Mark Whitfield's 1960 Panel Van - Readers' Rides
Allow me to show you my 1960 Double Dorr Panel Van. I've had it about six months now and just got it through an MOT after sorting out the headlamp alignment, one rubber shock bush and the number plate light.
At the shows this year I've been meeting people who remember the Bus from Cornwall where it had sat out of the scene for a while. I've been getting some good stories about it. I even met a chap through STEERING BOX SCRAPERS
(great bunch of people) who had photos of the Bus when it was in Vancouver. It won the biggest burnout award at the Fathers day dub parade in 2000. Ace pics lots of smoke and 2 flat tyres at the end. I have some video footage of it that! [You can see this by looking at our Video pages - JG]
Engine is a Bernie Bergman type 1 2276cc which was featured in Hot VWs Feb '97 when it was in a red cal-look Bug. It has 45mm DRLA carbs, DMS 82mm crank, stock rods clearance'd and balanced, forged Cima 94mm pistons and cylinders, 040 ported and polished heads, 3-angle valve job, berg dual springs and retainers, 40x35.5mm valves, autocraft 1.25:1 rockers and a compression ratio of 9.0:1.
Other additions include: electric fuel pump, Porsche cooling kit, remote Mesa oil cooler with fan, Fram HP1 filter, Melling oil pump, 009 dizzy with Petronix pointless iginition, 2100lbs Kenedy Clutch and a fully merged header with Flowmaster muffler.
The gearbox is a Pro-Street straight axle. I have CSP ally hub front disc brakes on a dual circuit brake system, narrowed and dropped front beam and a hurst line loc!
I have also got a host of Autometer gauges for oil pressure and temprature readings and a dash mounted rev counter with shift light. There is a Gene Berg T-Shifter installed for gear selection.
Other things I love about the Van are the front and rear Saffari windows, centre brake light and the early crank start rear valance
All i can say is I'm well happy with this motor and hope to get it down the 'Pod next year.
Mark Whitfield
