and the best news, it looks like I have found a few bits to progress the van.
This includes another pinto, and gearbox, so the Rally Pack replica 4 door project will be up for sale in about  a months time. 
It just needs a few little jobs tidied before sale, and will be a good project for someone to finish of with a paint and some of the fun bits.
 
Some parts picked up include a very sad looking pair of Recaro's which will be fun to have a go at retrimming:

 
and an equally sad looking 3 spoke Mk2 wheel

 
 
 

but which is cleaning up ok.
The rim  grip is slightly loose, so might not pass a roadworthy, so it may have to go and be refurbished properly.
It started cleaning up ok:
 
Still cant believe I have one now, and still haveboth kidneys too.
Very grateful to the seller, who is nice guy and ok to part with some of his collection.
 

Thats a great score on both parts! Recaros are stupid expensive so some unknown reason. I ended up buying 4 seats to make a perfect set for my car and couldnt sell the left over two for 800 bucks, nowadays people are trying to sell two for 2000. Great pick up!

That wheel looks awesome also, perhaps a ebay leather sew your own kit could help it? i had mine retrimmed in leather but cost about 400 bucks.

Excellent shopping spree deano, well done .
I had a RS steering wheel that was all spinny on the grip and a trimmer said to knife it along the inside seam and jab in a bunch of Sika and close it up, leave a week and your good to go, I did get it reskinned in leather at a less Robbie price of $150 ... It's still going strong in my orange mk2.

hmm, thanks guys, sometimes you don't know if you did ok or not.
If the engine turns out equally as ok, well then all good.
 
I found that Recaro bits are still available online, including replacement foams, bolsters and even fabric.
The idea of some Sika jabs is worth trying, may as well give that a go.
Actually there might be some tan coloured leather still left in the pile from the boat wheel I did a while ago.
 
Mongrel birds have no respect!: It looks better when clean.
 
 
 

I was going to say that's a bad weld but is a real nest.
We had a swarm of disgusting pidgins crank nests all in my shed and under the annex over the pool last year. It got to a point I bought a nerf gun and heavily modded it to shoot them as a deterrent, now there's 6in spikes everywhere on beams and angled boards in the C channel in the garage... They got the hint and any minions that return get attacked accordingly . It's also adjusted the possum traffic as a byproduct!!

I finally found a basic engine to fill the blank spot under the bonnet. I have been told it has only done about 600 kms since a rebuild.It turns over fine by hand, oil look clean and under the rocker cover wasnt too bad. 
It was originally an auto, but came with a gearbox and flywheel. I just need to track down a clutch fork and spacer.

Oh, and some engine mounts, new alternator,distributor...
 
 
 

some member on here convinced me to look at these:From a 2007 Honda CBR600RR bike.
They were a bargain online, and did not need much arm twisting for the price.
So plan is to use either buy a  DanSt off the shelf inlet manifold, or crack out the 3d printer to print one.
Of course im choosing the hard option, so will have a play drawing something up.
 

 
 
 

progress on the van has slowed just now as the 4 door is being prepared to sell.
Its much easier working on something thats 90%+ there, rather than 19%.
 
Plus it means I get to fit some of the nice bits ready for sale.
So brakes are bled again, new round grill fitted, H4's working nice, boot tidied up and new seal, rear floor subframe blacked, annoying brown doorcards now black, and the bodywork sorted a little more.
Jobs left to do are some clearcoat touch ups, new steering wheel to go on, dashpad looks a bit tatty and it should be a tidy little toy for someone very soon.
before, neat but faded:

much better in period black!
 
 
 
pinto and 4 speed manual= smiles. Still sounds good.
 
 
new battery in boot

I really want to fit the rest of the Rally Pack stripe kit , but the new owner might prefer it as the Ghia look (which it is/was).
 

Do it then deano... Stripes make the car worth more money. I proved it nearly 20yrs ago, silver mk1 escort without RS stripes, 4k$
With RS stripes $7500.


Suppose back then it was a new thing to do, bit of a novelty , now it's the opposite, we want them clean and no stripes lol