"The first time vanner Jeff O'Neil turned up at a custom run he was driving a Bedford Caravette.
Sideways glances chatting with the friendly Northern rodders and street machiners it soon became clear that Jeff was simply new to the scene.
Everyone has to start somewhere and Jeff's keen attitude soon evoked plenty of response and ideas about how to make his van look cool.
Learning fast, and displaying tremendous energy and enthusiasm, Jeff soon overtook the efforts of those who had advised him in the first place.
Never content with what he has done so far, Jeff, from East Rainton near Sunderland, Co Durham, is always looking at ways to improve his CF.
When we caught up with him he had just finished refitting the inside with wood panelling which replaced the previous Dralon Interior.
A joiner by trade - couldn't you guess? -and manager od a double glazing firm by occupation, Jeff (37) even managed to find time to build his own house last year as well as retrim the 1974 Bedford.
"Originally a double glazing van, Jeff bought it for £800 six years ago to renovate as a Caravette. He then became interested in the custom look after thumbing through various custom magazines, and the turning point came the day he attended a North East Rod and Custom Club meeting.
Following that meeting Jeff got to work on the CF."
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The smooth exterior look has been achived by wrapping sheets of steel over the standard pannels,
so that 'She' is effectively double skinned. Three-and-a-half 8x4ft sheets were used.
Running boards are fashioned from teak with sheet steel over the top,
and Van Shop glassfibre arches are also topped with sheet steel.
Underneath, the Jaguar axle was due to de replaced by a Bedford item
which the owner prefers for towing duty
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The first time 'She' was customized the paint was black with Mirraflake, gold buttoned Dralon interior and we took 14 trophies in different categories," he said. "Last year it was stripped down and rebuilt in between work and building a new home.
Inside, red Dralon is combined with the dominant hand-made wood panels
and provides a colour contrast against the very pleasing study
atmosphere of the stained panelling.
"I was sick to death of seeing
Dralon. I just went in one day and ripped the whole lot out, " said Jeff
who has now refitted the inside for the third time.
His first
Caravette style conversion included check seat covers. "People were
cringing when I first went on a run in 1980," he admits.
"This time I
wanted an old study effect and I wanted to get away from the clutter in
vans these days," said Jeff who used to live in a terraced house and do
all his work in the street, using torches at night.
Spending hour after hour on the Bedford earned it the name 'She' because it became "the other woman" so to speak.
"That bloody van of yours will get you divorced one of these days," was a jibe the GM fan often had to endure. How many other street machiners have heard the same thing, we wonder?
In Jeff's case though, Mrs O'Neil and young son join in the custom run fun, and Jeff usually tows a caravan to events so that the family can enjoy the weekend together. In fact it was his wife Marje who did the upholstery.
The family is strictly a Vauxhall-Bedford only household. Jeff's work van is another CF, and his wife drives a Cavalier.
"The CF has it's own character," declares the Vauxhall buff. "None of the American vans can beat that particular model."
Well, we know that all vanners won't agree with that statement. But then you have to commit yourself, and the quality of Jeff's work on She spells out his commitment in capitals.
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Interior features somewhere between 150 and 170 separate mahogany panels
stained and varnished dark oak and glued in place
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Power unit is a 3528cc Rover V8 with ported heads and homemade exhaust system with TR7 silencers. Auto Borg Warner 35 transmission turns a home made propshaft and Jaguar IRS set-up which is widened seven inches.
The front end is standard CF. Wheels are 7in wide all around, 14s on the front and 15s on the back.
The welding and steel body modifications including side loader door were carried out by friend and near neighbour Colin Brown from Fence House, who also did the Rover red cellulose paint job.
Engine and gearbox rebuild and fitment to the CF was carried out by Motormend od Sunderland.
Interesting rear lights came from an autojumble, wehicle unknown but thought to be an 1800 Wolseley or Austin. Electric door locks help to maintain an overall smooth look, but at the time of our interview Jeff was pondering what to do about the filled in rear door area which he decided was just too vast and expanse of plain red.
Text: Brian Crichton
Source:
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