Registration - RFO 257

Chassis No. - 100E935700

M.O.T. - TBC

Odometer - 40,334

This pretty and perfectly period Ford Thames is a true survivor. Part of the Thames commercial vehicle line-up, this little van was very popular with small traders in the 1950s and 1960s, and was once a common sight on UK roads. But because vans generally are not cosseted like cars, many were simply run into the ground towards their eventual demise. Not this example, though – which is described as having a 'good' engine, transmission and electrics, with all issues ironed out, while the bodywork has had rust on the exterior mostly cured. In a neat detail, it comes complete with the original wheels although, pleasingly, the tyres are new. The interior is original and does show evidence of wear on the driver’s seat – but for some, this only adds to the originality. The odometer is reading 40,334 miles, though this can't be warranted, and this 1961 model is recorded as having 10 owners. The vendor has owned it for the past 18 months.

The Ford Thames 300E was the small van sibling to the larger Ford Thames 400E, which was the precursor to the famous Ford Transit. It was introduced in 1954 as a derivative of the Ford Anglia 100E, with bodywork and 1172cc side-valve engine shared with the Ford Squire estate car. The design was optimised for use as a commercial vehicle, with a broad load bay and 66 cubic foot load volume. Assembled in the UK, with some knock-down kit production in Australia, Ford produced almost 200,000 Thames 300E between 1954 and 1961, when it was replaced by the Anglia 105E-based Thames 307E.

In summary:

· Rare and original Ford Thames 300E

· Period colours outside and in

· Has been lightly restored and improved over the past 18 months