Driving impressions
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Ford has brought back from GEC one of the first 1965 Transits and the Hawk couldn't wait to take a drive down memory lane.
What hits you first when you climb back into a Mk 1 Transit is the lack of instrumentation—there's a speedo (with oil, charging and turn warning lights), temp and fuel gauges, heater control and the windscreen washer on the floor. Add a key and four switches—lights, wipers and choke with the indicators and dipswitch on the single stalk—and that's your lot.
The engine started at the first request, if a bit reluctantly, proving that you still need a good battery on an old Ford. Having forgotten that the gear lever was positioned close to the bulkhead, stretching to select first acted as a reminder. Looking in the wing-mounted mirrors showed why they are now on the doors.
On the move the steering was vague and light requiring large inputs to correct the van's wanderings. It was not until 1973 that the Transit adopted radial ply tyres.
With servo assistance from the start, memory was of good brakes but standards have moved on leaving the 1965 version to raise a few eyebrows For diesel-powered versions there was a vacuum pump on the back of the alternator and a gauge on the dash to warn against any impending loss of 'performance'. Launched with all-round drums, the Transit claimed a first for a commercial vehicle when in 1973 it was fitted with front discs With all this 'refinement' the Hawk certainly felt in contact with the road—in fact I could see it through the holes in the floor for the pedals. Another feature to bring you closer to the elements was the sliding doors, an option which came in useful during the hot weather