Even after 50 years, the ‘backbone of Britain’ remains in white.
50 years ago, at the former Hurricane fighter factory in Berkshire, the first Ford Transit van rolled out of the production line. At that time, it cost £560 which was fairly affordable but it was too wide for the narrow driveways that builders, electricians and plumbers of the nation driven on.
Now, after five decades, the Ford Transit has become the ‘king of commercial vehicles’ with its wide range of petrol and diesel engines, and the phrase “white van man” has been associated with it. It also has a cult following too.
What Peter Lee has to say about Transit.
Peter Lee is the founder of the Transit Van Club and collector of Transit vans. His fleet extends to 13 Ford vans, including one of the three 1965 Mk 1 van in existence. This is what he has to say: “The wonder of the Transit van was that it wasn’t just a van, but a way for the working man to earn his crust and keep a roof over his head.
People love it because it made fortunes and built businesses, and over the past 50 years it has transformed from a fairly basic van into an office on wheels that’s as comfortable as most cars.” He further added that he himself don’t drive anything else.
How was it back then?
The Transit was not that glitzy, rapid or even unique way of moving stuff from one place to another back in 1965, as it is now.
But according to fellow admirers and Mr Lee, Transit was way ahead of the primitive post-war vehicles that have dominated the British roads for years.
Over the years, Transit has sold globally more than eight million units and has earned the title of a workhorse of every delivery man, tradesman and garage band.
Why is it always white?
The decades of advances have made Transit a “must” for every business, but the question is “why is it always white?” according to most of the people, it might be because of the white paint being cheap or perhaps a white paint job make the vehicle distinct.
But in fact, Arthur Molyneaux, the designer of Ford realised that white keeps the drivers cool, before the air conditioning was introduced, so they had chosen white for the Transit.