The transit Mk5

[Jon]

Well Ive always loved the mk5 transit since ive been a kid. There getting hard to get hold of good ones now, as in my opinion there the best van ever made along with the escort 1.8d which ive just sold to the brother in law,it was late mk6 lx one in met pepper red. Miss it already
Any way im building my dream van now Mk5 transit 2.5td custom

Here is the first ever pic from the ad:

Looks good at first glance
First job was off with the arches

Weld the new one on:

Took the rail off the side loader and found this

Then found this:

Made a piece up to shape of sill

Welded it in

Preped the basic shape and added some high build primer:

Cut some sections from the front and welded in preped to basic shape:

Moved round the van to do the drives step and arch i knew this was bad when i went to look at the van but it didnt bother me to much.
Someone had welded steel over the top and put a slab of filler on it:

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[Jon]

Trial fitted new arch panel

Then the step panel to get all the door shut right

Marked it all up the removed to repair the inner

Fitted it all back on and self tapped in place,fitted door rubber:

Shut the door and adjust the panel

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[Jon]

Fit new arch section

Bit of rust on the inner arch under the battery tray!

Few mins cutting back to good steel with the plasma and it turned into this

Fabricated two sections as there should be a join on the inner outer arch to the inner inner archTricky place to get your welding torch in but came out ok

Moved on to the rear drives side to find more rot and another new arch!

The very edge of the inner had totaly rotted away so had to make a part up.

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[Jon]

Started to get the van prepped for paint and shape the rear arch up:

The floor in the van was quite solid so I cleaned it all off with a wire cup brush on the grinder and stone chipped it with 950 sealer:

Then i bar coated it to seal any old pait off:

Then I 2packed primed the whole inside of the van as I hate the rac orange colour

Gloss time[8D]

Painted the bulkhead and fitted it

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[Jon]

I sealed up the door holes and carried on with the outside:

The pics dont do the paint justice as its come out really well with a great shine

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[Jon]

Had all my wheels soda blasted to and ive primed them up ready for paint. I just need the snow to hurry up and go away as its just to cold for bodywork and product curing time[V] To much moisture in the air to[V]

This is as it sits now with my two heaters sitting there!

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[Panky]

What's what's this[:0]
Best van ever made? probably right but not for me Some excellent work going on though[^]

Summer's Coming

 

[renaultvation]

That's a lovely job you are doing there.

I must admit I lost track of Transits at Mk3. I know that the Mk6 was a 'new' van, but what are the differences between Mk3 and Mk5, are they cosmetic, or do they go deeper?

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[admin]

I might get a mk8

 

[Jon]

quote:
Originally posted by admin

I might get a mk8


The mk8 custom is nice but none of them have been any good from the mk5 smiley face onwards. Ive had them all for work, had a mk6 from new and two mk7s one used and the second new.All they seem to do is go wrong and break! When they do its usually big faults like duel mass flywheels,gearboxes,injectors,water pumps,power steering pumps,vacume pumps and many more!lol There are many other vans on the market that are alot worse though!

Mk8 custom looks nice lets hope there built for the job
http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicles/TransitCustom?&searchid=ppc-transit-new-transit-custom-exact

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[Jon]

quote:
Originally posted by renaultvation

That's a lovely job you are doing there.

I must admit I lost track of Transits at Mk3. I know that the Mk6 was a 'new' van, but what are the differences between Mk3 and Mk5, are they cosmetic, or do they go deeper?

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'



Thanks,the mk3,4 and 5 all look similar they just face lifted them and changed a few body panels made them more refined,oh and the dash boards and running gear,axles etc
The late mk5s also had the 2.5turbo engines with the lucas epic system.

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[Suinnyboy]

Great work, though I find the pictures as an interesting statement of the modern Auto Industry and usable life expectancy of modern cars, vans etc

The work being done on this van is in many ways no different to what we are doing with our Commers which were on the road and working 30 years earlier, Jon has just got a head start on the rest of us. Remember not too long ago when the biggest concern when getting a Commer was where you were going to put it, not how much it cost. Don't we all wish we had a shed full of Commers, that we had picked up for a song back then

Keep up the good work Jon, as in 20 years time when many of the other Transits are gone you will be remembered as an Visionary, should I mention the phrase "De je vous"

Cheers Stephen

 

[Jon]

quote:
Originally posted by Suinnyboy


Great work, though I find the pictures as an interesting statement of the modern Auto Industry and usable life expectancy of modern cars, vans etc

The work being done on this van is in many ways no different to what we are doing with our Commers which were on the road and working 30 years earlier, Jon has just got a head start on the rest of us. Remember not too long ago when the biggest concern when getting a Commer was where you were going to put it, not how much it cost. Don't we all wish we had a shed full of Commers, that we had picked up for a song back then

Keep up the good work Jon, as in 20 years time when many of the other Transits are gone you will be remembered as an Visionary, should I mention the phrase "De je vous"

Cheers Stephen




Funny you should say that as many of the cars I own and some I have stashed away are creaping up in value now, that were once un wanted and being sold for peanuts.There all the models ive loved over the years so I doubt I would ever sell them though

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[Jon]

As no one seemed interested in the mk5 transit resto I didn't update it but its on the road now prob a bit to new for you all! Lol it still started out rusty like a Commer! Lol

No more Rac shifts for me, been there 10years and will be sad to leave but it's time to move on to pastures new. If anyone needs my assistance I will be glad to help.

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[bazzateer]

Good luck with the new venture Jon.

I am not a person, I am a number, 395 actually......Be seeing you!
If I told you I was a pathological liar, would you believe me?

 

[Panky]

I for one was following it with interest, shame we didn't see the whole story:I
The van looks great now[^] Maybe when you get to finish your TD Commer it can become part of your working fleet[8D]

Summer's Coming

 

[commerchris]

well done to you Jon good luck [8D]

Commer Dandy by Dandy Caravans
The Colonel Mustard

 

[Jon]

quote:
Originally posted by bazzateer

Good luck with the new venture Jon.

I am not a person, I am a number, 395 actually......Be seeing you!
If I told you I was a pathological liar, would you believe me?



Thanks baz scary but exciting times ahead

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[Jon]

quote:
Originally posted by Panky

I for one was following it with interest, shame we didn't see the whole story:I
The van looks great now[^] Maybe when you get to finish your TD Commer it can become part of your working fleet[8D]

Summer's Coming



I've got some more pics of the transit as its been built,when I get 5 I will upload them all.
I've fitted an on board compressor system that is powered buy the engine and a 110/240v generator system which has a welding system all powered from the engine. You control the welding amps by the rpm of the engine ;-) oh and I've fitted a rapid deployment trailer which you can see on the pics for the motors that can't be fixed at the roadside.

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[bazzateer]

I'll be stepping out into the big bad world in 3 years after 30 yrs with my current employer - going to be very strange..

I am not a person, I am a number, 395 actually......Be seeing you!
If I told you I was a pathological liar, would you believe me?