Renault Estafette Van, Mk2 Cortina GT

I'm happy 😁

For those interested in the Healey, here are a couple of pictures of the cooling vents TIG welded into the aluminium wings. They are positioned as the customer wanted them as he didn't want to run the trim pieces that normally sit here. There was some warping but my brother has beaten them back into shape

The project that never was.

Back in 2002 I built an Astra GTE16v for grass racing. It was very quick and very enjoyable. The engine was not much more than standard except it was runnng on carbs. The only internal mods were for reliability. ARP rod bolts double valve springs and bronze valve guides. The guides are essential on an XE engine if your revving it. The standard guides are cast and when you rev the engine to 8000rpm they shatter and fall in to the engine and mangle it (guess how I know).

Anyway, come 2005 roughly I'd given up grass racing and started to rebuild my mk1 Escort. Fast forward another probably 9 years and the Astra was still languishing in my garage unused and unloved. I had a plan. I thought if I bought another Astra shell without an engine, I could put the engine from the grass car in to it and build another car to play around with and not smash the Escort up all the time. So a shell was sourced for £200 and parked in the drive. I bought a Safety Devices cage and that's as far as I went. I bought the mk2 Cortina and started restoring that, and halfway through doing that I decided to build a new garage. And I also went and bought a scabby old van (you may have seen it).

Fast forward to last summer and my nephew asked if I was selling the Astras. I new I was never going to do the project and to tell you the truth, it would be a load off my mind to wave goodbye to them. £1000 changed hands - which is probably cheap for two GTE's, plus loads of engine spares but i didn't want to become the guy with a car rotting in the garden that "I'm going to restore one day". I'm keeping the carbs though as they'll be going in the Cortina.

So today the rolling shell has finally gone to its new home to be turned into a stage rally car. The grass car will go when the engine is needed.

Still no work on the van. But there could be light at the end of the tunnel. I hope I'm not counting my chickens but my brother may have found a new painter who doesn't mind turning up for work!! This might mean that the van gets painted after all. I'm not sure on time frame yet though. Where still talking months as there are more important customers than me😩.

In other news I've started receiving painted bits back for my mk2 Cortina. The doors and boot have turned up so I have started fitting nice new bits. I've never done a project where I've fitted lots of new parts before. Previously ( on my Escort) a set of new screen rubbers are the only new part I've ever fitted. Now I've got new door seals, quarter light seals, the little rubber bits that go around the handles, drop glass seals and all new shiny stainless screws too. I feel blessed. The only problem I've got to stop me fitting the drop glass is I've forgotten to order drop glass U channel rubbers. I was sure I had but I can't find them. I've put an order into East Kent trim but there on holidays so I won't see them until next weekend at the earliest. Never mind. Have a few picture of a couple of doors and a boot lid painted in Ford Light Blue '67.

Yep, still no progress on the van. But my brother does have a new painter starting tomorrow so it could be painted some time this millennium. There is however progress on my Cortina. The inside and boot area are now in body colour. I've not seen it yet but I've been sent some photos. I've got to go see it tomorrow to point out which bits of the interior are going satin black. So the good new is within a couple of weeks I should get my car back all shiney and blue 😊, but the bad news is I'll also have to pay for it 😩

Thanks quietsailor. The big hole in the boot is for the petrol tank, the top of which then becomes the boot floor. This is why lots of them are caved in from people throwing things in the boot when they were just everyday cars. The boys have masked it up as the underneath is already painted in top coat.

Thanks Llwnogmon.

Progress on the van? No. But I did start him up last Sunday and drive him out into the Sun as we had the freakish weather I though it would be nice for him to bask and air out a bit. He didn't start first click, but after a few pumps of the throttle the engine burst into life with no issues. Once it starts to warm up a bit I will finish wiring the side lights/indicators so I can use him again.

In other news the painter sent me these photos of my Cortina today, so I'll be picking it up in the week, weather permitting.

They are doing the flatting and polishing Grumpy. I wouldn't have a clue what to do and would just curse word up all their hard work. I don't think they'll spend a great deal of time on this bit though as I'm not paying a huge amount for the whole job (a mate is doing it). Plus the he's been given a months notice (2 weeks ago) on his workshop as it's being knocked down so he has to pack up everything and relocate.