The success of Ford Transit van will be celebrated by the launch of a 435bhp version, rigged with a V8 engine will pay the tribute.
Only five years after its launch in 1965, there were more than 400,000 Ford Transits running on the roads in early 1970s. Ford has always craved for more power with supreme handling and practicality.
Ford’s Truck Sales Promotion team has come up with idea of collaborating with Terry Drury Racing of Rainham, Essex, to give their Transit a unique upgrade the world has never seen before.
This steroidal upgrade was carried out on a standard Mk1 shell and named “Supervan.” To fit in a bigger, even thirstier engine, the team had to cut open the floor-pan to make room. But how big that engine really was? Well, what do you know? It’s none other than Ford V8 racing-spec engine which was reworked and further expanded to provide 435bhp.
If you have that kind of monstrous engine fitted in, it requires special treatment to the brakes to stop it. To accommodate 15 inch wide wheels shod, equipped with Firestone racing tyres, the wheel housings were extended and Can Am racing car brakes were used with them.
The steering was derived from Ford GT40 which was absolutely wonderful choice for such marvellous vehicle. The standard seat was replaced with Corbeau racing seat. This vehicle was driven by Terry Croker who stated that he achieved 68mph in first, 102mph in second and 134mph in third gear at 7000rpm.
If you work on this theory, the fourth gear will get 165mph and fifth will get to 196mph. That’s not all, it took only 7.0sec to do 60mph while the quarter mile took only 14.9 seconds, which is pretty amazing for an old timer.