Ford FK 1000/1250

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ford
FK 1000
FK 1000
FK 1000/1250
Taunus Transit
Manufacturer: ford
Production period: 1953-1966
Previous model: none
Successor: Ford Transit
Technical specifications
Designs: Box vans , minibuses , flatbed trucks
Engines: Petrol engines :
1.2–1.5 liters
(28–40 kW)
Length: 4300 mm
Width: 1740 mm
Height: 1965 mm
Wheelbase: 2300 mm
Payload: 1.0-1.25 t

The Ford FK 1000/1250 , later Ford Taunus Transit , was a 1953 to 1965 at the factory in Cologne-Niehl German Ford-Werke and from 1964 to mid-1966 at Ford's assembly plant in Azambuja built (Portugal) vans .

At that time had Ford's commercial vehicle division in Europe next to the FK 1000/1250 and the later Ford of Britain built Ford Thames 400E in the offer, which was also partially available in continental Europe and also in Denmark was built. The Ford corporate headquarters in Detroit saw no point in the parallel development of two successor models and ordered the joint development of a pan-European van with "Project Redcap". The “Little Red Riding Hood” project eventually became the successor to both models, the Ford Transit .

Model history

FK 1000/1250 1953-1961

After the end of the Second World War , Ford Germany had the Rhein / Ruhr truck and bus series and the Taunus G73A ("Buckeltaunus") car in its range. All were developed before the war. From the Taunus-combi there were from 1949, a van version without rear side windows, the Ford as quick vans applied, in response to the DKW Schnellaster and similar models such as the Opel Olympia and Mercedes 170V . When the first VW Transporter ( VW T1 ) and the Tempo Matador came onto the market, Ford Cologne began to develop a competing model. The specifications for this were 1000 kg payload , box frame welded to the body to form a self-supporting structure, low dead weight of a maximum of one ton, front-link design and expandability as flatbed and station wagons, minibuses and transporters with special bodies. Since the drive train was supposed to come from the passenger car, the engine was in the front and powered the rear wheels.

In 1952 Ford brought Alfred Haesner , the designer of the transporter, from VW to Ford and made him head of the project. The first prototype was completed in 1952 and looked quite similar to the VW Transporter, especially the split windscreen and the transition to the roof.

The still small department under Haesner developed the series model from this prototype together with the Heilbronn body builder Drauz-Werke , who had already manufactured Ford convertibles and cabs for Ford delivery vans and panel vans before the Second World War. Instead of the front with a square, cross-ribbed grill and split pane, it now had a one-piece wide front pane and a grill with vertical rods and 24 horizontal struts. Above it sat a rectangular emblem with the number 1000 for the payload strength and the brand emblem FK for Ford Cologne. There was a single continuous bumpers in the front and two small side bumpers in the back. Characteristic were the diagonally corrugated lower side edges, which were popularly called "corrugated iron" corners.

In March 1953, the FK 1000 was presented at the 36th German Motor Show in Frankfurt. In 1951 the Ford FK series was launched with a payload of 2000 kg and more, and in 1952 the delivery van and pickup models of the new Taunus 12M with a payload of up to 600 kg. Thus, with the FK 1000, Ford rounded off its commercial vehicle program from the FK series and the Rhine / Ruhr models. The bodies, some of which were already pre-painted, were delivered by barge from Drauz in Heilbronn and the cars were assembled at the Ford plant in Cologne. In the interior, the instrument cluster of the Taunus 12M and the 3-speed steering wheel gearshift were used. The 1.2-liter in-line four-cylinder petrol engine with upright valves and 38 hp (28 kW) also came from the 12M , the main features of which went back to the Ford Eifel from 1935. Initially, this was installed in front of the front axle, which gave it an uncomfortable top-heaviness. With its engine power, the FK 1000 was undisputedly at the forefront of the new generation of vans in Germany, because the VW T1 only had 25 hp (18 kW) with a Beetle engine; the Tempo Matador 1000 developed 26 HP (19 kW) and the DKW Schnelllaster only 22 HP (16 kW). The Tempo Matador 1400 drew its power from a Heinkel engine with 34 hp (25 kW), which made it 80 km / h fast. The VW Transporter, on the other hand, only managed 75 km / h - while the FK 1000 was considerably faster at 95 km / h and also accelerated better, which led to the FK 1000 being referred to in the media as a "racing transporter".

The vehicle concept brought - also in comparison to the VW Transporter - a larger, undivided and above all level cargo space of 5 cubic meters. Thanks to the very wide rear door, it was also well suited for loading on the ramp; A Euro pallet would have fit through the side door if it had already existed back then. All of this meant that the FK 1000 was particularly popular with fire and rescue services ; it was bought more often than the VW Transporter and some of it was in use for decades. Its advantages also included the low fuel consumption, which was around 9.7 l / 100 km at 80 km / h, the low prices for repairs and maintenance, which were often below the level of a car, and ultimately the purchase price.

The transit was carried out with a simple chassis with leaf-sprung rigid axles , which made it relatively uncomfortable to ride; In addition, the engine built into the front between the seats, as a source of noise, interfered with driving comfort. These were probably the reasons why the FK 1000 could not achieve the success of the VW T1.

The model variants

  • Panel van (G13T)
  • Minibus station wagon (G13TK) for eight people with removable bench seats and folding seat
  • Minibus special (G13TO) with permanent installation, chrome fittings, color-coordinated side walls, headliner and upholstery covers, sun visor for the front passenger, wooden strips, passenger compartment lighting, ashtrays and coat hooks. Optional air conditioning from Behr.
  • Flatbed truck (automobile) (G13TP) with 2.6 m long and 1.6 m wide steel platform, with a tarpaulin and corresponding bow on request.

From March 1954, a lock-synchronized four-speed gearbox was standard in the bus and otherwise available as an option. A door on the left side of the van was also available for an extra charge.

FK 1000 model year 1955

For model year 1955, the engine was relocated from the footwell of the driver's cab between the two front seats in order to reduce the heavy top-heaviness when the car is empty. In the advertisement, Ford spoke of more legroom - the driver could also comfortably get out to the right - and better access to the engine as well as cheaper routing of the heating air ducts. The main measure was just hidden as better weight distribution.

In addition, the FK 1000 received more power thanks to the in -line four-cylinder engine with overhead valves and 1.5 liters of displacement and 55 hp designed for the new Taunus 15M . The top speed only increased by 5 km / h, but the fuel consumption sank to 9.4 l / 100 km at 80 km / h and the acceleration capacity improved considerably compared to the 1.2-liter.

The basic equipment of the panel van cost 6990  DM in 1955 with an additional price of almost 200 DM for the 1.5-liter engine and four-speed gearbox. Further technical changes were reinforced rear springs and rear lever shock absorbers with double action, enlarged braking surface, enlarged radiator, reinforced front axle, windshield wipers now with parking position and recessed grips in the front doors.

FK 1000/1250 model year 1958

At the beginning of 1958 there were indicators instead of the obsolete side-mounted indicators and the new model FK 1250 with a payload of 1250 kg was added to the range. The wooden platform truck (G4 or G7BTH / T) was also new, with a different floor assembly than the steel platform truck, which had been in production since 1953, and which offered 4.4 m² of completely flat loading space and fully foldable drop sides. Other technical changes were modified brakes and exhaust systems as well as combined tail and indicator lights and modern rectangular instead of oval interior lights. A mileage tachometer was available for the export version and the struts and the front emblem disappeared from the radiator grille. From then on, the designations FK 1000 and FK 1250 were on the front mask.

A chassis with a driver's cab based on the wooden platform truck for individual assembly was also new . Body builders such as Pollmann , Migö or Metz used them to produce fire extinguishers, turntable ladders, police and funeral vehicles, in addition to the accident recording vehicles for the traffic police, ambulances or drinks vehicles that were already built on the basis of the box or station wagon.

Ford now advertised the FK 1000/1250 as an express freighter . From 1959 there was a tipper vehicle with a hand-operated tipping platform based on the wooden platform and a double cabin (G4 or G7BTP / B) with a low-lying steel platform. 16 models have now been offered ex works, including right-hand drive models for export from November.

From January 1960, a main flow oil filter in the 1.5-liter version could be installed on request, at the same time there were extended oil change and lubrication service intervals for all versions. The Solex carburetor of the 1.5-liter engine was fitted with new nozzles and from June all models were equipped with a fully synchronized four-speed gearbox and windscreen washer as standard.

Although the FK 1000/1250 sold well in its segment, it was decided in 1961 to give up the name FK. The reason for this was the cessation of truck construction at Ford Cologne. The recently unsuccessful Ford FK series had permanently disrupted Ford's reputation for reliability in the commercial vehicle sector through the unreliable two-stroke diesel V-engines AD4 and AD6. Thus the FK 1000/1250 would have remained the only representative with the name FK - and Ford did not want to link it any further with the FK series.

Taunus Transit 1961–1965

Since all vehicles from Ford Cologne had the name Taunus first, Taunus 12M , Taunus 15M and Taunus 17M , the FK 1000/1250 also received this combined with Transit (Latin: transire - go over, exceed, exceed) as Ford Taunus Transit.

Except for the name, almost everything stayed the same, whereby the 1250 was only equipped with the 1.5-liter engine and the 1.2-liter engine was only available for the 1000 station wagon and the panel van. At the front, the Ford plum appeared for the first time on the lower part of the right B-pillar, while the coat of arms of Ford Cologne with a small Taunus lettering above was attached below the windshield. TRANSIT was written in capital letters above the radiator grille , as well as on the rear. Shortly after the name change, a steering wheel lock and combined sliding and opening windows were introduced at the front.

A version with 800 kg payload (G1BT) and smaller tire and rim sizes followed in April 1962. This new economy model, which was only available with the 55 hp engine, was considerably cheaper than a Taunus Transit 1000 of the same design at just under DM 5,900. The bus versions of the 1000 and 1250 were no longer available and were integrated into the 800 series (G1BTO). With the exception of the double cab, all body variants were available for the Taunus Transit 800.

As an alternative to the VW “Samba” bus , there was now the panorama bus (G1BTO / L) based on the special minibus with six additional “roof edge windows”, enlarged side windows reaching into the rear and a three-way adjustable hatch in the middle of the roof Plexiglass for draft-free ventilation. The panorama offered nine seats.

From September 1963 there was Taunus Transit 1500 with 1500 kg payload. It had the 1.7 liter engine of the Taunus 17M ("bathtub taunus") with 60 HP (44 kW). The 1500 had a gear lever mounted on the vehicle floor, twin tires at the rear , a reinforced front axle and a modified brake system. At first it was only available as a flatbed truck, chassis and box truck. From 1964 there was also a panel van version.

With the appearance of the 1500, the entire series was revised again with improved seat adjustment, claw locks and modified license plate holders. A silver-gray quilted engine cover, a Blaupunkt radio and a roof rack were also part of the range as standard.

A caravan of Westfalia with lifting roof was also available.

In 1964 the last revised version came with a gear lever now mounted on the vehicle floor for all models and an optional dual-circuit brake system with brake servo, 12-volt system with three-phase alternator and three-point seat belts at the front. In December 1965 the last model, a Taunus Transit 1000 panel van, rolled off the production line in Cologne, while sales of the successor Ford Transit began in the same month . For the southern European market, the models were produced at the Ford plant in Azambuja (Portugal) from 1964 to mid-1966.

  • Taunus Transit with the new Taunus lettering

  • Rear and side views with folding doors

  • Taunus Transit minibus

  • Pickup truck

  • Converted Taunus Transit Panorama

Web links

Commons : Ford Taunus Transit  - Collection of images, videos and audio files