Crewcab transit Mk6 low rider, the build restarts this coming week

[spudmab]

Well went and see my mate this morning and i had a dig around his yard. Found a mk6 crew cab, he said help yourself take what you want as its heading to the scrap yard.

So loads of bits later i now have a white bonnet not a yellowish one, rear window trim. Nicer scuttle panel, rear door cards with pockets, rear door looms, 4 good condition door rubbers. Very happy with my little rummage.

Oh and i came home to my new air suspension manifold With remote so started to put it together, need more bits but i ordered them already.

You can see how yellowish the paint work is by looking at the grill shell.

[spudmab]

Well last night was a long night, the day had finally arrived to fit my front air suspension. Well i pulled the truck in over the pit, lifted it up on the pit jack. Pulled the wheels off.

Hub bolts removed, i stamped on the hubs and they came of the bottom of the struts. Then undone the top mounts and the shocks where off. Total time maybe 20 minutes.

Fast forward 3 hours and both new air suspension legs where on. But our brackets for the air pipes wouldn't clear. So they got removed, cut re-welded, painted and then put back on.

Air lines connect, happy days just fit the wheel spacers wheels then head home. Well all good plans fell to the wayside. Bolted on the first wheel spacers, they are 25mm hub centric spacer, oh the standard wheel studs seem a bit long, oh nuts.

Well after a bit of chatting the plan was add some washers to allow the wheels to bolt on. Take the truck outside and reassess in the morning.

So back out the workshop, went around the yard. No bumps or bangs. Parked up and got a lift home.

Went in this morning and have been thinking about cutting the standard wheel studs down, but my phone went and it was a message saying my wheels where done and would be posted tomorrow.

My wheels where sent away to have the centres moved in by 25mm so i wouldn't have to run the wheel spacer and give the wheels a bit of a deeper dish look.

So as it stands the truck is on hold till Friday, hopefully 🙏 the wheels will arrive and i will give them a quick paint swap the tyres and fingers crossed they fit and clear the suspension.

[ballbagbagins]

"All the way, go on".

Looks good. Hope you're all healed up

[jamesd1972]

She’s looking good.
How’s the recovery ? This must help if you don’t overdo it.
James

[spudmab]

Still healing but getting stronger and better each day. Thanks for asking and yeah this has given me a massive boost.

I'm very lucky my brother-in-law works along side me and the other mechanic don't mind helping as i help him as and when. They both know my aim and are willing to step up and lend a hand. Its cool having good people to help when your not 100%

Hopefully when the new wheels go on it will go a bit lower. Not sure how much lower but we will soon know.

I am trying to get it on and tested as I'm away to the transit mainia show at santapod next Friday and its about 2 hours drive. Even longer if i have any issues. So i have a good few days to sort any issues that might happen. Worse case the old shocks will have to go back on.

[spudmab]

Well this evening me and my brother-in-law went around to my mates yard to get some more bits for my truck. Had the grill panel, steering column ( more on that another day) and something i have never seen before. An opening rear window, its a genuine Ford item. We didn't risk removing the window so we set to with an angle grinder and cut the window surround out, will get our friendly window fitter to remove it from the panel.

It needs a bloody good clean as the runners are full of god knows what and the window doesn't want to open. But that should be fairly easy to clean

[spudmab]

Well my modified wheels arrived at work mid morning, so over lunch and in between jobs a managed to give them a good few coats of paint, after work i swapped the tyres over and fitted the wheels, they fit perfectly. The truck is now able to be dropped full. One of the lads also swapped my petrol flap over, nice white one,m rather that the blue silver that was on there.

[The Rascal King]

looking good!

[spudmab]

Well the new open rear window has been fitted this morning, the window fitter cleaned up all the frame work, all the seals and then came and fitted it.

I think it completely changes the rear of the truck. I have also fitted my new headlights and fitted my front spot lights. All went well until one of the headlight motors didn't want to work anymore. Well best get ordering another one.

[LAndy]

I love seeing the progress on this and the back window looks great!

[spudmab]

Well i made it to TRANSITMANIA weekend at santapod. Drove ok, no issues as of yet. Truck seems to be getting a lot of positive comments.

[spudmab]

Well the show went well. Sunday there was a show and shine type of thing where you put your vehicle in the show ring. Each vehicle is entered into its own category and by age. Mk1, mk2 ect. There was best camper, best interior, best modified and a few others.

There was no judges it was down to the public who had to walk around and mark down the choices.

Well the old crew cab won 2 trophies, 3rd in mk6/7 category and 1st place in modified transit.

Talk about a massive shock, didnt expect to win anything as its an on going project.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Congrats on the trophies, looking good.

[commycouper]

Fantastic!.....well done. It's a sure sign that all the hard work is starting to pay off👍

[spudmab]

Thanks guys,

Well i have more mods on the go, Monday back at work it already started, I have a knocking noise from the front suspension, i was told using the top mounts that they might knock, like Escort rally cars ect. Well I'm not keen on that so I have already set about top mounts version 2.

I have also started to change the steering wheel, it seems most fords run a hex shape steering column stem all apart from the mk6 transit. It has a multi spline set up. So there is nothing that will swap easy and all the horn and airbag setup.

So why not just fit the steering column from the later mk7. Well its been done but the indicator and wiper stalks are different. Again this can be worked around with minimum of 5 relays.

Well some one has cut the bottom of a mk6 column and the top of a mk7 and made a hybrid column. Ok thats easy enough apart from the mk7 steering wheel wont fit into the mk6 clock spring. Oh cock. Well it turns out a mk3 mondeo has basically the same clock spring/ stalk mounts as the mk6 transit but it has a hex type of steering wheel.

Well now that i have all the bits and have worked out the clearance just need to fully weld and connect everything together.

I will update with more photos when I'm back at work. Had to have Thursday and Friday of as my hernia scar isn't healing properly and I have an infection as i have got a water infection on top, well handy when its been as hot as it has been.

Anyway more as it happens

[spudmab]

Well this evening i changed my steering column, need to realign my steering as my hybrid shaft is slightly off. The airbag light went straight of and the horn works.

Everything mk6 fits as standard just have the choice of what steering wheel i want to run now. It feels loads better.

[spudmab]

Well I'm still plodding on with my truck, seems like ages since last update. Well here it is.

My drawings for my 4 link rear axle conversion have now been updated and have all the sizes on them.

Just need to find someone to change them from CAD, ( cardboard aided design) to Digital CAD so i can get them laser cut ready to put the jigsaw together.

Anyone able to help with the cad drawings.

[Dez]

I’ve got a man who can cut from half decent drawings like that. I can put you in touch with him on messenger.

[cliveyp]

I’m a CAD jockey, so happy to knock these up as proper drawings if you want.

[spudmab]

Aug 31, 2021 20:13:46 GMT cliveyp said:

I’m a CAD jockey, so happy to knock these up as proper drawings if you want.

That would be mega handy if you could, my cad skills gonas far as cardboard, pencils and a ruller.