At $4,950, Would You Say ‘Action’ To This Movie Car Collection 1977 Ford Transit Pickup?

Ford has long dominated the pickup truck market here in the U.S. Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Transit is a model that took that game to Europe. Now it’s here, and we’ll have to see how game we are about its asking price.

There are certain realities that, while frustratingly disappointing, simply must be accepted. Not everyone enjoys being on the receiving end of a ‘pull my finger’ joke, regardless of how funny it might be to anyone with a normal sense of humor. In a dissimilar vein, but equally maddening, is the fact that many desirable cars have seen their asking prices rise as though some sort of evil cabal is driving the market with the singular goal of denying us our due in fun and impressing the neighbors. 

The 2000 Honda Civic Si EM1 we looked at yesterday is a prime example of this frustration. Sure, we all would love to have a light and lithe little coupe like that, but at $23,000, it was well out of the range of consideration for any but the most ardent and flush among us. That frustration quickly led to it falling in an overwhelming 91% ‘No Dice’ loss.

Today’s 1977 Ford Transit Pickup is one of the weirder vehicles we’ve had come under our scrutiny, as it is an offshoot of a model that, while popular in England and on the Continent, was never sold here in the U.S. Its presence here makes sense once you learn that it is part of a collection assembled to provide vehicles for Hollywood’s TV and film industry. In fact, according to the Internet Movie Cars Database (IMCDB), this Transit pickup appeared in the 2017-2024 TV show ‘Seal Team,’ where it was featured prominently in one episode, not just as a background player. The Transit, in its original van form, also played a starring role in Britain’s crime scene in the 1970s, as its space, snappy handling, and reasonably quick performance made it a big hit with bank robbers as the getaway vehicle of choice.

According to the ad, the owner of that film car collection, Michael Harper-Smith, is winding down their business, and they “hope this cool truck ends up in the hands of a classic Ford vehicle collector.” This German-built truck shows a healthy patina on its factory sky-blue paint, but the seller claims there is no structural rot, only a tumorous top coat. Like many European pickups of the time, all three sides of the bed fold down for easy access, although the bed-mounted frame might get in the way of that unless removed. 

The cabin is simple and sparse, featuring three-across seating with what looks to be newish upholstery. The windows roll up and down, and there appears to be even a heater, so it offers almost all the comforts of home. With zero sound insulation and a clattery diesel just ahead, it’s unlikely to be a place for quiet reflection, though.

The description of that diesel in the ad is a bit of a puzzler, as it’s stated to be a “2.4 liter V4 Diesel.” The thing is, Ford offered V4 engines in this generation of Transit, as well as a 2.4-liter oil burner, but it never offered all of those aspects together. A bit of sleuthing and a look at the under-hood shots indicate that the engine here is Ford’s 2.4-liter York inline four diesel. First offered in the Transit in 1972, the York four made 61 horsepower and a stout 99 pound-feet of torque. Longer than the V4 gas engine, the York required the Transit’s longer nose, shared with the six-cylinder editions, and humorously dubbed the “pig nose” for its pugnacious appearance. 

The seller claims it is in “Very good running and driving condition” and states that it has a clean title and, being a diesel of a certain age, will never need to undergo the indignity of a state smog test. It is presently tagged on non-operational status, so no back fees are due when transferring the title or registering it for the road.

As I noted at the outset, this is an extremely weird opportunity for someone looking for… well, I don’t know what. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill weekend home center trip pickup, and even if someone envisioned using it in that capacity, wouldn’t a more modern mini-pickup be more practical? No, this is, as the seller acknowledges, really something for a Ford Aficionado, someone who needs it as an addition to some sort of set. At $4,950, it’s not all that much of a strain to make the purchase, so it’s really over the why, rather than the how.

What do you think about this Transit truck and that $4,950 asking price? Is that a reasonable dent in the wallet to a collector? Or is that price just another Hollywood fantasy?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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