alixcompo Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 HELP I own a Bedford CA which I suspect may have been originally a Royal Navy vehicle. On the passenger side dash are the remains of the letters 4RN4 Might this mean anything or am I clutching at straws. I have no registration documents for the vehicle though I have the engine and chassis numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Welcome along chum, Hope someone can help you. From my little knowledge I would have thought that there might be something lurking somewhere else. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 HELP I own a Bedford CA which I suspect may have been originally a Royal Navy vehicle. On the passenger side dash are the remains of the letters 4RN4 Might this mean anything or am I clutching at straws. I have no registration documents for the vehicle though I have the engine and chassis numbers. Try Vauxhall Motors service dept, quoting chassis number, if it was a government contract they would know. The RN did have some, a photo of one is in a book of military Bedfords, the type with windows in the side, Utilicon maybe? Do not have it to hand at present time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Bart lists CA vans fur the RN but no photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Welcome mate. The dear old CA were used as crew buses quite extensivley by the RN during the 1970's. With longditudinal wooden slat seats, boys were men in them day's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les freathy Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 If i am correct the crew buses were converted at Dormobile in Folkestone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Ddin't some or all have a three gear coloum shift? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 On the passenger side dash are the remains of the letters 4RN4 Might this mean anything or am I clutching at straws. This number doesn't seem quite right. Post war UK military vehicle serials go in blocks. Whilst the Royal Navy had a "RN" block, the block would go from 00RN00 to 99RN99. Is the number actually 04RN04? If so, it has more a military style to it. But I see the IWM have a picture of a CA Bedford numbered 20RN92 (here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205089042 ) and Bart Vanderveen's book on military Bedfords has another numbered 21RN21; so, unless there are other allocations, you'd expect other CAs to be registered in the late 2,000s or early 2,100s. A recent article in Classic Military Vehicle magazine says that the Royal Logistics Corps Museum has Royal Navy vehicle cards dating from 1981 to 1989, which probably doesn't help. Other than Vauxhall themselves, as previously suggested, I don't know where else to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G506 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Alixcompo, apologies for being slightly off topic, but I may be able to help with CA parts. drop me a PM if you need anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alixcompo Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Ddin't some or all have a three gear coloum shift? I think mine might be a posh late one. 3 speed column change but with syncro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott9643 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Ddin't some or all have a three gear coloum shift? Early CAs had the 1500 engine derived from the F model victor with three speed column shift. In 1964 the 1600 FB Victor was introduced and the CA was facelifted with 1600cc engine and 4 speed gearbox. The most noticable difference was the increase in size of the windscreen. This version also with column shift and shared the same problems as the Ford 400e van whereby it was quite common for the gear linkage to get in a knot at the bottom of the steering column and it was a case of getting under and forcing a jemmy bar between the levers to force them apart (happy days working in a Vauxhall main dealer!) I'm still having nightmares about changing the starter motor! CA finished production in 1969 and was replaced by the CF and the Navy had a load of those as crew buses as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I had an ex army Vauxhall Velox staff car. That had a coloum shift. The essential spare was a bootlace. To tie the thing together. There were a couple of CA crewbuses knocking about HMS Ganges in 1972. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 We had a new one in the 1950s, my everlasting memory is that you had to be very precise when using the gear lever, unlike Fords where you could just rest your hand on the top of the gear lever and just push it through the gears. With the Bedford I would lift the gear lever up towards the steering wheel, pull it down into gear, when changing up into the next gear you would have to hold the lever up towards the s/wheel into neutral position and then allow the lever to drop through neutral before pushing into the next gear, anything less than being precise would result in knotted-up linkage....... all good fun. Although the van was new I remember that we had no passenger seat, but I dont know if it was supplied without one, or if we removed it for extra load space???? I also remember that we used an earlier model Bedford van with steering column change.... the early one was car derived like most small vans of the day and required the same care when changing gear. I cannot remember the model, I will have to try to look it up on the internet. (Should have done that before submitting this post.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 We had a new one in the 1950s, my everlasting memory is that you had to be very precise when using the gear lever, unlike Fords where you could just rest your hand on the top of the gear lever and just push it through the gears. With the Bedford I would lift the gear lever up towards the steering wheel, pull it down into gear, when changing up into the next gear you would have to hold the lever up towards the s/wheel into neutral position and then allow the lever to drop through neutral before pushing into the next gear, anything less than being precise would result in knotted-up linkage....... all good fun. Although the van was new I remember that we had no passenger seat, but I dont know if it was supplied without one, or if we removed it for extra load space???? I also remember that we used an earlier model Bedford van with steering column change.... the early one was car derived like most small vans of the day and required the same care when changing gear. I cannot remember the model, I will have to try to look it up on the internet. (Should have done that before submitting this post.) I have looked it up and I am pretty sure that it was the Bedford P.C. model???? We also operated amongst the fleet of trucks that we had a Bedford OY.... this truck was never in the military, it was supplied new to a civilian contractor, from who we purchased it, I used to drive it regularly from Stoke-on-Trent to Goole docks on the Humber river, delivering stuff for shipment to europe. I was 17 / 18 years old. The truck had been very well maintained and was a dream to drive, I can still remember the Reg No. LRE 52............ 1954 / 55. when I drove it, still remember it all very clearly, I hope that that means that I still have all of my facalties in good working order ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) Ray, I think at the time a passenger seat was an 'extra'. :-D tie an old beer bottle crate in instead. Edited January 15, 2012 by Tony B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Ray, I think at the time a passenger seat was an 'extra'. :-D tie an old beer bottle crate in instead. Thanks Tony..... I am glad that I am not losing my marbles..... we did actually sit on a crate if a passenger. The health and safety people would have a dicky fit.... how did we survive??? My adult years from the early 50s have changed out of all recognition. Obviously its essential in these days of heavy "fast" traffic to have these safe guards..... but some how it felt good to be responsible for your actions, I remember the late 40s,50s and 60s with a great deal of affection, good times,full employment and lots of promise. Driving was an absolute pleasure, it really was the open road, lots of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 In my early working days an an apprentice engineer, the company had a fleet of Bedford CA vans and dropside trucks, then a few HA vans. We were out in all weathers on field service, and not one of the bloody things had a heater, so no only did you have demisting problems, you were cold and if wet, never dried out. Have little good memories of them, except when it was hot, you could drive along with the door open on the vans. One memory was when a core plug blew out and the cab filled with steam, we were towed home behind a Bedford OX ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 So now you young shavers know why the Mk 1 Transit was practically worshipped! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alixcompo Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Amasing to think that Bedford had an independantly coil sprung front axle with telescopic double acting dampers in 1952 when Transit in 1965 only had a beam axle and cart springs on the front and of course that horrible and heavy V4 that they were lucky to unload onto Saab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Amasing to think that Bedford had an independantly coil sprung front axle with telescopic double acting dampers in 1952 when Transit in 1965 only had a beam axle and cart springs on the front and of course that horrible and heavy V4 that they were lucky to unload onto Saab Yes and after a bit of use would wallow like an old Hippo (the animal not the Leyland) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Amasing to think that Bedford had an independantly coil sprung front axle with telescopic double acting dampers in 1952 when Transit in 1965 only had a beam axle and cart springs on the front and of course that horrible and heavy V4 that they were lucky to unload onto Saab Who - as usual - looked at it and turned it into the engine it should have been that won rallys. Again :-) And they did the same thing to the Triumph slant 4 a few years later - it still forms the basis of the 2.0 litre Saab's to this day - including the 400+ bhp Viggen model! That German V4 lump was a POS compared to the UK one - which in turn was not too good. Both were inherently unbalanced and required a s*dd*ng great balance shaft to be fitted. :cheesy: Mind you the German V6's weren't too good either - original design had siamesed exhaust ports - 3 into 2 - and had as much performance as a fart in a wet bag... Later ones copied the Essex V6 and were a bit more successful - but the 2.8/2.9's were never as strong as the 3.0 Essex lumps... Oh the joys of working for the Blue Oval for 34 years... And apologies for veering off topic!! :-D:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I had a V6 auto transit to play with during the later part of the 70's. Record was over the 100mph down M4 late on Christmas Eve. :cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alixcompo Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 A couple of years ago I met a guy who currently owns one of the Transit Supervans with the lowered suspension and mid mounted full race engine that the Ford Apprentice's built in the late 70's; road legal too apparently....... But only just. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alixcompo Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) This number doesn't seem quite right. Post war UK military vehicle serials go in blocks. Whilst the Royal Navy had a "RN" block, the block would go from 00RN00 to 99RN99. Is the number actually 04RN04? If so, it has more a military style to it. I've been trying to post a picture (but the file is too large and I don't know how to reduce it) Following you comment I have been attempting to expose more numbers. There is indeed a 0 or a 9 at the start but as yet I haven't exposed anything after the 2nd 4. So Far I have 04RN4 or 94RN4 I think the year is around 57/58 Anyone....? I have just discovered this quote on a Morris Minor site "RN serials were reused, unlike the Army and RAF where a vehicle was given a unique number which went out of use when the vehicle was disposed of." Oh bu**er Edited January 16, 2012 by alixcompo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alixcompo Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 http://s1077.photobucket.com/albums/w472/alixcompo/ This might be the picture I've been trying to insert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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