Ok, so I picked up another van yesterday...
[url]fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=147767[/url]
Its a 150 LWB Custom in "Dark Blue" with a descent electrical spec...
I have a copy of the bill of sale - and it wasn't much shy of 20K when new!
to replace my old 190 which needs too much work to be viable in the near future (old project thread
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=24006) and is going to be broken for spares.
Other than the obvious, its a suprisingly good van - certainly far too good to scrap! I drove it from Sussex to Market Harborough earlier to pic up some seats for the back.
The ESOS is faulty - so I am stalling it at the moment to keep it out of limp mode - but the power has been massively lacking and its very very very smokey... When I bought it the bolts securing the exhaust outlet to the egr were missing (now replaced and a blank installed - the first thing to be done). I thought that this ma have been stopping it boosting - but still lacking in power and smokey (in fact I couldn't tell the difference between normal and limp mode...) so a quick looksy reveiled this...
Soot so thick you can draw in it! (Oh and this is also all over the engine bay)... obviously exhaust coming out of the egr where it was split and being sucked in to the filter! I havent put a new filter in yet (will get one and service it tomorrow to see if there is any difference) but I think its likely to solve the lack of power!
The short term plans are to get 6 seats in it and fit rear windows, its then going to be borrowed by the city & guild motor club to tow a 1902 car to the continent (currently switzerland but plans may change). But for me to be happy for them to take it I need to get the arches sorted (probably with the help of Kalkat) and get it looking a bit tidier...
After that its going to be used to move house (again) - which is late this/early next year. Then it will be camperised!.
The first thing I did (with Kalkat) after the EGR was to remove the old rattly bulkhead, and the ply on the floor. Only 1 screw wouldn't come out and snapped (although a few of the bulkhead ones needed mole grips).
A lot of work has alread been done on the floor, but there are a few patches around the inner arches that need attention - shouldn't be too big a job, and some work by the rear pillars is required too. The safe T bar will be coming off at some point (not soon) because there is a corrosion hole in the top on one side!
Overall happy with the purchase so far - and so was the local wildlife.