Undoubtedly retro. An older Ford Transit camper provides as much nostalgia as a Volkswagen Westfalia and provides more room for arm swing inside the vehicle.
Retro camping with a bit of glam?
A Pilote 360 Motorhome superstructure on a Ford Transit mk2 was a great vehicle in the early 80s. We do not know whether the depicted car is original or renovated with good taste and skilled craftsmanship. It wasn't for sale, but might give ideas for other Transit projects? A quality extension can be renovated and possibly upgraded to today's standard. It is not as motivating to spend time and money on restoring a similar one caravan without having a "matching" car. The advantage of a Transit project is the overall impression.
Ford Transit mk2
However, I will not exaggerate the joys of Transit. Inside, the driver's seat with hard 80s plastic is hardly the nicest place to be. I was reading in a forum thread between a potential buyer of Transit mk2 Campervan and two owners, - one with a 1982 model petrol and one with a 1985 model diesel. Technically, both cars were OK, but it should probably be in the cards that you don't acquire a 40-year-old Transit without considering it as a project. What owners of Transit camper vans were least satisfied with was engine noise and that the vehicle had little power to offer at speeds above 80 km/h.
Engines
Ford offered several engine choices for the Transit. But the camper vans of the early 80s seemed to have either the following engine choices: 2,0 "Pinto" engine with 78 HP or 2,5 diesel engine with 67 HP. By today's standards, that's not a lot of power for a vehicle with a curb weight of almost 2 tonnes.
About the pictures
All the cars are photographed in France. The car in the main photo is pictured outside Le Boulou in the South of France. The beige-yellow is photographed in Céret where it is in daily use. The white car with extended wheelbase and superstructure with a brown "belly belt" is photographed at the beach in Argeles-sur-Mer.
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