Fordson E83W - 52

The Fordson E83W, also sold later under the Thames

brand, was a 10 cwt (half ton) light commercial vehicle

from Ford built at the Dagenham plant in the United

Kingdom between 1938 and 1957.

The   van   was   sold   in   Australia   as   the   Ten-Ten,   and   the   E83W   was   available   in   various   forms around   much   of   the   world   as   Britain   strove   to   export   after   WW   2.   In   some   countries,   the   'cowl and chassis' only was imported and local bodies built. The   E83W   was   aimed   at   the   small   haulage,   trade   and   merchant   market,   with   many   a   local Fordson   butcher's   or   grocer's   delivery   van   being   fondly   recalled   by   the   baby   boom   generation. A 'Utilicon'   estate   wagon   conversion   was   available   in   the   UK.   Vans   are   the   most   common   today, along   with   builders'   pickups,   which   were   flatbeds.   Many   rusty   vans   have   been   cut   down   to   make a   wooden   back   pickup,   flatbed   in   other   words.   The   rarest   by   far   are   the   steel   back   step-side pickups,   with   only   10   or   20   known   to   exist   in   the   UK.   During   and   after   the   second   world   war, many   specialist   variations   such   as   mobile   canteens,   ice   cream   vans   and   even   fire   pumps   were built on the E83W chassis. The   E83W   was   powered   by   the   1172   cc   Ford   10   hp   side-valve   engine,   with   a   3   speed   gearbox, and   was   heavily   geared   down   in   the   rear   axle.   This   made   the   Fordson   much   slower   than   the saloons,   with   an   effective   top   speed   of   not   much   over   40   mph. Apart   from   the   10   hp   engine,   the E83W   shares   few   parts   with   the   other   small   Fords,   which   does   make   the   spares   a   little   harder   to get    hold    of.    The    front    and    rear    axles    are    much    heavier    than    the    saloon    and    5cwt    van components,   and   share   some   parts   such   as   bearings   and   other   internals   with   the   contemporary Ford   V8   models   (Models   62   and   E71A   Pilot).   The   head   lamps   were   shared   with   the   E27N   tractor, for which they were an optional extra only. The   E83W   was   a   simple   and   slow   but   sturdy   and   lovable   little   commercial,   which   continued   to serve   well   into   the   1960s   in   good   numbers   in   many   parts   of   the   world,   and   which   survives   in reasonable numbers today.

1952

Engine 1.2 liter Straight-4 Lenght 4 m Widht 1,6 m The collections car has done its working history in Finland. It was bought fully restored and in full driving condition.