C15 Still Working Hard

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

nice to see another C15 still in proper use. Took this pic at a Car Boot Sale, with Vanordinaire in mind, fella was keeping it really nice; said for the running cost of it, just makes sense. Believe this one's the 1.9DW.

Also noted an LDV in the car park, what we'd've called a 'Sherpa' in the day, looking well used, was surprised to realise haven't seen one in a long time.

[Gibbo2286]

There are quite a few LDV minibuses still giving good service, I notice them because my brother built them and for a long time after I sold the garage I traded them in all their forms.

[Kerek85]

We had a brand new one of these as a works van back in early 1996. Was great but the brakes were just non existent. Scared the living hell out of us.

We chopped it in 6 months later when the very first berlingo came out. Our nerves thanked us.

[van ordinaire]

I understand that C15's are something of a carbooters' favourite but, have to say, never seen one in that role.

Apparently a few later Sherpas (as opposed to LDV's) were scrapped - because the unique, model specific, headlghts are unobtainable.

There's an LDV that looks like it was an airport shuttle bus that's been converted into a spacious, but rather unlovely, semi-stealth camper lives round the corner from me, in London.

I remember a couple of years ago there was an obviously ex-Royal Mail postbus Sherpa "festival camper" for sale in Brixham - for serious money!

C15 brakes: when I got mine, the pedal almost hit the floor before anything happened (1st application of brakes on my test drive was - disconcerting?) & the handbrake came up, it seemed, almost vertical. Adjusting the self-adjusters worked wonders & it's now got through 3 MoT's with no further attention. I think I understand their reputation now though, after Thursday when, having not driven it for a month AND having been spoilt putting 5,000 miles on a 15,000 mile Chevy Malibu, I approached the roundabout where the A20 crossed the S. Circular did find the rate of retardation not what I'd become accustomed to - soon got used to it though.
It is odd though, that Visas don't have that reputation - & C15's supposedly have GT brakes! The front brakes were one (alright - 2) of the few things that changed on C15's in its 20+ years production - but no one's ever suggested they were any better.

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

Know what you mean about braking Van, find something similar when I return to driving my 405 after a spell in daughter's C3 or MIL's modern Micra (which feels huge by the way, especially for parking).

405's great as a 'Stealth Camper', definitely no chance of standing up or showering in it, but in terms of being 'discreet' its fabulous

[van ordinaire]

I thought C15's had 205 f. brakes - & no one slates them.

Actually I think it was more to do with not having driven the C15 for about a month, because usually I swap back & forth bewtween the 3 runners without a thought. That's not to say upgrading the C15's brakes isn't something I'd consider but, oddly, there's no recognised conversion - 205GTi perhaps?