Bedford MJ buyer tips

[Tugger]

The more I look at them the more of a bargain they seem.

Can anyone offer any suggestions on buying an MJ or what I should look out for?

 

If I were to go to Withams how would one go about road registering one?

 

Or even does anyone on here have one they would like to go to a good home?

 

Being about 7.5 tonnes I understand they fall within the C1 catagory meaning they can be driven on the old 'full' driving license, is this so? and if so how does the more modern Leyland Daf 45 compare in that respect?

 

(personally I prefer the look of the MJ and having seen the selection Withams took to W&P, I've persuaded the wife they'd make a great camper)

 

With many thanks for the answers to all these questions and more...no doubt :-D

[sirhc]

If you buy a vehicle from Withams it will come with a form 654. This form allows you to register the vehicle with the DVLA and is proof of the date of manufacture. You will need an MOT and insurance first though. If you are looking at them in tender sales get the guys in the yard to start them up first, they usually dump the rubbish in the tender sales. I've looked at some nice trucks before, climbed in the back and found half the engine in a puddle. At the money though they are a bargain.

 

Chris

[ian2b]

I think you will find that the Bedford MJ's are about 9450 kg and will need to be down rated to drive on a C1 licence. If the vehicle is not down rated you will need a LGV licence to drive it. They will need to go through a plating test as.

[N.O.S.]

At the moment Bedford spares availability is pretty good, and at reaonable prices. However -

 

I heard from the Bedford Genuine Parts guy at W&P that by 2012 it might be a different story, as all M types will have been withdrawn by then, following roll out of the replacement (MAN?) fleet of trucks.

 

Implications are that -

 

1) There could well be a large number of Ms for disposal over the next year or so, which should keep prices low.

 

2) A very significant chunk of the spares market will be lost, meaning that it will be down to a handful of smaller (but very good) parts suppliers to arrange for manufacture of small batches of parts, which will undoubtedly give rise to problems

[sirhc]

The Bedford M series trucks are widely used throughout the world by charities, aid agencies and foreign governments. I expect the spares to be easy to get hold of for a long time yet. If you're really worried, at £2k each, why not buy one to use for spares?

[Tony B]

My experience of doing that is it is always the same bit broken on both. :dunno:

[simon stolly]

Before buying a MJ;

 

CHECK THE CAB! as this is prone to rot, check under the floor mats and around the rear window. If a cab roof rack is fitted, check where it mounts on the gutter rail. Front wings also go.

 

ENGINE PROBLEMS the 330 is a good engine, but is a pig to work on due to the fact that the cab does not tilt. Little things like water pumps (nigh on impossible) alternators and starter motors take on a new meaning of difficultly. Belts and other expendable items are all a pain to replace. A ex-REME guy told me that all work on the engine done by the army is done with the cab off, which is quiet straight forward ( if you have a crane). Bottom crank pulleys can come loose, check and lock- tight, if it does come loose it will scrap the end of the crank and then it's replace the engine time!

Oh and make sure it is a MJ with a turbo and not a MK without. These engines also tend to smoke alot on start up, but should settle down quick , avoid if not.

 

SPARES are strangely difficult to source (as is the TM) and can be very very expensive £475+ vat for a starter motor! from Gen Bedford Spares.

Better to source bits from breakers, I have found DAVE CROUCH a very

good supplier and reasonable too for all Bedford /Leyland daff bits.

Another problem is that a lot of the spares are exported.

 

No power steering! A kit can be fitted at a cost (ram type) also I have been told that the power steering box and column can be fitted from the civvy TL

without to much fuss, there is even lugs on the block to fit the pump.

 

Try and get one as complete as poss, with good tyres, hood sticks and canvas, there was a good one one eBay ( didn't sell) this week, Spending a bit more at purchase for a better example can save a lot of time and money later.

 

Lastly;

These trucks are great!!! A modern classic, nice to drive and lend themselves well to camping in the back of. Two of my pals have got them and love them to bits! A hard insulated demountable full or half length body is also available (Crouch).

Others to consider are Bedford TM ( my choice) Bigger, faster, higher, more modern, but lacking that classic curvy looks, and only a two seat-er.

Leyland Daff, big cab, modern drive, but doesn't cut it on the looks.

 

Good luck, Simon

 

 

[N.O.S.]

Hey guys, the point about spares after MOD gets out of Bedfords, is that I got the "distinct impression" that it is only the MOD job which keeps the spares operation afloat.

 

As Simon says, breakers yards are a good source and there are still loads of old trucks about for breaking. I thought 330 engine bits were ok, those for the 500 ™ are becoming very difficult.

 

The company which owns the rights to drawings (intellectual property rights) reckons the spares business is likely to change radically post MOD, hence the importance of dealers like Ditton Service Station and other dedicated companies who make great efforts to source components and get bits made., when all other options fail.

 

Apparently it is increasingly difficult to find companies prepared to undertake small batch manufacture. Sometimes your order waits until another 49 orders are placed before it is possible to get the part made!

 

I use a MJR 4x4, now with Tipping TL cab ('cos of rust and I couldn't afford to spend a day getting to the fan belt!!) and Cummins 6B, for a living, and need a goodly stock of bits around me for comfort - no good waiting 2 weeks or scrambling around the country when a bit goes bang!

 

Lets hope the future is better than that suggested, I find it difficult to imagine a world without Bedfords..... :shake:

[YK55]

Hi Tugger, I have an MJ :tup: Some good points mentioned by others above. The engines are difficult, but not impossible to work on. I fitted a new water pump last year and a lot of it had to be done by 'feel' as you can't actually see what you're doing. Spares availabilty is excellent, I use Ditton Service Station and get next-day delivery!

 

Mine is down plated to 7490 kg and can be driven on the pre-97 car licence. ( but you can't tow a trailer over 750kg on a C1 licence )

 

I get 13 mpg and run on a mixture of diesel and vegetable oil at a ratio of 2:1 You could probably go to 50/50 in the summer.

 

I would advise to get the best one you can afford, it will work out cheaper in the long run and you have a nicer truck too! One sold on ebay recently for £7905 :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: link here :- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/bedford-mj-4x4-diesel-army-military-lorry-truck_W0QQitemZ170139676585QQihZ007QQcategoryZ122307QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Here's mine, it's a minter 8-) I would consider selling it if I could find a LHD in the same condition.

 

[Richard Farrant]

 

ENGINE PROBLEMS the 330 is a good engine, but is a pig to work on due to the fact that the cab does not tilt. Little things like water pumps (nigh on impossible) alternators and starter motors take on a new meaning of difficultly. Belts and other expendable items are all a pain to replace. A ex-REME guy told me that all work on the engine done by the army is done with the cab off, which is quiet straight forward ( if you have a crane).

 

 

 

Just in case any of you with MJ / MK Bedfords, are not aware. To access the water pump and anything else in that area, also head removal, the cab floor between the seats, is removable. This is only on M series, and not TK models. The seats have to be removed first. I have had years of repairing experience of these and rebuilt countless engines for them.

 

I do have a few spares for these and will check exactly what and list it in the adverts if there is enough interest.

[Lord Burley]

Having driven both the MJ/MK and the Daf45,the latter is a more relaxed experience.Almost car like.Power steering on the 45,but gear selection can be a bit notchy due to the linkage system.But to be Honest the MJ seems to ooze,s more character.I was seriously tempted by the ones on offer by Withams at Beltring.To the point that the other half went back to the tent to get the credit card to buy it.(she really likes em)Only to find on our return,it had been sold for £2550.

[sirhc]

Mark,

I saw one of those being towed back, very slowly, to the Americas Field by a series 1 Land Rover on the last day. It was really struggling in the mud, but as I was packing my tent up I was relieved that I hadn't just bought it, it obviously didn't run and I wanted to get home! I was very tempeted though, but ended up with a Sultan instead :shake:

 

Chris

[Marmite!!]

Mark,

I saw one of those being towed back, very slowly, to the Americas Field by a series 1 Land Rover on the last day. It was really struggling in the mud, but as I was packing my tent up I was relieved that I hadn't just bought it, it obviously didn't run and I wanted to get home! I was very tempeted though, but ended up with a Sultan instead :shake:

 

Chris

 

 

Chris,

 

we spoke to the guy, Withams sold it with NO fuel, it got just over the bridge & ran out :roll:

[Lord Burley]

The one i was interested in was the last one they had on the Sunday night in camo.Was it that one?.I know what you are saying about Withams though.Last years CVRT they had for £10,000 was worked on by some one i know.Who was told by them,to just make sure that it goes backwards/forwards,stops and that the lights work.

[sirhc]

Sounds like it wasn't too bad then. Yep it was the camo one, was pretty tidy all round. I saw one in a tender sale a couple of months back with a new engine, exhaust, tyres, brakes and canvas. The cab was straight, it just wanted some paint. I think it made £2000. That one would have been a bargain!

 

Chris

[Lord Burley]

Give it a few years and you wont see any on the show circuit.Now is the time to buy.

[Lord Burley]

Anyone got a link to this Crouchy fella,s website?

[sirhc]

http://www.crouchrecovery.co.uk/

 

I saw a few of MJs in a scrap yard a few months back. They were starting them up, waiting till they ran out of fuel then pushing them over to the torches and cutting them in half. Some of them looked better than the ones you see on the roads...

 

Chris