Those doors look next to perfect under the paint, gotta love a win like that!

I'm not sure whats hapenning with the forum, its locking up for me at least.
 
So on redoing again, the pics dont correspond, apologies.
The LHS door above is still in progress and actually is the worse of the 2, with oil canning on the bottom 1/2.
It might have been looked at before at least once, and seems a little stretched. Its not much,  so I might try hitting it with the slapper file to see if it may shrink down a little. I dont have a pic of the RHS door before.
 
As it was just one door being painted I omitted using a roller, and did it all in brush, plus it was only primer filler so needs good sanding anyhow. You know when the penny drops, and you just '"get" something? As I painted this door, the whole idea of being able to 'push' the paint around just suddenly gelled. Only  took 55 years. :( Before that it was splat it one and flatten it out basically. 
 
Also for the eagle eyed, check the rear hoodliner.
Our last 40+ day was too much, so its back to looking like a tontine at least until its fully sanded and painted, when the door rubbers can go on. Car Builders Spray Adhesive , -1 point.
 

Looks good, the back barns are in way better cond than my raw orange ones. With the drumming, try using a bottled BBQ gas torch and just heat till it's glowing red in a spot going in small circles to the size of a 75c piece, bigger than a 50c! Then while it's hot use a rasp file and dolly behind but not where your hitting as that'll stretch metal more, not good. The idea of it is to corrugate the sheet which will tighten up the drumming, also the heat and cooling will shrink back more.
If that's not an option you can also buzz a weld along to try to heat and shrink but will need grinding back.

Selleys contact glue is what I've used for 40yrs and it's never fallen off like yours has.. PS, more hot coming this weekend so more of your lining might fail !

back on the ground now, running and with the steering rack done and ride height set, so happy days again.
Will look better once Martys bumperettes are satin black though.
4wd Escort Van anyone? :) 


 
 
 

Looking fantastic Deano, I've been stalking your progress for a while now! Are you going to Small Ford Sunday this weekend for a look?

thanks Mico, glad you are following along at home.
 
Sorry also if all the photos are virtually the same, but that seems to be how slow it goes sometimes.
Even I'm  sick of seeing the van from the same angles. 
 
Anyhow, SFS is definately on my bucket list. The only show ive been to in the past is the  All Ford Day in Geelong and most of that is GT Falcons and Mustangs. Numbers of Escorts, Capris and Cortina's get less every year.
 
Unfortunately this year I've got family to help out, which will mean I have to resort to watching it after on YT, but maybe next year.
 
But, but, I nearly drove it last night for the very first time. Actually moving.
 
It was stinking hot still after tea, so I went out to the shed just to have a fluff around.
Suprisingly it started when I expected it wouldnt, the weird ignition problems had corrected themselves.
I was going to try the clutch out, just doing a few small moves, but chickened out the last minute.  
That 2 1/2 inch exhaust is a tad loud, at least in the shed. 
 
The lastest epsode of Hudson on the Eureka/ Sterling sees them doing some things we have been discussing recently:bike ITB's, inlets, Speediuno etc Not sure on the choice of inlet material! (just a mockup!)
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnFSnRjRobA 

Its been way too hot to be out in the garage, filthy weather. The car looks fantastic, now it just needs a few inches off the ride hight and some tyre poke and it will look perfect! 


Do you need to get the girl engineered or can you just go and register it? I need to engineer cause of the rear brakes and the turbo, part from that everything else is "stock".

I actually was aiming for a higher ride height, fitting with the 'rally van' theme.
See how it goes like, that might all change.
The front can come down easily, the rear is just std suspension and would need a few bags of cement in the back.
Its obviously the bubbles that make it look high. Now that its off the car jacks, i'm suprised how low they actually sit in real life, i'm glad its widearse as its just tiny in general overall.
 
I'm imagining in my head there's nothing needing engineering as such, and that it will be more meeting RWC conditions:
- 1600 to pinto 2L, factory option, 2L mounts, std gearbox
- 2L (Capri) struts with coilovers, fiexed top mounts, std M16 brakes with optional vented kit
- std rear drum brakes
- Escort option Recaro seats, with factory floor mounts
- Wheels: may need to steal the Capris 14x6 Superlights, or get tyres on the 13" Rostyle wheels.
- steering wheel, tacho dash, column, steering rack all std or factory options
 
Little things i'm not sure about, or still need to track down:
- gearbox lever boot,
-using fibreglass front bumperettes,
- no bash/dust plate behind strut disks (but I think this is  ok)
 
I'm happy if theres other stuff you can spot or suggest that I might have issues with when the time comes.
I'd much prefer to have things sorted sooner rather than later.
 
I think i'll go down the path of a 'pre rwc' inspection first, just to get a gauge and not caught out with ridiculous stuff like last time.
 
 

Yeah check your parcel shelf for speaker holes, innit !

Do they whip your knuckles if the track width is out,? They do here in SA, if your wheels are over 25mm wider overall it's a fail, we can only go to 6x13/15e etc, otherwise a engineer needs to sap more money from your wallet just to tick it off.

I might have a gearbox boot spare. I still need to pack up the sill strips for you and can put one in the tube..
Vented brakes on Escort in UK never had the splash guard for 1 simple reason, they don't fit ! Plus most cars in the 70s didn't have them from factory.
Spot lights need to run from the high beam and I think your allowed 6 extra up front.
If you can back up your mods with a factory option brochure it'll definitely help , though Australia didn't get half the goodies UK got.

dont talk to me about parcel shelves, thats why I got a van, doesnt ave one.
 
Gearstick boot: must have been hot, I meant to type i'm missing the gearbox/clutch lever boot.
Cibies will come off prior.
I forgot about the extra track width, good point. Having 13 x6 fit inplace of 15 x8 is goign to look a little different, maybe even a bit suss under those arches, but some some basic tyres will be the go.
 
If anyones bored this saturday, the (Super Southern) Ballarat swap meet has been ressurrected for the first time in about 4 years, and is on again. It used to be the largest car swap in the southern hemispehere, certainly too large to walk every aisle in one day. Good for a day of walking and looking at junk you dont need.