browndog

The other thing I had done since last time I posted was a bit of interior trimming. I managed to find some black loop pile carpet, which as any of you old Ford nutters will know is the correct carpet for any self respecting 1970's Ford, and had a carpet set made, as well as a vinyl engine cover. As well as looking quite good, it has cut down the cabin noice quite a bit! I have a nice set of black trimmed high backed seats which I am also going to fit //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/45289-browndogs-1972-v8-transit/page-2

Because you keep buying the bloody things, that why!!

Been a while since I last updated this, mainly cos' I have been so busy and the old Transit has been gathering dust in its lockup! Anyway, dragged it out today, brought it home, and spent a few hours fitting the bumpers. The front one is a NOS one I bought a few years ago for the LWB van, it was sold to me as a diesel (bullnose) bumper, only opened the wrapping about a month ago and discovered it was a petrol one! In this case that worked out well. It was painted, so I had it stripped, polished and chromed. Fark me that was an expensive excercise! About $900 in all to get it chromed. Factor in the £200 + shipping that I paid for it from the UK, and it is an expensive piece! Rear bumpers were slightly less exorbitant, both NOS items but original chrome on them, cost me £150 from the UK for the pair. I had the bumper irons coated in a very tough satin black coating (like paint, but much tougher) and had the bumper bolts chromed too. I also had a shipment of go-faster goodies turn up from Summit Racing, but that is for the next instalment [/ //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/45289-browndogs-1972-v8-transit/page-2

Is this the amazing 400ci Cleveland with about 170hp? Like, how could they possibly get such a small amount of hp from such a BIG engine? Is it a diesel or something? And Starsky and Hutch had a 2 door from memory! But interesting anyway, please continue

leave the drums on, and find some original wheels with hub caps,(or whatever it had fitted originally) bet there would not be many left like that! Anyway, drums just add to the excitement; will it stop? won't it?

correct on the 302 Cleveland, I have one in my Transit van! But was an Australian engine only,(XW - XE Falcons) and not built or used in US market. Big difference to look at, Cleveland is about 100mm wider!!

Cool, a much nicer looking car than that "Grande" You said it is a 302 2V? Must be a Windsor then????? I though these were all Cleveland or big block engined. Daisy wheels are cool too

yeah, and FWD on the Custom, not a good thing in a van. Try hooking a big trailer on and towing:( The "proper" Transit is RWD though, but really big, and not a pretty face either!

yeah the director hated the security van that had been organised at the last shoot, so I rang Jackson and he hightailed it to the set in his Mk2, and the day was saved:) Can't say I like anything about the new Transit vans Supposed to drive really well etc. but just look like a big Focus to me.......

That would be quite a neat project to build! Looks like they used the "MG" version of the RV8 in the marathon car, with its rearward facing carbs.

Just had a look at your pictures, interior door handles are the same as my 1995 LDV van, as I had been told! No doubt other Marina parts fitted to it too. One of my best friends' mum had a TC Coupe when I was a very young lad, I really liked that car. I did not realise they were built in OZ with a 6! Didn't BL build a Marina coupe with Rover V8 to evaluate for a possible rally contender?

The Transit road train. Needed both for filming today //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/45289-browndogs-1972-v8-transit/page-2

Yes I am looking forward to seeing the finished product what night was burger night again? Filming tomorrow, it's a night shoot, so probably finish late into the am!......

Yes I can have my share of trainspotting moments too Completely understand and agree about good ideas delivered half baked, the DAF/LDV 400 van was one of these, along with just about everything else to come out of BL! 4.6 should make it even more fun, it already goes rather well, once I binned the restrictors from under the carbs and the exhaust! Sounds good too yes they are, yours was filmed the day after the Mk1 was first filmed. Without giving anything away, the Mk1 has been used the baddies, //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/45288-browndogs-1972-v8-transit/ and the Sundowner by the goodies. I am getting all sorts of nicknames from the production company being the "van man"! Not sure I am comfortable with that, but anyway!..........

yep, and a trainspotter like yourself would probably recognise a lot of the parts used to build it Austin/MG Metro instrument cluster and column switches, the window winders are supposedly Morris Marina, the front indicators were from something else I can't remember, the Rover V8 from, well everything, gearbox from the SD1 V8 with late Discovery uprated bits inside, and although the headlights were unique to the van when introduced, they were nicked and later used on the Discovery! For something that can trace its roots back to the dinosaurs, it actually drives surprisingly well, and goes like shit off a shovel for a van! It has only done 70 000kms, and is in very good nick, and I have a 4.6 injected RR V8 that I have just rebuilt, with a few goodies, that I will fit into it soon I will let you know when the TV series is due out, will be next year sometime. Two Transit vans that will be world famous in NZ

The Sundowner has landed a small role moonlighting as a Paddy Wagon in a TV mini series set in the 1970's. I put some standard steel wheels on (so that it didn't look like something out of the original Mad Max movie!) and refitted all of the parts I had taken off. Sorry I can't show it in Police drag, I am not allowed to! It peformed like a pro last night on its first mission I do not have it road registered in NZ yet, so had to trailer it to the shoot, the irony being that my tow vehicle is actually an old Police van!

Anzor list them, so shouldn't be a problem. Lots of house builds require stainless, so should be easy enough to find. http://www.anzor.co.nz/bolts/coachbolts/product

I had the same problem, was short a few bolts on the two vans I have. Went to Bolt Shop, and bought some M10x25 gutter bolts. These are zinc plated, and the heads were a bit larger than required. I turned them down in the lathe to the required size. The square section under the dome was fractionally larger than required, so a bit of careful work with a flat file sorted that. They look perfect, and almost impossible to tell apart from the originals. Speaking of which, I noticed they all had an insulating washer under the head of the bolt, between the head and the bumper. Like a fibre washer, but white in colour. I still need to sort that little bit out.

okay thanks for that, I will pay him a visit and get a quote, also need the dome head bolts plated. . My front bumper is NOS, but painted, so not requiring any prep work apart from stripping the paint. I was lucky enough to score a NOS pair of chrome rear quarter bumpers a while ago for about $300. I have straightened the bumper irons and had them coated matt black.

AWESOME build quality there bud, much respect! I know this will be costing you a truckload to build, no matter how many good deals you do on the way. Yeah I am still a bit shocked at how much "runner" engines are advertised and sold for on TM. That old Chev would net you $100-$200 in the US. Clever move that. Who did you get to chrome your bumpers, and what did they ping you if you don't mind me asking? I have a new front bumper for my silver Transit (painted) that needs chrome, I was quoted $650 to get it done. Was a bit shocked, but believe that is quite normal! Nice to see you have some Transit parts fitted!

okay cool, I will try to get there.

I have been to one of the burger nights a couple of months ago. When are they again? Interesting about the 350 Holley. That's a very good gain in MPG! You know that you can trim the idle mixture on these quite easily? Just wind the idle screws fully in,(one each side of the metering block) then back them out until idle is smooth. Usually 1 1/2 - 2 turns is about right on these. Would be good to get mine to 15L:/100 kms. But I think the diff ratio is hurting mine at the moment. And all of my running has been around Auckland, I haven't really taken it on a good run yet.

sounds good Yep I am in Glenfield.

yes it is very thirsty, mine has a 3.9 diff so pulling 3300 rpm@ 100 kph. I have a set of 3.5 diff gears to go in, plus a 4 spd overdrive auto which will drop the revs to 1960rpm @ 100kph. And I will fit the Edelbrock to it at the same time. Sub 15L/100km is what I am aiming for, I think it should be achievable, and your mates van pretty much proves that anyway! To make matters worse, my van has a small 45L fuel tank, so the range is abysmal at the moment! You could drop your rear axle ratio to 2.7, which would give 2300 rpm@100kph, but will make it a bit more sluggish off the line. As an aside, I also have a LDV 400 van, it is an ex police van, factory Rover V8, 5 spd, and weighs 2000kgs empty. 15-18L/100kms is fairly easy in this on a trip, and it is much bigger and heavier than the Transit. And diff ratio not ideal either, it has a 4.45, and with the 5 speed it is doing 2700 rpm@100kph, so about the same as yours. Yes the van aerodynamics are crap, but I have heard of plenty of examples of Bedfords and Transits that can achieve over 20mpg (14L/100km) with a V8 fitted, so I am certainly aiming to improve mine.

My V8 Transit is also using over 20L to 100kms at the moment, probably closer to 25! And that is with a Holley 350 2 barrel. What diff ratio do you have fitted, and what gearbox are you running? And carb choice makes a huge difference. The Edelbrock carbs are supposed to be very economical, as long as you don't go silly on sizing, I have a new Edelbrock 500 that I am going to fit to mine. And as already suggested, it's hard to beat a Quadrajet, with its staggered throttle sizes! I have no experience of the Quickfuel carbs, but a quick look around the forums suggest they are liked by a lot of people. Have you got it set up & jetted properly?