Bedford HA Van Test Drive
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Hi welcome to Hardy Classics!
Today we are taking out this 1974 Bedford HA Double Plus for a test drive. A proper classic commercial, I grew up driving Bedford's and personally think it's one of the best light commercials from the 70s and 80s out there. Being a Double Plus makes this classic van a rare sight on the roads today.
This particular van is for sale at www.hardyclassics.co.uk
Check us out as we have more classic cars, vans, motorbikes and automobilia for sale and we are always getting new stock in!
Thanks for the video, I love these little vans. The yellow liveried BT ones were everywhere in the early 1980s, and even back then the design was ~20 years old. Amazing that the HA continued in production right up until '82/83. They did the job without fuss and were full of charm and character. Nothing like the HA on the market today unfortunately.
Who ever did that engine bay made a lovely job of it.
I had a Bedford double plus from new. Loved it. It also did 80mph easily. A very reliable and economic van.
Great lil van, my one was 1964 and carried all my mobile disco gear and records
loved seeing this video my Grandads work van in the 70's was a HA, bought back memories of him & riding around with him
Good to see the original number plates with plastic letters/numbers instead of stickers
My Dad had 3 of these with the water board. They all have that rasp between gear changes.
Transmission sound is tops.
Ahhh.... a Bedford Beagle!!💙
I have had 7 HA vans and several HA/HB cars in the 70s. I loved them as they were reliable, easy to maintain, pretty good on fuel and cheap to insure. I wish they still made the Ha van, it was such a handy little van for very little money. Vans and pick ups now may look good but are often not practical and the prices a unbelievable.
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You are so true - I wish I could campaign to bring back the Bedford HA but with a galvanised body, excellent van to put in local authority use with engines, gearboxes and axels all being able to get reconditioned at least 3/4 times - how much greener could you go!
My first car in 1972 was a 1964 Viva HA saloon (FMD 820B) from which this HA van was derived. A hand me down from my dad to get me into safer 4 wheels instead of 2. Both my Dad & I worked for GM so it was only natural that we ran Vauxhalls with cheap / free spare parts & employee car schemes. At 8 years old & 3 owners the HA Viva was already quite rusty with holes in the floor & one hole half way up the fuel tank in the boot! I fixed it up & ran it for 18 months but I never cured it's appetite for snapping clutch cables. I had a spare cable in the boot at all times & got very proficient changing clutch cables at the road side in 15 mins. Sold it on & got myself an HB Viva GT in 1974. Wish I still had the GT now cos they are ultra rare.
For the vast majority of the last 24 years my only vehicle has been a 1982 Bedford CF ex.ambulance. The turning circle is incredible **, not having power steering means a nice little work out for the arms…. although lately it is toooo heavy…. got to sort the front suspension out… I’m sure there’s lots of Bedford fans out there who would like to help : )
** One of the main reasons for choosing the CF as an ambulance.
You're right about the turning circle; I don't think I've ever driven a van of that size that could be spun around in so tight a circle as the CF. It made city deliveries a lot easier.
I’m just off to sell one of my kidneys won’t be long see you soon
You can keep your kidneys for now because this one has already sold!
Great little van and video. Thanks for sharing it with us.
HA 110 was my 1st mode of transport too. Bought an ex British Telecom van from Rothwell Motor Auctions back in 1982. Hand painted it black with gold stripes.
Loved it 👍
Had these on the electricity board back in the day. Primitive but unbreakable, although occasionally the gear lever would come off in your hand.
I had one and as a mech in PO in the 70's fixed them....Nice to drive. Had a car too, put EP90 oil down the clutch cable so it didn't fail...
Engine was goosed was it. Not a crankshaft thrust fault by any chance? I once went into a Vauxhall dealer asking for a crank for one of these, expecting to be told it would take a week or two to arrive but he reached under the counter and placed the exact part I needed on the counter top before turning round to a colleague and asking him to get another one from through the back. Not a good sign! They definitely had problems. A great van that served us for years of hard work but clearly there serious engine problem just waiting in the background.
I couldn't hear what the replacement engine was and slightly vague about the cc of the engine too. What was it please.
Any idea why they never updated the gauge layout for the HA vans of the 1980s?
I’ve got one but mine is a pick-up version I do believe there are just 4 left on the road as pickups great little motors
lovely van brings back memories..............cheers
I had one of these and the roof panel rotted along the seam because they designed in a water trap inside where the condensation run down the inside and just stood there in the unpainted trough.😮
As an apprentice in the 70s we had a fleet of HA vans. You're right in saying "You'll get there slow, but you'll get there in one piece ", they rarely had to be towed home; they would run rough, maybe on 3 cyclinders, but still they'd get back. Not as refined as an Escort but far better than a Marina. When our fleet changed to Marinas and Sherpas, everybody hated them; drivers and fitters. I've never seen a special edition van like yours though - cracking video, thank you.
I bought a new 8cwt version in 1969 it cost less than £500 on the road price.
Sunderland council had lots of them, used to work on them. Never seen one that needed a head gasket. Clutch cable was a pain to change.
Has the same steering wheel as the HC.
Max speed of 50mph? We had a fleet of them K, L and M reg’s in Ayrshire Constabulary and they did more than that. Around 70/75 mph. Great wee workhorses.
I was going to say, we had a V reg one and I remember my Dad thrashing it faster than 50! Was glad to see the back of ours mind when we got a brand new C Reg Bedford Midi! He managed to get that one off the top of the speedo!
Luton registered
Ist car I ever owned, passed my test in it.
I just turned 60 asking 1 more year lol
That van brings back a happy
Memories to me love it just
Would like to own one again.
Gorgeous Van
Certainly brought back lots of memories. 😀👍🏻
I’m only in my 40’s but yes I remember the HA van, British Telecom used them in the early 80’s.
They rusted like mad which is why so many disappeared off the roads by the late 80’s and very early 90’s.
That’s a nice one, sounds nice too.
What happened to the wheel trims?
Lovely example .
My DAd had one of these for years for his fencing business. His car was the Viva HC. He certainly loved it.
The styling is so neat, Ask a child to draw a van and they will come up with something like these pretty little vans.
Yes they’re fantastic vehicles, wish they still sold these vehicles today! They’re such great little vans