theheff

And I already own the van. That's why it's getting done as opposed to something like a 205. I wasn't setting out to renovate a car, but I own this already and it gives me something to do. Plus when it's done it will be a little sleeper. 150bhp escort vans are fairly rare.

Main cost is going to be the donor car, which one will again affect the cost but I'm looking at less than a grand all in. My labour is free. Gonna get a second hand welder do it myself and then sell it on. I shouldn't loose any money that way hopefully. If I get to a stage where I can't fix it then I'll strip it and scrap it. I won't be getting the donor car till the van is up to scratch.

If your accelerating round corners, particularly in the wet your going to loose the back end on a car like the 350. Especially in the low gears like it sounds like you were in. You need to keep a steady speed around corners, keeping on the drive though braking and accelerating shifts the weight of a car to the front or the rear unbalancing it. Or in the case of the zed the rear can kick out. Buy a copy of roadcraft. It's all explained in there properly. It should be part of driving tests IMO. The best tires in the world will give way if you give it some round a bend. On a lighter note my tires need changing soon. I'm either sticking with the flakes it already has or I've been looking at Yokohama advans.

It was for fishing and my mountain bike when I bought it. Gives me something to tinker with. Bit more practice with a spanner. I can leave the zed as a toy once ive got this on the road, keep the mileage low. Plus part are cheap as chips so when it needs fixing it doesn't require loans of huge proportions unlike the potential of a certain fine piece of Japanese ass parked outside.

Ive had the van for a year now. Come mot time I had to take it off the road, this was due to the sills being rusty as and the engine wasn't registered on the v5 and the dvla won't do it without proof of purchase, I bought the van like this with a handwritten receipt for a Gti that was the donor car. No v5 for the cpdonor car, which I was told was sufficient to register it. Apparently not. Stuck it on eBay with a reserve and it didn't sell so I'm gonna make a project out of it. This is how the van looked before. This is one of the rusty sills, the other side isnt quite as bad So,,, yesterday evening I started with the renovation. I took most of the stuff out but was beaten by the weather, rain and night fall. I'm going to completely strip it out. All the wires etc are coming out so when I get a donor car, either An rs2000 if I'm feeling up to it or a Gti for ease, I can swap the whole lot in. For now though its cosmetics and fixes Little bit or rust inside but fairly tidy in the circled areas but these should be easy ish to deal with. I ripped the bottom part of the soundproof ing out as it was damp and smelt a bit pissy This is my rough plans, though these may change. Any thoughts Any thoughts or advice are welcome. This is my first real project like this so no doubt I'll get stuck and need help. Anyone know of an rs2000 mk5 or mk6 escort looking for a new home for a good price?? Let me know. I want to violate it and remove its heart, with a spanner.

Where was that from mate?

Was that replaced, and including costs of the sills?

i have an escort van which is currently off the road. i never mot'd it due to some rust on the sills which would have failed it. there is a little bit underneath aswell. the van is currently on ebay but if it doesn't sell ill probably be looking to put it back on the road. first thing i want to sort out is the shell etc and the rust patches are the first point of call. how much is it likely to cost to get a bit of welding done? I'm looking at a patch 1 foot by 4 inch on the sill and a few patches underneath.? anyone in london that can weld??

Im South Woodford so not far from you at all mate. there seems to be a few of us round this way. maybe arrange some sort of mini meet somewhere??

After the incident with the paint I had a professional valet done on the car. This is how it came out. Not the best pictures. Believe it or not this was on a proper camera. Will stick to my iPhone from now on.

Ill probably import it myself. Can save about £200. Did it with my intake and was a lot easier than i thought it would be. Its not me hes talking about either. Mine is stock at the moment.

I've been toying with going custom single exit. like the look of the motordyne TI single exit. would have to be imported though if i wanted that, hoping someone could replicate it. or the tanabe medallion looks good aswell was just toying with the other bits as an alternative with keeping the stock look.

I'm thinking about decats and a ypipe just to try and get a better exhaust note. I'm aware the engine management light will come on but will damage be being done to the engine, i.e. balances being out etc, if its just reset rather than resolved or is it safe to do until i can et a remap. although now i think about it, for noise only it would probably be cheaper just to get an exhaust system and leave the cats alone??

get the photo bucket app and use that. the image tags photo bucket gives you work fine on here for me via my iPad and my phone

I changed my springs myself. Took me about 5-6 hours. Bolts were all well behaved though, breaker bar and some wd40 did the job.

If only these were 19s

he's gone, but I'm keeping his bucket. thanks again wasso for the advice and the chat. was a shame your so far away. would have much preferred for you to have done it. ill get pictures up later.

Right, had a bit of a result out of this. The painter turned up with a bucket and sponge ready to clean the cars he had painted. I fortunately contacted the management company and told them in no uncertain terms if he touched my car then I'd touch him, and it wouldnt be with a bucket and sponge. I told him I was going to get it professionally done and he would pick up the bill. In fairness to him he had no arguments at all and accepted this. I got in touch with wasso. Lovely bloke and very helpful, unfortunaly due to locations it was not possible. He said he was touring the south west at the end of July but was too far away (plus massive work commitments during that period) for me and travelling there wasn't really practical. I contacted a company called MJ Payne! Based in benfleet Essex, to those that are familiar with the area, home to that nutty roundabout made of other roundabouts with not a sign in sight. Anyways, bloke turned up at mine this morning, he was a little shocked at how well the painter had covered the car but set about doing it. I am very impressed with the work he's done, I've never been into washing cars properly, a sponge and water with a chamois afterwards has been the furthest I've gone. You don't notice the difference though until you see it washed properly. It feels so smooth now, I thought it was smooth before. Overall the painter has done me a bit of a turn. But I think I'm gonna have to start washing the car properly from now on. I'll get pictures later.

i wanted one of these for ages. i need an element of practicality or id be all over this.

its more the sheer lack of respect thats getting me. i can accept accidents happen but this is just neglect

im emailing them now telling them i want a respray or at the very least a full top of the line detail. utter **** take. plus a professional painting firm should be aware of what happens with paint, knowingly painting while peoples cars are there makes this reckless criminal damage.

i came down to my car today, having not used it for a week or so. its been left in the communal parking area. it was covered in white paint spots, they have just repainted the block, they haven't flyered anyone, they have made no attempt to cover mine or anyone else's car. they just started painting. there is even a few paint brush marks on the back of it. the rear was against a fence!! this is the damage where the car was parked in relation to the painting the paint brush marks

I'm looking at getting an exhaust from the states. is there a difference between the US and our cars in terms of exhaust path etc? cheers Paul

sound quality on the hack is good mate, i also don't seem to have the issues with the left speaker with it either. well worth doing for the money.

problem solved. i had left a small bottle of oil in the door card which has leaked and the oil has made its way out. thats a relief, thought it might have been something bad.