Are escort panos any good?

[pittin]

Hey guys, im only new here so new that this is my first post. Im only 15 and ive got a year till i get my L's. And in this time i want to get a car whether it needs repair or not. Im planning on getting an apprenticeship in mechanics which im sure will help but i was just wondering whether the escort vans are any good?

I really only want a 2l and i want to get a manual. Are the gearboxes strong in eskies? and are the 2lt's any good?

Also, are they easy enough to work on. and also are performance parts easy to get? I realise that they are an old car and i dont really want to completely overhaul the engine, mainly just things like webbers, extracters, maybe a mild cam etc...

The best thing i like about them is you can pick up a half decent one for about $2500. I love escorts for years but dont really know much about them.

So any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated

p.s. when i get one its gotta be sunburnt orange :p

Thanks in advanced guys....

[digginganddirt]

eski 2 L parts are easy to get but 1.3 and 1.6 x flow performance parts are hard as to get unless you get them from uk as for esay to work on not really cause just to change the clucth or gearbox u need to lower the hole k frame cause the gear box dosnt move in the tunnel it just a nice fit unless u get an auto witch had a big tunnel

[pittin]

ohk thanks man, i definatly want a manual, i just have to hope when i get one that the clutch is decent

[whooligan]

I've owned 9 Escort panel vans including 2 Sundowners. They are dead easy to work on, although the 2lt is a tight fit and getting things in and out (like the gearbox) can be a pain.
I'm currently finishing off a Mk 1 for my nephew who has just turned 16. I've replaced all the front end with Mk 2 stuff and wacked in a GT Cortina engine.
You can still get performance gear for the 1600 but you just need to know the right people and pay a little more to get the horses out. The 2lts are not quite as smooth as the 1600s but you can heaps more power out of them a lot more cheaply.
If your going to buy one, get the best one you can afford and check for rust everywhere. Check inside the doors, the floors and front rail in the Mk 1s. The roof gutters are usually rotten, so check for rust in all the places where water can get trapped. Also corners of the rear "barn" doors as well.
Its also worth noting that most of the parts are unique to the vans and to each respective mk (ie 1 or 2). The dash is actually narrower across the front, so sedan parts such as the dash top, glovebox spacer etc wont fit. So try to get one that is complete. The quarter bumpers are the same as Mk 1 Twin Cam/RS Escort, so are expensive to replace. Make sure they are securely fixed on as I've had a few stolen over the years.

[pittin]

Bump!

[Polyal]

Bump what? Whooligan just gave you heaps of info.

They are the same as any escort. 2lt is the way to go and get an RS 4 speed for the quickshift. Or if you are really keen a sierra 5 speed is nice.

Check for rust, thats going to be your main issue.

As with any older car, the condition will depend on the price you want to pay.

[outback_ute]

An Escort would be a very good first car pittin, very simple & cheap parts etc being rear wheel drive, non-efi. As whooligan said look for rust, rust and rust in that order. Look for one with a good body and don't worry as much about the mechanicals.

[pittin]

Im stating now to think about getting a auto and doing the swap with a 5 speed i heard that you can use a celica gt box as well?...Is that hard to do?