Escort Van saved from the Scrap yard.

[chilly]

Hi all,

My name is Simon Knickname Chilly i`ve Been on here a while looking at all the great project threads it gave me the bug to start my own.

I love retro cars! they can bring you so much pain but so much joy at the same time.

My Retro ride is this 2001 Ford Escort van 55 non-turbo. Not so retro in age but retro in it being the first Escort van ive seen in got to be 5 years still running 

Here she is:







As you can see it has been a work horse. Bargain at only £150 tho.

My plans for it are to simply tidy it up and give it a second life. I`m going to use it to transport my mountain bike from Bike park to Bike park.

The very next day i got to work on it. I washed it to reveal a paintjob that could`nt be saved. replaced the N/S battered wing with a £22 after market one, replaced N/S lower arm, O/S door latch cable, 3 bits of welding next for the mot then basically i started to strip down and prepare for paint. I`m going to give it a full respray myself in white. The paint job wont be perfect by anymeans but it will be better then that!





I then took it home to meet the rest of our Ford family! my daily use company car a mk7 Fiesta and my wifes Puma.




Next step is to completely strip it for a big clean.

Thanks for reading.

[Mercdan68]

Nice work , good to see a van being saved , these used to be everywhere and overnight they have disappeared good ones are hard to find and I'd love one !

[grifterkid]

Nice find, nice save, NICE ONE...!!!

[rlloyd91]

I love the thought of literally saving a vechile from the scrapyard! Keep the photos and updates coming!

[recarouk]

spot on that, £150 for it is a bargain too!!! keep the updates coming

[dodgerover]

Nooo not white, unless you have a really really good reason.

[brachunky]

As said, they used to be two a penny but nonetheless, they will become quite desirable again! Great project with tons of potential but again, noooooo white

[chilly]

Hahahaha i`m seriously thinking about not going white now Thanks for all the great comments. I think ill continue the prep work and make the final decistion on paint later i just like white vans lol. My aim is to keep it looking clean and modest with a few choice mods. I'm going to lower it and maybe band the steel wheels or get some deep dish alloys. Lots of ideas but first I'm stripping it back for a major clean.

[chilly]

Well started the big strip! Seats out to reveal what can only be described as landfill





Sorry for the poor quality pics they were taken on my iphone. As you can see though not nice but what did i really expect its been a work van for 4 people before me 155000 miles of ham sandwiches, crisps and bitten off finger nails.

On a good note though the interior parts with a good scrub have come up nice.



Next step is more interior strip. Get the carpet/rubber floor out, door cards off! don't think ill go as far as to take the dash completely out but we`ll see. I would like in the future to do a full bare shell restoration but i`ll think more into the that when the engine finally gives way, posible Mondeo V6 lump something along the lines of that.

[hkr91]

Go for a RS2000 engine or a ST170 lump. curse word off a shovel when put in these vans.

The 55 was and is currently LEZ compliant, the 65 and 75 weren't.

[chilly]

I like the idea of the ST170 lump actually! with bike carbs possibly.

[Xenocide]

Puma engine? I know of one for sale! *whistles*

[chilly]

I`ve already been down the puma engine rought. I put one in my old mk5 Fiesta, great fun in that but i would like to go bigger. I did think of a possible Mondeo V6 then Supercharge it something mad like that. I do like the idea of the ST170 lump tho possible zetec Turbo?!

[Speedle]

Great save this, look forward to seeing the progress ST170 lump sounds perfect in this

[chilly]

little update: Had the day off work yesterday to spend some quality time with my van .

Finished the big clean at the front of the van! Feels and looks so much better....









Then set to work on the body. No real dent removal or major body repairs ill save that for the eventual full body restoration.

Just rubbed down any cracked paintwork then primered most of the van. Just the bonnet and roof to do then paint.
Going to do the rear bumpers gloss black plus the plastic trims below the rear lights, then gloss black the front bumper. I`m going to do the body white i`ve decided mainly because my mate has got the 1pack paint in stock apparently with laquer already in! I'm not an expert on it, think ill go a mad colour when i eventually do the full resto.





Thanks for looking. I`ll try and get the rest of the primer on the van this weekend. Just need to find someone who will attempt my rear axle flip.

[Xenocide]

You don't hang about do you. Going to look great!

[totti]

Great to see a Escort Van safed!

Stay with the Diesel.....great MPG!


Why not paint it Kawasaki Green?



Keep up the good work

Cheers

[baconlord]

Supercharged Jaguar V12. That is all.

[Dan P]

its crazy quickly you're progressing on this! haven't seen one of these around in ages!

[gurnersimps1963]

Good man saving this,fair play you are 'gettin' at it'