Ford Transit
Built: 1965 · Series: Transit
← Predecessor: Thames 400E
More machines from model year 1965
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Ford Transit — L and H matter more than the engine figure
On a Transit it is not the engine that decides whether the vehicle suits the work but two codes: L for length, H for roof height. L1 is the shortest wheelbase, L4 the longest; H1 the flat roof, H3 the high roof. An L3H2 is therefore long with a medium roof. Anyone who knows their load can read from that, before any viewing, whether it will fit.
Read on 4 more paragraphs
This L/H system is not a Ford peculiarity. Mercedes, Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot and Citroën use the same codes. It allows vans of different brands to be compared directly — though the centimetres behind them differ by manufacturer. The step is comparable, the measurement is not.
Which steps a given year offers changes across the generations. Not every Transit comes in all four lengths, and the shortest step offered is not called L1 in every generation. Anyone who depends on the centimetre should check the interior measurement of the actual vehicle, not just the code.
The second decision is drive. The Transit comes with front-, rear- and all-wheel drive. Front drive gives a lower loading lip and more traction when empty, rear drive carries heavy loads better and tows more. Anyone regularly running fully loaded or towing should look harder here than at the engine.
Alongside the Transit there are the smaller Transit Custom, the Transit Connect and the Transit Courier. The names are similar, the vehicles are not: these are separate ranges of different sizes. Listings mix them regularly — checking gross vehicle weight and load length separates them more reliably than the name does.
Sources: Van Guide: Ford Transit dimensions, Van Shelves: L/H codes decoded, BAS World
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | Various optionscorrect |
|---|
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gearbox | manual gearboxcorrect |
|---|
Origin and approval
| Assembly plants | Southampton, England; Kocaeli, Marmara, Turkeycorrect |
|---|---|
| Body | 3/4-door Van; 2-door Pickup; 4-door Minibus; 4-door Crew cab; 2-door Chassiscorrect |
| Vehicle class | Vancorrect |
Other data
| Predecessor | Ford Thames 400Ecorrect |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
When was the Ford Ford Transit built?
Production years: 1965.
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.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
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This page carries 9 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; 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
, 2.0 TDCI (130HK)
, 2.0 TDCI (130HK) VAN FWD MANUEL
, 2.0TDCI
, 2.0TDCI - RWD (165 HK) KASSEVOGN
, 2.0TDCI - RWD (165HK) KASSEVOGN
, 2.0TDCI HDT - FWD (160 HK)
100-71E2-VAN/2690
100-71E2X-2.4L DIESEL VAN/2690
100-LAN-2.4L DIESEL-VAN/2690
100C-DC-LAADBAK
100D
100D 500VAN
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.
