The Ford Anglia van with RAC patrol livery was a familiar sight on Britain’s roads from 1961 to 1967. For passengers, it had a spacious interior and the vehicle was very reliable. It had a 1,198cc petrol engine and a four-speed gearbox.

From the 1970s the patrol also extensively used Ford Transit Mark 1 vans because of their flexible space. Ford Transit combinations with trailers, alongside Bedford vans and Range Rovers, continued being used for patrol into the 1980s.

The introduction of the RAC Vehicle Recovery Service in 1975 resulted in a need for heavier-duty vehicles.