Project Escrot van tinkering.

[Crooner]

Well, this will either be greeted with deafening silence, or will be taken under our wings. I've got use of the unloved and now unwanted works Escort van. I've been using it for a few weeks now, but didn't know if it would have any interest on here. Well, now the M.O.T is due and work doesn't want to spend any money on it, but I can fix it myself, and keep using it, if I want. It needs for its ticket, new tyres, a windscreen, a rear wheel bearing, a front spring, discs and pads and the load compensating valve freeing/ replacing. It needs loads of other bits as well, but not as urgently. The upside is that there is another van to strip bits off. I really shouldn't bother doing it, but that's not the shiters way. I have to spend an inordernately large amount of time to fix up a vehicle that is teetering on the bridge,apparently. So, today's job is to go and collect the van to be raided for bits.

 

Bonus finger shot.

 

 

Its beautiful, isnt it?

[Rocket88]

caravan to Escort   "come and 'ave a tow if you think you're 'ard enough."

[mrbenn]

Looking forward to seeing more on this.

 

The sort of vehicle that was once everywhere, sadly allowed to slip away until people say things like "when was the last time you saw one of them?".

 

Good save.

[bub2006]

These vans will always hold a special place in my heart. Rest in piece lc51 jxm you did a grand job

[The Moog]

I very much doubt silence! 

[jollysmart]

Done a good few thousand miles miles in the works ones of these, pool vehicles at the time you could get Esso points for every six quid* of fuel and they all had diesel running down the sides from overfilling to get the Tiger tokens. Invariably the oil light would come on every time the brakes were applied as nobody ever topped up the oil and the washers were also normally empty or just plain water had been used if you were lucky*.

 

Great vans though as they took an absolute beating, normally flat out everywhere.I did manage to spin one on a country road, I suspect the diesel running down the side onto the rear tyre didn't help but luckily as the van went round it went straight through the entrance to a field, missing both the gate and the gateposts and spun again actually in the field. Was really quite balletic!

 

Well worth saving really enjoyed driving them and good luck with your efforts.

[Crooner]

Yes, I really didnt expect it to get under my skin when i started using it, but here I am taking a day off work to mess around with it. There is no fear of towing tne caravan. Its a NA diesel. Rice pudding skins can live without fear.

[Joey spud]

Great save i will always cheer for the underdog.

 

When they're gone they're gone,what's the underside rust situation like ?

 

I was welding these vans up when they were only six years old.

[Dan the van]

Have one as my daily (see avatar).Sloooow and quite thirsty but so useful.Currently pissing coolant from the waterpump but due a cambelt so I'll get on it dreckly.Proper pov spec mine,seats and a steering wheel.

[Shirley Knott]

I can get behind this!

 

Looks like a complete pup so definitely worth saving, looking forward to the pupdates.

 

^Edit to say that sounded harsh    When I say 'Pup' I mean it affectionately of course, I'd love a van like this.

[sierraman]

Nice little van that. Be good to see one looking really tidy and sorted, the few that’s left tend to be very decrepit.

[Tickman]

I had an ex bt one of these with a previous employer, it was the main reason I left the job!

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Is this with the beloved* 1.8 diesel? Armed forces drivers all over the UK will be running screaming from the room and waking up in cold sweats………..

[Crooner]

Yes, it's the 1.8 endura de. I think they called it thaf because its an edurance to drive. Old fashioned diesel that you have to rev it's tits off to move you along. I dont know about getting it really tidy and sorted, dont forget, this is a works van, not actually mine.....

[DodgeRover]

These vans will always hold a special place in my heart. Rest in piece lc51 jxm you did a grand job

I still can't believe you both survived that, Escort vans have much to be praised.

[Crooner]

Well here is the donor van. Hired a Trailer from Fletchers and went to pick it up. All tyres knackered. Its a turbo and has pretty rubbing strips down the side. I'll be 'avin them, then. Didn't want to start. Then miraculously jumped into life. Couldnt resist a little drive up and down the lane where it promptly cut out in the most awkward spot it could. The shit. Tried to push start ìt, but with flat tyres, it's no fun. Winched it on, dropped it off a work where it's disection shall commence tomorrow, come rain or shine.

 

The well cared for interior shot.

 

 

I shall try to keep you updated, but I'm a bit shit at remembering to take pics.

As an aside, does anyone fancy the wheels? Apparently they're off some sporty Fiesta and are desirable.* Not on this van though, they're not.

[bub2006]

Oddly your spares van looks tidier than my road legal van!

[Crooner]

Yes, I was a bit undecided which of the two to make good. The spares one is a turbo with things like mudflaps, side rubbing strips, electric windows and C.D. player. The sills need patching, windows dont work, the gearbox jumps out of third and it has no brakes. Still it would be a nice van for someone. Its only done 85,000 miles.

[bub2006]

Mine was a 51 plate ex postal van. Naturally aspirated diesel. Not fast but consistent regardless of load. Just rolled round to 260k on the journey it met it's maker.

[I_am_Diesel]

There was one of these at a previous employment and it was head and shoulders above the other van which was a LDV Pilot. 

[sierraman]

They look like Escort Finesse alloys.

[Skizzer]

Dull, slow, rusty and miserable; sneered at by everyone at work or in the pub.

 

Excellent work, the essence of Autoshite.

[Timewaster]

Place I worked in 99 had 6 of them. S and R reg 1.8 na dizzles on 3 year/100k leases.

None of them got past 18 months doing multi drop deliveries in the hands of gap year students / back to work mum's or the generally otherwise unemployable nutters.

 

We could fit a pallet in the back with a forklift.

One time we had an order for a pallet of brake fluid (God only knows how much that weighed - brake fluid is very heavy).

It fitted in but the suspension was on the bump stops and a quick test around the industrial estate declared it undriveable.

 

Other memories (actually very hazy) include being taken 30 miles home flat on my arse in the back of one after a works Xmas do.

 

And taking one home one winters evening. -5° overnight and next morning it started fine but would barely move. 15 mph max for the first 1/4 mile. It was only a few weeks old.

 

Apparently they all did that.

[Asimo]

Don't know how any shiter manages without an old Ford van on the fleet!

Van is definitely the pick of the final Escort range.

[Mally]

Has it got a clock?

[Crooner]

It does indeed have a clock. Runs slightly slow. Bit like the van.

[bangernomics]

Great save i will always cheer for the underdog.

 

When they're gone they're gone,what's the underside rust situation like ?

 

I was welding these vans up when they were only six years old.

Rear crossmembers

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AnthonyG]

Given these are Escort vans we are talking about, I would have thought the least rusty one is the one to save, the spares one looks marginally smarter but then you do say it needs sills.

 

Do you ‘own’ the one you want to restore/save? I would have thought once you start spending out on it you’d want that clarified! You don’t want someone to change their mind once it has another 12 months ticket.

[3VOM]

They look like Escort Finesse alloys.

The original steel wheels were small (13"?) and usually had crap tyres. You could lose control of one in a small puddle. Everyone changes the wheels for larger diameter ones and better tyres.

[TheClutchBasketPodcast]

I miss small vans that are 'car' shaped. A decent petrol engine transplant makes a fun, practical vehicle. Transit connects and the like that replaced these are considerably taller and less car-like on the handling. Much better at being vans though...