Unfortunately, the rivets holding the cooling fan to its hub had worked loose creating a noticeable row, at the halfway stop its owner thought it best to not continue and drove cautiously home (not far away). However, entered again on the 2023 Run it didmake it to the finish.
When new, in 1936, this vehicle left Dagenhamas a Ford Model 61 with the small-bore V8 engine, it now has the later, straight four cylinder engine that Ford fitted from late-1937 for the 1938model year. So, technically it is now a Fordson E88W (Ford also changed the brand name at the same time for small commercials under two-tons). However, it has been totally converted to be an E88W; wearing a Fordson badge, a fixed bonnet side and top structure with removable radiator grille, so, it is, and looks, absolutely correct for the Model it has become. Confused? There's more, another change has been its bodywork; when new it was a fire appliance and worked through the Blitz; it left the factory as a chassis/front end to be bodied as a fire appliance by a bodybuilder. Finally registered as CYF 477 with London County Council in May 1936.
Since production for the civilian market didn’t start until June that year; despite being announced in October the previous year. So, this is a very early example; coming off the production line before those destined for the public, preference being given to the fire service. At
