Transit 4x4's

[will]

Well, just because really.





Not too retro but I shall address that balance shortly.
Time for some action





Back in a mo

[will]

These 2 are more in keeping round these parts though I must confess to liking all of them.

German fire truck MK2



MK1 is all I know about this, unsure of it's underpinnings.



I was of the impression these only came from factory from MK3 on but a only to happy to be educated otherwise.

[qwerty]

I always wondered whether or not they were factory or just conversions. What kind of running gear do they use?

[Mystery Machine]

Castle Combe security



Always liked the 4x4 Transits

Aren't they called a Transit County or something similar??

[will]

They are indeed Transit Countys not Country as I always thought. Not to sure if they were built by Ford or if maybe County done did the converstion?

This thread needs Fred ;D

[popuptoaster]

They were conversions, far as i know they started on the mk1's, part of the reason i had for choosing to fit my mk2 with a twincam and MT75 was that once finished and i get the bug for more mods it should be reasonably easy to use a county front axle and fit a 4x4 Sierra box.

Now obviously i wont have low range or the real strength of a proper off road capable van, but by the same token i'll have permanant 4x4 and wont be restricted to 30mph off road.

[popuptoaster]

Trawling the transit sites for some info at the mo.

County factory,




looks like the mk1's, 2's and 3's had a beam front axle and the later ones had IFS, all feel agricultural and are pretty good off road given the right tyres, very tall though and with a restricted turning circle so hard work in some places.

Cant find a proper history of them, you'll have to wait for Fred.

[nugget]

County also made these: ;D



Damn cool bitta kit!

[rmad]

There's one I see regularly...I'll try and get a picture later.

[composimmonite]

I bought a Dana 300 transfer box (for my CJ5 Jeep) with divorced adapter that County used for conversion of a LDV. They also fitted Dana axles front and rear. Don't know if they used the same set up for Transit but expect they did.

Paul H

[popuptoaster]

with leaf springs front and rear on the earlier ones any axle should be reasonably easy to fit i guess, lots of choice and County bits are hard to find for the older vans now.

[fredtransit]

Yep County made the Mk2/3/4 (maybe Mk5 too, but not so sure about those cos of IFS), it was another company that made the German models, and there wasn't a Mk1, the one above is a nicely done conversion using Mk2 running gear. I love em, and they get out of more scrapes then the landy cos of the LWB having a longer wheelbase.

[dave21478]

Interesting. Are they full-time 4wd or is it switchable? do they have any locking diffs?

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

they're selectable 2 & 4wd (hi & low) & as stated used dana beam axle on the mk2-3 with remote transfer box.

[kenb]

About three of years ago I saw a brand new BT(telecom) Ford Transit that had a discreet Landrover badge on the front as well as the Ford one . Unfortunately at the time I couldn't stop long enough to get a closer look, but it did appear to be slightly higher off the ground than a normal Transit, but not quite like those beasty's pictured above. This was in very rural Lincolnshire, so I did wonder if this was a 4 wheel drive conversion of some sort, especially as the was once a link between Ford and Landrover.

[will]

Found a couple more Mk2's. I have never seen these in the flesh and am led to believe they are rare as in swb form.





Getting motorbikes up a plank into the back of these would be interesting but that's not putting me off in the least. One day...

[popuptoaster]

SWB should be pretty good off road I would have thought, mines a bit shorter than our 4x4 pickup truck and I think its probably lighter as well, front and rear overhangs are reasonably short, axle articulation might be a bit restricted, but no worse than a series Landy.

I should think if you wanted to build one up you could possibly drop a van shell onto a J 4x4 chassis, thus gaining a decent turbo diesel engine, better choices of wheels, easier suspension mods and avoidance of BIVA.

Here's a handy size comparison,

[will]

Ohhh now there's an idea. Is this a taste of whats to come with the camper maybe?

[popuptoaster]

not this one, i do fancy a wreck truck with a crane on the back though, easier to find a cheap, good condition cab as well rather than a whole van, plenty of old recovery vehicles with rotten chassis about, just chop the cab off it and drop it straight on the 4x4 chassis, no worries about getting the wheelbase spot on either that way.

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

theres a petrol swb mk2 county in sheffield ex gas board, very rare as most where diesel lwb.