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FORD THAMES VAN 15 CWT

B

Brookfields Lad

master brummie
Thames 15cwt

I started at Bristol St Motors in 1966. First job I had was changing dozens of front indicator lens's from white to orange on the thames 15 cwt. The same year the Transit appeared
 
My father bought one of the first transits from Bristol Street

EOG 704C

You may have worked on it--it spent more time there than at work!
 
Had to do the same on the 105e Anglia, same year, following change to the lighting regs. Worked for Stockland Garage at the time who were Ford agents. Bought a Ford Zephyr 6 and MGB from Cardrome (BSG) in the middle to late sixties.
 
My first motor was the FORD THAMES (VAN) cost me £80 secondhand in the 1960s. put side & rear windows in and a back seat Looked just like estate or so I thought!
sold it for what I paid 2 years on.
 
I remember the Thames small vans...Late 50s. I think they had two models 5 cwt. and 7 cwt. I had a 7 cwt. and enjoyed it very much. When you see pictures now they look a bit funky but at the time they were great. Last of the side valve engines I think...the 100E and it was probably the best. A laughable, by todays standards, 36 or so HP but it was enough to push it up to 80 MPH...just. Wish you could do that speed today with the godzillion HPs we have now. I don't think the lower ratio had synchromesh and changing into it whilst on the move was contra-indicated. Double de-clutching into it seldom worked very well. Was it a three speed box or four..can't remember now. It was hard to find an engine at all, looking at a photo of the engine compartment recently. It appeard to be so small and appologetic for being there. Never the less it did the job reliably and had a certain style to it.
 
The 100E gear ratios were all wrong, they tried to get a high maximum speed by putting a high ratio top gear in the old three speed box an there was a huge gap between second and third, you needed to scream the revs in second before changing to third or you damn near stalled the engine. The old 'sit up and beg' Popular was faster and nicer to drive when properly maintained.

They put a four speed box in the last of the side valve 100Es and it continued in the 105E.

The Thames 15cwt was a much better designed vehicle, had the Consul engine and box, they made good caravanettes, one of my customers took one all over the Eastern bloc countries in the early sixties. E.
 
Had a 1960 100e Anglia in 1964, 3 speed box with non sync 1st. Vac wipers used to stop when going uphill. Travelled to Manchester up the M5 once (remember Gaily Roundabout) had to stop half way there to fill with engine oil (piston broke).
 
bought my ford 5cwt van in the late fifties from major motors on moseley road for 35 pounds only problem i had was strong winds took the wipers clean off it did many miles of motoring. and petrol at 20 pence a gallon why not eh.
 
hello.i bought 4. 7cwt vans from castle brom auctions they were about a fiver each out of all the junk i built a good one,(ALL OLD RED GAS VANS) after a while i done a mod to the van,i fitted a cortina 15oo gt engine box
and diff,what a nippy little thing it was for the time,then the escort van come on the market,and i had a play with one of them
regards pete
 
At the risk of posting a view you may have seen already on the 'See Birmingham by Postcard' thread here is a nice 15cwt at work with Avery Scales Ltd.
 
re ford thames 15cwt drove a van in the sixties [ Illegally] it was derivative of the 15 cwt thames it was a box van sliding doors 3 forward gears and reverse, shooting brake is that the same model?it was a BRADFORDS BAKERIES van they had a fleet of them?
 
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Hi. Ger22van. Thats a Ford 10 van side valve 1172 cc engine 3 speed box, heres one I drove for Sketchley cleaners in the early 60s, with my brother standing by it in his motorbike gear. after this van I was given a brand new Ford 15cwt, Reg. VUT271
 
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I recall a very smart Ford 15 cwt Van /Conversion in the 1965 film "The Collector" with Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar, a drama.
The vehicle really impressed me, I cannot recall the rest of the film although its considered a classic.
 
just looked at the trailer for that on utube that looks naughty never seen it there are a couple of clips with the thames van in didnt see conversion just mini bus?:D
 
maggieuk said:
just looked at the trailer for that on utube that looks naughty never seen it there are a couple of clips with the thames van in didnt see conversion just mini bus?:D
Click to expand...

They say your legs go first but in my case its a memory with holes in it.
I had to look on Britmovie.com.uk for the date and stars. It gave a rundown of the plot.
A bank clerk who collects butterflies wins the pools. Buys a big, isolated mansion and plans to kidnap his human butterfly. The Ford is his mode of transport
Don't say anything about naughty bits in it. In those days you had to have a good imagination.:cool:
 
hi the baron...... I do hope you payed the tax to the revenue people, as you might remember if you converted a van to
the estate tax was due on the conversion.
 
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