Latest piccy!!!

Looking good!!!

[FredTransit]

Looking good? Erm, understatement I think!