Fiesta Commercials

One classic Fiesta van is a rare sight these days – but Lee Paddock rolls into the shows with three of the little-seen load carriers.

- Emma Woodcock

Hard work never hurt anyone — but a tradesman’s wheels live a hard life. Laden with tools, covered in grime and asked to go anywhere at any time, commercial vehicles face an uphill struggle to keep rolling. Those that do remain won’t find recognition: few classic car fans dream of load bays or windows welded shut. Lee Paddock is a striking exception. His collection contains first, second and third-generation Fiesta vans that, thanks to careful restoration, haven’t just survived. They’ve thrived.

“It wasn’t intentional at first,” Lee says, “I started off with a Sierra-based P100 pick-up truck, which led to the Mk1 Fiesta van. Knowing how rare they are, I couldn’t turn it down. Then people kept offering me vans, so I ended up with a Mk2 and a Mk3 as well.” It might not have been his aim but now he’s got a collection that other Ford fans would struggle to replicate — and the perfect car show foil to row upon row of XR2s and RS Turbos.

The Mk1

Lee’s first Fiesta eschews its practical background to turn heads, thanks to a range of genuine Ford Series X accessories. Echoing the Fiesta Custom package which could be added to all 1100 and 1300 cars — vans included — the Mk1 wears a wraparound front splitter, bluff boot spoiler and four polyurethane wheel arch extensions. A set of 6x13 inch RS alloy wheels feature too, another example of Lee’s parts finding talents. “I got lucky,” he smiles, “the alloys arrived in perfect condition and I was able to find the body kit pretty much straight away.”