"Bob Shaddick of Swansea thought about customizing a car but his metal recovery company had this 1971 CF van which was about to be retired after an arduous life.
A definite challenge thought Bob, and promptly put aside six months and £1000 to turn it into a supervan.
First job was to cut windows in the van so that it was no longer restricted to the 50 mph speed limit. The glazing is in perspex hand-cut and filed to shape by Bob from som e old shop display shelves. Venetian blinds added the finishing touch in this department.
On the roof is a spoiler, roof rack and vinyl cover to keep the heat away from the vehicle's expensive electronic equipment.
At the rear is a row of red stoplights – Boblikes followers to knowwhen he's applying the anchors! – and at thhe front an impressive display of Cibie rally lights. Chromium plated bumpers nicely finish off the front and rear treatments.
Polished wood rubbing strips protect the sides of the vehicle from careless types, and also serve to provide a finisher between the vehicle's two bright colours – yellow and blue.
Wolfrace alloy wheels do a lot to give the vehicle that massive look. They are 15 in. diameter with 7 in. rims at the front and 8 1/2 in. at the rear. Radial tyres are fitted.
Those cylindrical things hanging between the wheels are sidewinders, a type of fancy outside exhaust system popular with customizers in the USA and catching on pretty quick over here too. These particular exhausts are encased in aluminium and made by Thrush.
The interior is more like a penthouse suite than a van. All the walls have been panelled in wood and there is black goatskin carpeting throughout.
There is a refrigerator, cocktail trolley, television set, radio, stereo, quadrophonic sound and a good selection of wall-mounted whiskys. The driver's end has swivelling seats, full-length wood facia and a huge amount of instrumentation.
The engine is a 2 litre Viva GT unit, breathed upon by Bill Blydenstein."
"There's a little firm called Americar in Southend who specialise in importing parts from the USA for British customisers.
Now they have a Bedford CF which they use for general running around and towing their drag racing cars to meetings. So on one hand they had a shop packed to the ceiling with custom goodies and on the other a CF van that was absolutely standard.
The temptation was too great. A few months ago they put all their heads together and came up with a designs for a supervan. And so pleased are they with the result that they've decided to start offering a range of custom additions specially for the CF model.
Here's what they did to their van. It's painted in Parsons Super Black with a Rallyflek Sahara stripe. Mounted on the roof are Brute Scoops, a Californian Air Vent and a Sony television aerial.
The porthole windows are in smoke grey acrylic perspex and the windscreen and side windows in tinted Sundymn glass.
American Racing Equipment 10x15 wheels are fitted at the rear and Wolfrace 7x14 up front – all shod with General Grabber tyres. 35 cwt CF wings extensions have been blended in to the body-work to cover the big wheels and tyres.
The interior, as you would expect, has received the full treatment. Up front are specially made Corbeau seats on Americar full swivelling frames. There are plans to move all the instrumentsinto a centre console to be built over the engine compartment.
Already installed is an overhead console which incorporates the quadrophonic tape player and radio.
Moving to the rear you find tongued and grooved wood panelling, with built-in cocktail cabinet and storage cupboards.
Also in the rear is a Sony television set and silver fox fur trim.
If you want to know more about CF customising contact Americar, 352 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea."
Source: facebook.com/groups/17886138773
