The FordPower van!

Dave · November 08, 2009, 21:21:13

Well I have been busy the last few weeks working on my new van.

I wanted it to be a bit of a project which usally means some work

Had to be something saved from the scrap heap, a work horse, a little different & of course cheap as chips!

But above all a Ford to carry the FordPower name.

Anyway along came a knacker of a P reg Courier van with a fancy LPG kit on it.

Was beyond repair I was told so the guy only wanted £50.

Perfect!

A correct 59K on the clocks but as the LPG tank was fitted in the load area (bad idea) it had rotted out the floor, the complete passenger inner & out sills hence the price.
LPG tanks are very cold so you get a lot of condesation, water has to go somewhere & if the drains are blocked then it simply sits in the sills!

Scary thing is it still had 1 months M.O.T left on it, now look at the pictures below.

Right time to see whats what.

Hmmm a bit rusty......

errr very rusty.....

bloody hell

After a few calls I am told the only place you can get sills for the Courier van is Ford.
No way I was gonna pay 150 for a bit of metal to fix a 50 quid van.
So paid a tenner for a 3 door Fiesta sill & made it fit with some extra metal sheet & patience.

The floor was not bad at all just needed some plate.
Driver's sill was O.K, just needed some patch work on the rear arch.

Didn't fancy a green van so a bit of prep, then paint........

& I am a white van man now

Of course I plated the floor so that needed some paint.

So thats the rust sorted, now I can put it all back together so it looks like a van again.

Next came some sounds.

There is some wasted space behind the seats thats just right for some subs.

So thats what I did.

Uprated the door speakers & fitted some rears behind the headrest.
A £25 head unit from eBay & my 100 quid ICE install is finished.

Fitted another LPG tank where the spare wheel usally lives (outside the shell).

Plylined the floor & customised the rear so I can just forklift an engine in the back on a pallet or whatever, one strap & job done.

Rebuilt gearbox for better MPG i.e Diesel top gear + C & P

Fitted a towbar & custom LPG filler system.

I refurbed some 40 pound alloys with good tyres all off eBay for it.
Wonder how long before I kerb them?

Rebuilt the drivers seat & retrimmed it.

Rebuilt 2 locks so I only need 1 key & not 3 now!

Stuck some stickers on it.

Filled every hole I could find with waxoyl & thick oil so no more rust.
I bet it would burn well

A service, M.O.T & she is done.
All road legal & ready for work.

& what powers this beast????

Well a 1.3L 60bhp Endura-E with one of the first multi-point LPG injection system's around. (fitted when van was new)

This project is about saving money not making power!

So a STD van can do about 40mpg on a run.
This baby with it's higher gearing can do about 50mpg on a run.

Then figure in that LPG is less than half the price of petrol or diesel in the U.K & you have a van with running costs that is the same as 100mpg+.

Now that is very cool, gives me more money for other projects!

Mikey J · November 08, 2009, 21:29:21

Very cool Dave, no wonder you're always busy. I can do welding stuff but I wish I could do spraying. I've a TR to spray someday when I've got an empty workshop.

Pin_cushion · November 08, 2009, 22:23:54

Pin_cushion...

TwinTurbo · November 08, 2009, 23:09:48

Cool M8..

I have always fancied a transit LWB twin axle... Not much chance of swinging it past the wife though..

TT

samol · November 09, 2009, 00:09:59

So White Van Man now Dave. Pretty cool re-con, mind you ruined with all those chav speakers. Cheers Ray

Leebay · November 09, 2009, 14:13:30

Love it!!!

Janspeedcapri · November 09, 2009, 15:29:10

Now thats my kind of resto thread ...no pages and pages of painfuly slow progress,drivel and fannying, just bish bash bosh

capri v8 driver · November 09, 2009, 20:47:38

i like it.

a other ford saved from the scrappers. good job, Dave.

Dave · November 10, 2009, 01:10:09

Cheers all

Finished uploading the pictures on the first thread.

Well I must be getting old cause I went out earlier on a Kev with the sounds turned up & I got ear ache so I had to switch it off

If anyone sees me about flash your lights

Also does anyone know a good dash restore cream or something?

When the dash cleaner or even soapy water I use drys there is a kind of residue left that I simply can not clean off

jaffa · November 10, 2009, 05:00:27

Quote from: DaveCheers all

Finished uploading the pictures on the first thread.

Well I must be getting old cause I went out earlier on a Kev with the sounds turned up & I got ear ache so I had to switch it off

If anyone sees me about flash your lights

Also does anyone know a good dash restore cream or something?

When the dash cleaner or even soapy water I use drys there is a kind of residue left that I simply can not clean off

hello mate looks good resto that try poorboys trim restorer to get rid of all the crap on the dash then a good trim polish

littlegems4x4 · November 10, 2009, 13:25:12

Cracking van Dave, looking good Mr White Van Man

Chris · November 10, 2009, 16:46:02

Quote from: DaveCheers all

Finished uploading the pictures on the first thread.

Well I must be getting old cause I went out earlier on a Kev with the sounds turned up & I got ear ache so I had to switch it off

If anyone sees me about flash your lights

Also does anyone know a good dash restore cream or something?

When the dash cleaner or even soapy water I use drys there is a kind of residue left that I simply can not clean off

Great job on the van.

How did you go about cleaning the underside of the car to get the paint to look so clean?

Chris

Dave · November 11, 2009, 11:52:41

Chris probably a quarter of what you see in that underside picture is new metal welded in.

Hence why so clean as I sprayed it the day before.

Thanks Jaffa I have bought some off eBay.
£14 with post, that's what the sill for the van cost god I hope it's better than the stuff from the pound shop

jaffa · November 11, 2009, 15:50:44

Quote from: DaveChris probably a quarter of what you see in that underside picture is new metal welded in.

Hence why so clean as I sprayed it the day before.

Thanks Jaffa I have bought some off eBay.
£14 with post, that's what the sill for the van cost god I hope it's better than the stuff from the pound shop

i use it on anything that goes in my car and never complained yet mate (you know how bad i am)

Chris · November 11, 2009, 17:00:38

Quote from: DaveChris probably a quarter of what you see in that underside picture is new metal welded in.

Hence why so clean as I sprayed it the day before.

That explains it

Matt · November 14, 2009, 10:48:56

Thats never the same old festa' van i saw in your work shop it it dave?

bit of a transformation, and as said very cool lol

Dave · November 28, 2009, 12:43:01

Yeah Matt that was the rusty old Green van that was sat in the corner of the workshop

Now it is my daily driver

Saved two more cars since the van.

A R reg Fiesta for my "no cash" uni niece that needed 7 plates welded on it & two arch repairs
Bought as scrap now her pride & joy

An a 2.0L LPG Granada Estate that me Dads wants for fishing trips.

5 plates, one complete arch & I have still only half finished it

Hmmm never ending........................

The FordPower van!

Pin_cushion

samol

Janspeedcapri

jaffa

jaffa