Introductions

[mezzmo]

Have a look at Dans Beddy on page 8 in the gallery. That van has been for sale for a while and like you, i asked Dan for extra pics and stuff (twice) and never got them. I was serious about buying but not without further pics. Anyway as it turns out i was lucky enough to find one around the corner - Dan still may have it for sale and its a very sweet looking ride, try to PM him - you might have better luck than me.

[MartinTheMad]

Thanks mezzmo. Nice van that. Very stock looking.
I should probably start a new thread, seems this line of chatter is hijacking the purpose of introductions! Hah...

[markG]

hello my name is mark. Just hit the big 40, so am looking for my first cool car and have decide on a Van.

[ameyc2]

For sale :-(
Going overseas!
Ameyc2@gmail.com
Will send more photos and info!
1977 BEDFORD CFS
$5,500
Private: Used | VIC

6 cyl 2.8L
Auto
Camper
140,000km
See Cars guide add
 VIN number or registration. APB002
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): GJ570423
Registration number: APB002
 
 My vehicle is not registered
Registration expiry:   No reg
Kilometres on your odometer:*140,000
Full service history:* Yes / No
Roadworthy certificate:*   No
Exterior colour:*orange
Interior colour: orange
Condition:* very good

[Badger]

Hi guys,

Love this forum (never registered till now) but haven't written in a forum before so mercy, please!

Yep - the time has come to part with my beautiful big fat girl. I'll try to post into the 'For Sale' thread after introducing mahself.

My name's Beau. Now - I know nothing about cars, probably less than nothing actually- sort of like the black hole of knowledge... But I bought my Beddie about 7 years ago when a friend sort of convinced me we could do something with it. A few things were done (I had to get the drive shaft made, some new tyres, etc.) but never enough just to get me a roadworthy (which is all I actually want!). I love love love her but a) don't have a yard at all to work on her or keep her in between mechanic / panelbeater visits, b) just want to buy one with a roadworthy so c) can just start enjoying driving one the same way all you guys get to!! Ahhhh.... the dream of camping in a Bedford by a lake... ahhhhh....

I don't know about you guys like but my big girl is my perfect Bedford - 1976 CF SWB with gate doors to rear and side but she's the sort with not a lot of windows. Whoever the kid was that I bought her off all those years ago gave her a nasty spray can job which makes her look like a big fat angry badger (which I love) but there's no way to replicate that exact paint job (as shi*ty as it is, it makes me smile).

So, as sad as it is, I'm about to become one of those people on Gumtree or Ebay moving my beautiful shitheap to try to find one on here that is equally shit but roadworthy-able. Thought I'd post to you guys first since you always seem to be on the lookout!

Looking forward to trying to do it all again, though. BTW - Does anyone actually know the terms to describe my angry badger given the info above (i.e. No windows, blah blah...) because in a few months I'll be looking for the exact same one (but close to RWC)?

Thanks for the forum! Speak to you soon,

Beau

[johnb44]

hi there im new to bedfords but have been a vanner since 1981 having had a hj sandman from 1980 till 1995 then a Toyota 60 series 4x4 , then a rodeo 4x4 , currently a landrover 4x4 and now a 1976 Bedford 253 v8 trimatic more info in the members rides section 

[Tasford]

 Hi I'm Jeff from Tasmania, great site and loads of fantastic information.
  I have a 1970 series 1 CF SWB van. It sat in my garden for quite some time and but now I have a bit of time to throw at  my intention to get it back on the road.
 Having read through some posts I noticed there is a bit of debate about front disc brakes, has there been any conclusion about what goes on, as they would be on my wish list. Te other option is to try and find some Bedford pistons and reuse the original drum brakes. It's not my intention do any trans alpine adventures, or race it round Bathurst, and from what I can remember of the brakes form my time on them in the 70's and 80's there weren't to bad.
 From what I've seem on here lowering them is either a case of spending $ ooo,ooo,ooo nds od dollers or just leaving them as they are.

 The only other mechanical thing on my list is the final drive ratio, mine seems to be somewhere about 7: 1 as it only does about 60kph with the engine revving it's nuts of.
 At the moment my budget for the project is $0, and at the end of it I hope to have most of that left.

 Jeff.....

[mezzmo]

Hi Jeff, welcome aboard. For my 2 cents worth, i have 1 bedford with a disc brake front and another with standard drum brakes - unless you are  planning to do some serious 'giddy up' like throwing a 350 or like in the engine bay, i'd highly recommend leaving the drums as is - my disc brake job has a V6 but the drums pull the 173 straight 6 up in half the time.

Always good to start with a budget of 0.......it never gets better!

[Tasford]

 Thanks for that Mezzmo, We used to have a CF as our mobile workshop when I was a diesel apprentice, they would have the best part of a ton of gear in them, most of the time, and the drum brakes used to pull them up without any problem.
 I'm only running a 173 in it so they should be fine and it has a servo for a bit of extra suck. The next bit is the big sticking point.
 What do you do about the diff ratio, the ones in the UK didn't have that kind of problem, they could get along at 110 to 130 kph all day no problem, but the ratio in my one is very low. Is there an easy fix? I've read about a highway diff on some of the threads, but where do you get one. I was considering changing the whole axle, but I can't find one that's wide enough and if I did they I would have to get re drill the shafts to fit the wheels, which I would like to keep ( period Jelly Been )
 Living in Tasmania there really isn't any engineer that is even interested in doing that kind of work. I would do it myself but I don't have access to the gear that I need, and buying t or making it for a one of job isn't worth the investment. I have been told of guys that do re engineering but every time I go to see them they'er either not interested or are asking big bucks for jobs that I know would take on longer then an hour.

 Rock and a hard place...


 Jeff....

[Warren]

Welcome Jeff

For the Brake issue, properly adjusted and well maintained, and not overloaded drums can be as effective (or more so) as discs - rebuild the slave cylinders and get the drums machined and new shoes.

Drums suffer from fade, so if you ride them they heat up then fade - use engine braking (shifting into or staying in a lower gear) in conjunction with periodic apply of brakes should avoid fading.

I have a spare beddy that has drums front and rear and I'm thinking of swapping them out and putting them into my camper - going back to stock.


As for the diff, find out what type it is and then find another gear wheel and pinion of a ratio between 2.87 and 3.5 and just rebuild your existing diff. If is a borg warner diff then gears should be readily available.

Warren