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6 months ago I got banned from driving for 12 months, had my van for a few years now and it did me well never missed a beat. 1.8 flat diesel couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding, anyways long story short, Iv been doing project escort, spending my little earning on the old girl, so anyways this is her to begin with
First I tried turboing the standard 1.8 diesel did increase the power but the standard ib5 gearbox will only do 85/90 flat out no matter what the bhp, so that was a failure, so the local scrapyard got a 1.6 16v zetec escort in 70,000 miles on the clock and well maintained, so I bought the lot stripped the van, the engine, loom inside & out the lot, and dropped in the new 1.6 so she's officially petrol powered!
Il list every thing she's had so far
1.6 zetec conversion
New wishbones both sides
New track rods Botha sides
Drop links both sides
Reconditioned steering rack
New brakes & pads
Second hand Gmax springs and shocks (not low enough lol)
New headlights
There's more but this is the majority for now
Iv found a hole on near the rear shocker needed patching up so
I bought myself a mighty mig 100 gasless special and set to work and it's done bloody well in my opinion I found plenty of surface rust on the underneath so Iv been attacking it with the flat head and the wire brush, after a good stubbing I coated everything in hammeright direct to rush black paint then over that again with underseal!
Then the rear axle was removed and saddles flipped round lowering it around 80/100 mm lol didn't want to use standard ford ones so opted for iforwilliam trailer ones heavy duty not cheap but in my opinion a safer bet, sticking with standard shocks for the moment, but if anybody knows of any upgrades I'd love to hear from you,
I don't know what tank to use as I modded the diesel tank to fit a petrol sender for the time being just to move her from here to there any one know if there's a petrol tank that will fit these my 6 escort van?
Iv got my hands on a set of weller wheels nice deep dish style but they came crome not what I'm looking for to blingy, so I'm going to spray them a different colour but still trying to figure what colour. No rush still got 6 months to wait and work. Here's a pic of how she sits after the axle flip...
I wanted to make this thread so that I'll always be able to find my portfolio if you will if I brake my phone or lose it then all my pics and info are gone this way it's on here for good. I also like to share with other ford nuts as not many of these modded anymore people but them rusty and run them till they snapp and scrap them in the next 5/10 years these will be as rear as the mk3 is now, and by then it will have a cossie in there but for now the 1.6 is ample
I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of this, what colour you think I should do the wheels, I'm in two minds wether to put some arches on or clean up the ones now keep it as clean as poss, anyways il keep it updated with everything I do. Thanks for reading hope you like it so far
Thanks lads, Iv had the tank back off had to adjust the sender the swirl pots are different in a diesel tank I think wasn't telling me how much fuel was Init so messed around and got it sat correctly... Then though while it's off it could be painted black, as I popped it on its side petrol was leaking out... Great. So anyways Iv bunged it up with some seriously good roofing silicone lol, left it to cure and not a drop coming out now, so a new tanks probably in order.. Does any body know if I take the weight loader thing and run new lines bypassing it will it be ok or will it brake to heavily? It's a stupid little box with a rod attached the the rear axle as weight is put in and on the van the rear brakes work harder, ( stupid in my opinion if it's empty and your going fast it's going to be going up and down on the rear thus meaning it's braking harder while empty ) anyways I was also wondering if anybody knows if a mid section pipe from an estate would fit the van and clear the axle? I'm thinking of just getting it through the MOT with good new silencers on lower the emissions ext ext then treat her to a full custom stainless steel 4-2-1 manifolds are only around 120 quid, I'm going to add an omex rev limiter on as well, Iv seen endless videos of fiesta zetec s with the omex throwing huge flames but I'm unsure this being the older version engine will do the same.. Only one way to find out I guess... Il keep it updated! Thanks again for your comments. Jonjo.
It has a cat at the moment plan is to have a standard exhaust system for its MOT then as soon as it's passed drive home and put a 4-2-1 manifold on and a straight through to a nice chrome back box of some type get it angled at the back on the left hand side. Or may do a side exit yet, I'm so unsure I'm useless il make up my mind when I get to it, I'm stumped at the moment because Iv lowered the rear a lot. And now the front is lowered 40 at the moment and its sat completely wrong looks like 4 fat birds at in the back lol, I can't find cheap coilovers for a escort mk6 only need the fronts aswell everywhere I look it's a set of four for the car, sombody said that mk1 focus struts fit the escort but don't want to folk out on focus coilovers then find out they don't fit you can focus ones a lot cheaper than escort ones that's all, I don't want to cut the springs I want to do it right and safe. 60mm will still not be low enough I need it dropping around 80 to 90 mm on the front
Bad thing to do but i've cut 2 coils off the front coil springs (top 2 coils)
lowers it perfectly level with the lowered rear. drilled holes in both top and bottom shock mounts and cable tied the springs just so they are held in place when the front is jacked up. Running around 5 months like this now with no issues
It worries me just thinking if you get air at all (not that I like driving like a b£&lend) the springs coming out of there seats as its in the air landing and the spring going through the tyre all at 60/70mph wouldn't end nice. But I like your idea with the cable ties, I'd have to use metal jubilee each side but I'd rather have coilovers but if it comes down to it I guess I might have to cheers for the idea bud
Iv run new fuel lines today, just reinforced rube fuel pipes abit large but there safe, as for a fuel filter Iv bought an after market washable one picture below...
My Mk6 Escort van project
