Ford was no stranger to producing successful models but in October 1965 it excelled itself, pulling the wraps off a vehicle that is commonly recognised as the backbone of Britain — the Transit.
A joint-venture between Ford UK and Ford Germany, it was developed under the codename Redcap and was designed to provide the class-leading levels of comfort, ease-of-ownership and load-lugging capability that were absent in its Thames 400E and Taunus Transit.
It wasn’t particularly advanced, for example the frontend was a beam axle rather than the independent set-up of the 400E, but the Transit worked in every sense.
A wider body provided the all-important space, while a front-end with a conventional bonnet ensured easy engine access and hence, lower servicing times. Unlike that of the narrower 400E, the sturdier design with its
