GUY MARTIN - ALL ROUND LEGEND:



Guy Martin - truck mechanic, speedster, tv personality and all round legend is a die hard Ford Transit fan. When it comes to vans, trucks and motors he knows his arse from his elbow. As his everyday run-around he's been clocking up 40,000 miles annually for the last 15 years and holds great faith in his old reliable "tranny". Guy has teamed up with a British collaboration team that specialise in creating custom, cutting edge Ford vehicles - to design a Transit inspired by Guy.





GUY MARTIN - TRANNY DIE HARD:



There's no better man than Guy when when it comes to intimate knowledge of the Ford Transit. He spends half is life in one. Wether it's driving his daily commute to his truck mechanic job, transporting parts & bikes or just out and about with his pet dog 'Nigel' - he certainly knows the intricacies of the van. Sometimes he even sleeps in the thing like when he's racing at the Isle of Man TT. Check out the documentary Closer To The Edge if you haven't seen it.

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WORK HORSE WITH GREAT LOOKS:



Based on having such an intimate knowledge of the Ford Transit and how he'd like to adapt it, Guy is in an ideal position to guide a team of mechanics on what customisations to make. And that's exactly what he did when he got together with British based MS-RT on this project. "I’ve had a fair bit of time to work out what I’d change, make better and more usable for the driver. I didn’t want to make something that looked great but was no use to someone as a work vehicle". The result is a tranny that is up for some heavy duty service and can turn heads out on the road too.



WHAT GUY WANTED CHANGED:

The Headlights - “they're not the sharpest tools in the tranny box"

The Lining Pack - "the lining pack in the back needs to be tougher"

The Tyres - "they get stuck in mud on building sites and farm yards"

The Seats - "they get tatty and covered in all sorts of oil and grease"

The Grill - "need to be able to climb up on it to clean the windscreen"

Cab Access - "I wanted access to the front of the cab from behind the bulkhead"

Understated Looks - "not too bold, those who know will know”



THE BUILD:



Overseen by Guy throughout the Proper Edition has been a careful realisation of Guy's vision. The changes to the exterior have been downplayed to make sure the van doesn't look too showey. The modifications include new all terrain tyres, powder coated alloy wheels and a new and improved front grille and bumper. The A frame grille at the front is offered with a choice of highlights in black or silver.

The grille has been fitted with assistance lights to improve visibility in low light conditions. The air vents have been given a matt silver paint finish and an aluminium radiator guard has been fitted for added protection. Finally, a step has been added to the bumper to give access to the top of the windscreen for cleaning.



THE INTERIOR:

The seats have had a complete overhaul and really stand out on this model. Orange stitching gives a modest splash of colour and they have been retrimmed with extra durable fabric and artificial eco-friendly leather. This means they are much more durable and dirt and grime can be easily wiped away with an upholstery cleaner. The orange theme has been continued through to the gear lever, steering wheel and jesus handles. A nice touch is the nappa leather finish on the steering wheel which is embossed with the trademark Guy Martin skull and cross-spanners.





THE VERDICT:



The whole thing works as a whole. By focusing on added practicality and durability instead of aesthetics - this customisation delivers big time. The load area has a tougher lining lining and greater access thanks to a hatch in the bulkhead. This means longer items can be loaded and transported with ease. There may be a slight increase in overall weight of the van due to all the extras that have been built in but we believe this negative is outweighed by the positives.

As there haven't been an changes to the suspension or chassis you can expect the same reliable handling you get from a standard transit - even at higher speeds. The Proper Edition conversion is available for £6,995 plus VAT which is a considerable price tag - but you are getting a lot of bang for your buck. You're getting Guy Martin's Transit Van!







