Ford Transit Supervan 1

[GD66]

you guys know that Renault did a similar thing with an espace. put a F1 chassis with a V10 in it. Prost demonstated it a couple of times

Good point, buddy. I used to drool over that little baby.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ4X4l56Q1w

Fast forward to 1:25 if vous ne parlez pas le Francais...

[BMCBOY]

I took these at 2012 Galaxy of Cars - I don't know if it is original or not.

[khyndart in CA]

English race driver,Chris Craft, would often drive this Ford project in demonstrations. When he was a VDS F5000 driver we asked him about driving the Transit van and he said it was a blast sitting up high with all that power below !
It was on a Ford GT 40 chassis with a mid engine 400 bhp Ford V-8 covered by a Mk1 Ford Transit body and claimed to have a top speed of 150 MPH !
Chris Craft at speed at Silverstone in 1971.

[Steve Holmes]

Supervan 2. I think this one sprouted a rear wing at some point.

[John B]

Spark produced 1:43rd models of all three Supervans. When displayed together, it's easy to see that #1 was larger than #2 & 3.

As mentioned above, the first Supervan was based on a full-sized steel-bodied MkI Ford Transit. However the second and third Supervans used scaled-down fibreglass bodyshells.

[John B]

Directly from Wikipedia...

Supervan

The Supervan first appeared at the Easter 1971 meeting at Brands Hatch. A GT40 chassis and its mid-engined 400 bhp Ford V8 gave a standard pressed-steel Mark 1 Transit bodyshell a claimed top speed of around 150 mph. The vehicle had been built for Ford by Terry Drury Racing. Externally the van appeared very like a standard Transit, in Ford's racing livery of white with low horizontal triple blue stripes. The wheel arches were flared to almost cover the wider wheels, but this was barely more noticeable than the extensions fitted to the production long-wheelbase Transit. Aerodynamics of the high-mounted bodyshell were crude though, and although the van was usually demonstrated with drag starts, body lift limited its top speed on a track.

In 1978 the Transit was redesigned as the Mark 2, with quite different looks. Supervan's appearance now looked dated and no longer suitable for promoting the 'New' Transit.

Supervan 2

In 1984 a new Supervan 2 was constructed. The bodyshell was a fibreglass replica of the Mark 2 Transit, although slightly lowered and fitted with a front airdam, large side air inlets and a high-mounted rear spoiler. The chassis was a Ford C100 Group C car, fitted with a Cosworth DFL engine. It was built by Auto Racing Technology of Woolaston. Supervan 2's debut was at Donington Park for the first British truck racing Grand Prix. During tests at Silverstone, it was timed at 174 mph.

Supervan 2's promotional lifespan was even shorter than the first Supervan. Just over a year later, the Mark 3 Transit was released, with a very different outline. Supervan 2 retired to the Leyland Motors museum.

Supervan 3

In 1994, to promote the new Mark 5 Transit, Supervan 2 was rebuilt as Supervan 3. This was the first time that Supervan had been used to promote a new model, rather than a model already nearing its end of life. A seven-eighths scale reduced replica of the new bodyshell was fitted, together with a new engine, a Cosworth HB. The work was carried out by DRL Engineering of Suffolk. This version also had the longest promotional lifespan, appearing in public until 2001. With several liveries in Ford's blue and white over the years, its final appearance was in Royal Mail red, celebrating Ford's new contract to supply their vans, taking over from a long arrangement with Leyland DAF Vans.

In 2004 a refurbishment was announced. The engine was replaced with a more practical Ford-Cosworth Pro Sports 3000 V6 engine, and the 1984 Ford Motorsport blue and white livery was restored. This work was carried out by Sporting and Historic Car Engineers of Bicester.

In 2007 it was suggested that Supervan 3's chassis might be rebuilt into a C100 and used for historic sports car racing.

[conrod]

Here is a track test of SV2 from back in the day:

[928]

conrod, could you tell me anymore about the xtrac escort listed in the performance comparison chart?
it looks very quick.

[conrod]

It was built by John Welch, and in conjunction with X-Trac was one of, if not THE first 4WD rallycross cars. Mk3 Escort bodyshell, turbocharged BDA with around 600hp, it was pretty much the template for todays rallycross cars. At the time it would outdrag just about anything in a 0-60 race

[928]

thanks conrod, welchs escort was the second one built schanke had the first i understand. that explains the exceptional figures then.
many thanks

[conrod]

went to friends place to pick up some parts today. He backed out his German firevan so that we could get at the storage area. Thought it was a good opportunity to snap a couple of pics of an early Mk1 (1969) sitting next to a late Mk2 (1985) They are essentially the same van from the windscreen back.

[ERC]

No Super van, but thought I might as well share it! Driven here by NSCC's Chief Flag marshal, Mike Mayfield at Curborough - who is still linked to the NSCC even now. When I was custodian of the Transit (early 1977), it got me home through the snow (uphill to the highest point in the county!) at a time when many family cars were abandoned, much to my surprise.

[escorthvn]

It was built by John Welch, and in conjunction with X-Trac was one of, if not THE first 4WD rallycross cars. Mk3 Escort bodyshell, turbocharged BDA with around 600hp, it was pretty much the template for todays rallycross cars. At the time it would outdrag just about anything in a 0-60 race

Conrad,I think Mike Endean, X-Trac form Kerikeri still owns one of those Escorts. Its still in the UK.Peter.

[conrod]

Conrad,I think Mike Endean, X-Trac form Kerikeri still owns one of those Escorts. Its still in the UK.Peter.

Interesting!I met Mike at the Hampton Downs festival of speed a year or two ago. Lovely guy who was happy to chat, and surprised to hear he spends half of his year in NZ. He really is a legend in Motorsport, not as well known as maybe a driver, but such an innovative and important company for many forms of motorsport over the past 30 or so years. We should try to convince him to get it over here!

[Milan Fistonic]

Not so much a Super Van - rather an ordinary van with a Super Driver. Steve Millen in 1972.

[escorthvn]

Not so much a Super Van - rather an ordinary van with a Super Driver. Steve Millen in 1972.

Top corner Bright road. I competed that day also.Peter.

[928]

I vaguely remember seeing a transit powered with a 246 ferrari dino engine and transaxle in the Uk. around slough i think. on the road not on a race track

[conrod]

Not so much a Super Van - rather an ordinary van with a Super Driver. Steve Millen in 1972.

and another, with a straighter attitude this time