Finally got off my backside and started work on the MK1 in earnest. Need to get it to a point where I can move it and/or drive it soon as we are selling the house.
Bit of background as my original thread was in the wrong spot.

Bought the car 9 years ago. Was pretty clean an original back then. 1300 manual with no mods. Only rust I could find was in the spare wheel well, on the L/H/S dogleg and the battery tray area. Not bad for a start. Has plenty of dents though due to the previous owner being a little old lady.

I stored the car in different locations for about 4 1/2 years until I bought the house. Then I had a garage built just for it and with the help of Simon Piper, we striped it down to a bare shell. There it sat for about 3 years until now.

I've been slowly collecting parts for it, and have a 6 dial dash with pad, pinto motor with fuel injection system and a turbo hanging in the wings for a later date. I also have the standard carby set-up, single 45 weber and twin sidedraught set-up for it as well. Not sure which one to start with. I got my hands on my old capri struts from one of my old mk1's I had that ended up at the wreckers! Also have an 11 point roll cage for, a SAAS racing seat and harness to go into it.

Here's a pic a few years after I bought it:



And after I stripped it with Simon:



And trial fitting the cage:



I haven't had a chance to upload the pics from today yet, so will update later with those and an explanation of what I've done.

Chippa

Ok,
so this is where I'm at. I started to stitch weld the strut tops and I still need to do the mounts in the wheel arches.
I noticed a bit of rust under the heater bubble so removed that to inspect and clean up as required. The heater bubble has a small dent in it also and where the build plate sits, the rivet holes are split! So will repair the heater bubble before refitting.
I also removed what was left of the battery tray and started to weld up the holes from the spot welds.
I still need to repair the lower part of the radiator support panel and also the front part where the battery tray used to sit as it has rusted out as well.
Here are the pics I took last night:-

L/H strut tower


R/H strut tower before


R/H strut tower after


Radiator support panel


Heater bubble


I haven't had a chance to continue with it today so will hopefully get into after work during the week.

looks like a great car to start with, good progress to, dont worry about time, had mine 2 years and haven't touched it, just collecting parts once the mk2 sells its all on though haha

Hey Marc,

Great to see it's under way again. I can't believe you've had that car for nine years now! Where has the time gone?! I've been getting stuck into my Mk1 project again as well so once I have some updated pics I'll have to update my thread... if it still exists!

Keep up the good work mate.

Thanks Simon.

Yeah 9 years already. Will be 10 later this year!!! Thats why I need to pull my finger out and finish it so I can enjoy it before I'm too old! [(#)]

You definately need to get your updated and get some more work done on it. Will be awsome once it's completed. Remeber if you need a hand with it let me know. I'm sure I'll be picking your brains on this build ( like I did on the weekend ) so feel free to return the favour.

Digginganddirt,

Thanks mate. I've been collecting parts for my car over the last nine years to the point where the wife said stop spending money on a car that doesn't work!!![88] So now it's time to get it going so I justify spending more on it! Don't do what I did and just leave it for 9 years. I started getting sick of seeing it like that and almost sold it a few times. In the end I knew if I did I'd never have another Escort.


Chippa