Bedford SB – specifications

For the CF the register lists petrol engines from 1.6 to 2.3 litres with up to 59 kW, along with a 2.0-litre diesel at 44 kW, plus three-, four- or five-speed gearboxes and a three-speed automatic. Kerb weight stands at 1,735 kg, gross vehicle weight at 2,265 kg, the wheelbase at 2.69 m and the width at 1.93 m – figures consistent with a compact minibus body on a van chassis.

At a gross weight of around 2.3 tonnes, the CF built up as a minibus stayed well below the threshold for the heavier bus classes and could be driven in Britain on an ordinary licence. Body builders used the chassis for community, accessible and voluntary-sector minibuses, where seating capacity determined registration as a minibus rather than a car.

For a used example of this age, the condition of the chassis and floor matters most, since van floors and wheel arches often corrode through. Also worth checking are the clutch and gearbox, the diesel engine's tightness at the head gasket and injection pump, and, depending on the body, the state of the entry steps, seat rails and emergency exits; parts for the widely used drivetrain remain comparatively easy to find through the classic-commercial-vehicle market.