Remember the original Ford Supervan? Powered by the 4.7-liter V8 from the GT40, and stripped of every nut and bolt that wasn’t necessary to keep it intact, it showed the world what the Transit platform could be when enough anoraks got their hands on a few spare parts. And now, as we approach the legendary nameplate’s 60th anniversary, it’s been found and is being rebuilt once more.
It’s being overseen by former Ford apprentice Andy Browne, who took ownership of the Supervan’s remains in 1973 once its original creators, Terry Drury Racing, had concluded its motorsport campaign before he, too, had to move it on after a few short years. But there was to be a twist.
“One day I got a call and somebody said to me they thought they knew where the remains of Supervan were,” said Browne. “I’ve lost count, but this must have been at least the twentieth time, easily. I went to see these remains, ran my hand under the sills, and knew that it was the van that I’d owned. It wasn’t even a van at all—just a floor pan and a bit of bulkhead, and some parts of a chassis that had been cut.”
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With the original van—or something that slightly resembles a van at least—located, Browne set about rebuilding it using original parts. It retains the mid-engined layout atop a Cooper Monaco Chassis, with bits like the exhaust manifold shared with the GT40.
That lightly massive powerplant should also remain, which means around 435hp at the flywheel resulting in a 0-100ph run in 7sec and a top speed of 240kph. Small numbers by today’s standards, but back in 1973, 240kph for a cathedral on wheels would’ve been the equivalent of a modern-day demon love child between a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and a Bugatti Chiron.
With the rebuild almost complete, the first-generation Supervan will be seen alongside its second and third iterations at Ford’s Dunton Technical Center. How’s that for a Friday night sightseeing adventure?
More photos of the restored Ford Supervan:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
