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Bedford CF2
To tell the story of the CF2 properly, we’ve got to include the original CF launched in 1969, which was drafted in to replace the old CA. Canadian viewers, you might know it as the Envoy CA. The CA had done well for Bedford and in fact, whilst on sale for 17 years, it spent most of it’s life as the UK’s best selling light van range.
Anyway, the CF came into an interesting world. The biggest competitor of the time was the Transit which had launched 4 years earlier to replace the Thames, and not only taken market share, but had bedded itself firmly in with the target market.
Prior to Transit launch, Bedford had been working on a replacement for the CA, but scrapped the mock ups after the launch of the Transit and moved forward with a new plan: to not only match what Ford offered but to better it. A great example of this is the critical load dimensions of the CF were better than the Transits.
Bedford had to get it right with the CF after all the investment and development, and with the sales figures percentages I share later, you’ll see it did just that.
Just like Ford, Bedford saw the need for modernisation beyond simply beating competitor vehicles and did away with the sketchy column change and brought in a more contemporary and easy to use floor mounted gear change, which continued into the CF2.
Although the floor change was gone, the engine mounted mid-way into the cab stays and I’ll show you when we look inside why that was a bit of a pain when you wanted to do basic bits and pieces.
However, there was so much more than that. There was a 25-model range on offer with the CF, easy loading considerations with sliding or hinged front doors and low loading heights.
But the development didn’t stop there, there was rack and pinion steering used, independent front suspension and telescopic shock-absorbers all round. Everything from standard of ride to driver comfort with the new style upholstery was considered and actioned.
And then in 1983, came what Bedford dubbed The Revelation. It was the CF2 as we test here today.
Some of the changes were cosmetic - a modernised look. However, there were some other key changes including rust considerations. Bodies now included zinc coated steel, the front end was high-strength moulded plastic, the bumpers were designed to resist minor damage and the lower half of the door interiors, front sections of the bonnet and the whole underside were treated with a wax coating.
In addition to this, there were many mechanical upgrades including new engine options which I talk about later.
In many ways, they’d got it so right with the CF1 there didn’t need to be an enormous shake up for the CF2. It was more about smartening build quality, modernising a well loved product and continuing to give the market share what they wanted.
The CF2 didn’t last as long as the CF1 and came to an end in 86/87.
You’ll see in this video Bedford made great vehicles, they deserved a better outcome and it’s a crying shame it’s no longer a name familiar to the younger generation.
5 авг 2024
