1990 Escort van another one!

[Moorhen]

I've brought another mk4 van! This one has been around the corner from me for years, old chap has it and used it for years for his painting and decorating business. Since he's retired he has used it to take a bit of green waste to the local tip once a month! Last August whilst driving home I had to stop outside his house to let a car pass, I glanced over at the van and there was a for sale sign stuck to the windscreen. After a look around it and a chat with him it was clear it wasn't going to be mine.... no mot and the fact it needed some real love was not going to make me part with 800 quid! I pointed out the reasons why I wouldn't pay that for it, left him my number and it has sat in the same spot ever since until I noticed last weekend the bonnet was open. Curiosity got the better of me and Monday on my way home I stopped in to see him. As I walked through his gate he looked at me and said ' I was going to call you tonight!'. So as I said I've brought it, he said he was to old to do anything with it and I could have it for 100 quid. I'm going to do some gardening jobs for him as well as I think he's pretty sad to see it go. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet but at least it won't sit rotting away! Enough waffling from me, have the only pic I have so far will get some more when I pick it up tomorrow evening. Any comments or suggestions welcome as usual. Cheers Rob.

[strikey]

cant knock it at that rate! what's under the tarp behind it?

[Moorhen]

That's what I thought! It is an mg but it looks like an Austin 1100? Apparently it's quite unusual to see an mg variant. It was his wife's car but unfortunately she passed away and he couldn't part with it and its sat there ever since. He has now decided to donate it to a local charity that teaches kids with learning difficulties vehicle maintenance. Again he has realised he will never do anything with it.

[Mercdan68]

Great find that's what we're hoping to buy
Another project for young George as his estate is now finished

[Moorhen]

Thanks mate, yeah get him another project his escort looks great! Wish I had been allowed a car at his age!

[ProjectBobcat]

Wow, nice to see another one saved. Whats the story behind the colour, just a yellow van or is it ex BT/AA?

[s1105117]

I have had a toy of a yellow mk4 escort van can since i was about 2 years old! Condition and hard use probably the same between yours and mine haha! Well done on the save! :-D

[peter96]

My brother in law had one of those for years and I used to borrow it occasionally. It only had about 30k on it when he parked it up as he got himself a Ford Ranger. Wish he still had it lying on the farm as it would be a great project. Sadly it went for scrap when the scrap metal prices were sky high.

[Littlepixel]

Great score! Nice you're goana help out the old guy too.
I saw it and instantly thought of this one - 'stock, but not' —on big steels.
Looks great IMHO

[grifterkid]

That is a great find.

After a thorough clean-up it will look a million times better than it does at the moment...

I think that some subtle tweaks (if any!) are all this glorious old van needs.

Brilliant!

[Moorhen]

Cheers guys, I will get some more pics up in a bit. I think it is ex telecom and judging by how long he has owned it he could be the 2nd owner! He's going to see if he has any pics of it as well which would be great to see. Think I've decided that I'm going to get this one welded up and back on the road asap!! Will stick the white van away for a while and just use this one as a workhorse. That yellow Mk3 looks great, hoping after a wash this one will look better! Cheers Rob.

[Moorhen]

Quick pic with the estate this morning before collection.

[fastblatt]

Used these when I was windscreen fitting back in the day. Loved it and quite fancy owning one now.

[Moorhen]

Finally picked it up! Only managed to have a quick look over it as my mate that helped me move it had to get home. Chucked a battery on it and put a couple of cap fulls of petrol down the carb and she fired up! Can't wait to have a proper look over it either tomorrow or Monday, grabbed a couple of pics before I left. Vinyl seats are pretty cool! Cheers Rob

[Moorhen]

Well finally grabbed 5 minutes to have a look at the van. Seems quite solid underneath but the bottom of the front panel is a bit ripe! Never mind, got a mate at work that will weld anything for me for bacon sarnies and coffee so that's a result. When I picked it up I noticed it didn't have the usual vv carb on it and on closer inspection tonight it's got a Weber fitted. Not sure if this is a replacement for the vv or if it came with it? Will have to ask the old chap
Also noticed on the roof a lovely blob of filler, can't be good I thought so after looking inside I noticed this
. I can't imagine this size hole was needed for a beacon? Not a very good way to cover it up anyway! Thought the van may have been ex telecom but the paint tag under the bonnet only says golden whereas a mate has one which says telecom golden? Possibly ex aa then? Anyway needs a bloody good wash which will hopefully get done this weekend and clear all the junk out in the back! Cheers guys.

[totti]

Hi!
Great find!
Later HCS 1,3 & 1,4 CVH have the Weber carb!

Cheers

[Moorhen]

Thanks totti!

[southside]

Unless it's been repainted it's probably not ex AA as on that year it would of had the bottle green lower section like this one..

[Phil H]

Could it have been a British Rail van?

[Moorhen]

Cheers southside, didn't realise aa vans of that year had the green lower half. I'm going to fill out and send off a v888 form as soon as I get a logbook so that I can find out its history.