1974 Ford Mk1 Transit Jennings Roadranger

If you are of a certain age - and your author certainly is - this 1974 Ford Mk1 Transit Jennings Roadranger will be powerfully evocative of rainswept seafronts, multicoloured nylon windbreakers, tartan Thermos flasks, Monopoly and Cluedo, barley sugar car sweets, fish paste sandwiches, sticks of rock, and gallons of steaming tea served in chipped enamelled mugs.

Yes, this Roadranger first took to the tarmac in 1974 but its DNA somehow feels older than that, particularly in the wood panelled interior, where all the sensory, aesthetic and emotive clues hark back to the ‘60s or even the ‘50s.

The vendor has owned this glorious time-travel machine since 2010 and has evidently derived great pleasure and pride from taking it on countless tours and rallies, many in Europe, and showing it at events as illustrious as the 2018 Classic Car Show.

Its various outings, attendances and trips are documented in the traditional way – plenty of stickers in the windows.

It is a well-known and much-loved vehicle in classic camper and motor home circles and, over the years, it’s won more rosettes and cups than a gymkhana pony…and we can see why.

This is one of the very last campers of its kind converted by Jennings, being number 202 of just 205 examples.

It was specified and built to have a 2+2 configuration, meaning that it could accommodate 2 adults and 2 children.

The engine is a later, 1990 Ford Transit 2.5 diesel unit mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

Its features include a full cooker, onboard water, shower, fridge and heater, carbon monoxide alarm and 2 fire extinguishers, among many other items of the sort you’d expect to find in a motor home. 
 

The bodywork is really very straight and true and there are no big dinks or dents to report anywhere.

The panel gaps and shut-lines seem consistent and even, and the doors close with plenty of precision.

Previously grey and white, the camper is now cream and pale blue, a colour scheme that gives it plenty of period warmth and all the bright, chromatic charm of an ice-cream van.

We didn’t know whether to just look at it or lick it.

Although the overall condition is really very good, there are one or two largely cosmetic issues here and there.

There’s some bubbling to be found at the base of both front doors: on the panel below the side door at the rear; and on the bonnet lid at the lower nearside corner.

There’s also some rust and signs of previous touch-ups to be found in the rain gutters around the windscreen, and some splits and cracks to the paint below the windscreen at either side of the bonnet.

We also found a shallow indentation on the o/s/r panel.

The wheels, with their shiny stainless-steel trim, look to be in excellent order.

The lights, lenses and badging are all holding up well, as are the wing mirrors, which are from a Mk3 Transit.
 

Stepping up and into the van’s highly original interior is like crossing a portal into a bygone age.

The warm and welcoming tones of dark brown wood are everywhere and the whole ambience is inviting and friendly.

Yes, it’s 50 years old, but most of the evidence of its half century of life is just an entirely appropriate level of attractive patina – nothing is terminally broken, worn-out or otherwise beyond redemption.

The cabin seats at the front and the benches in the rear have been reupholstered at some point in a durable, light-blue fabric which has no meaningful signs of wear and tear that we can discern.

The clock/compass and overhead lights in the cabin are shrouded in charming wooden housings which match the wood on the dashboard and elsewhere.

But we can’t help thinking that if you need to check a compass to see where you’re going, you’ve already taken a wrong turn somewhere.

The steering wheel, gear lever, handbrake and other controls are in good order and, as far as we’re aware, all knobs, dials and switches on the dashboard do what they’re supposed to do.

The black vinyl trim above the dashboard has fared less well and is comprehensively cracked and split along its length.

The door cards are fine and the headlining in both the cabin and main body of the camper are also good. So, too, are the carpets, flooring and curtains.

The elevated, overhead +2 berth above the cabin is sound and solid.

The remarkably well-thought-out and ergonomically sensible rear is fair bristling with wooden cupboards, drawers, lockers and cubby-holes.

We’ve seen three-bedroom flats with less storage space.

The full-height wardrobe is fine, as is the delightfully of-its-era shower.

Naturally, in addition to another clock, there is a barometer in the rear.

In the 60s and 70s, it was compulsory for fathers to tap the glass on barometers in camper vans and yachts at regular intervals, often while thoughtfully stroking their chin and saying things like, “Looks like it’s settling in for the next two weeks”, or “Good job we packed those cagoules”, or even the dreaded, “We’ll have to go to The Pencil Museum again – no point going to the beach with this cyclone coming in”.

Happy days.

Anyway. We digress.

In short, it’s all in thoroughly decent condition - obviously used but clearly useable - and possessed of more charm, whimsy and character than you could hope to shake a stick at.
 

The engine bay is impressively clean and tidy and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The car’s undersides look equally good and appear to have plenty of structural integrity and intrinsic strength.

Certainly, we’ve seen nothing to make us frown, tut or otherwise begin to doubt the vehicle’s honesty.
 

The vehicle comes with a recent, clear, HPI report, a V5C and a selection of invoices, bills and receipts attesting to routine maintenance and servicing work carried out over the years.

There are also plenty of old tax discs and MoT certificates, a book about camper vans and some guides and manuals to the van’s various appliances.  
 

If this Jennings Roadranger could talk we imagine it would be sitting back in a comfy chair and about to embark upon a rambling observational monologue in the manner of Ronnie Corbett or perhaps Alan Bennett.

It must have some fabulous stories to tell: stories of campsites visited, ferries boarded, storms weathered, barbecues lit, beaches explored, mountain passes braved and holidays both enjoyed and endured.

It is a mobile time capsule of memories and its condition and quality are a fitting testimony both to the skills of the people who built it and the diligent curation of those who have owned and loved it since.

We think it is more than ready and willing to start making some new memories.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £20,000 - £25,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.