I got my cat CE license when I was 23 but due to my age I couldn't get a job! But my god, you don't realise the physical and mental effort it takes to drive a truck. I have the utmost respect for lorry drivers! They are the hidden heroes of the roads.
Great trucks,these went as low as 609.wanted my dad to have one of these new in 86 but he got a roadrunner instead.what a disaster that was.i loved the sierra xr4i derived dashboard on these trucks.
I took my class 1 test in a Bedford TK artic with the smallest trailer allowed, my instructor had a business plan, gain clients by making a pass as easy as possible. RIP Ray Bourne.
I once spent 2 weeks driving one of these all the way from Bristol to Bosnia and back. Many memories from that trip, but my abiding memory is when I finally got back to Bristol and hopped into my 1.0 Vauxhall Nova to go home - it felt like a race car! It felt like I was sitting on the floor with a tiny throw to the gearbox lever, a ridiculously responsive throttle pedal and incredibly direct and precise steering. Unfortunately once I had re-acclimatised it was just the same old banger!
I once jumped straight out of an rx8, easily the best handling I have ever felt, into a volvo amazon estate - i ended up on the middle of a roundabout. everything had a 10 second delay - it was like i was drunk.
True. It does make your normal every day car feel a bit on the quick side. I feel like that when I get in my Focus diesel to drive home. Also driving a truck you know how to maximise every bit of power to keep the momentum going.
Funny how a vehicle brings memories flooding back. When I was probably about 5 or 6 years old my uncle turned up to my grandparents in a flat bed Ford Cargo recovery truck with a then new crashed Metro GTI on the back. I vividly remember jumping in the cab with him to take the car to a local garage. After I finished admiring the flashing amber beacon on the roof in the reflections of the houses we passed I noticed a rather substantial collection of adult themed pleasure pamphlets in the door pocket!
I agree with you that everyone should drive a truck, having passed my rigid test not long ago and now training for my articulated license it has showen me how other road users don't understand what it is like to drive a truck
Wow you've brought back memories! Used to drive around the midlands & south east of Ireland with my Dad in a Cargo years ago. Had various ones, his first being an 0811 but they all tended to be 1113 or 1115 models after that. I used to hide in the footwell looking out of the window at the bottom of the door, so I couldn't be seen when passing where he worked 😅
My Dad also drove these in the 80s. I also tagged along on journeys to Scotland and the southwest. I remember the day he got the cargo. He was over the moon as he had come from the Bedford TK and the cargo was all new and spangly. That engine sound brings back great memories of time on the road with my Dad. Thanks!
Every time while driving the X28 decker for Lloyds I’d pull out of the junction at the top of penglais and go “ ooh it’s the sea, I’m at the seaside” never got bored of seeing it
drove a 1013 [10 ton 130hp] for 12yrs, it was a recovery truck with a slide body + hiab crane behind the cab. crazy thing was that it had heavy duty axles fitted [for the weight of the crane] with DRUM BRAKES... the fade on them was dangerous... i made my fortune in that truck, i was sub-contracted to the police, £105 [£260 today] for every recovery, usually 4 per night, 27 one easter weekend was my highest, it was at the height of hot-hatch theft in the early 90s in sunderland, highest theft rate in europe for almost a year, from quadbikes to cosworths, i recovered/drove the lot...
@@jamesfrench7299 solid rims thank goodness, when the 8yo kids threw bricks at you, you just had to load up + get out asap, twice bricks got stuck between the rear tyres, 120psi makes a big bang, but it scared the urchins off... fun most of the time, cleaning off the goo of a fatal RTA, not so nice... beaten up by drug dealers wanting their cosworth back, even less fun... having your garage + trucks damaged in a focused arson attack, nearly game over...
@@jamesfrench7299 yeah, there was a good reason for the high wages, but i still look back with fond memories, on fine weekend days i used to take my 2 boys out to "get the broken cars" as they said, they loved it, + i used to let them wash the truck with the industrial pressure washer, usually after a burnt out car recovery, they used to come home absolutely filthy, loving every minute... and, yes, i put lap belts in for them...
@@paulriggers1558 that's awesome that you and your truck business gave them experiences. Just imagine all the stories each and every Ford Cargo made has. That's just one specific truck of many.
Reminds me of when when I was young (4 or 5 years, so pre-1990) my dad used to drive Leyland Roadrunner trucks for Smiths Crisps out of Peterlee, delivering to shops up here in the north east of England, only ever got to sit in it once, but got to run about in the back a few times when he was offloading some "writeoffs" (damaged boxes that were squashed, accidentally stood on, etc.) at home, said home no longer being there any more...
I remember being around 5 years old and my godfather took me to work with him a yellow box-bodied ford cargo. This was around 1984. The truck was super modern, and sleek for the time. It was a big step up from the d-series with is sleek looking dash, nice seats, and modern instruments.
Brings back so many memories, I went all over the UK (including the Isle Of Man) in them between 1988-1993. The 0809 was the four-pot version, and 0811/0813 the cooking six-cylinder model. Ford also did a limited edition 0815 'Turbo Special' in 1989/90. I had the pleasure of driving one of those back then, they would sit all day at 75mph. 0813s were my usual vehicle though....that extra 20bhp made the world of difference on the hills, although none of them were what you'd call overburdened with power. 68-70mph was about it. BOY, did they use some oil when they'd done a few miles. We had ours on 3yr lease, at the end of that they'd be knocking on the door of 400,000km and would happily chew their way through half a gallon of oil every couple of days. They always went much better once they were well-used, a consequence of burning their engine oil along with the fuel. The EuroCargo that replaced them was completely different gravy. My first one of those came in late 1993, L824WAB was the first wagon where I could leave our Warwickshire base and be crossing into Scotland on the A7 within 4hrs of setting off. Do miss the sound of those Dover six-bangers though....thanks for sharing this with us!!
I can close my eyes, and that familar clattery idle that clears its throat when you rev it up instantly tells me its a Cargo. They were and still are a timeless design, and they have aged well with no fussy design. A D series looks old fashioned but the Cargo still looks fresh. It was a full range from 7.5 tonne to 38 tonne as a tractor unit. The big units had a 290 Cummins L10 engine in. Found favour with a number of big fleets but lacked the big cabs of Scania, ERF, DAF and Volvo for 'tramper' drivers. Iveco had its own Turbostar tractor unit.
Back in the mid 90`s I briefly used to do long distance driving in a selection of mid to late 80`s Cargo`s (the early ones had XR3 style strobe effect seat trim, in red or blue, which was very cool!), & for the most part, I have fond memories of them. Also, as it was the mid 90`s, speed limiters hadn't been mandated, so most were comfortably capable of 3 figure speeds, believe it or not! Virtually none of our ones had sleeping facilities, so when you were doing 2-4 day runs, you`d be sleeping across the seats, with no heating! (probably illegal now), I remember on one snowy morning, waking up, having some coffee from my flask while the heater was warming the freezing cab, driving off, then, while slowing down to go out of the exit, a good couple of litres of frozen water poured in through a rust hole in the roof, right down the back of my neck.. That wasn't so much fun.. Also, I once sunk in a grass verge in the Walsh countryside at about 11pm, fully laden, after stopping to read a map (pre-sat-nav, obviously!), I spent a good hour shoving various things under the tyres to get traction, & failed, then, an elderly couple, in at least their 70`s, pulled up in their ancient, tatty, ragotop 88 Land Rover offering help, which I gratefully accepted, & they pulled it out with ease! I`m eternally thankful to them! Thanks for this video Ian, it kinda makes me want one! (& the early ones are ULEZ exempt, so it could be a realistic option!) 😆
Ian, thank you so much for the memory-jog. in January 1986 two of us drove a 7.5t flatbed Cargo from Southampton to Bristol and back in heavy snow. left around 6pm and got back about 3am. empty going, fully laden with portable heaters and dehumidifiers coming back. the truck was a wonderful drive, very civilised for its era with great road manners. we passed many many abandoned vehicles (some in quite a state) on our adventure. "you shove the brakes and nothing much happens, then it all happens" - that's the Cargo I remember!
I was behind a desperately slow moving packed bus up Ormesby Bank yesterday - the risks impatient SUV drivers took to over take it were jaw dropping - just take a chill pill and once the hill is crested all was good
I used the same license quirk to be able to drive vintage fire engines. Passed my car test in 83. What a treat that was to drive a Dennis Rolls pump-escape, and a Hampshire built Bedford TK
Ahh memories. I served my mechanical apprenticeship on those (and the D series). Much fun had delivering them to the bodybuilders as bare chassis - surprisingly nippy like that lol
Thank you for this video, it brought back some memories. I drove many makes of 7.5t trucks throughout the 90s and the Ford Cargo was always my favourite, probably because a cargo was the first one I drove. I passed my driving test 2 days after my 18th birthday and I was driving one the next day.
You talk about 7& a halfs and hills I see the same with dutch cars and German hills. Koln - Frankfurt weekly No problem running down them but they often run out of steam goin up them. A case of taxation bs topography....
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. The first wagon I drove was a cargo 25 years ago. It was great to hear the low revving sound and the manual gear changes. I must admit I watched with a grin on my face. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I remember that a farmer had one of these to bring his cows and calfs to the animal market. One time I have been on board with my father to go to there. This farmer had also an early Range Rover V8 and a SOLO electric moped with a truck battery. Good times in the early 80‘s in Southern Germany…
With Project Binky, the Escargot will either have not changed a bit or they will astound us with something stupendous. Maybe it will have a powertrain taken from a Deltic electro-diesel in the back or it will have gone fully electric. Great scenes of Aberystwyth b.t.w.
I'd half expect them to pull back the access covers to reveal a Rolls-Royce Olympus. With many, many brackets of course 😂 I hope they're getting on ok with it
I used to do recovery many years ago and used A-Series and D-series trucks. Granted they were 'dogs' as in those days, recovery trucks were exempt from plating/MOT-ing and my boss took great advantage of this loophole. After getting so bored of making excuses to RAC/National Breakdown etc customers, re the crap trucks, I left to go and drive 7.5 ton freezer trucks for another company. On day one, they sent me out in a newish Cargo and I came back full of praise for it as it seemed so comfy, quiet, and really nice to drive; one could even hear the stereo. My colleagues laughed at my praise for the Cargo and said "wait until you take out the Mercedes, 814. They were so right. The Merc 814 was way better, and bloody quick. It was also quieter than the Cargo, had better brakes, better dash, more comfortable. Cargos were good but not as good as the 814 was in 1984. When I owned my own transport company, I had to make do with a 'brown-cab Leyland Terrier with a 698 dv engine. Better than a D-Series but not as good as a Cargo.
Brings back memory’s used to drive the 0815 which had a turbo it would fly for a lorry . Made the 600 mile to Scotland and back twice a week a bit quicker .
Nice to see it getting converted to a mobile home. They are quite a truck. I have hired them in the past for various reasons but don’t think I would drive one now. They really seem like a timeless design.
The noise reminds me of driving a beaver tail recovery truck in my yoof. Had to watch the brakes on first application after leaving the yard, almost stuck you through the windscreen 😂 19:13
That generation of Cargo was a great design. Nice to see one still being used. I like the 6 wheel v8 mixer, tipper version. Oh and not to forget the jet engined show cargo too 👍
I recall there was once a jet powered version built by Steve Murty that used to do the truck shows back in the 80's called the Pirelli Pro Jet. Many an old panel van was blown and rolled over in the name of public entertainment....
Maybe not my ideal configuration but I thank goodness it had that marvelous Dover diesel. That's it's signature power plant. I used to see them as street sweepers, heavy duty dual axle flat bed trucks, and there was one used buy my local council as a recyclables collection truck with the Dover engine hooked to an Alison automatic. I happen to be out one time with my micro cassette recorder in my pocket and got a recording which I still listen to to this day. It went BRROOOM BROOMM BROOOM as it idled.
My dad used to take me to work in the 80s in the school holidays delivering gas in a ford Cargo 0813. Always thought the wheels on that model looked too small for it. The one on the vid has proper size wheels 👍
I used to deliver tractor parts from Massey Ferguson with Archbolds transport. I was lucky enough to have my own Cargo which I named "Fergus" It was an 815 biggest 7.5 tonne great to drive happy days
Used to drive Ford Cargo trucks. Started on an 0809, 4 cyl going around Cumbria. It was a slog on the hills and Shap on the M6 when fully freighted. Moved up to an 0811, with the same gearbox as this one. Biggest problem was the gearing. Flat out in 3rd got you 45mph, change up to 4th, and no increase in speed.
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Bloody hell! Very cool! The last time I drove one of these was a rental in 2010. A car transporter I hired in Manchester to pick up a mk1 Freelander with a blown rear diff the other sides of Leeds with a detour to Bacup to collect a used good diff. Even unladen it obviously wasn't particularly quick but that straight six sounded magnificent! It was however quite easy to get the tail out on damp roundabouts (no landrover on the back at that point!) That weird feeling of the pedal which will go to rhe floor pretty much at rest but on the go the same travel would have your face up the windscreen 😂 I recognise that bit into Aberystwyth very well!
I don't know in Europe but in south america in the front the bigger variants had a big decal above the grill covering that empty space with 80s font that said TURBO A.T.A.C. (Air to air cooling) I was in love with it, because of course turbo means cool
My girlfriends father had one of these back in the mid 80s. His Cortina estate had a flat battery so he got me to tow his car with the Ford Cargo to get it started. I was 17 and had only just passed my driving test which made it all an interesting experience! I remember the brakes seemed to be either off or fully on and nothing much in between. I had trouble judging it's width and nearly took down a couple of roadsigns and when we came to a stop I couldn't stop the engine - I turned the ignition off but the engine carried on - there was a seperate button or something to stop the engine. Would love to have another go in one now.
I remember the larger Australian built Cargos were powered by a Caterpillar 3208 V8 which was the same engine fitted to the LNT Louisvilles of the time. It's funny to think that in the Brisbane Ford truck factory that an English truck and North American truck were built in the same factory! Another memory was that ETSA had a large fleet of Cargos when they were new in the mid 80s. They had silver plastic hub caps on the front wheels!
My uncle had a brand new E plate 2424 cargo 6 wheeler with a cummins L10 that cab ride brought back memories but without the sweet hum of that cummins. Before speed limiters no other lorry could keep up with it on the motorway.
I drove one similar called the D913 in the Australian Army. The older one was the D911 and I absolutely hated the brakes on both. On or off, no in between.
takes me back to my pickfords days, the cargo had the v8 engine with an eight speed box,twin diesel tanks,used to have to rely on pumping on the brakes as the exhaust brake wasnt that good, cant remember how long i had it for but still the most comfortable truck i ever drove.
I knew a lady who had one of those, she had the dealer remove the power steering as she hated it. She came to the furniture factory I worked at to pick up a load.
Another beautiful Ellie on the channel. Reminded me of being in my dads truck as a kid and into my teens while he was doing his rounds. Different days into. Another brill video both, thanks
Another belter Ian. I'm a little older than you: I cut my teeth on old TKs and Ford D-series, 4-speed box and all that. When the Cargo arrived on the mob I was driving for in 1983, it put the Bedford TL (a revamped TK) in the shade when it came to driver comfort and visibility. Re: leaf springs all round, the Cargo 0811 (and the 1011) featured a single-leaf parabolic spring at the front which made the world of difference compared to the D-series semi-elliptic pack: the snag was that you had to be careful not to overload the front axle. Like its predecessor, waggly mirrors were also a thing. All that said, the Cargo really did show the way forward for driver ergonomics.
Brings back memories! When I started my apprenticeship in the bus garage, they had an E-reg Cargo pick up. Hearing that old Dover lump takes me back to those days. The air over hydraulic brakes would carry to Iveco who would then supply them to Optare for the MetroRider and the early Solos. The park brake is slightly similar to a car inthat you'd have a lever on each rear caliper which turns a wedge inside the caliper to push the pistons out. The difference is that lever is pulled with a cable in cars, and pushed by the spring inside the park brake actuators on a Ford Cargo or the Optare buses. I, too, wonder what happened to the Bad Obsession Motorsport Ford Cargo. The last I'd seen, they'd been installing the Paccar (Cummins) engine, gearbox and axles from a newer DAF truck. Then radio silence.
Some good memories here, as I drove a cargo for a builders merchants back in the day. The truck went well but had an enormous appetite for power steering pump seals I remember. Wouldn't fancy the chore of engine maintenance without the tilt cab working though.
I loved that, I never drove the Ford, only a Bedford TK but looked like a similar experience, I did like driving the TK, slow but meant you got to enjoy the scenery.
7.5, 10, 11 and 12 Tonne trucks all benefit from a 2 speed differential being fitted. Compensation for most only having a 4 or sometimes 5 speed box. Many keep the ramp when converting an horse box, makes a great patio for often damp UK and IE campsites.
The issue with these ones is twofold - rust & parts availability. I converted a MAN to a camper (sadly destroyed in a wildfire) but my advice to anyone fancying converting a truck is buy a MERCEDES every time - and if the cab doesn't tilt, walk away! On seatbelts, they are a must to retrofit...my OH got flung into the dashboard when I slammed on the brakes when a woman stepped out in front of us...air brakes don't mess around when stomped on!
The cab was actually designed by Neil Birtley, under Patrick le Quement at Dunton. Neil was subsequently a lecturer on the Transportation Design course at Coventry University.
I think the grill and front lights instead of being reminiscent of models like escort and cortina are instead far more mindful of the MK1 fiesta grill and lights but turned upside down, The Cargo is definitely another one of those vehicles that up until about maybe 20-25 years ago just used to be absolutely everywhere 😊 👍
First truck I drove was a 7 1/2 tonne D Series. Loved that truck. Then I drove a Cargo 13 tonne mechanical brush for a few years in the nineties. Not a bad truck but I preferred the D Series. I always wanted to drive the big brother of the Cargo, the Transcontinental but I haven’t had the chance up to now. Sounds like that little truck is crying out for the six speed gearbox. The gap between third and fourth was huge! It’s probably got quite a high axle ratio to give a decent cruising speed but it needs more intermediate ratios in the gearbox to give decent hill climbing
Looks quite similar inside to the old Vario I used to drive for a couple of years. Thankfully I moved onto DAFs & MANs for a while afterwards, such a step up!
Back in 2001 I was a drivers mate for a local soft drinks company, this is what we had, the newest one was a J plate, which would be around 9 years old at the time. While they were excellent trucks, they were absolutely archaic, and very old feeling at the time. Ours still had the old strangler knob you pulled out to stop the engine! We used to deliver to a town called Port Glasgow (west coast of Scotland) there's a huge hill that runs down the middle of Port Glasgow called the clune brae, in the morning on the way down you couldn't get the cargo to stop, in the afternoon on the way back up you could hardly get it to move! 😂 fond memories, not been in a cargo for years, not even seen one in the wild for as long as I can remember. Cheers!
Worked on hundreds of Ford Cargos in my time as an HGV Mechanic at Ryder Trucks.they were a staple fleet truck ranging from the 809 right through to 32 ton tractor units.were a great workhorse of their day not as refined as the Mercedes 814 but a solid reliable truck.
I got my cat CE license when I was 23 but due to my age I couldn't get a job! But my god, you don't realise the physical and mental effort it takes to drive a truck. I have the utmost respect for lorry drivers! They are the hidden heroes of the roads.
Hit 75mph in a 17 Ton Cargo between Coventry and Northampton many years ago wonderful truck for their time 👍
M45?
@@I-T-S-M-EM45 onto M1 with a Load of Car Parts Speed Limiter must have Malfunctioned 🤣
Great trucks,these went as low as 609.wanted my dad to have one of these new in 86 but he got a roadrunner instead.what a disaster that was.i loved the sierra xr4i derived dashboard on these trucks.
I like the 10 stud split rims on them best and don't mind those front plastic wheel covers they used to sport.
I was in a cargo going 75 mph once.....never been so nervous in my life😬
It is great that you’re also including commercial vehicles. We need a Bedford TK drive now please.
I want another Cargo or D series as well, ones with 10 stud wheels.
I took my class 1 test in a Bedford TK artic with the smallest trailer allowed, my instructor had a business plan, gain clients by making a pass as easy as possible. RIP Ray Bourne.
Theres just something about a big, low revving diesel going down the road that I just love.
Sounds muscular that's what!
AEC AV760 12.5 litres of grunt.
I once spent 2 weeks driving one of these all the way from Bristol to Bosnia and back. Many memories from that trip, but my abiding memory is when I finally got back to Bristol and hopped into my 1.0 Vauxhall Nova to go home - it felt like a race car! It felt like I was sitting on the floor with a tiny throw to the gearbox lever, a ridiculously responsive throttle pedal and incredibly direct and precise steering. Unfortunately once I had re-acclimatised it was just the same old banger!
I once jumped straight out of an rx8, easily the best handling I have ever felt, into a volvo amazon estate - i ended up on the middle of a roundabout. everything had a 10 second delay - it was like i was drunk.
True. It does make your normal every day car feel a bit on the quick side. I feel like that when I get in my Focus diesel to drive home. Also driving a truck you know how to maximise every bit of power to keep the momentum going.
Funny how a vehicle brings memories flooding back. When I was probably about 5 or 6 years old my uncle turned up to my grandparents in a flat bed Ford Cargo recovery truck with a then new crashed Metro GTI on the back. I vividly remember jumping in the cab with him to take the car to a local garage. After I finished admiring the flashing amber beacon on the roof in the reflections of the houses we passed I noticed a rather substantial collection of adult themed pleasure pamphlets in the door pocket!
..you got to ride in 'the big truck with the flashing lights'!!!!....😁
@@warren6815 It’s well known in tractor circles that flashing beacons give more power and speed to come faster [to work and back].
Who'd need the pamphlets when you're riding a sexy truck like the Ford Cargo?
I had 7.5 Tonne C reg Cargo box van when I moved to Worcestershire from Norfolk in 1992. I loved it once I got used to the sharp (air?) brakes.
I need that soundtrack on a loop to fall asleep to. Delicious.
I agree with you that everyone should drive a truck, having passed my rigid test not long ago and now training for my articulated license it has showen me how other road users don't understand what it is like to drive a truck
Wow you've brought back memories! Used to drive around the midlands & south east of Ireland with my Dad in a Cargo years ago. Had various ones, his first being an 0811 but they all tended to be 1113 or 1115 models after that. I used to hide in the footwell looking out of the window at the bottom of the door, so I couldn't be seen when passing where he worked 😅
My Dad also drove these in the 80s. I also tagged along on journeys to Scotland and the southwest.
I remember the day he got the cargo. He was over the moon as he had come from the Bedford TK and the cargo was all new and spangly.
That engine sound brings back great memories of time on the road with my Dad.
Thanks!
@@Heatheynon Very similar to what I experienced when my Dad got one :)
The sound of the engine and cockpit acoustics took me right back to being a kid, My dad had a recovery truck version.
Every time while driving the X28 decker for Lloyds I’d pull out of the junction at the top of penglais and go “ ooh it’s the sea, I’m at the seaside” never got bored of seeing it
drove a 1013 [10 ton 130hp] for 12yrs, it was a recovery truck with a slide body + hiab crane behind the cab. crazy thing was that it had heavy duty axles fitted [for the weight of the crane] with DRUM BRAKES... the fade on them was dangerous...
i made my fortune in that truck, i was sub-contracted to the police, £105 [£260 today] for every recovery, usually 4 per night, 27 one easter weekend was my highest, it was at the height of hot-hatch theft in the early 90s in sunderland, highest theft rate in europe for almost a year, from quadbikes to cosworths, i recovered/drove the lot...
Did the girl have split rims like a Routemaster bus or the boring European single piece style?
You had a fun job.
@@jamesfrench7299 solid rims thank goodness, when the 8yo kids threw bricks at you, you just had to load up + get out asap, twice bricks got stuck between the rear tyres, 120psi makes a big bang, but it scared the urchins off...
fun most of the time, cleaning off the goo of a fatal RTA, not so nice...
beaten up by drug dealers wanting their cosworth back, even less fun...
having your garage + trucks damaged in a focused arson attack, nearly game over...
Oh my anything but glamorous. Interesting to hear a Cargo amidst that though.
@@jamesfrench7299 yeah, there was a good reason for the high wages, but i still look back with fond memories, on fine weekend days i used to take my 2 boys out to "get the broken cars" as they said, they loved it, + i used to let them wash the truck with the industrial pressure washer, usually after a burnt out car recovery, they used to come home absolutely filthy, loving every minute...
and, yes, i put lap belts in for them...
@@paulriggers1558 that's awesome that you and your truck business gave them experiences.
Just imagine all the stories each and every Ford Cargo made has. That's just one specific truck of many.
Always liked the VW LT; never got them in the US though😢
Got to love an old Ford Cargo, wife used to have an old horse box 7.5 tonne. I use to take it to work on nights to give it a run out.
10ltr Cummins V8 was awesome
Remember when the Cargo seemed to be street furniture growing up..An excellent review as always Ian and Carly.
Always loved the look of these trucks.
Always liked how the headlights/indicators were the upside down version of the mk1 Fiesta !
There's a yellow Ford cargo flatbed that drives past my house quite often still in use... what a distinctive noise!
Reminds me of when when I was young (4 or 5 years, so pre-1990) my dad used to drive Leyland Roadrunner trucks for Smiths Crisps out of Peterlee, delivering to shops up here in the north east of England, only ever got to sit in it once, but got to run about in the back a few times when he was offloading some "writeoffs" (damaged boxes that were squashed, accidentally stood on, etc.) at home, said home no longer being there any more...
I remember being around 5 years old and my godfather took me to work with him a yellow box-bodied ford cargo. This was around 1984. The truck was super modern, and sleek for the time. It was a big step up from the d-series with is sleek looking dash, nice seats, and modern instruments.
Brings back so many memories, I went all over the UK (including the Isle Of Man) in them between 1988-1993. The 0809 was the four-pot version, and 0811/0813 the cooking six-cylinder model. Ford also did a limited edition 0815 'Turbo Special' in 1989/90. I had the pleasure of driving one of those back then, they would sit all day at 75mph. 0813s were my usual vehicle though....that extra 20bhp made the world of difference on the hills, although none of them were what you'd call overburdened with power. 68-70mph was about it. BOY, did they use some oil when they'd done a few miles. We had ours on 3yr lease, at the end of that they'd be knocking on the door of 400,000km and would happily chew their way through half a gallon of oil every couple of days. They always went much better once they were well-used, a consequence of burning their engine oil along with the fuel.
The EuroCargo that replaced them was completely different gravy. My first one of those came in late 1993, L824WAB was the first wagon where I could leave our Warwickshire base and be crossing into Scotland on the A7 within 4hrs of setting off. Do miss the sound of those Dover six-bangers though....thanks for sharing this with us!!
I can close my eyes, and that familar clattery idle that clears its throat when you rev it up instantly tells me its a Cargo. They were and still are a timeless design, and they have aged well with no fussy design. A D series looks old fashioned but the Cargo still looks fresh. It was a full range from 7.5 tonne to 38 tonne as a tractor unit. The big units had a 290 Cummins L10 engine in. Found favour with a number of big fleets but lacked the big cabs of Scania, ERF, DAF and Volvo for 'tramper' drivers. Iveco had its own Turbostar tractor unit.
Always liked the Ford Cargo design, looked quite modern in the 80's.
Yes I think they came out in 82, very modern for the early 80s with the plastic grille, headlights and the long side windows.
I have a truly irrational love for these. Saddens me to see so many of them rusting away to nothing. Great stuff.
I've always likes the look of the cargo range, a handsome cab. in the truest sense.
First "truck" I drove when I was 18.......4-speed 0811 with a beavertail body. Reg was B133 NLR, it drove beautifully !!
Great little trucks !!
A great truck. Fond memories of driving around the country delivering for Autoglass in the late ‘80s when these were new.
Back in the mid 90`s I briefly used to do long distance driving in a selection of mid to late 80`s Cargo`s (the early ones had XR3 style strobe effect seat trim, in red or blue, which was very cool!), & for the most part, I have fond memories of them. Also, as it was the mid 90`s, speed limiters hadn't been mandated, so most were comfortably capable of 3 figure speeds, believe it or not! Virtually none of our ones had sleeping facilities, so when you were doing 2-4 day runs, you`d be sleeping across the seats, with no heating! (probably illegal now), I remember on one snowy morning, waking up, having some coffee from my flask while the heater was warming the freezing cab, driving off, then, while slowing down to go out of the exit, a good couple of litres of frozen water poured in through a rust hole in the roof, right down the back of my neck.. That wasn't so much fun.. Also, I once sunk in a grass verge in the Walsh countryside at about 11pm, fully laden, after stopping to read a map (pre-sat-nav, obviously!), I spent a good hour shoving various things under the tyres to get traction, & failed, then, an elderly couple, in at least their 70`s, pulled up in their ancient, tatty, ragotop 88 Land Rover offering help, which I gratefully accepted, & they pulled it out with ease! I`m eternally thankful to them!
Thanks for this video Ian, it kinda makes me want one! (& the early ones are ULEZ exempt, so it could be a realistic option!) 😆
Ian, thank you so much for the memory-jog.
in January 1986 two of us drove a 7.5t flatbed Cargo from Southampton to Bristol and back in heavy snow. left around 6pm and got back about 3am. empty going, fully laden with portable heaters and dehumidifiers coming back. the truck was a wonderful drive, very civilised for its era with great road manners. we passed many many abandoned vehicles (some in quite a state) on our adventure.
"you shove the brakes and nothing much happens, then it all happens" - that's the Cargo I remember!
Just something about the sound of a big diesel engine 👌🤩
I was behind a desperately slow moving packed bus up Ormesby Bank yesterday - the risks impatient SUV drivers took to over take it were jaw dropping - just take a chill pill and once the hill is crested all was good
Rented one in the 80s to move house.. great fun. Got my photo with the Yorkie bar too😄 Love this video..
Bibbys of Ingleton coach, people from a beautiful part of the country visiting another beautiful part of the country
I used the same license quirk to be able to drive vintage fire engines.
Passed my car test in 83.
What a treat that was to drive a Dennis Rolls pump-escape, and a Hampshire built Bedford TK
Ahh memories. I served my mechanical apprenticeship on those (and the D series). Much fun had delivering them to the bodybuilders as bare chassis - surprisingly nippy like that lol
I remember sometimes seeing a bus rolling chassis going down the road with just a drivers seat and trade plates!
@@PhiyedoughI done it once with an A .Series Ford 1980s nearly froze to death, Liverpool to “Dormobile “ the body builder in Folkestone..
Love the sound of that engine as you change gear!
Thank you for this video, it brought back some memories. I drove many makes of 7.5t trucks throughout the 90s and the Ford Cargo was always my favourite, probably because a cargo was the first one I drove. I passed my driving test 2 days after my 18th birthday and I was driving one the next day.
Nice truck, such a timeless design
My dad used to drive a ford cargo that brings back a lot of memories seeing you drive that
Absolutely brilliant video ian miss hubnut ❤👍 what a beautiful truck and especially the camper part brilliant
You talk about 7& a halfs and hills
I see the same with dutch cars and German hills. Koln - Frankfurt weekly
No problem running down them but they often run out of steam goin up them.
A case of taxation bs topography....
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. The first wagon I drove was a cargo 25 years ago. It was great to hear the low revving sound and the manual gear changes. I must admit I watched with a grin on my face. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I remember that a farmer had one of these to bring his cows and calfs to the animal market. One time I have been on board with my father to go to there. This farmer had also an early Range Rover V8 and a SOLO electric moped with a truck battery. Good times in the early 80‘s in Southern Germany…
If for Hire and Reward you now need a Driver CPC ....I miss Trucking more than i miss Coaching ..in fact i don't miss Coach Driving
Had D series Fords then Cargo's when i worked in the water board in the 80s, both greats trucks.
I’ve always loved Ford Cargo’s I can’t explain why. I remember Bad Obsession Motorsports Escargot
Loved the truck Ian the largest vehicle I ever drove was Transit.
I spent most of the 90s driving these.brought back many memories
Drove a few back in the day as an 18 year old. The headlamps came off the mk4 Cortina
With Project Binky, the Escargot will either have not changed a bit or they will astound us with something stupendous. Maybe it will have a powertrain taken from a Deltic electro-diesel in the back or it will have gone fully electric.
Great scenes of Aberystwyth b.t.w.
I'd half expect them to pull back the access covers to reveal a Rolls-Royce Olympus. With many, many brackets of course 😂 I hope they're getting on ok with it
I used to do recovery many years ago and used A-Series and D-series trucks. Granted they were 'dogs' as in those days, recovery trucks were exempt from plating/MOT-ing and my boss took great advantage of this loophole. After getting so bored of making excuses to RAC/National Breakdown etc customers, re the crap trucks, I left to go and drive 7.5 ton freezer trucks for another company. On day one, they sent me out in a newish Cargo and I came back full of praise for it as it seemed so comfy, quiet, and really nice to drive; one could even hear the stereo. My colleagues laughed at my praise for the Cargo and said "wait until you take out the Mercedes, 814. They were so right. The Merc 814 was way better, and bloody quick. It was also quieter than the Cargo, had better brakes, better dash, more comfortable. Cargos were good but not as good as the 814 was in 1984.
When I owned my own transport company, I had to make do with a 'brown-cab Leyland Terrier with a 698 dv engine. Better than a D-Series but not as good as a Cargo.
Brings back memory’s used to drive the 0815 which had a turbo it would fly for a lorry . Made the 600 mile to Scotland and back twice a week a bit quicker .
Nice to see it getting converted to a mobile home. They are quite a truck. I have hired them in the past for various reasons but don’t think I would drive one now. They really seem like a timeless design.
The noise reminds me of driving a beaver tail recovery truck in my yoof. Had to watch the brakes on first application after leaving the yard, almost stuck you through the windscreen 😂 19:13
That generation of Cargo was a great design. Nice to see one still being used. I like the 6 wheel v8 mixer, tipper version. Oh and not to forget the jet engined show cargo too 👍
Drove these in the 80's. Lovely truck
Nice to see you driving around Aber.
Brings back memories that noise of the engine I used to drive a ford cargo about 25 years ago.
I recall when the Cargo came out and i always liked the look of them. Nicely done conversion on this one.
No hedgehog stickers on the door? 😁👍
They're specific to the Leyland Road trains 😂
There’s a Pink Panther sticker on the drivers door lower window though!
There's something so comforting about the sound of these big diesels,I could easily use it as a sleeping aid.
I recall there was once a jet powered version built by Steve Murty that used to do the truck shows back in the 80's called the Pirelli Pro Jet. Many an old panel van was blown and rolled over in the name of public entertainment....
Maybe not my ideal configuration but I thank goodness it had that marvelous Dover diesel. That's it's signature power plant.
I used to see them as street sweepers, heavy duty dual axle flat bed trucks, and there was one used buy my local council as a recyclables collection truck with the Dover engine hooked to an Alison automatic. I happen to be out one time with my micro cassette recorder in my pocket and got a recording which I still listen to to this day. It went BRROOOM BROOMM BROOOM as it idled.
My dad used to take me to work in the 80s in the school holidays delivering gas in a ford Cargo 0813. Always thought the wheels on that model looked too small for it. The one on the vid has proper size wheels 👍
I used to drive one as a horse box and one as a car recovery vehicle . Great fun .
I heard about Magirus, Iveco mounted their 18liter turbo v8 in the late 80s, they still using some of them in South Italy, some of them tuned
I used to deliver tractor parts from Massey Ferguson with Archbolds transport. I was lucky enough to have my own Cargo which I named "Fergus" It was an 815 biggest 7.5 tonne great to drive happy days
I haven't seen a Ford Cargo on the road for years!
Used to drive Ford Cargo trucks. Started on an 0809, 4 cyl going around Cumbria. It was a slog on the hills and Shap on the M6 when fully freighted. Moved up to an 0811, with the same gearbox as this one. Biggest problem was the gearing. Flat out in 3rd got you 45mph, change up to 4th, and no increase in speed.
Bloody hell! Very cool! The last time I drove one of these was a rental in 2010. A car transporter I hired in Manchester to pick up a mk1 Freelander with a blown rear diff the other sides of Leeds with a detour to Bacup to collect a used good diff. Even unladen it obviously wasn't particularly quick but that straight six sounded magnificent! It was however quite easy to get the tail out on damp roundabouts (no landrover on the back at that point!)
That weird feeling of the pedal which will go to rhe floor pretty much at rest but on the go the same travel would have your face up the windscreen 😂
I recognise that bit into Aberystwyth very well!
I don't know in Europe but in south america in the front the bigger variants had a big decal above the grill covering that empty space with 80s font that said TURBO A.T.A.C. (Air to air cooling)
I was in love with it, because of course turbo means cool
My girlfriends father had one of these back in the mid 80s. His Cortina estate had a flat battery so he got me to tow his car with the Ford Cargo to get it started. I was 17 and had only just passed my driving test which made it all an interesting experience! I remember the brakes seemed to be either off or fully on and nothing much in between. I had trouble judging it's width and nearly took down a couple of roadsigns and when we came to a stop I couldn't stop the engine - I turned the ignition off but the engine carried on - there was a seperate button or something to stop the engine. Would love to have another go in one now.
I remember the larger Australian built Cargos were powered by a Caterpillar 3208 V8 which was the same engine fitted to the LNT Louisvilles of the time. It's funny to think that in the Brisbane Ford truck factory that an English truck and North American truck were built in the same factory! Another memory was that ETSA had a large fleet of Cargos when they were new in the mid 80s. They had silver plastic hub caps on the front wheels!
My uncle had a brand new E plate 2424 cargo 6 wheeler with a cummins L10 that cab ride brought back memories but without the sweet hum of that cummins. Before speed limiters no other lorry could keep up with it on the motorway.
Fantastic video Ian 👍🏼
I drove one similar called the D913 in the Australian Army. The older one was the D911 and I absolutely hated the brakes on both. On or off, no in between.
takes me back to my pickfords days, the cargo had the v8 engine with an eight speed box,twin diesel tanks,used to have to rely on pumping on the brakes as the exhaust brake wasnt that good, cant remember how long i had it for but still the most comfortable truck i ever drove.
I drove an E reg cargo curtain sider for a year 88-89. This brings back memories ❤
I knew a lady who had one of those, she had the dealer remove the power steering as she hated it. She came to the furniture factory I worked at to pick up a load.
Another beautiful Ellie on the channel. Reminded me of being in my dads truck as a kid and into my teens while he was doing his rounds. Different days into. Another brill video both, thanks
Same for me Ian - we moved from Dorset to N Yorkshire in a 7.5t truck I borrowed
Another belter Ian. I'm a little older than you: I cut my teeth on old TKs and Ford D-series, 4-speed box and all that. When the Cargo arrived on the mob I was driving for in 1983, it put the Bedford TL (a revamped TK) in the shade when it came to driver comfort and visibility. Re: leaf springs all round, the Cargo 0811 (and the 1011) featured a single-leaf parabolic spring at the front which made the world of difference compared to the D-series semi-elliptic pack: the snag was that you had to be careful not to overload the front axle. Like its predecessor, waggly mirrors were also a thing. All that said, the Cargo really did show the way forward for driver ergonomics.
Brings back memories! When I started my apprenticeship in the bus garage, they had an E-reg Cargo pick up. Hearing that old Dover lump takes me back to those days.
The air over hydraulic brakes would carry to Iveco who would then supply them to Optare for the MetroRider and the early Solos. The park brake is slightly similar to a car inthat you'd have a lever on each rear caliper which turns a wedge inside the caliper to push the pistons out. The difference is that lever is pulled with a cable in cars, and pushed by the spring inside the park brake actuators on a Ford Cargo or the Optare buses.
I, too, wonder what happened to the Bad Obsession Motorsport Ford Cargo. The last I'd seen, they'd been installing the Paccar (Cummins) engine, gearbox and axles from a newer DAF truck. Then radio silence.
Some good memories here, as I drove a cargo for a builders merchants back in the day. The truck went well but had an enormous appetite for power steering pump seals I remember. Wouldn't fancy the chore of engine maintenance without the tilt cab working though.
I loved that, I never drove the Ford, only a Bedford TK but looked like a similar experience, I did like driving the TK, slow but meant you got to enjoy the scenery.
7.5, 10, 11 and 12 Tonne trucks all benefit from a 2 speed differential being fitted. Compensation for most only having a 4 or sometimes 5 speed box. Many keep the ramp when converting an horse box, makes a great patio for often damp UK and IE campsites.
I drove any number of 0811’s back in the day, moving marquees around and helping move house for friends. Very easy truck to drive.
Such a good sounding engine the Dover. ❤
The issue with these ones is twofold - rust & parts availability. I converted a MAN to a camper (sadly destroyed in a wildfire) but my advice to anyone fancying converting a truck is buy a MERCEDES every time - and if the cab doesn't tilt, walk away!
On seatbelts, they are a must to retrofit...my OH got flung into the dashboard when I slammed on the brakes when a woman stepped out in front of us...air brakes don't mess around when stomped on!
The cab was actually designed by Neil Birtley, under Patrick le Quement at Dunton. Neil was subsequently a lecturer on the Transportation Design course at Coventry University.
I think the grill and front lights instead of being reminiscent of models like escort and cortina are instead far more mindful of the MK1 fiesta grill and lights but turned upside down, The Cargo is definitely another one of those vehicles that up until about maybe 20-25 years ago just used to be absolutely everywhere 😊 👍
wow! not seen a cargo in decades!
First truck I drove was a 7 1/2 tonne D Series. Loved that truck. Then I drove a Cargo 13 tonne mechanical brush for a few years in the nineties. Not a bad truck but I preferred the D Series. I always wanted to drive the big brother of the Cargo, the Transcontinental but I haven’t had the chance up to now. Sounds like that little truck is crying out for the six speed gearbox. The gap between third and fourth was huge! It’s probably got quite a high axle ratio to give a decent cruising speed but it needs more intermediate ratios in the gearbox to give decent hill climbing
I use to have 1 as a shunter with L 10 Cummings
Looks quite similar inside to the old Vario I used to drive for a couple of years. Thankfully I moved onto DAFs & MANs for a while afterwards, such a step up!
Back in 2001 I was a drivers mate for a local soft drinks company, this is what we had, the newest one was a J plate, which would be around 9 years old at the time. While they were excellent trucks, they were absolutely archaic, and very old feeling at the time. Ours still had the old strangler knob you pulled out to stop the engine!
We used to deliver to a town called Port Glasgow (west coast of Scotland) there's a huge hill that runs down the middle of Port Glasgow called the clune brae, in the morning on the way down you couldn't get the cargo to stop, in the afternoon on the way back up you could hardly get it to move! 😂 fond memories, not been in a cargo for years, not even seen one in the wild for as long as I can remember. Cheers!
Worked on hundreds of Ford Cargos in my time as an HGV Mechanic at Ryder Trucks.they were a staple fleet truck ranging from the 809 right through to 32 ton tractor units.were a great workhorse of their day not as refined as the Mercedes 814 but a solid reliable truck.