Vintage trucks.

[Oldfeller]

Anyone on here using old vintage trucks,or  ex wd type stuff as a useful addition to the operation?

when I was younger I had an old J type Bedford with a Reynolds-Boughton 4x4 conversion, proved invaluable in many jobs, in a dumb moment I sold it and regretted it since, If I could find another I would have it, but due to the rarity I expect it would be hard  find one I could reasonably afford.

I am considering something similar to use just for my own use, and been looking for an Austin K9, or similar 4x4 truck.

anyone thinking of selling one, give me a shout. cheers.

 

Edited December 31, 2025 by Oldfeller

[Stubby]

6 hours ago, Oldfeller said:

Anyone on here using old vintage trucks,or  ex wd type stuff as a useful addition to the operation?

when I was younger I had an old J type Bedford with a Reynolds-Boughton 4x4 conversion, proved invaluable in many jobs, in a dumb moment I sold it and regretted it since, If I could find another I would have it, but due to the rarity I expect it would be hard  find one I could reasonably afford.

I am considering something similar to use just for my own use, and been looking for an Austin K9, or similar 4x4 truck.

anyone thinking of selling one, give me a shout. cheers.

 

Had an Austin Champ once . Had a 3 litre Rolls Royce engine I seem to remember . It was just a fun truck at the time . 

[Oldfeller]

17 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Had an Austin Champ once . Had a 3 litre Rolls Royce engine I seem to remember . It was just a fun truck at the time . 

I figure I'm safer tootling around in a 1950,s truck than on a 200mph bike at my age. insurance is cheaper too.

[markieg31]

Rb44 is a good shout but since Ukrain/Russia match all the cheap ones have gone. The rb44 is the same dimensions as a mwb transit so Ideal. Love the old kit, 6 cylinder would be a bonus!

[Oldfeller]

2 hours ago, markieg31 said:

Rb44 is a good shout but since Ukrain/Russia match all the cheap ones have gone. The rb44 is the same dimensions as a mwb transit so Ideal. Love the old kit, 6 cylinder would be a bonus!

you're the first person I ever heard say anything remotely good about them.

my army buddies hated them, said the bloke responsible for them should be shot.

I haven't even seen one since around the 80,s.

that said the 4x4 RB set up on my Bedford was faultless.

Edited December 31, 2025 by Oldfeller

[markieg31]

Well they sell for 8k upwards, the problem is parts are obsolete so that makes things tricky all though not impossible. 

 

Small footprint, 4wd, hi and low box, perfect. I would have one if I could get hold of one at the right price but have never spent more than £3600 on any motor in my 20 odd years of driving so unlikely to be dropping £8k on an RB.

 

 

[Bob_z_l]

Had a Dodge 50 Horsebox. Same 3.9 Turdo Perkins. 
Unstoppable.......once rolling.  In a good way.

 

Every RB I've seen had the same problem. Rust. Lots of it.   
Mechanically simple but the body dissolved around the engine/chassis.

Echo @Oldfeller sentiments. I too have been looking at older stuff.  TK's and the such are hens teeth or a kings ransom for a good one. Difficult to justify as a fun / hobby vehicle.  But safer than my bike I agree.

 

[openspaceman]

13 hours ago, Stubby said:

Had an Austin Champ once . Had a 3 litre Rolls Royce engine I seem to remember . It was just a fun truck at the time . 

Lovely 4x4 with torsion bar suspension and the engine was part of the MOD plan to standardise spares by having parts in common with bigger engines. It made it all rather expensive compared with the cruder, simpler land rover offering which won out.

[markieg31]

Austin gypsy, they look well built, seemingly a lot better than the land rover at the time.