Bedford Vehicles CA
Built: 1952-1969 · Series: Other models
Successor: Bedford CF →
More machines from model year 1952
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Bedford CF – a van from General Motors Europe: four-cylinder in-line 'Slant Four' engine, height 1,980 mm, width 2,000 mm, built 1969 to 1988, the base for numerous motorhome conversions
Bedford Vehicles was the commercial-vehicle brand of General Motors Europe in the United Kingdom. The Bedford CF was built from 1969 to 1988 and replaced the Bedford CA as the marque's van series.
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The Bedford CF is a van with a longitudinally mounted front engine and rear-wheel drive. It was powered by a four-cylinder in-line engine from the range known as the 'Slant Four', available with manual or automatic transmission. Height is 1,980 mm and width 2,000 mm. The combination of a front engine and rear-wheel drive was widespread among British vans of this size in the 1970s and 1980s.
As a classic front-engined, rear-wheel-drive van, the Bedford CF served British delivery fleets and was also a popular base for motorhome conversions, notably by the body builder Dormobile, which built its own campers on the CF chassis. Its nearly two-decade production run shows how widespread this chassis was in British trade.
When buying a used Bedford CF, check the condition of the four-cylinder in-line engine and its carburettor or injection system depending on the model year, corrosion on the wheel arches, sills and floor pan, the condition of the clutch and gearbox, and, for motorhome conversions, damp in the body. The steering components and front wheel bearings, which take particular strain on a front-engined van of this design, are also worth checking.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells Bedford CF
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | 1.5 L I4 OHV, ; 1.6 L I4 OHVcorrect |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | SWB: 154 in; LWB: 166 incorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 70.0 in (1,778 mm)correct |
| Height | 1,899 mmcorrect |
| Height | 74.75 in (1898.6 mm)correct |
| Wheelbase | 2,286 mm (SWB: 90 in; LWB: 102 in)correct |
| Unladen weight | SWB: 2245 lb; LWB: 2345 lbcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Drive | Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drivecorrect |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 3-speed manual gearbox, ; 4-speed manualcorrect |
Origin and approval
| Assembly plants | Luton, United Kingdomcorrect |
|---|---|
| Body | Vancorrect |
| Vehicle class | Light commercial vehiclecorrect |
| Parent company | Vauxhall Motorscorrect |
Other data
| Successor | Bedford CFcorrect |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
When was the Bedford Vehicles CA built?
Production years: 1952-1969.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 19 individual figures for this model. They come from 2 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Van in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
