Austin- New 4x4 Transit

I think someone has been reading these pages as Ford are to put the drivetrain of the new Defender underneath the new Transit to make a proper capable 4x4 Van. You won't have to make one now Austin. :-)

Reply to
Bob Hobden
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On or around Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:09:24 +0100, "Bob Hobden" enlightened us thusly:

bugger that - it'll cost an arm and a leg. You got a website or similar with any info?

's about time someone did. Ford should have the makings of it anyway, in that the current transit comes either front or rear-drive. Not sure, though, if the front-drive one doesn't have a transverse engine, which would make it more tricky.

since new defender is using the tranny engine and box, it's a logical step.

now, presuming they build it, how can I afford one?

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Not that there are many about but Ford Dealers Countytrac did make a 4x4 Transit County comversion never saw a minibus version just waterboard vans about round Buxton

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Derek

Reply to
Derek

I am sure they all ready have made them, I used to see couple of utility 4x4 transits knocking about british gas I think It was a few years back though so it could of been anything I supose, too many stellas have flowed since then ;-) Icky

Reply to
icky

They have, i remember the blue & white ones. Looked odd!! They where deffo trannys!

Nige

Reply to
Nige

Probably County conversions.

I've been struggling to find something from the horse's mouth, so to speak - Ford's site is a disaster. This is the best so far:

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Reply to
Dougal

No matey, there were aincient!

Reply to
Nige

On or around Wed, 27 Sep 2006 22:02:48 +0100, Dougal enlightened us thusly:

undoubtedly - no-one except utility companies etc. could afford 'em, they were horrendously expensive new.

No kidding. I looked at the spec sheet for the transits and it has last year's engine details.

nice description of how it works. I don't think that's what the defender will be using in 2007 though. Mind, it may show a way forward for LR products such as the freeloader - having developed a cunning system like that it's likely to appear on other ford products.

Mind, from the pictures, it's not going to have the same sort of off-road ability as mine - more aimed at the grassy fields and snowy roads and the like. As such, it'd no doubt be very successful, provided it doesn't end up costing too much more.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

County ceased trading back in the mid to late 1980's so any recent sightings will have been fairly ancient vehicles or not County conversions.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

On or around Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:55:13 +0100, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

someone must have been building 'em - there are "county" transits up to the

90s. There's a shagged L-plater (93, ish) on ebay at the moment. I imagine the specilist parts are getting difficult now. The front axle is a Dana, so should be easy enough, but I don't know what transfer box etc. they used.
Reply to
Austin Shackles

Countytrac are still trading - as per the above link.

Reply to
EMB

On or around Wed, 27 Sep 2006 22:17:53 +0100, "Nige" enlightened us thusly:

nono, the old ones are County conversions, the new ones alluded to in the above website are Ford's new AWD tranny.

I still fancy building one. Ford are gonna want an arm and a leg for new ones, and they won't be down to my price range for at least 8 years... that's if many get sold - if the price premium for 4WD is too high, it'll be the same story as the County conversions - only the leccy board and such will buy, and then only as few as they can get away with. This is why it's so difficult finding a second-hander.

plus I like the idea of using the 110 drivetrain and suspension - cheap, easy to get parts.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

er click the link Huw mate M J Allen is the firm that bought them out and still produce the County Derek

Reply to
Derek

Well they own the brand and seem to convert a few Transits apparently. The original County Commercial Cars was killed off by trends and Ford's policy back then. County tractors are now soughtby collectors and some good examples, even from the 1980's, fetch silly money at auctions. An 1884 is now probably worth over £40,000. It cost 10k less when new less than 20 years ago. Bet their transits don't relitively fetch as much.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Bloody hell - there might be a quid to be made exporting the things from here - the last one I saw for sale needed a coat of paint and was advertised at £7000.

You'd probably not want any of the fleet in the links below - the reason is obvious once you see them.

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Reply to
EMB

On or around Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:23:27 +0100, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

The transits shift fast and fetch high prices compared to normal ones. rarity value, innit.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Two County 1184s - ex-MOD with around 500 hours on each sold recently for £25,500 each.

Reply to
Dougal

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