Exploring With Boss: Abandoned Electric Bedford CF

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Van Art: The ultimate band van by TenTenths Creative

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ebay: Barn find - Pair of Electric Bedford CF2's - UK

Item description from the seller:

"Here we have a pair of ultra rare Bedford CF2 electrically powered vans for restoration, spares etc. There was only a few hundred of these Electric vans ever made and virtually all of them will have long since disappeared. I believe both these vans started out life with Glasgow City Council, green paint can be seen under the yellow paint particularly on the roofs. The vans are rated at 3500kg gross weight each. Empty they weigh about 1500kg but with a full tray of batteries fitted they will have weighed about 2500kg allowing a payload of about 1000kg. The batteries are long gone but originally they would have had 36 6 volt batteries to make up 216 volts DC to power the motor. Each van has one motor rated at 40kW (50hp) which is mounted behind the rear axle which is connected to a transfer box which drives the axle via a short propshaft. Both vans will require extensive work to make either one or both roadworthy again. I’ll describe them separately.

C295 HHS (photos 2-12)

This is definitely the better of the two vans. Underneath it’s largely very good indeed, it’s mainly the front end of the chassis and front inner wheel arches where the main corrosion is. And obviously there’s plenty of dents which can be seen in the photos too. 

Passenger door doesn’t open. Drivers door opens but doesn’t engage with the door catch when shut. Nearside rear door top hinge is detached and bottom hinge missing off door. Windscreen recently removed as it was damaged. A good used screen with very good rubber is included in the back of the van. Roof has a dent in it towards the rear but that can easily be got out. 

No idea whether the drivetrain works with their being no batteries fitted and not tried the 12 volt system either. Mileage is 34429 so suspension bushes etc should still be good. 

C298 HHS (photos 13-23)

Like the other van the main chassis underneath is largely pretty good. However the front end is a different story and the van has suffered very heavy corrosion to the nearside of the bulkhead and A-pillar where the nearside front door bolts on. Essentially the A-pillar is detached from the main structure of the vehicle so if the door is opened it’s possible to pull the door and part of the A-pillar off the vehicle entirely. Also there’s heavy corrosion to the front end of the chassis legs in front of the front suspension cross member and inside the inner wheel arches too. Although it could all be repaired it would be a lot of work. This van does have an excellent dent free roof though. 

Drivers door doesn’t open and again nearside rear door has a detached hinge. This van does come with an original battery for posterity and a battery tray for securing the batteries under the vehicle.

Again the drivetrain is untested as is the 12 volt system but the mileage on this van is only 18317. 

Obviously both vans require a lot of work but being so rare they are of historic significance particularly being electrically powered where interest in classic electric vehicles is sure to increase in the coming years as electric vehicles start to take over from petrol/diesel fueled vehicles. 

The final photo shows the correct battery charger and also a battery autofill for topping up the batteries when the batteries are suspended under the vans. They are both included too although the stacker truck they’re on most definitely isn’t. I’ve no idea whether the charger works or not but it is single phase. That said it would need a considerably uprated supply to power it, a normal 13 amp plug would be nowhere near enough. 

Obviously with both vehicles having issues with doors staying not being able to be closed properly, particularly the rear doors it will be necessary to strap the doors shut with ratchet straps etc for safe transportation. I have plenty of straps though and can make sure they are fit to be transported. 

Sadly I can’t accommodate any viewings but I have taken lots more photos so can send those to interested parties upon request. Each van has one slow puncture but will ensure those are fully pumped up at the time of collection. Although I’m located near Huddersfield I have the vehicles in storage near Halifax and that’s where the vehicles will need to be collected from. Ideally both vehicles will need to be collected at the same time. 

The log books for both vehicles will need to be applied for. A non refundable deposit of £250 must be paid within 24 hours of auction end and then the remaining balance to be paid and vehicles collected within 7 days of auction end. Bank transfer is preferable although cash on collection would be ok too. 

There’s no buy it now price, the auction will run to the end. 

Thank you for looking and good luck if you bid."

eBay item number: 206478363039

Geoff Cook’s wild ‘Innocents’ CF Bedford van – flashback

One look will tell you this Bedford is anything but innocent

"First published in the Apr/May 1985 issue of Street Machine

Geoff Cook should have named his shiny white knight something more sinister, because it has the brutal frontal appearance of a gladiator."

Innocents at Van Nationals 2006

"The CF Bedford was always a bit of a lame duck on the Australian market when it came to street machines. They were sold to fleet buyers such as Telecom, the Post Office and trades people for commercial use.

When they first arrived on the market from England they were expensive and underpowered with a 1600 cc ohc motor that really had trouble just breathing. Later on the General released a 6 cylinder 202 version that had a somewhat better and more suitable performance."

"It did have some features going for it. The structure was rigid, the ride was comfortable and it looked good. And some brave souls even turned out the occasional custom van.

Geoff is a lad who lives in Pelican, just south of the city that contains one of Australia’s great motoring monuments — Hunter St, Newcastle. (No more cruisin’ there boys). And living by the beach what else could a lad from there build? A van, of course. He calls it Innocents, but there’s nothing cutsie-pie about the way it’s been put together."

 

"Innocents is a credit to Geoff and Jackie Cook’s craftsmanship as they truly did build this van themselves. Geoff did all the body work and engineering on ‘Innocents’. This was not a flash-in-the-paint and de-chrome job. Four years of building produced one of Australia’s top appearing vans.

Starting from scratch the Cooks stripped the Beddie and rebuilt each system of the van. The front suspension got a four inch drop and some new 11 inch disc brakes. As the rear was of the most basic commercial design it was removed and a beautiful chrome and red Jag unit installed. A sub frame was built in combination with a general strengthening of the chassis and the Jag unit was suspended from the rear sub frame. This produced an effect of lowering the rear about one inch but the combination of the four inch front drop and the Jag rear end gives the Beddie an overall rake."

The Jag rear end is as well detailed as the small block Chev

"Geoff chose Speedy wheels so he could get the exact size and balance the look of Innocents. 15” x 10” wheels on the rear and 14x 8″ on the front are an odd size combination but it does suit the Bedford.

It now seems that the 350 Chevy is the Holy Grail of hot rodding and Geoff certainly worked religiously on his. He blue printed it with a 60 thou’ overbore, 327 fuelly heads, dual point Mallory ignition, a Holley 650 double pumper backed up by a Holley electric fuel pump and topped it off with alloy rocker covers and chrome accessories. Where possible Geoff has used stainless steel braided hoses."

LEFT: Rear treatment includes hand built tail lights and arrowhead window

"A modified Chev radiator keeps the 350 at the right temperature and a Powerglide moves the horse-power to the Jag rear end.

Geoff did all his body work in steel including the Gladiator-style front, the flairs and running boards, the frenched front side windows and the very interesting rear treatment with hand built tail lights and arrow head rear window."

A bird’s-eye view of the not so Innocent interior with crushed velvet a stand-out feature

"If you have ever prepared and sprayed a car you can imagine what time and effort is needed. After the 34 coats of Spartan acrylic white was applied Geoff shaded the van with an assortment of blues that give the van an interesting high key look. Wear your shades on a sunny day if you want to look at it."

"The final touch was to have Gordon Pereira of Custom Art in Nelsons Bay apply images to the van of sultry pubescent ladies.

Jackie took charge of the interior. Crushed brown velvet, all button and tufted, with plenty of mirrors. 2001."

Source: www.streetmachine.com.au/features/geoff-cook-wild-innocents-cf-bedford-van-flashback

Van Art: Bedford CF Track Van by Street Render Garage

Source: www.instagram.com/streetrendergarage/