Does this look like "A little bit of bubbling"?

[GRW]

I know my poor old (23) LDV Convoy is a sorry, rather rotten old Heap - but then I already own it. No way would I part with 6K for that money-pit-in-waiting.
It doesn't look too much work at a quick glance, but as has been said, it's a iceberg-sized bucket of nightmares, and you can only see the tip.

 

[indy4x]

I used to prefer the CF to the Transits of the era

Dad had a builders yard, started off with a 3 speed petrol CF that was OK, it was old but drove better than the Transit with a York diesel

Then moved up to a 4 speed, that was an improvement

He finished off with 1 of the last models, face-lift jobbie, pretty sure it had disc brakes by this time and that did some miles, all drama free and nice to drive

 

[minimutly]

I used to prefer the CF to the Transits of the era

Dad had a builders yard, started off with a 3 speed petrol CF that was OK, it was old but drove better than the Transit with a York diesel

Then moved up to a 4 speed, that was an improvement

He finished off with 1 of the last models, face-lift jobbie, pretty sure it had disc brakes by this time and that did some miles, all drama free and nice to drive

Plus one vote for the CF from me. Considering mine was an x reg (2000?), was 8 yrs old when I bought it from memory, and lived outside all its life it didn’t do too badly. Rusty seams, roof guttering, rear door bottoms (I think I replaced the rear doorstep too?). It was like driving a tall car, you could easily forget it was a van.
Rose tinted memories maybe?

 

[tom2207]

thisone started out with afew bubbles........hahaha......View attachment 398345

lt28 ?

 

[tom2207]

Plus one vote for the CF from me. Considering mine was an x reg (2000?), was 8 yrs old when I bought it from memory, and lived outside all its life it didn’t do too badly. Rusty seams, roof guttering, rear door bottoms (I think I replaced the rear doorstep too?). It was like driving a tall car, you could easily forget it was a van.
Rose tinted memories maybe?

I bought an lt28 vw instead , it was way better in every way ,, but it really was just a box with a wheel in each corner , then it was onto an Iveco and that was amazing , but boys could it rust ... after that it was the music industry standard of the day ,,, 508 / 608 merc[ I think every bike racer in the world has owned a 508 at some point too ] ... and stuck with those for a while then it was ex gpo ford cargos 7.5 tonner or 10 ton down plated ........ then artics .

 

[Hopefuldave]

The slant 4 engines in the car range are the same but with higher compression pistons. The twin carbs won't fit in the c.f. though without cutting.

There's room for a Rover v8 in there without much bodgery - a popular conversion some decades ago when life was good and petrol was cheap...
The slant 4 replaced what was planned as a V8, the other bank taking up the rest of the space under the hutch/bonnet, but the OPEC crisis in the early 70s killed it off, so the slant 4's bottom end is stupidly strong, and some blocks have obvious signs of the missing bank of cylinders - and the 4 was strong enough for Lotus and Blydenstein to develop some serious power.

I still miss my CF camper, an AutoSleeper conversion just like the OP's pics but with an aftermarket hightop with overcab beds for the kids (and a great Wendy house when they were little!) - and despite the aerodynamics of a housebrick stood on end limiting top speed it was good to drive and surprisingly quick off the line!

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Blobber]

I certainly think being 45 years old its going to be hiding rust but then what wont at that age, as for the CF against Transit feud I think there are more CFs about than Transits of a comparable age which must say something, Hymer even used the chassis for a big camper van

 

[minimutly]

I certainly think being 45 years old its going to be hiding rust but then what wont at that age, as for the CF against Transit feud I think there are more CFs about than Transits of a comparable age which must say something, Hymer even used the chassis for a big camper van

Thought the Hymers were Merc?

 

[Blobber]

Thought the Hymers were Merc?

Opel equivalent to the CF was the Blitz

 

[Geoffm]

Had a CF, which was 8 years old when I got it, and had rust behind the back wheels. I learnt about body repair and painting on that van. It also liked a drink.
The common mod here was to replace the slant 4 with a 6 cylinder Australian made 186 or 202 ci Holden motor. A Cresta diff head improved the gear ratios. It had more power and better fuel economy.
When I sold the CF and replaced it, I couldn't believe how much better the 1988 Toyota hiace 2,4 diesel was to drive

 

[Jack_K]

Had a CF, which was 8 years old when I got it, and had rust behind the back wheels. I learnt about body repair and painting on that van. It also liked a drink.
The common mod here was to replace the slant 4 with a 6 cylinder Australian made 186 or 202 ci Holden motor. A Cresta diff head improved the gear ratios. It had more power and better fuel economy.
When I sold the CF and replaced it, I couldn't believe how much better the 1988 Toyota hiace 2,4 diesel was to drive

They came factory with the Holden 6s

Edit: Now I see you are in NZ not Australia so they might not have over there, vehicles seem to have had smaller engines fitted there.

 

[Keith 66]

A mate of mine asked me a few days ago about a similar rust problem on his Mercedes van, its an ex norwegian ambulance from 1970, 34,000 miles & mechanically good. But the body is showing rust bubbling at every seam. He is asking if i know anyone who can do welding here in the Uk. The few i know wont touch it with a barge pole, I saw it today & its obvious that along every seam & join its going to be like a gorgonzola once you start.

 

[Farside]

The fact they were the customisers favourite went quite a way to ensuring their rarity too.

Those of you that think they are bad to drive, what don't you like a out them? Steering is a little heavy when parking, but other than that I don't see what's bad about them.

As an owner of both, CFs when they were new and Transits later on, starting from the MkII, I can give a qualified opinion.
I liked the CF, but the one I had was a slow, thirsty brute, being saddled with the 1600 lump and slide doors. It handled well enough though and took me all over both commercially and for pleasure. Second CF was bought brand new and was a big improvement.
When I bought my first Transit I already knew what to expect as I'd driven a mate's on and off. The Transit was just different in subtle ways, but Ford had really scored with the ergonomics of car position and controls in van use, something other makers had struggled with. Recall, back then, the whole medium van market was polluted with such gems as the Morris JU, J4, Commer POS, etc, etc.
That first Transit was followed by a couple of others, which I put lotsa miles on and never regretted buying.
On balance, I'd have taken a CF II with the 2.3 engine and slam doors.

 

[Farside]

It was like driving a tall car, you could easily forget it was a van.

That was something both Vauxhall and Ford pulled off quite well, compared to the other dross on the market.

 

[500e]

A nice Morris FG with a V8 and auto "way to go"

 

[Smallfry]

Bedford CF2 2.3. better than any Transit I ever drove from that era. I liked the seating position and the beige seats.
I worked at a Vauxhall Bedford dealer at the time. Did a lot of miles in them, and the twin wheel version. We sold an awful lot of those plastic rear wheel arches to customisers !
Basic by todays standards, but what isn't ?
They could rust though, but once again, so did everything else back then

 

[Morris]

Shiny paint+bubbles=a bodged up wreck under it all.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I remember driving these old Bedfords, they were awful to drive and fell to bits in super quick time.

I believe the petrol versions were thirsty as well

 

[minimutly]

I believe the petrol versions were thirsty as well

I took my cf 2.3 from West Wales, down to Lymington, all around the IOW on one tankful of petrol. Why did it do so well? I was for most of the way following a mate who had a transit v4, who refused to go over 50 because of the dire fuel consumption...

 

[4String.]

Back in the early 80's me and our kid put a 3 litre V6 Essex in our Mk 1 Transit.

It had a pair of twin choke Webers and was hooked up to a Laycock overdrive box and ended up driving a rear axle that had a diff from either a Zephyr or a Zodiac, can't remember which?? We used to see plenty of CF's in the mirrors