Datsun Urvan ?????

peltor

Is there any left ? I am Looking for one, an old one if possible 81-85 to use as rally support van for my datsun rally car would look cool in works colors,this could be wishful thinking but if anyone knows any lad with a decent one let me know.:rolleyes:

Max_Damage

There was a Datsun Vanette for sale on Donedeal a few months ago.

As for the Urvan, I haven't seen one of those since the mid 90's.

manta mad

urvan parked up in rathvilly , will see if i can get you details & a pic ..

Blue850

Ad for 2 Nissan Urvans on Gumtree

peltor

Thanks, they are 93-94 ex telecoms vans would really like to get older one.(82-83 ish older if possible) The works Team dealer datsun had 6 Urvans rally support vans with running gear off 260Z runnin tripple webbers uprated suspension Lsd diff etc !!! some yokes to go would always pi*ss the ford motorsport lads in the transits. Would really like to replicate something similar or source one original. Needle in hay-stack me thinks so will suffice with replica if i can find a sound one.:rolleyes:

carchaeologist

I like your thinking there! Though sourcing the right van could be difficult,still,im sure there is one out there.
Nice to see someone try to do something different other than a Transit/Escort combo.
This is the type you want?

peltor

Ya thats the type,would'nt mind but we had these crushed years ago around the garage even had one a bus we run for years !!! fecks sake... Now i have the datsun rally car would like to keep it all period for historic rallyin. Would be nice to have all the vehicles from the same era.

peltor

This is a photo of actual vans




Nissan E20 Rally Service Vans

If you remember when servicing on major events was an art form, in the days of the famous Southern Cross Rally, for instance, you'll remember being passed out on the open road or on some winding forest road by one of the Datsun/Nissan team's E20 vans. Servicing on such long events meant traveling long distances between service points, so a fast, well driven service van was needed to ensure that the competitors were met at the appropriate rendezvous.

Nissan's E20s were the biggest suitable vehicles that the company possessed, but they were painfully slow when fully loaded with spare gearboxes, panels, differentials, wheels and tyres and the like. Thanks to some thinking outside the square, Nissan raided their parts bins and replaced the gasping 4-cylinder engine with a worked Datsun 260Z engine, running triple Webers and extractors, mated to a five-speed Zed box, and on heavily uprated suspension.

Having been passed on many occasions by one of these weapons when following the 'Cross, I can attest that they were without doubt the fastest things about. Often driven by a guy who thought he was the next George Fury, the sight and sound of one of these weapons in action was a joy to behold. And the Nissan team guys loved driving them. Compared to the stock 6-cylinder Transits and the lethargic Valiant AP6 wagons, the E20s were the envy of the service park.

- Jeff Whitten
Source: www.rallysportmag.com.au

Henry Ford III

Were the Urvans quicker than the rally cars?

Bitten & Hisses

A former work colleague of mine used to run a Bedford CF service barge like the one above back in the day with something obscene under the bonnet. I can't remember exactly, but I think he said it had a Chevette HSR lump in it.

shagman

There was also of course the Ford supervan, cosworth powered I think and the Barris supervan which was atomic powered with death lasers!!!!
Be fun to see all them turn up for the van races in limerick racetrack!

carchaeologist

peltor wrote: »

Nissan's E20s were the biggest suitable vehicles that the company possessed, but they were painfully slow when fully loaded with spare gearboxes, panels, differentials, wheels and tyres and the like. Thanks to some thinking outside the square, Nissan raided their parts bins and replaced the gasping 4-cylinder engine with a worked Datsun 260Z engine, running triple Webers and extractors, mated to a five-speed Zed box, and on heavily uprated suspension

Oooh...I likes!!
The sleeper van from hell!!:D

peltor

There is another model to the urvan called a nissan caravan using 3.0 v6 petrol out of 300zx without the turbo's seen a 91 on ebay. Would be cool source the oldest one possible and use that as the base

Bitten & Hisses

Thinking again about that CF. Pentti Airikkala came into the story somewhere. It was either Pentti's old barge from when he was driving the Chevette, or else it had the engine from one of the rally Chevettes in it. I really should listen more to people!

peltor

Wonder is the CF still around ???? What ever happened to all them old service vans fords CF's nissans etc that had modified engines, recaro interiors uprated suspesions etc etc Did they just rot or get scrapped or get packed away at the back of lads shed's forgotton about.......

Blue850

I'm not sure if this it or a replica but an Avenger with rally spec Lotus Sunbeam running gear was used by the Talbot rally team
as a service car that could be raided of parts to keep the Sunbeams running. It still survives.