17 replies to this topic

[Volvoman]

Just about got this finished up before the new year, my Ford Transit van in the classic British Gas livery from the 80's. These were very popular in the UK back in the day and my well jog a few memories for the ones who may remember them.

I started off with an Esci Transit kit and the first task was to fill in the side doors as the real ones only had rear door access. The body was then primed and then painted in Ford Diamond white and when that was dry, the rest of the body was masked up and then painted in Peugeot Royal blue. The side decals and stripes were then added and the rest of the kit went together pretty well.

The roofrack was scratch built along with the combi ladder and some scale copper tubing was cut and glued into the carrier alongside. K F S supplied the number plates and tax disc, also the resin drinks flask and the hard hat inside the cab with some scale copies of Truck Model World on the passenger seat.

As usual, all thoughts and comments are welcome and thanks very much for looking.

 

[Volvoman]

Some more pics.

[Scuderia]

Lookin' good. The added touches via the roofrack, etc. are really great. Very cool project

[wagoneer]

Wow! It's been a while since I saw one of those on the road. You've got that just right. I've not even seen that Esci kit before. The DVLA don't have a record for that vehicle, but the number was first registered in Preston, Lancashire!

[Volvoman]

Thanks for the comments guys much appreciated.

Wagoneer, thanks very much for the info on the reg. number. KFS supplied the plates on a decal sheet and I honestly thought that the number was fictional and not real! The kit is quite hard to come by nowadays,they command some very high prices on ebay and I have seen mint and boxed examples going for triple figures!! As for my Transit, if it was registered in Preston, it is now working in the south for Southern gas!!

Thanks again for the info and a Happy new year to all!!

[ChrisR]

Great build!

[GeeBee]

Superb build and very realistic photo's, where did you get the BG decals done ?

[Doobie]

That looks great very realistic pics .Do you now if anybody made the mk 3 transit the smiley faced one?

[Michigan Madman]

Love it! I've never seen a Transit in person (I'm a Yank, after all), but I've always had an affinity for them, and I try to stash the Esci kits as I find them.

[Volvoman]

Many thanks for the comments guys, I will try to answer a few of your questions.

GeeBee, the decals were bought some years ago as a job lot of assorted decals at the classic commercial vehicle show at Gaydon.

Doobie, as far as I am aware, this was the only Transit ever made in kit form. Ironically, it was a MK3 on a Transit forum site that has been restored as a Gas van that gave me the inspiration to build mine.

Michigan, I suppose that our Ford Transit is pretty much the same as your Ford Econoline.As I mentioned earlier, they are pretty much hard to find and the prices that they command on sites like ebay reflect this.I certainly don't blame you for stashing them away, I wish that someone would rerelease them and then I would buy a load!!

Thanks again guys.

[Danno]

Nice!

 

 

[martinfan5]

That is nice , good job

[Michigan Madman]

 

Michigan, I suppose that our Ford Transit is pretty much the same as your Ford Econoline.As I mentioned earlier, they are pretty much hard to find and the prices that they command on sites like ebay reflect this.I certainly don't blame you for stashing them away, I wish that someone would rerelease them and then I would buy a load!!

Thanks again guys.

Same in theory (Econonlines are as common here as Transits are there) but totally different vehciles. A US-version of the current Transit is going to eventually replace the E-Series here, and we already get the smaller Transit Connect.

[Volvoman]

Yes Michigan, the Transit connect is very popular in the states as I found out whilst I was in Vegas just over a year ago. A lot of them were being used as taxi cabs; we caught one and I was telling the driver that I drive one at my workplace back home. As for the new Transit, I have seen a few sneak pics of the new facelifted version and I am very impressed. As the company I work for use mostly Transits in 3.5t long wheelbase flatbed form, it won't be long before we start to get some of the new ones on the fleet.

[Simon]

Excellent work, that Transit in British Gas livery is nostalgic in a way I would never have expected! Reminds me of a time when the Mk2 Transit was everywhere, and as for British Gas...'Cookability' and 'If you see Sid, tell him'. Nicely built, too.

[bowtieboss]

Amazing work are you going to do a Bt van too ?

[Volvoman]

Thanks Simon, yes, the Transits are everywhere and its true that they say that they are the backbone of Britain. As for those infamous catchphrases for British Gas, I certainly remember them!!

 

Bowtieboss, I would love to have a fleet of Transits in classic liveries but as these vans are commanding silly prices at the moment and unless someone rereleases them, I think that I may have to settle with having this single one. This one was originally planned to be built as an R A C van but I was unable to get the decals made so as I already had the B G decals, it made sense to build it.

[Harry P.]

 

 

 

That could almost pass for the real thing! Very nicely done.