PHUQ wrote:Yeah, it's an ex Postie crewbus Gil, it's lost the second row seats (mounting brackets still in the floor) and the bulkhead though. I think the Royal Mail and a couple of councils were the only people mad enough to still be buying such an antique in 2004, I can't imagine they were selling many to private buyers by then.
Well guys,
Been asleep since N E C, not done anthing to the Auto except antifreeze & drill n screw down the carpet retainers, fit the fuse cover & refit the interior lt bulb n cover.
didn't think it worth posting, I did have slight health problem, my legs/ancles/knees swelled up like balloons looked like an old man withe gout,(spose I am) 2 weeks on antibiotics now ok again. But its christmas now so I cant be asked. To work outside.
A royal mail pilot then, (had you had a skin full when you bought it Matt?.)
They might be crap, but they kept me in work for 15 years, let me talk drivel for 5mins (I know again)
As you say the pilot is an LDV 200 series with a new nose, still the same peugeot 1.9 ? Engine.
The 400 series kept the pug engine as well. They needed to change from "Euro 3" to "Euro" 4 spec for the convoy series, but Peugeot wanted to much for the new engine, so went over to an existing Ford engine but kept the non ford gearbox (not sure what it was).
but after problems changed to the ford box &had a half decent (if dated) van. Though why buy an ldv with ford running gear, when you could buy the market leading Ford Transit ?.
Well the truth is if you wanted a straight basic panel van the transit won.
but ford wouldn't do special vehicles it was to much agro to them, where as Ldv
Would build what you wanted as a small run (about 50 plus vehicles) .+
We did get some big orders as well, The Royal mail / Parcel force kept us going for 6 months at a time & other orders from " central electricity board" the gas board, Initial, other smaller runs were The A A. RAC. as matt said various councils, really anything that wanted "tail-lifts,winches. Shelving, different compartments, extra seating, beacons tow bars etc,
plumbers vans, road works, tippers crew cabs mobile post offices for wales, of coarse
fast response vehicles police, &my favourite ,Ambulances with the 3.9 rover/ V 8 engines.
Another nice engine was the ford DOHC 2.0 duel fuel petrol/Lpg ,very smooth.
The one vehicle that was the market leader was the Ldv school bus, they were the first to fit integral inertia belts in beefed up seats bolted into a strengthend floor +overhead luggage racks, reflective paint & high line extra lighting in the roof, it was a winner.building niche vehicle's was the game
But in the end they were too small & couldn't compete with the big boys that made cars as well as vans & had the ability to come up with new designs so they folded....
Mind you it was fun while it lasted....
So there you are Matt, once you get used to 4th gear ending up in your lap, as a van the pilot's not that bad....
There you are guys, I'll take my anorak off now thats my 5 minutes gone...
Gil.
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