Bedford CF


The Bedford CF was a range of full-size panel vans produced by Bedford. The van was introduced in 1969 to replace the older CA model, and was sized to compete directly with the Ford Transit, which had entered production four years earlier. Its design was similar to its American counterpart, the Chevrolet Van.
Vauxhall/Bedford was a General Motors subsidiary, and in some markets outside the United Kingdom and Ireland the CF was sold through Opel dealers as the Opel Bedford Blitz from 1973 on when the original Opel Blitz was phased out. In other markets such as in Norway the CF retained its original name.
The CF was notable for being the last solely Vauxhall-engineered vehicle when it was discontinued in 1987 ; since all Vauxhall models by that point had switched to being based on Opel platforms. The Bedford brand continued on certain badge engineered light van designs from Isuzu and Suzuki, before being retired in 1991.

CF

Introduced November 1969 to replace the 17-year-old Bedford CA, the CF van variants soon became some of the most popular light commercial vehicles on British roads.
The CF could be specified with a sliding door in the side panel directly behind the passenger door, and it was generally with this layout that the van was also commonly used as a base vehicle for a caravanette.
The engine was the well-proven Slant Four engine which was introduced for the Vauxhall FD Victor models in 1967. Apart from an increased engine capacity from to units and from to in 1972, the power units remained unchanged. A four-cylinder Perkins diesel engine could be specified for an extra GB£130, while a larger version was used for heavier versions. These units were rated at DIN. In 1976, a overhead valve diesel engine from Opel replaced the outdated Perkins units.
In Australasian markets, the CF could be optioned with Holden six-cylinder units, in and forms. This was as an answer to the rival Ford Transit range, which in Australia used six-cylinder engines from the Ford Falcon vehicles.
The Bedford used the same basic suspension lay-out as the Vauxhall Victor, though married to greater wheel arch clearances and calibrated for greater weight carrying capacity. The front independent suspension featured a double wishbone layout with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, while the rear wheels were suspended by a combination involving a live axle and traditional long single-leaf springs.
Several different manual transmissions were used, namely the Vauxhall three-speed, four-speed, Bedford four-speed, ZF four-speed, ZF five-speed, and the General Motors automatic. The Laycock type of overdrive was available to order or on the later Vauxhall four-speed models.
There were three CF1 body styles. A standard panel van which was intended to rival the Ford Transit; the special van body, and the Dormobile.

CF1 "facelift"

The CF series 1 facelift was introduced in 1980, introducing the Opel 23D diesel engine with.
Units exported to Germany received a smaller, diesel, producing. This engine was also installed in many other export markets where tax categories suited engines with less than two litres of displacement, such as the BeNeLux countries and Finland. The 1.8 and 2.3 litre petrol units remained the same.
The restyled front end was engineered so that by removing 8 bolts the whole front panel could be completely removed, providing easy access to the engine so it could be removed from the front instead of from underneath like on the CF1.

CF2

In 1984 the CF was renamed CF2 and basically only received mechanical upgrades.
The diesel engines remained the 2.3 but the old Vauxhall slant fours were replaced by a, version of the Opel CIH four cylinder.
New transmissions were also available:
And new efficient brakes:
In 1985 the CF2 was sold side by side in UK with the Bedford Midi - a smaller, badge engineered version of the Isuzu Fargo which was locally built at the newly established IBC Vehicles venture with Isuzu.
By then the CF's replacement was put on hold and then ultimately dropped when Bedford decided that rebadging other GM owned brands was much cheaper. The last CF2s were sold in the UK in 1987 and marked the end of original Bedford designed vehicles.

CF Electric

One noteworthy variant, the CF Electric was introduced in 1982. It was the first mass-produced electrically powered vehicle based on a fossil fuel vehicle platform. It was built in partnership between Bedford, Lucas, Chloride Group and the UK Government on a 5-year grant scheme. The batteries were housed in a compartment below the floor and the traction came from a motor placed at the rear with a step down reduction gearbox coupled to the CF's standard differential, but turned through 180'.
The motor control system was housed under the bonnet and a small diesel heater provided cabin heating. The system also featured regenerative braking, however this could be turned off as it was found that in wet conditions the motor could lock the rear wheels up in a similar way as applying the handbrake. Most were sold to government agencies, the Royal Mail and local authorities. However, with a price tag much higher than a standard CF, and battery technology at the time not advancing the government scheme wound down in 1987, and the model was withdrawn and spares for it soon dried up.

Commercial

The Bedford CF van was the second most popular van in the UK, second only to the Ford Transit. Along with the Transit, the CF was usefully wider than competitor vehicles from Austin-Morris, Rootes and Volkswagen. It was also the most common caravanette. CFs were popular with customisers throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Users

The Bedford CF was widely used. The British police, in particular, used them for prisoner transport and as riot vans. Some ambulance services kept them in service for longer than usual after production ended as they were liked by crews. The British Military also had a fleet of CFs. They were used by builders and builders' merchants, as well as by courier services and the Post Office. They were also a popular caravanette due to their space and reasonable fuel consumption. They were used as ice cream vans in Britain.
A heavily modified CF was used as the Mystery Machine in 2002

Technical specifications

1969
Model TypeModel DesignationEngineWheelbase GVW
18 cwt.9710097.5 cu. in. gasoline106/2.6924793
18 cwt.972004.108 diesel106/2.6924793
22 cwt.97300120.5 cu. in. gasoline106/2.6925331
22 cwt.974004.108 diesel106/2.6925331
25 cwt.97500120.5 cu. in. gasoline126/3.206003
25 cwt.976004.154 diesel126/3.206003
35 cwt.97700120.5 cu. in. gasoline126/3.207236
35 cwt.978004.154 diesel126/3.207236

4390 lb. GVW available for models 97100, 97200 as Code 533.

Vauxhall OHC 97.5 cu. in. and 120.5 cu. in. gasoline engines available as high or low compression.

Perkins 108 cu. in. and 154 cu. in. diesel engines.

All models available as van, chassis cab or chassis cowl.

E.g.: 97170 18 cwt. van; 97760 35 cwt. chassis cab, 97590 25 cwt. chassis cowl.
1972

107.4 cu. in. and 139 cu. in. Vauxhall low compression OHC engines introduced from chassis number 2V610007.
1973
18 cwt. models replaced by 14/18 cwt. models.

Gasoline engines: only 107.4 cu. in. and 139 cu. in. low compression available.

and 120.5 cu. in.
1978 from chassis number HY600001
Model TypeModel DesignationEngineWheelbase GVW Axle Ratio
18 cwt.971001759 cc gasoline2692/1062235/2.28/37
18 cwt.97F002064 cc diesel2692/1062235/2.28/37
22 cwt.973002279 cc gasoline2692/1062500/2.468/37
22 cwt.97G002064 cc diesel2692/1062500/2.468/37
25 cwt.975002279 cc gasoline3200/1262828/2.7811/49
25 cwt.97H002064 cc diesel3200/1262828/2.789/47
35 cwt.977002279 cc gasoline3200/1263375/3.329/47
35 cwt.978002064 cc diesel3200/1263375/3.329/47

GM diesel engines introduced; Perkins diesel engines discontinued.

97F00 SVOS 8294: 1900 cc diesel engine in place of 2064 cc diesel engine.

Electric van: Designation 97300 Code 123.
1979
Model TypeModel DesignationEngineWheelbase GVW Axle Ratio
CF220971001759 cc gasoline2692/1062235/2.28/37
CF22097F001998 cc diesel2692/1062235/2.28/37
CF250973002279 cc gasoline2692/1062500/2.468/37
CF25097G001998 cc diesel2692/1062500/2.468/37
CF280975002279 cc gasoline3200/1262828/2.7811/49
CF28097H001998 cc diesel3200/1262828/2.789/47
CF340977002279 cc gasoline3200/1263375/3.329/47
CF34097K001998 cc diesel3200/1263375/3.329/47
CF350977002279 cc gasoline3200/1263375/3.329/47
CF35097K001998 cc diesel3200/1263375/3.329/47

CF350 only available as chassis cab or chassis cowl

2064 cc GM diesel engine discontinued.

2260 cc GM diesel engine introduced from chassis number LY600101.
1982
Facelift models introduced
1984
CF2 models introduced.
Model TypeModel DesignationEngineWheelbase GVW Axle Ratio
CF220971001979 cc gasoline2692/1062235/2.29/37
CF22097F002260 cc diesel2692/1062235/2.29/37
CF250973001979 cc gasoline2692/1062500/2.469/37
CF25097G002260 cc diesel2692/1062500/2.469/37
CF280975001979 cc gasoline3200/1262828/2.7811/49
CF28097H002260 cc diesel3200/1262828/2.7811/49
CF350977001979 cc gasoline3200/1263375/3.3211/49
CF35097K002260 cc diesel3200/1263375/3.329/47

Opel 1979 cc CIH gasoline engine replaced Vauxhall 1759 cc and 2239 cc OHC gasoline engine.