2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 25, 2019 Well we're off to a whirlwind start... What was it, three days ago? Mrs spots a rusty escort panelvan advertised on ebay at Harvey's Wrecker in Langwarren (about half hour from home). The listing started at a dollar and had a few bids bringing it up to $200. I've looked at esky vans for years as a yeah I wouldn't mind one of those one day.. Usually too expensive for what they are, this was just too cheap and tempting. OK it's rusty but I'd make my money back in a heartbeat if it was cactus by selling the front grill. I ummed and ahhed over it especially when it didn't climb in the last few hours. We talked it up and down and just decided it was too cheap to not try for it. A stupid low bid for a random number that I could manage (really can't afford it but after selling the spot welder this was kinda free money) and to our shock, it's ours!!! Gotta be the cheapest one around at $327 for an almost complete car. All that seems to be missing is the manual gearbox and tailshaft. BGDAV gave me a huge help by providing the trailer and second pair of hands to pick it up today. The worker said to me that it should have gone for much more but someone stuffed up with the price (assuming they forgot the reserve) and deal is done. They wanted 500 at least for it, I thought it would have been more than that at auction but there we go. A few photos at the yard..Offload was complicated by no keys to unlock the steering so dolly wheels were involved and the winch to help out.This will be a slow project guys, so don't get too excited as I don't have any free time just yet. Only plan so far is to fix the shell and probably install an auto box, maybe update the engine in the process for daily use. I will use this in the Metalworking tutorials to teach how to do everything you need to know. 5 deankxf, Seamus, bear351c and 2 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hendrixhc 10,918 Posted May 25, 2019 That will be nice with a worked 2 litre pinto with twin webbers. 2 deankxf and 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 25, 2019 No idea what I'll do for power yet. I'm thinking simple 4cyl modern upgrade with auto but it's a blank slate and zero budget right now. It does have the 1300 in it but no understanding or details on it yet. I'm very unfamiliar with the details here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hendrixhc 10,918 Posted May 25, 2019 Little Kents are good engines, always reliable. Always liked the power in the 2 litre pintos in the small bodies. Most common upgrades are those SR20? turbo engines these days. 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BGDAV 1,871 Posted May 25, 2019 no dramas at all its a shit box, but its all fixable (from what we can see) it does have alot of good points, complete as a whole, besides tranny + carb needs everything touched but meh what 70s car dont, all sills gone, passenger door really fucked, passenger bottom roof is having issues, rear barn door, firewall has slight issues but could be alot worse wil be pretty cool when its done 2 Seamus and 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,863 Posted May 25, 2019 Isn't the modern Ford Focus twin cam 2ltr engine, a direct fit almost? 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 25, 2019 Whatever I do it won't be manual or turbo. I'd like an overdrive auto but will deal with all that later. I might go straight LPG too.As BGDAV said, the body is as stuffed as any other 70s car but the back half isn't bad. It needs big surgery in the sills and windscreen pillars at very least. Roof gutter is bad on one side, better on other. Cargo floor is practically mint and the car seems to be complete an was looked after at some point as a work vehicle judging by the shadow of a sign on back window. 2 BGDAV and Seamus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BGDAV 1,871 Posted May 25, 2019 its basically a unicorn 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,266 Posted May 25, 2019 2 litre pinto and auto would be ideal practically bolt in.. standard they went pretty well in the cortina. i'd expect any other engine combo would require engineers certificate, and therefore need brakes and $$$ wonder if a commodore V6 fits? i'd sooner fit a CA18 from a nissan silvia that should have a 4 speed auto.. @Oscar of Markoz probably knows how to mount an SR20 fairly well and how to make it look like a factory fit(radiator hoses etc all covered in his videos... just need to mod everything they fit to) 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 25, 2019 Yeah commodore wouldn't happen even if it did bolt in. Nissan stuff would be more likely. I don't mind upgrading brakes, I like ones that work The 2L and auto could be a possibility if they are cheap to get and if they will be happy on gas. Last 2L I drove daily was in a pulsar that drank like it had a few more cylinders. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bear351c 10,270 Posted May 25, 2019 8 hours ago, 2redrovers said: Yeah commodore wouldn't happen even if it did bolt in. 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 25, 2019 This looks like the perfect upgrade.. 2 Seamus and gerg reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,266 Posted May 26, 2019 there's a few gemini engines here.. potentially a diesel one even.. that would be a pisser opening the bonnet at a show 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted May 26, 2019 Yeah commodore wouldn't happen even if it did bolt in. Nissan stuff would be more likely. I don't mind upgrading brakes, I like ones that work The 2L and auto could be a possibility if they are cheap to get and if they will be happy on gas. Last 2L I drove daily was in a pulsar that drank like it had a few more cylinders. 2 litre pinto on gas with an auto behind it should drink about 12 to the hunge around town. Shouldn't be too hard to come by. 2 litre Cortinas had that combo. The vacuum modulator was a problem on those C3 autos, used to blow diaphragms and suck ATF up into the engine under vaccum. Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seamus 645 Posted May 26, 2019 Looks good, especially for the price I look forward to the tutorials. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 I'll take a few pics of the bad bits later, like Daveo said it's a rusty box but I'm not bothered. Not the worst car I've worked on but probably the worst I've owned. 1 Seamus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 Here we go, lots of pics 1 Seamus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 1 Seamus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 While there is orange paint under the bonnet I'm 99% sure this was a white car and not a colour change. It's too consistent for a respray although it has had a blow over at some point because you can see acrylic primer peeking through the side panels. 3 BGDAV, Seamus and bear351c reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bear351c 10,270 Posted May 26, 2019 Bonnet scoop on the roof is a novel idea...... 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 Bonnet scoop on the roof is a novel idea......I'm genuinely amazed that vent isn't rusted through Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bear351c 10,270 Posted May 26, 2019 Yeah, it's got some rust, but not in some of the places I'd expect. Like the plenum bubble, which usually rusts through about 5 years after it left the showroom. 1 2redrovers reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 Yeah, it's a little odd like that. Heater bubble has something going on but it's not flogged out, may have already been done once maybe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BGDAV 1,871 Posted May 26, 2019 so gotta take them front guards off .. A pillar alive ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2redrovers 21,389 Posted May 26, 2019 Jury is still out on the lower pillar. Guards will come off but they are like the little torana, welded on 1 BGDAV reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites