MK3 facelift help / options

[Martin.james]

Hey guys and gals...

I have a mk3 and I want to freshen up the face. What are my options, I was hoping there wou;d be some clear indicators, mk4 grill etc etc.... bumper... Whatever.

Cheers

Martin

[Luke]

have a read of this for clear indicators http://fordtransit.org/articles/trim/cl ... cators-mk3

but keep the mk3 grill and lights dont be a sheep and do what everyone does and go for a smiley grill mk3's are rare now

[Martin.james]

I appreciate what you are saying but I need a new front end and mk3 stuff is hard to get is perfect condition.

[fastmower]

Luke's right mate - you should be proud of her and keep her looking like a Mk3. Regarding parts - you can get brand new bumpers, lights, grilles, panels etc from Beevers (and other places) and they're not asking silly prices either.

Andy

[AlanN]

The MK4 grille won't fit, but its not impossible, its been done several times on here, I cut one up and moulded it into my MK3 one.
Clear indicators and repeaters with chrome bulbs, maybe colour code the bumper, that knocks years off
New MK3 parts are quite a good price, lucky that we can still get them for something that is this old really and in my opinion and future classic. The pet hate for me is converting a MK3 into a MK5 smiley, it never fits right, even with all the front panels changed, its still old van trying to look like another old van. Sorry MK5 owners, most of you know my opinion.
Don't let any of us put you off of what you want to do, but MK3's are getting rare and it could be even worse, if wasn't for forums like this...
Keep us up to date, Oh and post up some pictures
Heres a couple of pics of my MK3 & MK4 grille mods, its amazing what you can do with a tin of glue

[fastmower]

Heres a couple of pics of my MK3 & MK4 grille mods, its amazing what you can do with a tin of glue

Hark at him! "Yep kids, that's right - all you need is a pot of glue and a bit of plastic and you too can have a grille just like this one I made earlier!"

Cue more disappointed Transit owners than there were when Blue Peter made Moonbase Alpha out of cornflake packets and sticky back plastic

Andy

[AlanN]

Nice one Andy

[ginsambo]

Agree with Luke! Don't Smileyise it, take more than a little inspiration from AlanN and conventional Bad Boy bonnets are overdone I reckon!

I think the key to any half decent design is honesty of materials etc. Eg. Concrete slabs made to look like stone look crap. Good on honest council slabs look good if used in the right context and they're laid well. Same with your MK3, except its not made of concrete of course!

I'd do the min of mods so you can fit it back if need be with another bonnet and bumper etc.. Maybe mod the lights to something else as Mk3 lights do look well shite to me! But that's just my opinion. They are like giant 80's reel to reel ceefax computer pixals, it really dates it to the 80's best thing to do is spend a good three days on a deckchair just look at it and it will reveal its potential - you'll know what to do as it will be begging you to do it!

[Martin.james]

Luke's right mate - you should be proud of her and keep her looking like a Mk3. Regarding parts - you can get brand new bumpers, lights, grilles, panels etc from Beevers (and other places) and they're not asking silly prices either.

Andy

Bloody cheap!!! Great thanks ill just buy a new front end.

One thing - Is it the mk5 clear light I can use?

[AlanN]

You can easierly mod the MK5 clear lamps to fit, there is a "how to" thread on here