Ford Transit SWB
Ford Transit MK6 SWB 280 RWD Low Roof
Bi-fuel Petrol / LPG factory conversion (that green leaf badge on the back is the official LPG stamp from the manufacturer)
2006 reg
116k miles (only done 6k miles since 2020)
5 gears
Brakes fully serviced recently
Service history partial but good (ask for details)
New starter battery fitted Aug 2021
New clutch 10k miles ago
No mechanical problems or ongoing issues within the 11 year history I have for this vehicle
Rust-free undercarriage
MOT until September 2023
CD player / radio did work but has recently stopped, I think it’s just a fuse
Alarm / immobiliser fitted
2 air bags
Spare tyre included
Awning rail (chucking a decent awning in too)
Also comes with a full set of snow chains!
This Transit is a rare factory LPG conversion from Ford, with bi-fuel meaning you can switch seamlessly from petrol to LPG whilst driving, saving a small fortune at the pumps these days, especially on long runs (currently around 75p a litre!), plus better for emissions.
Being petrol and also a rear wheel drive, this IS NOT what you are used to in a Transit. She’s pretty nippy for the weight she carries converted, and that RWD is great for tougher roads and inclines. A good set of off road tyres and you could probably take this anywhere.
Passed MOT in September with some general wear and tear repairs flagged that have all been addressed – to be expected for 06 reg, and despite its age the van is in incredibly good condition with a relatively low mileage, and no known issues. I have evidence of all service/work carried out during my ownership of the vehicle since Nov 2020 and some from before that when it was owned by a family friend for 8 years, who took great care of it and *importantly* kept the vehicle in Italy during that whole period… partly due to this and having applied a full anti rust coating two years ago, the undercarriage is rust free (but it should be given a rust proof coating again soon if it’s going to stay this way).
Despite the LPG conversion the body and chassis are all the same as a normal MK6 / MK7 swb low roof Transit, which means parts and spares are cheap and easy to get hold of. These transits are also famous for their reliability and with a relatively low mileage for age and no indication of serious mechanical faults in the 11 year anecdotal history I have of the vehicle you can be fairly confident this little wagon has a lot of life left in her.
There was a new clutch installed in December 2019, and the LPG system was fully serviced at that time (106000 miles) with new fuel injectors and electrics fitted (I have the invoice for this work). It’s done 10k miles since then, and will come due for a service again at 120k miles.
There is some rusting to some of the outer bodywork on the sills that should be addressed by the new owner but this is not severe and easy to sort. One of the rear doors has taken a shunt, before I owned her, but doors work fine.
I put the van on SORN in November when the tax year ended, as I no longer have use for the vehicle, but I’ve been running the engine regularly (what with the cold weather).
Fully insulated (SuperFoil SF19 and Celotex with vapor membrane) including floor and bulkhead
12V electrical system *Installed by a Professional Electrician* with split charge relay and solar panel feeding 2 x 120ah lead acid deep cycle batteries in good condition.
LED downlighters and nightlight fitted plus multiple 12V charging points
185w 24V Sharp solar panel
Opening skylight with black out / mosquito blinds
Thule 3 speed extractor / inductor fan (can bring air in or out with a very low amperage trickle setting, these were top of the range at one point!) that is an additional skylight too when fully opened.
Kitchenette with sink, cold water manual pump tap, plumbed to removable grey water tank.
Diesel heater (recently installed, makes the van super toasty very quickly and it’s one of these Chinese ones you can apparently run on cooking oil, though it’s very economical on the diesel anyway (this has it’s own, separate fuel tank))
Cooker*
Carbon monoxide alarm
Fire extinguisher
Ample storage space for two people in many a nook and cranny!
Internal height is 125cm – I think the photos maybe don’t convey this and some have been surprised when coming to view it. Do your research about what kind of van space you want/need. There are advantages to a low roof, for instance being able to sneak under car park barriers.
Full background:
The van was first converted around 9 years ago by a family friend who had a professional electrician install the 12v system and solar, which is the only thing I kept when I took on the van, completely re-insulating and refitting the interior to its current standard between Nov 2020 and now – only just finished tinkering with it and only have to sell as another baby has come along and it’s too small for us all!
Converted to a high, bespoke standard inside, the van looks just like any old van from the outside. This has its advantages, and there is even a hatch into the front cab that is more or less invisible externally, so one can easily camp under the radar.
Minimalism is also part of the charm here: there’s no built-in toilet or shower (I have a portable toilet I take for long trips), and no fridge (I use a high quality 72 hour cool box with lots of ice packs, but there is space for one to install under the sink…), and the *cooker is not a proper integrated cooker, it’s just a fire safe area I use a gas camping stove on (which folds away neatly, see photos).
The electrical system is capable of running a lot more than it currently does and I have installed a range of lights and plug sockets and there are spare points on the fuse box for you to easily add your own appliances onto the circuit if you want to.
The solar panels trickle feed the two deep cycle batteries sufficiently to keep them maintained even in winter unless you are using them very heavily, but the split charger means that if you are also doing a fair bit of driving the alternator keeps it topped up and you will probably never run them down (I never have). This will easily do 3 to 5 days static with everything I have installed on all the time in the winter in the UK, charging phone/devices a fair bit…
With the full insulation including the bulkhead and lack of any side windows the van does stay quite warm, only in very low temps will you need the heater.
This is a perfect small-sized camper for a lone adventurer or a couple to get to far removed spots you wouldn’t normally be able to reach in a larger vehicle – hill walkers, climbers, surfers, anglers, this van is for you (plenty of room for additional gear on the roof racks which sit above the solar panels (making them less conspicuous) and FYI the spare tyre is up there because these LPG conversions sacrifice the undercarriage space for it to the gas tank, but you could take this down or store it in the front cab…)
I am letting her go with a lot of sadness after putting much love and time into making her the camper you see, if I could keep her I would!
Viewing in person is absolutely recommended. Happy to answer any questions so get in touch. Serious offers considered.
It’s one standard double bed but I’ve put 3 berths because my partner, toddler and I shared this bed comfortably. Please note the bed is only just long enough to accommodate my height (about 5’9″).
The contact details for this vehicle are no longer available because it has either sold or the listing has expired.
Quirky loves this style means that Quirky Campers would potentially approve this vehicle for hiring. However, Quirky have not approved a Gas Safe certificate, a Weighbridge certificate, or the vehicle's electrics. Buyers must check these themselves. For some tips on what to look out for read this. If the listing has no Gas Safe certificate, no unladen weight and no electrical sign-off please proceed with caution!
Insurance options are available through our partner, Ripe Insurance.