been here quite a while reading threats and just thought to share my project.

Got it in August 2011 and basically I'm the second owner. A friend bought it from the first owner and he stored it in a garage until I bought it.
It's the cheapest version that was available back then so there's not even a mirror on the passengers side. 1.3 engine with 69hp. Bought it because I just love sedans and like 2 weeks before I got it I said that one day I'd get an Orion again (had an Escort Sedan before but the bonnet popped open while 120km/h _ 75m/h). Bought it way faster than it was supposed to be but never had any regrets lol.
Last summer the head gasket decided to give up so I had to replace that or.... doing something I intended to do already but just not yet, a Zetec conversion!
It's getting a 1.8 from an Escort with 115hp. Will be upgrading the engine to 130hp later after the swap is done.

Unfortunately I'm not that good at engineering so someone else is doing the Zetec conversion.
Anyway, less talk and more pictures:



the 1.8 donor Escort:


waiting for the engine


14" steelies with 13" center caps, looks kinda nice to me


Also last week I got a set of RST S2 wheels that need some new paint.

 

Welcome here!

Another dutch car, there should be more here.

Mooi project.


Peter.

 

thanks

 

Cool project.The car looks clean.Shame about that rear arch.

 

Nice project.

 

nice clean car you got there good luck on your project

 

Looks a good shell

Keep the pics and updates coming, theres not many of us Orion owners on here.

 

Very nice looking, you don't see too many about anymore

 

whats the white car behind it in pic 3? need more pics

 

Thanks guys!

The gray car with black bonnet on the third pic is an Escort Mk3 with a 1.8 Zetec. It's owned by the guy who does the conversion for me
More pics here: http://www.ford-escortclub.nl/forum/...php?f=6&t=3184


I'll post new pics of the Orion as soon as there is an update I've also got a set of RS Turbo wheels laying here. They do need some new paint and tires and then they'll probably be under the car next summer

@slammed: I'm loving your Turbo Orions

 

Cheers
Only have the Moonstone blue MK2 now, zetec turbo conversion is a giggle.

Loved my Red MK2, that was 1800 zetec powered. Its a good conversion for little money ŁŁŁ

 

would love to go turbo someday but the budget wont allow me and I dont have the skills to do such a thing. But for now this will be more than enough fun

 

looks good, i think your mate posted pictures of this on the orion register some time ago.
good to see its finally getting some attention.

 

Updates:
For the Zetec conversion I'm still searching for a Mondeo oil pump..

Last November I bought RST wheels that I've worked on today and earlier this week

1. sanded
2. primer
3. filler
4. sanded

And 2 wheels have already been:
5. painted (in 3 layers, the paint covered everything quickly)
6. sprayed with clear varnish

On the pic all is already dried up and still very shiny

 

small update:

I'm not a fan of chrome but I could get the rocker cover for a bargain so I just had to get it. Looks better than I expected though

To do:
- brand new fuel pump (the one I bought before turns out to be leaking)
- cooling
- wiring
- dynamo mount

and when I get the car back I'll give the exhaust manifold some paint because this just looks rubbish next to the chrome rocker cover not sure about the color yet but probably light gray or black

 

Looking good my friend the more orion owners the better lol

 

hear hear!!! bin tinkerin wiv mine today funny enough!

 

A few weeks ago:


And more recently:
- replaced the leaking exhaust with a Remus one (now the downpipe starts leaking though ). It still needs to be extended as it came from a XR3i but it's already better than what it was before.
- 2.0 throttle body. It didn't run that well and I still had this one planned to put on so while I couldn't drive anyway I just thought to install it and surprisingly the engine ran great after
- waterpump started leaking, so that's replaced now
- plastidipped the doors partly to create a sort of XR3i look (ish)

exhaust:


XR3i black on the doors (the drivers side still needs to be done)

 

Frodo inspecting the car, but in the end all was fine








and an old grille from Helvetica Design:

 

got tires for the RS Turbo wheels:

 

sprayed some plastidip on the left doors I couldn't be bothered with covering the windows and since it's plastidip anyway, it's easy to remove

 

Looks nice mate, anymore mods planned ??

 

thanks

my plans:
- bigger brakes (RS Turbo / RS2000)
- extending the exhaust (it's from a XR3i)

 

got US light modules last week to keep the direction indicators always on. Saw it on a Honda CRX and looked quite nice so now I've it too lol. Also yellow headlights to make it look better in the dark.



couldn't take a proper pic with the headlights on..



and some pics from the European Ford Event:

 

got 2 grilles yesterday. The Kamei (bottom) is cracked at a few places, so I took out the headlights and put those in the immitation (top). I don't really use the bright lights in the middle anyway so I might as well put some headlights inside there.


with the 4 headlights:


Will mount it later. Need to do proper wiring first.
and this is what the Orion currently looks like:

 

Its looking good. Does it go well then.

 

Thanks, it sure goes well, 0-60 in about 8,5 seconds so I can't complain

unfortunately the Kamei imitation grill I posted in my last post, only fits without the middle lights....



But since my mind was set to having 4 headlights already, I threw out the Hella lights from that grill and made the Kamei light holders fit in the Hella one. The normal headlights have yellow H4 lights so the middle ones need yellow H4's also. Stores that sell those have closed already so I'll do the electronic part later

 

Bit different I like the colour on the wheels

 

Thats cool i like it.whats your plans for it?

 

at the moment I'm not sure about the plans. I'd love to turbocharge it, but bike carbs sound way better.. Still in doubt. But for sure the left doors will be replaced (I've got 2 solid doors already)

Wednesday some welding was done:



after some poking with a screwdriver:











after painting it white, I made it black with some protection thing. No idea what you call it in English.



also did the other side to match it ofcourse