Restoring The Gas Man's 1980's Bedford HA van

[@user-qu8ou9rl6z]

My first van on the Council as a Highway Superintendent 1980 onwards used loads of them, in Devon you could get right under the hedgerow when you met someone. Happy days

[@datbs]

Great memories 👍

[@chinnyvision]

We had one of these when I was a kid. It was shot to bits after just 6 years of local deliveries and got replaced with a Bedford Midi. That managed 8 years of the same job and likewise it was so shot to bits it went straight to scrap.

[@datbs]

Thank you for sharing your story 😊

[@engineer6250]

I’ve never been able to drive due to very poor eyesight, however my dad had several cars that I remember. He started off with a Triumph Courier, a Herald estate with no side windows. Registration number was NMG392. That died of rust. Next was KFT 156J. An ex water board green Escort mk1 estate, which soldiered on for years and at one stage had a yellow front wing. Mechanical failure killed it. Next was OLB 37L. A Viva HA van. Don’t remember what happened to that one, but dad kept it for years, it just kept going.

[@datbs]

Hello engineer , welcome to the channel sounds like your dad enjoyed a van !

[@engineer6250]

@@datbs dad worked night at the Lucas CAV factory in Finchley, London, making fuel injectors, but on Friday afternoon he would go to the clothing wholesalers in Whitechapel, buy stuff, then tout it round to the factories in East London, in order to make more money. The vans were always full of clothes, bedding and whatever else he thought he could sell.

[@datbs]

@@engineer6250 thanks for sharing that memory 😊

[@chrishickman1589]

Back in the 70s used to work on the natural gas conversion work for William Press. They had in their fleet what seemed like hundreds of these vans in their fleet . Seem to remember them being very light in their weight/ steering.

[@datbs]

Thanks for sharing Chris

[@alandougan4534]

I bought mine in 1974 from a main dealer, it had come in as a px, it was a 1967 (E reg) in white with fitted rear seat only one previous owner was Times Furnishing, it was used by the upholstery repair man. Paid £40 for it, only problem ever (and the reason I swapped it later for a Mini) was rear spring hangar needed welding, couldn,t afford the welding back then. Big mistake, still we live and learn.🙃

[@datbs]

Thank you for sharing this great memory Alan, please be sure to subscribe

[@cmk20qa]

My first vehicle at 16 was a 1966 HA van, that was back in 1978. Great memories. Would love one today.

[@datbs]

Thanks for sharing Coliom

[@simonbarringer3415]

Had an old Bt van in 1985 HA

[@davespain7716]

Things have moved on in the van market, a lot!

[@datbs]

They certainly have

[@ianford2383]

That would be tragic to put an electric engine in it

[@johnmontgomery9149]

Also a lot of police forces used them.

[@datbs]

Interesting thanks for sharing

[@johnmontgomery9149]

@@datbs Ayrshire Constabulary, Lanarkshire Constabulary, Highland Constabulary to name a few. We had 3 batches K, L & M reg’s

[@roberttucker805]

I was enjoying this until the mention of putting an electric motor in it. Leave it original!