Your thoughs on first driving a Commer.

turnin circle is better than my nissan primastar. my ride isnt as smooth as other commers, so maybe i need some suspension mods ?
 
my first van was the uprated 2500 heavier duty suspension - much better handling and off road capabilities - made it up some reasonably hairy tracks where Bessie would never dare to tread :I she's smoother but a lot more wallowy

Bessie - four star commerdation
 
First drive was 100 miles back home with no MOT yet I was presently surprised. The lack of steering and brakes was expected after owning an old MG which was almost as fuzzy but what with the extra feature of being rather slow I felt safe on our quiet country roads. However city life and a commer might well have me reaching for the Valium!
 
I think the best bit was waving and grinning at bemused Scottish folk as we headed for the South West. Seeing people's faces as we told them we were going from Inverness to Bath over five days was even better! Personally I love the vagueness of it all, it reminds you to concentrate and to appreciate being alive, 'cause it could all end any moment!!
 
That's just Scottish folk. Bemused at the best of times. On saying that you do not see many Commers in Scotland. :):):):) You will have the time of your life driving them.
 
Steering works (gradually), gears work (clunky), brakes work (eventually), engine works(smokily), lights work (scrub that, they don't), mirrors work, (is that a queue behind me?) All good then.
 
First drive out of the yard was for mot. Went from driving round the yard at 5 mph to 40 mph. Brake!!! Van now on other side of road. Corner !!! Van now on other side of road. Made it to mot station. Failed mot:(. Brake imbalance. Best drive ever with a new sense of adventure.:):):)
 
I had talked the wife into letting me drive her and our 4 year old across the country in it and make it our home for a year, without even taking it for a test drive.
Well when i had finished restoring it and took it to the licensing center for its inspection i thought, HOLY CRAP!, Shes going to hate this!, What have i done!.

So after licensing it was straight home for a shit load of engine bay insulation so at least we could hear ourselves talking.
Anyway, after taking the misses and daughter out for the first drive around town they were hooked. GREAT FUN!
 
My original post was a bit tongue in cheek ( the brother-in-law did have trouble keeping up on a sprint across Anglesey) but first drive was an experience like no other, My Dad came with me on the test drive in my first Commer and he was very impressed, not bad coming from a HGV driver of many years experience - pity he didn't spot the rot that was eating the van away beneath the filler:rolleyes: If that van drove as well as Harvey does now he would have been even more impressed:D
 
Driving south 150 in pouring rain from Martin's at 50mph. Scared. Excited. Laughing. Loud. Singing even.

And I haven't stopped since. Even on bad days sitting in the boy and turning him over makes me smile!
 
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