CF Bedford Van

October 11, 2016 Motoring Comments Off on CF Bedford Van 19,836 Views

Anyone who was a kid during the 70s and 80s remembers the CF Bedford Van. You likely knew someone who had one, and if it was black it was cool because it looked like the A-Team Van.

I knew someone with one, it was black, with a small block conversion and slotted mags. It was cool, and it was about as close as anyone in New Zealand could get to a big American style van at the time.

But the CF Bedford never set out to be cool, it started life in 1969 as a replacement for CA. It used Vauxhall Victor running gear and started life with a 1.8L four cylinder engine. It was a tradies van, meant to compete with the Ford Tansit. Very simple, utilitarian, with a minimalist interior and big doors in the back and side. It had a live axle on leaf springs at the back and up rated double wishbone suspension from the Victor at the front.

By the 80s the 4 cylinder engine had grown to 2.3L and in Aus/NZ the Holden 202 straight six was an option, but until its end in 1988 the CF van remained simple and basic.

Except it also caught peoples attention, starting in the 70s and continuing into the 80s it proved a very popular van to modify. A V8 or 6 cylinder conversion was easy, you just cut away some of the fire wall and floor between the seats. The big empty back left lots of space for carpet and plush velour, or a full on camper van conversion. Wide flares and big mags with lowered front suspension made them look like big American vans from the same period. They were also cheap and easy to find, and importantly, easy to fix. So they became an icon, something cool with loads of sentimental value. You just have to look past how terrible they were to drive, how uncomfortable they were, and the tendency they had to lock the rear wheels under even light braking, especially in the wet. But when your riding in one with your mates, none of those things matter. Because it’s black, on slotted chrome mags and it’s got a V8.

-Moppie