yep, no Fitzee for them, not even a pair of tinsnips. Just hack at it with a cold chisel.
 
Not much progress to report, just one more repair welded in, plus starting on the driver floorpan.
Some fat guy in a red suit wants to come around next weekend, so its cleanup the house time again.

Love how youve laid out exactly what you want from the start and are actually doing it, going to be an awesome first drive!

Ha Robbie, that's so not me! You make it sound like I have a plan..
 
After 26+ years of marriage, my wife knows when she asks 'what are you going to do on the weekend", the 2 or 3 things I reply back with, are exactly those that wont get done.
It frustrates the cr*p out of her, and something I have to work on, one of my few faults :) .
 
Van wise, the only thing in stone that it must have had, are bubbles, panelled windows, bumperettes, side stripes and Compomotive ML's. (and Marty is trying to entice me out of those wheels as it is with Ebay bargains).
I really am struggling over the engine though. I'm sure I have bored you all enough already on this, which is why i'm just focussing on the body so far. The toss up is wreck the 2 door for its pinto, gearbox, struts and anything else, then sell on as a roller, or sell it on as is running and nearly complete, and buy either a done up 2L or go electric. One is easy and a fun weekend or 2 swapover,  the other might be beyond my spannering ability.

(and Marty is trying to entice me out of those wheels as it is with Ebay bargains).
.. Am doing nothing like that at all 😂.. Well maybe a little but, it's more of a 'hey check these out' lol. I'm getting a set, but will be for the next van/ute cause it'll be engineered with hardly any Escort running gear and the shell will be cut and modified, because a can , some radical plans for it coming up which I can't do to the coup for obvious reasons. Vans are still open for judgement as coupes get frowned upon if modded to far from normal.

Deano, you'll get easy more cash with the 2dr mostly complete for someone wanting an easy resto. It'll fund your van to better components like Capri struts, big brakes, LSD and Veloster interior 🤔 etc.
A nice engine swap, which I might do in the coupe is a Miata duratec 2.0 with 5sp, very easy conversion and strong enough for fun track days . Engines are your choice and what will work in your car. I'd like a Lexus IS200 2.0 6cyl + box, but are still pricey

Beams would be awesome motor swap.

Pinto and all the 2l stuff to go with it would make the most sense and be the easiest but raiding another car would really knock down the value of it. Personally i think if your going to motor swap anything into a small ford the duratec makes the most sense.

time again for an update.
Whilst it was too hot in the shed for our SA viewers, some work was being done still in Vic garages
Each new years resolution seems to revolve around 'finishing more jobs before starting new ones', so in that vain I attempted to slog on with finishing the drivers floorpan.
It was in, but needed further seam welding to tick off the list.
I rotated the car into a nice spot, but then soon proceeded to bbqing my right foot, as hot hot bits fell into my welding sneakers, and embedded themselves into my sock and began burning upwards. I'll spare you the photos.
So bugger that, and in need of some glory, the car went back level, the front rotisserie was removed, and time to hack into the front panel.
 

I drilled out about 20 spotwelds, thinking the old panel may even look good hanging in the shed.
But it was taking too long, and I remembered the sage advise given previously, just chop it into pieces... 
 which left this

then replacement panel offered up ok, and was marked and drilled for welding.
 

At some stage, the front had mounted with a stump or something, bending up in the inner radiator lip support and front passenger side inner panel, which needed straightening

 
 
 
 
I have a new larger lower radiator panel support to go in, once I figure where to chop, so for now the lower edge is not welded.
 
 

and so by stumps yesterday, the new panel got a few welds in and a bit of etch primer in a couple of spots, and also 10 minutes with a poly strip wheel on the inner engine bay panels just to make more dust.
 
Overall, not too difficult a job with a bit of care. The new panel did get a few small dints though from the clamps which sucks, it is just so thin, but nothing a skim of filler cant fix.
The next on the list will be to unpick the remnants of the old front from each of the front guards seams where I hacked them off, ready to refit.
Then we can see if it really was centred or not..!!
 
 
 

 
 

I'm sure Escorts were used more offroad. I'm yet to find one without some sort of underside carnage