Project 3 door estate

[24vdan]

Right, it's not going to be a quick rebuild and put a project. i've got Ford Fair as a bench mark but i very much doubt it.

Heres how i got her 16 months ago......

[ShaunPC]

Awseome project you have going on there mate, is it staying mk2 front or are you going to convert it to the 3 door style front end?
I think it would look really cool if you managed to do the build so that it had long rear windows instead of it being turned into a van but it is still a very very cool project.  

[24vdan]

Awseome project you have going on there mate, is it staying mk2 front or are you going to convert it to the 3 door style front end?
I think it would look really cool if you managed to do the build so that it had long rear windows instead of it being turned into a van but it is still a very very cool project.  

Thought about changing the front end to mk1, but, it worked out way too expensive. (even got a hold of a mint 2nd hand slam panel to start me off coverting it) So with it being a project and as little money as poss being spent on it i decided to keep the front end mk2.

Also as for the rear windows, it's less work to panel it all in rather than trying to find someone to cut/make some tempered/laminated glas to fit the 'hole.
It's gonna be all smooth right down the sides.

[ShaunPC]

Awseome project you have going on there mate, is it staying mk2 front or are you going to convert it to the 3 door style front end?
I think it would look really cool if you managed to do the build so that it had long rear windows instead of it being turned into a van but it is still a very very cool project.  

Thought about changing the front end to mk1, but, it worked out way too expensive. (even got a hold of a mint 2nd hand slam panel to start me off coverting it) So with it being a project and as little money as poss being spent on it i decided to keep the front end mk2.

Also as for the rear windows, it's less work to panel it all in rather than trying to find someone to cut/make some tempered/laminated glas to fit the 'hole.
It's gonna be all smooth right down the sides.

Yeah I worked out that it was unbelievably expensive to rebuild a mk1 front end so converted my 3 door to mk2 front.

I reckon it will look cool panelled out especialy if like you say it is going to be smoothed out fully.
Have you got a colour in mind at all and what engine are you putting in it?

[24vdan]

I reckon it will look cool panelled out especialy if like you say it is going to be smoothed out fully.
Have you got a colour in mind at all and what engine are you putting in it?

Colour theme is going to be radiant red an a bit of black thrown on here and there.

Emgine is gonna be 2WD 24v BOA/BOB hybrid. Looking into charging it or turboing it.  

[ShaunPC]

I reckon it will look cool panelled out especialy if like you say it is going to be smoothed out fully.
Have you got a colour in mind at all and what engine are you putting in it?

Colour theme is going to be radiant red an a bit of black thrown on here and there.

Emgine is gonna be 2WD 24v BOA/BOB hybrid. Looking into charging it or turboing it.  

Sounds good mate, 24 valve is definitely the way forward in my book as i'm just about to 24 valve another of my new aquisitions.
Got a P100 in its most basic state (stripped bare but ready for sierra irs) allways fancied one and need sumat as a tow car for trailering the sapphire that I am buildingso well happy at the moment.
Good luck with the project anyhow mate as I really look forward to seeing it finnished.  

[24vdan]

Update.

Got the side 90% finished. Only got the sills to rebuild, seat mount to do, rear chassis rail.....

Then i have to do it all over on the otherside      

Pics so far as the day went on today.

It's not quite finished as you'll see in the pics, but it's gettin there.

Started off like this this morning.



Finished tacking the panel in......



and put the second one in...




Ground all the welds back and put a quick coat of white primer just to seal it up.





Just the door shuts to weld up and also the old door handle on whats left of the rear door.


Hope you like so far guys and gals....

[ShaunPC]

Update.

Got the side 90% finished. Only got the sills to rebuild, seat mount to do, rear chassis rail.....

Then i have to do it all over on the otherside      

Pics so far as the day went on today.

It's not quite finished as you'll see in the pics, but it's gettin there.

Started off like this this morning.

[theboydevon]

Cracking project to watch.

I long for the day when i have my own garage and an old ford of some description which I can restore and turn into a real head turner.

Keep up the good work.

[24vdan]

Bloody hell, May was the last update!!!

Well it's only a little one for now, but i'm hoping to get more time on the van and crash on with it.

I finished welding the rear door in and decided i wanted to turn my attention to the bulkhead. My idea is to run the wiring loom inside the inner wings like they do on the later escorts.

So here it is so far.


Wiring grommit hole cut out.


welded into it's new home.




Old hole filled in, and how it looks so far.

i decided too tackle the rust issue in the floor, sills (inner and outer) and seat mount.

Heres the pics of progress so far, just gotta get my mate to bend a couple of sheets for the floor for me.

Heres how the floor started out.









As you can see, rust and lots of it...

Cut out the seat mount and removed the absolutly rotten support bracket from underneath too.



I then put in a fresh piece of steel once i'd cut out the rusty bits.



Spot welded a mint seat mount back on.



Gave it all a lick of chassis oil resistant black and started on the inner sill.





Just a quick pic of the repairs to the inner sills as i just plodded on to try and get as much done as i could.



Just floor repairs, middle sill and outer sills to do then one side is finally complete.

Just gotta do it all again to the otherside.  :bigcry:

So, whilst i've had a quiet couple of weeks in work i decided to attack the proposed engine for the van.
I'm gonna go the 2.0 16v hybrid route and have most of the parts to build it.

The head is stripped and in the engineers shop getting a light skim and a couple of valves guides put into it (better to get the pro's on the case) as there was 9 bent valves in the head and one snapped in half when i took it out!!!!

So, ,i started with a relatively easy piece to strip, overhaul and recondition.....

The alternator:-

I didn't get any before pics but you all know what a dirty alternator looks like, the colour is a clue as to the final colour of the van too....

Fully stripped, bead blasted and then painted in............................................

Wait for it








Kawasaki green, sorry for those who don't like it.....

[24vdan]

Well another little update for the taste buds.

First thing is the project has got a name now, hussy  
Reason being is the reg plate ends in HUS and also the fact of that everytime i take something off (metal or deadening) she throws me a suprise.

Heres the progress of today.

I started cutting the rust out of the floor and was left with this.





Tacked in the replacement steel and lined it all up.





All done.





Underside view, bit of a clean needed under here. Once the under sealant is on you'll never know any differant.





In between welding the floor together i started to remove the sunroof housing as i'm desunroofing it, giving the floor cahnce to cool and not warp.

All gone, nearly, i'm leaving some of it attatched to the roof to stop it sagging down.



I also spotted a couple of 'blisters' under the factory sound deadening so i removed the lot to investigate further and found just a couple of holes that will be cut out and plated up.





With the floor all welded up it was time to mock up the outer sill cover.





And thats where i'm up to so far.

[cossyabuser]

I am liking this, any updates??

[24vdan]

I am liking this, any updates??

Nothing to date, been held up with christmas ans the fact that my garage roof decided to let go under the weight of snow on it.  

Gotta get a new roof put on  before i can continue with the project. I'll keep everyone up to date on progress  once i get a strong and watertight roof on.

[Leebay]

That not good news   Hope nothing was damaged.

[24vdan]

That not good news   Hope nothing was damaged.

Nothing damaged thankfully, the garage had a sloped roof and clear sections down the middle for extra light. It was the clear sheets that let go as they are only thin. Plan is to put an apex roof on as the snow will never settlr on it and i'll gain storage space.    

It's just put me back tonnes as everything's soaking wet, my power tools and welder are soaked and all my fresh metal on the 'van' has surface rust over it all  

[24vdan]

Right then, a little update but not alot to show apart from some new bits destined for the 'van'

I've sold my saph and decided to inject some of the money into the project.

Bought a full set of flo-flex poly bushes (2wd cosworth)





Gonna take all the steel sleeves into work and copy them with stainless.  



Also bought a set of 2wd cossie front discss and a set of 4x4 cosworth rear discs off mtec on ebay, not bad for £150 for the lot delivered from ireland.







Also bought a set of braided cosworth brake lines from woodford motorsport.



A set of 4i arches



and finally, some granada estate rear arms with arb mounts  

Put a couple of extra welds on the shock absorber nut that ford only lightly fuse on in the factory, also blanked off the abs holes as i wont be running abs.





Parts still to come are a brand new pair of 4x4 cosworth rear calipers, genuine ford, and a few little bits for my engine build.

Finally got the last bits together to build my engine.  

As always, i'll let the pics do the talkin.


Sump with oil temp sender mounting point in it  


Mocal oil cooler take off mounted


Very close to the crank sensor....


Polished dipstick tube and breather







All new bolts externally, and stainless steel ones in the rocker/coil pack cover.  


A soilid bar off construction grade stainless steel ready to copy the zinc plated inserts i got with my polybush kit.


on with the machining.


One down..... Stainless on the left and mild steel on the right.

Thats how things stand at the moment, just gotta finish painting the inlet manifold and then i'll mount that. As soon as i make any more head way i'll update my thread.

[Janspeedcapri]

I hadn't even thought of painting my alternator   something else to do  

I like that even though floflex will supplly with stainless OR mild, you took the time and materials (or works   ) to make your own  - did they want silly money to upgrade? they ROBBED me of 8 quid p&p on a pair of steering rack bushes that cost 10

[Super 12v]

Love this project, keep up the excellent work.

I really like the idea of a proper sierra van

[24vdan]

I hadn't even thought of painting my alternator   something else to do  

I like that even though floflex will supplly with stainless OR mild, you took the time and materials (or works   ) to make your own  - did they want silly money to upgrade? they ROBBED me of 8 quid p&p on a pair of steering rack bushes that cost 10

I did the alternator ages ago just out of interest to see how it'd look, i'm impressed with how it came out and then had to start going all bufty with the engine. The list keeps growing as i've got all the mechanical items stripped and ready for powder coating  

I'd heard through the grape vine that stainless inserts were expensive off them so i decided to make my own using works time and materials  
In pocket as i'm getting paid by work to make them  

[24vdan]

I'm certainatly getting on with my engine this week.







And my latest ebay bargian......





2wd Cossie front adjustable shocks.

Shockers are low mileage and come with some servicable springs and the adjusting key.

More updates as soon as i progress any further.

[ford sword]

Its coming together now Danny, looking good! is it going to be at Tatton?

[24vdan]

Its coming together now Danny, looking good! is it going to be at Tatton?

Got all the mechanical bits together, just gotta finish off the welding on the shell, if i hit the shell hard i could possibly have it done in a week. If it does get to tatton it'll probably be i primer.

[Janspeedcapri]

What colour are you doing the body?

[24vdan]

What colour are you doing the body?

The clue is in the engine