Lot Ended
Description
Ex-New Zealand; imported to the UK in 2019; recent engine rebuild and
new set of tyres; stars in the upcoming Narnia film; one of only around 40
E83W pickups thought to survive in UK
Launched in 1938, the Fordson
E83W was a 10 cwt (half-ton) light commercial van or pickup aimed at the light
haulage market. Powered by Ford’s 10hp 1,172cc side-valve engine producing 30bhp
and mated to a three-speed gearbox, it had heavy duty suspension and axles, the
rear axle being geared down for maximum pulling power which restricted the top
speed to not much over 40mph. A peculiarity of the vehicle was that the engine
was off-set to the nearside of the stubby engine bay which gave much more
legroom for the driver but precious little for the passenger.
Simple, slow and sturdy, the
E83W remained in production until 1957, being rebadged as the Thames 10 cwt in
late 1952, by which time around 188,000 had been sold, the vast majority of them
closed panel vans.
This particular E83W is the
relatively rare pickup version and was made at Ford’s Lower Hutt plant in New
Zealand in 1952. Unlike the UK market pickups which had a traditional wooden
drop-side load bed, this one has a far more robust all-steel cargo bay, hinged
at the rear with sturdy wooden floorboards underneath.
Nothing is known of the pickup’s early history, but it found its way
to Australia at some point, being shipped to the UK in May 2019 and registered
as a Historic vehicle (free to tax and MOT-exempt) with the non-transferable
number 546 XVF.
Although there are no invoices, we are told
that since arriving in the UK the engine has been rebuilt fairly recently, the
brakes have been overhauled, and a new battery has been fitted along with a new
set of tyres. We are also told that the pickup was recently used during the
filming of ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ which is due to be released
in cinemas in February 2027.
In light regular use, it has
been starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around on site.
Supplied with a V5C, it also comes with an original 1955 Thames 10 cwt
handbook.
These E83W light commercials
tended to lead hard lives and it is thought that only around 200 still survive
in the UK today, only around 40 of them pickups, so it could be a long while
before you see another for sale.
Consigned by James
Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com