Years ago one of these was used daily to run from leicester to birmingham whole sale loaded to the rafters with fruit/veg always reliable they simply do not make them like this anymore engines are bullet proof this deserves to be fully restored regardless of expense👍.
Funnily enough they actually do...these vans are still in production in Uzbekistan and are common workhorses there (along with daewoo matizs as the most popular car!)
OMG that brings back so many memories. I bought a Bedford Rascal from new back in 1989 for my carpet cleaning business. I loved that little van it was such fun to drive. I’ve had much more expensive and sophisticated vehicles since then but the little Rascal is still one of my all time favourites.
Got to agree with you there, had a 1988 Rascal in the early days of my carpet cleaning business in 1990, loved that little van, bought a new Daihatsu Hijet late 90's and absolutely hated it! Retired from the business in 2020 after 30 years.
Yea I had a Bedford they used to fit between standers bollards (I think thats what their called, the black post things) so you could get them almost anywhere, very handy lil vans....
I was a pest control officer and dog warden for a local council in Herefordshire in 1986 and they asked me to pick a suitable vehicle for the job, I chose the Rascal and really enjoyed driving it. I also owned a Suzuki 410 too. I watched the whole video and enjoyed every minute.
Best 1 hour 55mins and 15 seconds I have spent on a Sunday morning in the last 15 years 😁😁 Keep them coming Ben you'll be up to a million subscribers by christmas Pal
Wonderful video and project vehicle. I think the appeal of these vehicles is their simplicity. I had a 1990 Ford Festiva - it wasn't the best car I've ever owned, but it was one of those cars that always put a smile on your face driving it. It was like a go-kart. It could go anywhere because it was so tiny. The room inside was amazing. I miss that car. Discovered your channel this past week and love it!
I bought one of these about 98. It was mint condish! First job put a box of coving (3meters) between the seats and on to the dash then closed the tailgate and punched it through the windscreen! Loved that van. Love the vid.
I had a bedford rascal on an E plate, and kept it for 9 years, until it was 10 years old, and had done 120000 miles. I did simple maintenance myself, because it was so easy to do. The van was so practical, and easy, and fun, to drive and park. People should start demanding that new cars should return to being fun to drive. I haven't given up on vehicles of this design. I now drive a 2011 subaru sambar, (660cc 4 cylinder petrol engine), imported from Japan. Sadly, that'll probably be my last car, or van, of this type. Hopefully, it'll last for another 10 years. Thanks for the video, which brought back memories
Gonna watch this tonight but I used to have a Bedford rascal and loved it, it used to fit between the old bollards you used to get all over England, very handy lil vans.....👌👍
That WTF moment at the inhuman foot angle was pure comedy gold. Me and the wife couldn't stop laughing, we noticed it too, just moments before the "wtf"
I'd give that friend of yours a wide berth next time he calls, or accidentally on purpose drop the phone in a bucket of 10w/40. But seriously, your hard work has paid off, this Rascal has been transformed, you can hardly see any holes now, it's positively indistinguishable from new, I think most came with rust as standard from the factory! 😁
That is brilliant. I'd forgotten all about the Vauxhall Rascal. The vehicle of choice for many tradesmen in the 90's. I'd love to see a full restoration on this - lovely
Love to see this van fully restored they were so versatile and many variants even a 4X4 one and even a ambulance version quite a future classic vehicle .
Just found this Channel and subscribed. I am only half way through but there is something about bringing these old Girls back to life that is so satisfying. When it started and moved, I nearly choked up. Brilliant vlog, even if it does not end well, cross my fingers.
i've owned 5 of these, the first was my Grandads demountable camper,(Romahome) it had a removable fibreglass pod that could come off on stilts and be just a pick up this was a suzuki carry. then i had two Bedford rascal coachbuilt motorhomes (Bambi) then two bedford vans, they were brilliant i even took one up porlock hill. if expanding families wouldn't have happened i would still have one today. thanks for the trip down memory lane Great video.
Just found your channel, you're a natural at this, very entertaining to watch. As for the little van, I'd love to watch you get it welded up and through an MOT!
Great episode.... satisfying, entertaining, funny....much like the channel itself. Keep it up Ben.... you're turning into one if the best car channels on RU-vid 👌👍👊
My late grandfather and that side of the family had a fleet of these under the Bedford guise as milk-floats when I was a kid, I've always wanted a rascal van. I've got a picture on my desk of him stood proudly next to his rascal freshly washed! Love this, keep it up.
Fun little van! Back in the 80's i hired a few of the Rascal's older brother the Midi, they were also great things to drive. I agree with you, this little one needs to go back on the road some day. It's Febuary 24 when I am writing this, and a quick mot check tells us that whilst it's not been presented for another Mot yet, the little thing is still showing on the data base, so she's not been sent to the breakers. So hopefully she is getting all the body work sorted somewhere.
Just started watching and this definitely needs to be saved after it's harrowing history. Not many vehicles can say, they were in an accident with a ship and survived. And it is quite in good nick as well...a true survivor
When you said "the reason I got this battery" i was expecting you to say "because it has the go handle" from a very popular RU-vid channel from the US. But loving the rascal video used to drive one of these a pickup version it was loads of fun to drive though we tried to get the back end up in the air
I had one of these for 14 years, great little van, also had the Bambi motorhome version as well, miles better than anything modern, as very little to go wrong!
Awesome video. Just subscribed after seeing your video as a youtube recomendation. Amazing little vans these. Hope it gets sold to someone who apreciates it enough to see it properly restored. Look forward to more mini restorations projects
Unbelievable video,what a great little van, certainly deserves a second chance. I hope you sold it to a good home for restoration. Love the videos and keep them coming ❤
I mean this in the best way possible, your style reminds me of Derek from the Vice Grip Garage channel. I found you by accident on Sunday past and subbed before you got the Ambassador running. Thanks for the content. 👍🏻
Great video Ben used to drive on of these back in the day when i was a plumber we had a job in Folkestone Kent used to run the van daily to there and back from London with no problems great little vans, keep up the good work
I spent roughly 15 years working for amy local council doing Clean Surrounds,m grass cutting etc but they had a fleet of rascles that we used to use litter picking the local parks, great fun as fit on a pavement, the open backs are great fun in the wet aswell. Made me sub watching this as left council 10 years ago so dont get ta see much of them now.
@@tastyclassics Yeah I had lots of fun in them back in the day, great fun in the wet as get them going sideways/driffting around corners, an yeah being on council at time was accepted that we drove on pavements to get to empty bins or just for a Jolly 😁🤣🤣
Mate this is the first video I've seen from your channel... All the charm of Junkyard Digs with the explanations of Ed China combined with some good old British grit! That's 2 hours viewing well spent! Nice video and you got my sub!
I owned one in the 1990s, and I loved it. Me and a mate used to drive it to St. Malo in France to stock up on duty free booze and tobacco. It was amazing what we could cram into the back. Mine had a tendency to overheat on motorways, and the sills front floors were rotted away. I was sorry to see it go.
I had a Bedford Rascal as a "motorized wheelbarrow" some years ago to clear a plot of land of paving slabs, pebbles and buildings and it was fantastic. I've also had it's Subaru equivalent. Both were amazing.
Oh my days Ben you crack me up, your videos are so watchable!! The little Rascal needs an A-Team style paint job 😂.....pleeeeze keep doing these videos 👍👍👍
I had two close shaves with death in one of those puppies. I picked up my companyś brand new rascal in London and had to drive it to Birmingham. Cargo was two 5 litre cans of a special paint. Long story short, the lids came off the paint cans. I was 17 and not what you would call responsible as a driver. By the time I got to Birminghan I was delierious from the fumes that was brush number one, the paint had spilled down the door wells and hardened, it glued the two sliding doors shut, Brush number two came when my dad (company owner) found out, Brought back a lot of memories that video!
I'm sorry, but with a little tlc, that could be the most adorable one man campervan ever. It's the car equivalent of a Jack Russell, tiny but so cute. I want one. 🤗🤗
found your channel today while off work subscribed straight away after watching this video , very entertaining and factual, Brilliant keep making videos.
They were made in Luton at the old Bedford van site at the time IBC vehicles which stood for Isuzu bedford commercials. There was also a pickup version of the van and its bigger brother the Midi van.
i used to have the rascal pick up. my husband fitted a large tread plate over the back so my shopping was safe. Then a very good friend took it to work where it was completely stripped down and painted pearl pink. it was admired by a lot of people
sooty and sweep drove a miniature bedford pickup camper... I love the irony of them taking something thats already teeny tiny and making something even teenier tinyer for the gang XD
OK my friend. As an American, I do not know what the hell that is but I love it!!!!!! I would drive the hell out of it over here just so I could have everyone stare at me and ask tons of questions!!!
Back in 1991 I was given a lift from Yorkshire to Devon in the back of one of these!! Sat on my kit bag it was the most uncomfortable journey I've ever had in my life!!
Had one of these when I was gardening, 'G' reg. Great fun little van to drive, very nippy. It had a very clunky gear change from what I can remember, but I call that characterful.
Nice to see this. Think rascal captured special niche owners. Good for small builders ... Easy access.seen them used for sandwich / breakfast rolls on local daily rounds good little all rounder with simple engine and electrics.old is gold.
Reminds me of when my Dad bought 30 of the little buggers from BT, all buttercup yellow. They'd been used as telephone box maintenance in London, some interesting flyers I recall 😳
Ha ha, I had to use a phone box in London & had to write a number down on one of those "flyers" I did get an odd look from a woman waiting to use the phone, especially when I took the flyer with me.
Great little rigs, I have a Suzuki super carry, basically the same beast, but in pickup truck form. I love these little trucks, on our side of the pond they are very rare. The Bedfords are almost unheard of in the US. But you should still be able to get parts for it.
Which is interesting as they're a GM so probably would of done well, went to a lot of countries, too small for the US maybe! I almost tried to fit in the back of the F250 but it had sold before I could try.
New subscriber, first video of yours I've watched. Awesome video and so refreshing to see videos with a decent length. Will be watching more of the uploads asap
So glad my home page got me onto you mate. Absolutely fantastic vids! As someone who started Youtubing around the same time, im jealous of your growth but its so deserved. Great content.
They are still made today as damas/labo I think in Korea,so ironically when you sad that it would have been sent as a scrap pressed cube it could have had the chance to be turned in to a new one.
Hi Ben, Stumbled across this while looking for another restoration project and stayed for the duration! Hugely enjoyable vid I was quite fond of the old girl by the end, Hope it finds it's way back amongst the big boys on the open road also I'll be straight down to Eurocarparts in the morning for some 'M.O.T in a can'! Cheers Best Wishes Jim, Surrey
Three wheels off an early Sierra, two off a Mk4 Cortina and one from a Mk1 Astra - keep them outside the shop they look great! Keep up the content, loving it lad.
My sister-in-law ran one for a few years, I believe the dreaded rot saw it off in the end. My missus used to be scared to go in it as there was no bonnet in front of her and her sister used to drive at a rate of knots lol!!!!
I love that little van! I'm partial to the type with the seat over the front axle. And I'm partial to the vans with a sliding door on each side - I'm a real stickler for symmetry - to a fault. I'm also partial to the vans with rear-wheel drive. I think "Rascal" is such an appropriate name! And did you see the heat shielding on the underside of the seats? Amazing! Sure it's got a bit of rust going on, but a few minutes with a MIG welder would do wonders. Just look at the view from the driver's seat; I think the word "commanding" applies here - you get a commanding view of the road. Yes sir, this is one groovy little van! And those battery cables - what a bit of brilliance! Sort of a universal connection system that would allow any battery to be used.
Restore it mate!! You can looking for Suzuki Carry parts. Phone different car salvages. You wil find bodyparts. The engine is indestructible!!! Its a clean base + a nifty car for advertising.
Send it to me. Im in New London, on disability and my 2005 Grand Caravan runs for four miles and overheats. Three mechanics have worked on it. Wish You were here.
I broke my virginity in one of these amazing machines so they are specal to me. One of these was my 3rd car after a Volvo 66 (DAF) and citroen AX but I travelledand explored the UK, Ireland and Germany in my time off with a cut down matress and a bluet stove. I would love to say it never missed a beat and but it always got me home, in all I had 8 wonderful years before it rusted to nothing.
In Orstralia Holden rebadged these and flogged them as the Scurry... And at the same time at Suzuki dealerships we're selling the same thing as a Carry. Badge engineering was an extremely common practice down under in the 90's
Just started watching this van Video, Its brilliant I remember working in a hire van and car PLC in Brighton We had 3 vans similar to this one dinky van cute fun easy to park. Honestly this van is amazing Love the registration HOOK ideal consider it was found by the sea .. Its very light surface rust and the areas of where its worse I believe was I believe are most common areas.. Personally If you was welding new wheel arches in and you would have a great van.. I have Two Vauxhalls in my collection Both Astra Bertone and twin top convertibles. My own van is Ford Transit 2.2 TDCI and Audi 2.7 TDI estate and a Mercedes CLK 320 convertible. Really look forward to see what you do with this van.. The mileage in 2008 was 96133
