Travel in Style - The Thames E83W Utilecon

Seventy years ago, a Thames E83W Utilecon was a familiar sight; a vehicle to transport you to school, to deliver farm goods, to serve as transport for a market gardener, or to convey you to a holiday in Swanage. Today, you are more likely to encounter one in a black-and-white comedy featuring Arthur Askey, David Lodge and Sam Kydd than on the road, which makes this E83W owned by Mick Simpson a fascinating example of automotive history.

The narrative starts in March 1938 when Ford launched the E83W under the Fordson marque, which they originally used for tractors. The sales copy promised “the performance and speed of operation which make speedy operations possible, while standard equipment largely consisted of a driver’s seat ‘of the comfortable bucket type’ and a single vacuum-powered wiper. A front passenger seat was an optional extra, although due to the engine layout, the occupant had less legroom than the driver.

The E83W was powered by the Ford Prefect’s 1,172cc side valve engine, combined with a three-speed gearbox. It was available as a van or in chassis-cowl form, which allowed for a variety of specialist bodies, from ice cream vans to mobile canteens. Your friendly local dealer could also boast of its performance. Commercial Motor recorded 0-30 mph in ten seconds, and 0-40 mph in 25 seconds – not unimpressive in the late 1930s and sufficient for most rural and urban roads.

During the Second World War, the E83W served as fire tenders and ambulances, and in the late 1940s, it was still able to compete against a new generation of rivals: the Austin K8 in 1947 and the Morris J-Type in 1949. By 1952, Ford re-badged the E83W as a ‘Thames’, but that year Bedford unveiled the CA, which caused a minor revolution in British light commercial vehicles. However, Dagenham continued production until September 1957, with the launch of the Thames 400E.

One of the many bodies offered on the E83W’s chassis was the Utilecon estate by Martin Walter. The Folkestone coachbuilder had a long association with Vauxhall and Bedford, but as early as 1938, they displayed a Utilecon conversion of Ford’s 5cwt van at the Smithfield Show. The larger E83W estate was even more versatile – seating for five at the weekends and enough space to serve as a small trader’s delivery van during the week. Martin Walter’s boast for the Utilecon was “From Saloon to Van (or vice versa) in 30 seconds”. Not to mention the E83W’s twin sun visors, trafficators, and counterbalanced drop windows in the front doors.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Mick’s E83W is how it embodies a lost time before motorways. And how it really does look as though it belongs in a comedy film made at Shepperton Studios.

With thanks to Mick Simpson for his time

With thanks to Mick Simpson for the permission to use the images in this blog.