We are pleased to be partnering with the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, and had a great day recently supporting the National Metro & Mini Show, which also incorporated the Ford Transit 60th anniversary on June 1, 2025.
The Peter James Insurance team at the show were led by PJI Show Manager Phil Beck, who is seen here with Becky Taylor (left) and Sam Hensey. The team was there to meet new enthusiasts and provide quotes, advice, and answers to questions for potential customers, while also learning about their cars and enjoying the atmosphere. We have to arrive early to set up, and we love watching the road into the museum, as it’s a rolling classic car show in itself.
The Transit 60 event provided some nostalgic sights. We saw plenty of classic cars, but so few classic commercials get restored compared to the number built, and many are lost forever. This was a tremendous opportunity to see historic vehicles of an iconic commercial variety.
The ever-enthusiastic Transit Van Club organised Transit 60, you can find out more at www.transitvanclub.co.uk, which displayed 96 vehicles, showing that the Transit has always been, and remains, the backbone of Britain.
The club is headed by former Ford worker Peter Lee, who has written the definitive book on the history of the Ford Transit, a volume we would heartily recommend. He and his team put together a great display and he brought along the oldest van present, his 1965 pre-production prototype 1700cc V4 petrol, which he has extensively restored. It is the tenth and final of the ten prototypes built.
The sliding doors are held in place by Zodiac door locks that stick out in exactly the right place to make contact with the knees of anyone trying to get in the van. It’s just one of many unique features on this prototype, which did not survive into production, thankfully for the state of the nation’s knees…
Tony Hall, from Northamptonshire, with the oldest known Transit-based Martin Walters Dormobile in the world, which was built in 1966 and is powered by the 1700cc V4 petrol ‘Essex’ engine used in all early Transits. He bought it last year from the first owner, who had kept it for 58 years!
Cambridgeshire-based Harry Baughan (right) with wife Becky, and sons Teddy and Albie. Harry has comprehensively restored his gleaming red 1967 Ford Transit 2-litre V4 petrol pick-up outside on his drive, including painting it! The finish on both the wood and the metal was superb and his rueful admission that there was a lot of sanding back was, we have no doubt, a serious understatement.
Nottinghamshire-based Mark O’Reilly with the 1985 Ford Transit County 4×4 2.3TD. He’s had it for three years and has done an extensive restoration. It has freewheeling hubs and differential locks, so is usable on tarmac but has seriously good off-road capability, something which is an often-forgotten part of the Transit’s history.
Nick Pearson with daughter Isabel (12) and son Fred (10), with their recently acquired 1973 Ford Transit 130 LWD, which is an ex-German Fire truck, The iconic Roger Clark RAC Rally tender tribute livery was added by a previous owner but really suits the vehicle.
Julie Wade and Martin Hammond from Southend with their 1980 Ford Transit Club Mobile. This one of only 150 vehicles that were exclusively available in Germany, and featured swivelling chairs in the rear, alloy wheels, stripes and other luxury touches. They believe only around 10 survive.
Craig Wilshaw, from West Wales, took the Transit Club’s Best in Show Award for his striking Imperial blue Ford Transit Mk2 County 4×4 factory conversion, which is powered by an ex-Scorpio 3-litre V6 24V Cosworth fuel-injected engine, and sounded superb. He bought it in a tatty state 21 years ago and ran it for 7 years as part of his business until it became too corroded to MOT. He’d grown fond of it, however, so he decided to restore it to his dream restomod specification. A deserved and popular win for a much-admired vehicle.
Peter James Insurance will be supporting two more British Motor Museum shows this year, so please come along and say hello at either of the following events:
- BMC & Leyland Show: 13th July 2025
- Old Ford Rally: 20th July 2025
