A 1969 “Lotus Cortina” Ford Transit Mark I Camper Van

This is a freshly restored Ford Transit Mark I Camper Van from 1969 that’s been given the Lotus Cortina treatment – as a tongue-in-cheek homage to the classic little compact car that proved so successful on the race tracks of Britain back in the 1960s.

The Ford Transit Mark I made a popular starting point for camper conversions in the UK, they were relatively inexpensive to buy and operate, and they had plenty of room in the back for all the essential items you need for holidays on the go.

Fast Facts – Ford Transit Mark I Camper Van

• Since it was introduced in 1965 over 8 million examples of the Ford Transit van have been built across four generations, making it the third best selling van of all time.
• The first generation Ford Transit, known as the Mark I, was introduced in October of 1965 and it proved immediately popular thanks to its large size, reliable V4 engine, and excellent cargo capacity.
• Fords Transits have been used for everything from ambulances to police paddy wagons, most were used for commercial purposes and some were modified to become pick-up trucks, minibuses, crew-cabs, and more.
• Ultimately Ford would keep the first generation Transit in production for over 20 years, it became a staple cargo vehicle in Britain and further afield in places like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

The Mighty Transit

When it was first released in the mid 1960s the Ford Transit had a tough road ahead of it, it was developed to replace the aging Thames 400E van which had been losing marketshare to the likes of Bedford and to Volkswagen with their Type 2 van.

This Transit was restored in 2017 into a period correct camper van, with many original fixtures and fittings.

The design team behind the Transit started with a blank slate. They knew the new van had to be wider and longer than the Thames 400E, it had to be capable of carrying as much or more cargo than its competitors, and it needed to have a front engined, rear wheel drive layout.

Ford’s pre-existing V4 engine was a perfect fit for the new Transit as it was shorter than an inline four, fitting neatly into the compact front engine bay. Later versions of the Transit would offer a variety of different engines, some requiring the front of the van to be extended outward – earning them the nickname “pig snout.”

Power was sent back through a manual transmission to the rear wheels, and the large cargo space in the rear made the Transit highly versatile. Many were used as ambulances and police paddy wagons, others were converted into pick-up trucks, minibuses, crew-cabs, and more.

The restoration was comprehensive, as this shot of the underside clearly shows.

One use of the Transit van that none of the original designers saw coming was “bank robber getaway vehicle.” The new Ford van became a popular getaway car as they could accommodate a gang of men, a large amount of stolen goods, and the Transit was so common on the streets of England that no one noticed them.

In 1972 a Scotland Yard spokesman explained that “Ford Transits are used in 95 percent of bank raids. With the performance of a car, and space for 1.75 tonnes of loot, the Transit is proving to be the perfect getaway vehicle”, describing it as “Britain’s most wanted van.”

The Mark I Transit would be replaced by the Mark II in 1977, the two vans were almost the same save for a few modifications including a modernized front end and dashboard.

Collectors and enthusiasts have started discovering the Ford Transit Mark I in earnest in recent years. They’re now starting to see their values rise and high-end restorations are being undertaken worth tends of thousands of pounds.

This van is powered by the Ford V4 engine, chosen due to its compact size which made it ideal for the small engine bay on the Transit.

The “Lotus Cortina” Ford Transit Mark I Shown Here

The Mark I Transit you see here has been restored to “Lotus Cortina” specification – turning it into a special edition van that never actually exited in period.

The original Lotus Cortina was a modified version of the standard Ford Cortina road car, Lotus engineers reworked it for better performance and they succeeded admirably – creating a little two-door sporting sedan with impressive racing potential.

This potential was soon realized with Jim Clark winning the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship, Jackie Stewart and Mike Beck then won the Marlboro 12 Hour, Alan Mann Racing took a 1-2 finish in the “Motor” Six Hour International Touring Car Race at Brands Hatch.

A slew of other race wins would follow, firmly cementing the Lotus Cortina as one of the most popular blue collar performance cars of its day. The most distinctive exterior visual difference between the Lotus Cortina and the regular Ford Cortina was the green stripe down the side, finished off with a Lotus badge.

This is a Lotus Cortina (Mk1). Each started as a standard Cortina before being sent to Lotus who fitted one of their own Twin Cam engines, and a slew of suspension (and other) upgrades.

During its restoration this Transit has received this same stripe and Lotus logo, showing us what a Lotus Transit might have looked like in period, even though the very idea of it is as preposterous as it is amusing.

This Transit started out as a standard Ford Transit Mark I from 1965, it has continuous known history from new with 58,702 miles on the odometer.

In 2017 it was professionally restored to vintage camper specification, it has many rare and original fittings including utensils, appliances and fittings, along with a TV and a few other modern upgrades to make it more usable in the 21st century.

As a further hat tip to the Lotus Cortina, this Transit now has a custom dashboard box that contains a rally-style instrument panel with gauges, switches, and a period push-button radio.

The van is now due to roll across the auction block with H&H Auctions on the 27th of April with a price guide of £20,000 – £30,000, which works out ton approximately $26,000 – $39,100 USD. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of H&H Auctions

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For Sale: The Original 1977 AMC AM Van 4×4 Concept Vehicle

This is the 1977 AMC AM Van, a concept vehicle that was planned to have a four-wheel drive powertrain headed by a turbocharged engine – both quite novel ideas for a production car in the 1970s.

This van was part of AMC’s seven car “Concept 80” traveling motor show, intended to showcase to the American public their vision for the future of the automobile. The AMC AM Van was by far the most popular vehicle in the show, resoundingly winning the public vote everywhere it was shown.

Fast Facts – The 1977 AMC AM Van

• The 1977 AMC AM Van was penned by legendary automotive stylist Richard Teague, the creator of the AMX, Javelin, Jeep Cherokee and a slew of other designs.
• AMC was known for unusual and oftentimes quite prescient vehicle designs, including the likes of the Gremlin, the Eagle 4×4, and the SX/4 4×4.
• Had it been approved for production the AMC AM Van would likely have sold well, the 1970s were a time when vans were king, and with the included turbocharged engine and 4×4 drivetrain the van would have ticked a lot of boxes for a lot of consumers.
• Sadly the van didn’t get the green light for production, and now just this single fiberglass bodied concept vehicle remains to show the world what might have been.

The AMC “Concept 80” Traveling Motor Show

The AMC Concept 80 traveling motor show was unveiled in 1977 and sent on a seven city tour of the United States, to showcase the future direction of the American Motors Corporation.

These are four of the seven vehicles that were used in the AMC Concept 80 traveling motor show. The Concept Electron and the AM Van (top and bottom right respectively) were the most popular.

The tour included seven vehicles including the “Concept Electron,” a small electric vehicle with wedge-shaped styling built  as a joint venture between AMC and battery manufacturer Gulton Industries.

Other vehicles in the show were perhaps a little more subdued, the “Concept I” was essentially a Gremlin crossed with a Pacer, and was arguably better looking than either of them. The “Concept II” was even more Pacer like, and again it was more aesthetically pleasing than the actual production car.

The green “Grand Touring” was very much a child of the 1970s, with styling cues from both the Gremlin and the Spirit sedan.

The final car in the show wasn’t really a car at all, the AMC AM Van was a precursor to the modern minivan and the modern SUV in a single package.

It was a two-door coupe with seating for three abreast and a cargo space in the rear, period advertising materials explained that it was planned to have a four-wheel drive powertrain and a turbocharged engine – both unusual on a mass-production road car in the 1970s.

The styling of the AM Van is clearly the work of AMC designer Richard Teague, the father of the Gremlin, Pacer, AMX, Javelin, and the Jeep Cherokee to name but a few.

Ultimately, none of the vehicles in the AMC Concept 80 made it int production. At each location show goers were asked to vote for their favorite and the AMC AM Van was the resounding winner, typically claiming almost 1/3 of the vote.

The 1977 AMC AM Van Concept

When it was first published in the American motoring media people didn’t really need the captions to know that this new design came from AMC.

The styling cues were there for all the world to see, the headlights and front end were reminiscent of the AMC Pacer and the rear end was clearly influenced by the AMC Gremlin. The 4×4 system was likely somewhat influenced by the Jeep, which AMC had bought in 1970.

AMC stylist Richard Teague had a marked influence on the cars built by the company during this era, and the AMC AM Van was a greatest hits album of his aesthetic design principles in many respects.

It’s not known exactly what four-wheel drive powertrain was intended for the Van concept, though it was likely a version of the system that would be used on the upcoming AMC Eagle crossover 4×4 and the AMC SX/4 that were released a short while later.

The van is now being sold from the Bortz Auto Collection, of which it’s been a member for over 35 years. It was most recently displayed at the Kenosha County Historical Society.

It’s similarly a mystery as to what engine would have been used, whether AMC was planning on turbocharging an engine they already had in production or if they intended to harness some of Renault’s turbo engineering chops, as the two companies were closely linked at the time.

Despite the bid popularity of the AMC AM Van concept it didn’t get approved for production, likely as AMC was going through a period of financial difficulty and belt tightening at the time.

As it stands today the only surviving testament to the design is this non-functional concept vehicle from the 1977 “Concept 80” show. It’s a fiberglass bodied 1:1 scale model with a wooden internal structure, it has a partial interior and it can be rolled around on its wheels.

The AM Van ended up in private hands, joining the famous Joe Bortz collection and remaining part of it for over 35 years. It’s been lent out to multiple museums over the years, including the Gilmore Museum and the popular AMC display at the Kenosha County Historical Society.

The AMC AM Van is now due to cross the auction block with RM Sotheby’s in late May, if you would like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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For Sale: A Ferrari 360 “Tipo F131” V8 Engine

This is a Ferrari 360 engine, officially known as the Tipo F131. It’s the 3586cc V8 that was fitted to the Ferrari 360 and all of its variants during the 1999 to 2004 production run.

The Ferrari 360 has been called the first modern Ferrari by some, it represented a major technological shift forwards as a replacement for the F355.

As the first new Ferrari for both a new century and a new millennium, the Italian supercar maker went all out with the 360.

They developed a new aluminium space-frame chassis that resulted in a larger and more roomy car that was 40% stiffer than its predecessor with little in the way of a weight penalty.

The F131 engine was significantly revised over its predecessor for use in the 360. A new intake system was devised along with a slew of other changes both internal and external.

This new alloy chassis was only 40 kilograms heavier than the steel chassis used on the F355, and it did away with concerns about rust, particularly the rust that could affect the rear subframe of the F355 that you needed to remove the engine to see clearly.

The Tipo F131 engine was so named because it produced 131 bhp per liter. It was a significantly revised version of the V8 used on the earlier F355, with its displacement increased from 3.5 to 3.6 liters and the power increased from 375 bhp to 395 bhp.

The biggest improvements to the engine aren’t immediately apparent in those numbers however, Ferrari engineers had improved torque output from 268 ft lbs to 275 ft lbs and brought peak torque in lower in the rev range – giving the engine the illusion of considerably more power and better throttle response.

This engine comes on a display stand ready to be showcased in a home or garage, or in among a collection of Ferraris of course.

Among the many improvements that the engineers rolled into the new engine were titanium connecting rods, revised cam profiles, and a slight stroke from 85mm to 87mm. They also optimized airflow in and out of the engine, and added eight more throttle trumpets.

Many consider the Ferrari 360 to be one of the best value propositions in the modern classic Ferrari market at the moment, made all the more alluring by the fact that the cam belts can be changed without needing to remove the engine from the car – saving a chunk of change on servicing.

This Tip F131 engine is due to roll cross the auction block with RM Sotheby’s on the 14th of May in Monte Carlo and you can click here if you’d like to read more.

It comes on its own display stand and it’ll likely sell to someone who wants a spare engine for their 360, though it may be snapped up by someone wanting it for a interesting engine swap.

Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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For Sale: The 1968 AMC Javelin “Bonneville Speed Spectacular” World Record Setter

This was the AMC Javelin that won the “Bonneville Speed Spectacular,” setting a new C-Production class record of 161.733 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats with Craig Breedlove at the wheel in 1968.

The competition was sponsored by AMC and CarCraft Magazine. They took three Javelins and assigned them to three separate three-man teams who had applied to enter the contest. The team with the fastest car then won all three cars – one for each man.

Fast Facts – A “Bonneville Speed Spectacular” AMC Javelin

• The name Craig Breedlove needs to introduction to anyone even vaguely familiar with land speed record racing. He’s a five-time world land speed record holder and the first person in history to reach 500 mph and 600 mph on the ground.
• The car you see here is the winner of the 1968 “Bonneville Speed Spectacular,” a competition that was held at the Bonneville Salt Flats. This car set a C-Production class record of 161.733 mph.
• Three 1968 AMC Javelins were entered in total, each was modified by a team of three contestants, the winning team with the fastest car then won all three cars – one each.
• The AMC Javelin was developed as an answer to the Ford Mustang and the wildly popular “Pony Car” genre. The Javelin was released in 1968, and the “Bonneville Speed Spectacular” was developed to drum up publicity for the new car.

The 1968 Bonneville Speed Spectacular

In 1968 with the release of the Javelin, AMC set to work creating a publicity stunt that would win the company coverage from coast to coast, and permanently link the new pony car challenger with two things: a world speed record at Bonneville and the Craig Breedlove – the national hero and famous land speed record setter.

This image shows Craig Breedlove (front) with the contestants and their cars. From left to right, Team #2: (winners) Charlie Seabrook, Pete Darnell, and Matt Strong; Team #1: Carl Tracer, Alynn Luessen, and Bruce Nottingham; Team #3: Bill Tinker, Jim Riley, and Larry Lechner. Image courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

This competition was co-sponsored by Car Craft Magazine. Readers of the magazine were invited to enter a competition to join one of three teams that would be modifying three Javelins in the hope of setting a new C-Production class record.

The Three Teams

Each applicant had answer some true or false questions and write a paragraph selling their mechanical aptitude. Nine winners were selected and divided into three teams, they were: Carl Tracer, Alynn Luessen, and Bruce Nottingham on Team #1.

Charlie Seabrook, Pete Darnell, and Matt Strong on Team #2, and Bill Tinker, Jim Riley, and Larry Lechner on Team #3.

Interestingly, Pete Darnell of the winning team was flown in from the Vietnam War to compete.

Each of the teams modified their AMC Javelins to the best of their abilities and Breedlove drove each of them down a marked course on the Bonneville Salt Flats in November of 1968.

The engine remains in original condition, still including all of the modifications made to the car by the team who won the competition and set the new record.

Team #2 would end up winning, with a combined top speed of 161.733 mph, setting a new C-Production class record that stood for many years. The three cars were then given to the members of Team #2, the winning car (shown here) has remained in private hands ever since.

The 1968 Record-Setting AMC Javelin Shown Here

The car you see here is the Team #2 car that set the new C-Production class record in 1968. Interestingly it’s only ever done 19 miles of driving – all of which occurred on the salt.

The car was new when the project began, it was trailered to and from Bonneville, so the only miles on the odometer were put there by Breedlove himself.

A number of modifications were made to the chassis and some safety modifications were added by Breedlove’s garage. The car is powered by a modified 304 cubic inch AMC V8 engine fitted with a Vic Edlebrock-designed special prototype 2 x 4-barrel aluminum intake manifold.

It has special heads built by Joe Mondello, a 4-speed manual transmission, and a signature Red, White and Blue exterior with a Back interior.

This car was featured in several issues of “Car Craft” magazine in 1968, the April 1970 issue of “Hot Rod” magazine, and later in the October 1998 issue of “Car Craft” magazine.

It’s currently due to be auctioned by Mecum at the Indy Auction in mid-May, and at the time of writing there is no price guide listed, you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of Mecum

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