hi all,

as some of you know, i own 2 x rs2000 4x4's one roadworthy and the other an old rust bucket ive started stripping.

im contemplating starting a project build, but i am but a humble roofer and have minimal knowledge in mechanics. what im after is someone or somewhere i can learn or be taught what i need to know.
maybe a part time weekend job in a garage or help one of you fine chaps out on one of ypur own projects?

cheers,

stuart

 

sounds good if ever your stuck lots of helpful people on here best forum by far

 

cheers pal so far ive completely stripped the interior on old rusty, now im stuck waiting until the purchase of the garages goes through so i can knock one garage into two before getting greasy and strip under the bonnet. so im thinking i either take it all apart, sell what i dont want to keep and store the parts i want, or start the project i wanna do, ie an rs2000 4x4 van

need some knowledge first though

 

best route to go is get a project thread kicked off and ask for input as untold amounts of us have stripped and rebuild all manner of cars from the ground up, it will all click into place once you get going

 

well any questions some one will answer them good luck with project

 

i think if it was a case of taking everything out of one car and putting it into a twin i could manage it, but petrol car bits imto diesel van, with the 4x4 i tginl would cause headaches for the best of mechanics wouldnt it? i mean this could be my first stupid question of many, but is what im suggesting even doable?

 

anything is possible stu, where theres a will theres a way and as I virtually rebuilt your 4x4 from what it was to what you have now you know it can be done

 

If your going to strip the rusty red one that will also help you learn stu

 

was hoping that would be your reply steve

thats what im thinking chris, need these bloody garages to hurry up and go through now as once i start stripping the engine bay its gonna be a bugger to manouver, gonna remove a dividing wall between two garages so i can get around the car properly.

until then im on the hunt for a cheap escort van with a good body then!

 

I know where a brand new estate body shell is but it's lhd. I come across it while I was trying to find a new shell for mine.

 

interesting, stupid question number two!

if the lhd shell was stripped can it not be changed to a rhd?

can you get any pics of it chris? now im torn between a van and an estate lol

 

Will probably need a rhd bulkhead fitting.

I learnt by taking stuff apart and seeing how it works.

Ive rebuilt engines, and my old 3dr from the ground up. Ill have a go at pretty much anything but im not great at painting, and i have never had a go with a welder. But time and practice is all it takes.

 

thats ok should be able to cut the one out of old rusty

 

get a workshop manual, also take lots of digital photo's showing how things were laid out/put together.

A reasonable tool kit will be a good start too.

 

Best way to be is to be methodical if the screw/bolt/nut can be screwed back in after youved removed a component then do that and its the best way, also have a load of boxes to hand,

But most of all you have us lot who will always be more than helpful to help

 

cheers ginge, youd be able to tell how methodical i am by looking at old rusty, eveey bolt screw and washer has been put back in its place lol, even the fixings for door cards

tool wise i have drills and grinders etc from work, and have bought a 100 quid socket set from halfords that has so far done everything required of it bar a seized wheel nut (found a long bar for the bugger!)

 

a escort is a good place to start stu as everything is straight forward, I was breaking around 25 of them a year when your rs2k came along hence my dilemma at the time to save or destroy her

 

I am the Same as you mate I can totally renovate a house but no experience with car mechanics, I did try when i got my first car ( which was a long time ago) but every time I did something it didn't work so ended up at a garage to put right so have left well alone since then. Ther was a night class course advertised at our local college but when I enquired it wasn't running as not enough applications. My son has a RS s2 which needs a wheel bearing and new gearbox linkage but don't want to tackle it as its his daily drive so if it goes wrong he is stuck, he has two mates who are mechanics who have been going to help for weeks!

 

ive not got any mechanically minded mates, think im just gonna have to take old rusty apart, take pics of parts and post on forums to id them then put back together and repeat!

 

Here you go stu. It's listed as a mk5 but its a mk6

http://www.cabmasters.com/Miscellane...ody-shell.html

 

evening classes? most colleges do mechanics courses of some kind, but may not be suitable

 

You can only get on the daytime courses if you are employed as a mechanic as they are linked to NVQ qualifications.

 

thats the problem chaps, all the courses i can find are either unavailable to a regular joe or the courses are for recent models so its mostly computer work!

can anybody tell me the wheel base measurements on a mk6 escort van and a mk6 rs2k 4x4 please?

 

I feel the same mate I have few mate that can fix car but none that modify or tune so I took my first step with lights alloys tge start running amps etc of little ped battery's lol

I have very basic skills on cars but can learn quick

I've been on here done last few weeks have I'm learning everyday

Why ask about if someone is from around your ways or maybe go to some garages and ask to help

 

its finding a garage that works on these old bangers on a regular basis thats the hard part, im not interested in working on anything else other than fords mate.

 

found both wheel bases, theres a 73mm difference. is the gap fillable i wonder?

 

Could use a different propshaft that's longer so the axels are in the correct place