Hi there guys.

I'm Peter and i'm from Holland and i'm starting my first thread here for my van. It's got a massive 1.4 Petrol engine so there's no need for another engine (yet). If i want to play i can get one of of my 2 other Fords, a '73 Mustang Mach 1 351 CUI Cleveland V8 (5.8 L. about 430 BHP) and a '78 Mercury Cougar Brougham 400 CUI (6.6 L. about 300 BHP).

I've always liked the Escort Van but petrol versions are quite rare here in Holland, but after a six month search i found this one, a '98 Mk 6. It's striking colours came from the former owner the City of Zoetermeer. Because i'm not only using the car for myself but also for some clubrelated activities i'm trying to blend all this in the back of the car. So it's going to be a transporter/dogcarrier/minicamper.


Here's a list of my plans:

Respray (This will take a while though)
Pimp out the back of the van (Started)
Lowering
Digidash in Blue from an astra GSI (Partially done)
Change all dash lighting from green to blue (Started)
Red taillights
2 tone interior Black / Beige
Talking boardcomputer from Renault 25
Built-in computer with monitor in roof in the back
Some extra Amps & Speakers.
2 Subwoofers in (Grolsch, well i'm from Holland) Beerkegs (Ready to go in)
Homemade interior lights in the back.
USA lichts (Indicators in the front light up with headlights)
Maybe double din radio with DVD and Satnav


What i've done already:

Radio Mp3
El. windows & Mirrors
Bumper with lights
Ghia Grille
Crystal Smoke repeaters
Laguna Splitter
Alloy's: 16'' Cossis
Leatherseats in Beige (F and R Saab)

I'll try and put up new pics as i go along. Hope you guys can give me some feedback. Here are the first ones.



This is how it looked when i got it.


Bumper, Ghia-Grille, Saab seats and some Alloy's I had laying around.


Laguna splitter sorted.


Seats from the front.


Seats from the back.


Started with carpet in the back.


So let me hear what you think, greetz from Holland.


Peter.

 

Saab seats?
*just seen the above bit :P looks like what i have in my 9-3

 

Could well be mate. Forgot to look when i took em out at the breakers. Gonna have a look when i pick up the last bit (the seat from the rear). Got those part by part saying i needed the leather. Got the seats and the rear backs for about 30 quid

 

Well time for a little update. Pimping out the back is going slower as planned, but coming on nice now. Pics will follow soon.

In the meantime i've managed to score these on Fleebay for only 55 quid 16'' with some good tyres on it, so thats gonna be a trip into Germany this week to pick em up.

 

It was a nice trip, 600 km just through a part of Germany where there aren't any Autobahnns, but worth it though. Wheels are in good shape and fitted with brandnew 215/40 ZR 16 tyres.



And it makes all the difference! Not only do they look much better, but driving and handling has improved a lot too. I'm happy now and back to pimping out the back of the van. Will post some pics of that soon, but first some more of the new wheels.....

 

Well it's been far too long ago since i put an update here. Hadn't had enough time to work on my Escort, but here's the update. With what i'm doing in the van made me realize that the topic's title is all wrong, so here comes................

Pimpin' with Plywood!

I've seem to have chosen the wrong profession when i was young, should have learned carpentry, because building something threedimensional in the shed that has to fit in the car out front is a little more difficult then i thought it was. Anyhow, the largest parts are ready now and wil be covered with carpet these days. I've laid them out before installing for a trial fit.



As you can see, only 1 of the upper sidewalls is completely finished. These go from nearly straight at the back to quite curved at the front behind the seats. That's why i made 2 pieces of curved plywood out of 5 layers of 5 mm. plywood. I bent them in their place in the van to get the exact curving of the van's walls.



Here you can see the difference quite good. I didn't want to take the risk of putting them in under tension, they might start bulging outwards in time due to weather conditions.



The curves were screwed an glued to the walls whilst placed in the van. I did this so if they ever have to come out, i just have to place them on the underlaying plank to line-up all the original screws with the holes in the van. The upper walls are a little twisted but that's sorted out when they're in the van and there's going to be another plank on top of the walls to connect the roofliner with the walls.



All in all it's going to look like this. The plank on the bottom has no other use than just looks. I think it'll make the endresult look a lot more "original" and because it will be covered with thick black carpet, it will hide the screws that hold it quite good.



The boxes around the wheelarches are lengthened and curved outwards to line up neatly at the rear doors. I put hinges on the top to create some space for the jack, wheel nut spanner and some other stuff you need to have with you in your car these days. On top of the wheelarches are 2 shallow rooms where i will keep the struts for the caravan style bed.



Behind the wheelarches i've planned the 2 aluminium beer kegs which will house the subs. These will be welded in so they can't get stolen (you never know)

In the meantime i've made a start with the panels for the rear doors. After that i will get to the last parts, the B and C-pillars, roofliner and the parts over the side walls and the rear doors. So: To be continued........


Peter.

 

Cool work.Did you weld the escort seat runners onto the saab seats then i take it.

 

No, just cut the escort seat runners apart, took the part that bolts on to the car, bolted two aluminium struts between them and bolted the saab seat runners on the aluminium struts. Then put seat belt strainers on the saab seats. And thanks for the kind words mate.

Peter.

 

It's been a while so time for an update. I've picked up a modified bonnet, angeleyes and Crystal Smoke repeaters from a clubmember who was selling his car. The bonnet was wrapped in carbon but that's not quite my thing so, knowing that is was plain black underneath, i removed the wrapfoil and this was the result.

From the front. (Note my security system between the seats!)


Side view.


And the angeleyes fitted (with some new super bright Leds in the rings)


Then i got some new springs that bring the front down 40 mm. Here with the right side sorted and the left on the original spring to see the difference.


So this is how it stands now.......


I had this laying about and i'm trying to get it to work in the van.


But first a makover as all my interior lights are to be changed from green to blue. I think it looks a lot better this way.



So thats it up till now! Let me know what you think of it, greetz from Holland.


Peter.

 

Wood work looking good, tempted to do something with back of mine, ive got some sounds deadening pads to stick in when inget round to it.

 

I'm just about putting sound deadening pads in. Gonna fit 2 in each wall 4 on the roof and 1 in each back door. Then i will put in heat insulation before the carpeted wood panels and storage boxes go in. My Bull Terrier wil have a blast in the back.

Also have the Saab back seat's backrests, took out the armrest so they will fit between my subwoofers, they will be fitted back to back with the front seats (easy removable with the original clamps) for day trips or meetings, so i can kick back and watch a movie or so on the screen i'm gonna fit in the roof directly behind the back doors.

And i'm thinking of a double floor to house a picknick table. Got that idea from my parent's old Simca Tourist en the Ghia Seeka.

 

Looking good matey.