Sparkling With Good Points - (Thames 5cwt van) -1953 

I've got a 1953 one, undergoing complete restoration when I fit the work in-between paid work. It was converted into a Hawson Holdall, (not sure of spelling) but as I've a pair of side panels complete including the original rear doors it'll be back to original again. Am going to use as an advertising tool for my domestic appliance repair business when completely finished.

Never thought I'd hear the words "Thames 5cwt. van" and "high performance" in the same sentence........

I served my apprenticeship as a Coach Painter at a Ford main dealership painting these. Later owned a Squire same thing but with windows , seats and a lot of chrome!

We had one for many years went everywhere in it the best van ever

What a beauty. I was sold even before the optional second wiper. I can hardly contain my excitement.

The easy fitting of a "second " wiper !!!

Ah the first vehicle I remember as a kid in the early 60s cos my dad had one for his business. We used to go on holiday in it with a dicky seat in the back for me. Wish I had one now. 🎢⛱

glide ride, it's all over the place!

Looks very low at the rear and high at the front when on the test track ?. Heavy load to stop it bouncing ?.

Nice looking van love the dash rare van now

Fantastic machine!

Very 1953 to say that the rough road section of the test track is the "colonial" section at 2:21!

That's an amazing piece of design for 1953 .

In 1959 my dad bought one of these vans, was new but it wasn't long before the gear box fell out on the M1. Never bought a Ford again.

Even the driver is wee...he makes it look like a big truck!

Had one of them, it was alright.

Eamon Andrews is the commentator! This IS your life!!!

I used to drive one these vans in 1962 for a well known tv rental company, they were red in colour. The van was let down by the vacuum power windscreen wipers. It was faster than the anglia 105e van max speed was 73 mph. Some one in the motor pool fitted a ‘blue engine to the 100e. It was estimated that it could do over 90 mph. I wonder were is now probably made into razor blades. O’h happy days in the 60’s working in tv industry.

Ooohh the memories!!

Self closing doors obviously too :-) They were shut at 1 minute 41 seconds. Nice feature.

The simple suspension appears to work really well.

Notice how the wipers are demonstrated at idle... didn't want to see the speed (or lack of) as you went uphill.

"powerful vacuum operated wipers". it's a known fault with 100E based vehicles that at high speeds the wipers stop working

At 2:48 you can see the driver being thrown forward and off his seat as the Glide Ride suspension isn't quite up to the task.

Who closed the back doors?

Sounds like Eamonn Andrews doing the voice over

Powerhouse

254KG!! How things have changed.

Interesting pronunciation of 'Thames'.

it was a quarter of a ton by British imperial measurements for 112lb is 1hundredweight(cwt) and 20 cwt is 1 ton We had one as a meat van up to 1969 1970 K'dua Ghana

PS liked Eamonn Andrew on Crackerjack Rolfe Harris doing his skit too, first warning of his behaviour was from Sheila Florence when we lived in St Kilda back in '81.

my grandpa had one

A heady 36bhp?!

Sounds like Amon Andrews narrating this film?

Nippy van

Good old days, crossply tyres vaccine windscreen wiper. Second windscreen wiper optional extra !!!!!!!!

Can’t beat Ford

I am selling my Ford Thames 300E, its in kenya

4

Spanking.... I mean sparkling...... playing fast and loose with the word sparkling, maybe.

BEAUTIFUL?? I’ll be the judge of that!

Engine lacked everything the later ohv was 1000 times better and 3 speed box lacked everything . Anglia was probably first practical car like mogy minor

The 1955 Fiat 600 was streets ahead compared to this.