Renault Estafette Van, Mk2 Cortina GT

My shock/wheel clearance


My neighbours’ shock/wheel clearance (bubble arches car)


I need every bit of clearance I can get

👍 cheers Danknight

I’m on call today so managed to get a couple of hours in before work. So passenger side turret. I trimmed the tub back to where I wanted it.


Next I made good the floor to chassis rail joint


And then ground it all back


I could now tack the turret in position. I had to do this a few time as the turrets are not the right shape to fit the car. The inside of the car where the top is welded is not parallel to the chassis rail. So when you clamp the bottom in place it moves the position of the shock hole on the top. So I tacked the top on position the clamped the bottom in with a sash clamp. I suppose it puts a twist in the turret but who cares.

So after checking the height was the same as the driver side and the distance from the door opening was the same, I then welded it in before I lost my mind




And from inside the car


Next I need to make good the wheel tub where the old turret was fitted. As a disclaimer I’ll just add, if you came to this thread looking for info on how to fit turrets and short link boxes to a mk1 Escort, DO NOT USE THIS THREAD AS A REFERENCE OR HOW-TO GUIDE.

So, where were we? Holes in tubs.

I was on call yesterday and got a few hours in before. Came in for food and sat down with the Mrs to watch a documentary about Pamela Anderson (as you do), and just as they showed Pammy run down the beach in Baywatch cossy, I got called out😩. So no time to update yesterday as I didn’t get home until midnight.

So here it is today.

Driver side first. Lip of chassis rail needs repairing where the old turret sat.


So that got done first


Next a section of floor needed to go in on top of that





Ground some old welds of the strengthening brace


Next it was the wheel tub. The easiest way to repair would be to cut a section from an old tub and graft in. I asked on lots of FB groups but nobody replied. I’d asked a question in the tech section here. I got some good replies (thanks for those everyone) but decided to just give it a go and see what happened.

So I cut a strip of metal a bit longer than needed. The side is flat except for a shallow curved ridge that a just bent with a hammer over a steel bin. The top is curved slightly which I just bent over the handle of the MIG trolley with my bare hands 💪.

The compound curve between the two was the problem. If I just bent it, it would only have the curve in one direction. Which would look odd. So for 2” or so where the curve should be, I put the metal in the shrinker. This put a slight curve in the panel one way before I bent it by hand the other way, giving a compound curve. I shrunk it more than I think I needed because after a couple of tries the curve wasn’t enough.


At this point I had been working on the car on the lift. The axle was on putting more weight to the back. To counteract this I had put a ratchet strap over the bonnet to hold it down. I’d noticed the front was “floating” a bit off the pads. But what could go wrong?



When I stepped in the car the strap obviously loosened and moved from where it was hooked and as I moved in the car it slowly did a wheelie. All sorted now though.

So I next tacked one side of the strip in. It still looked a little flat so I tapped the rear up with a curved wood dolly a made up and then tacked in





not sure how got it is yet.

Perhaps I’ll get some more done on the weekend but Jones Junior (The elder) has his driving test on Wednesday so I’ll probably be in the car with him for most of it.

That is excellent stuff, dude.

Only got an hour or so done today.

First reinstate the missing piece of floor





Then ground back


When I fitted the old turrets I had bashed the wheel tub up to meet them so the metal had stretched. I cut a couple of slots in it so I could bash the high sections back down


I then cut a bit of steel and started making the tub repair by using the shrinker to put a curve in the steel


And started tacking it in


It was then starting to get cold so abandoned it.

Good progress and nice work, dude.

Thanks Teaboy. I enjoyed today.

I’ve had a nightmare today. I’d booked the day off work as Jones Junior (the elder) had his driving test. I realised yesterday that I would have to leave the house at 7am this morning, but I was on call until 8am. A quick grovel to the boss and that was sorted.

We jumped in the car to go, he puts the wipers on and they stop half way up the screen. WTF! Quick squirt with wd40 and a wiggle and they’re going again. Bl00dy Clios. So we go for a drive around before the test and the boot has now decided to unlatch itself with being asked, twice it did this.

Anyway he has the test, 3 minors, but fails as he did 55 on the dual carrige way but it was a 50 zone. I was gutted for him.

And the girl who had her test the same time passed even though her mother had to park the car for her before the test!!

So quick macies breakfast and home.

So out the garage I go to hit things and console myself.

First fitted the petrol tank.




I now need to make new top mounts as they exited the car on the old turrets









The tank needed refitting as I need to remake the firewall leaving cutouts so I can access the top of the shocks
So I started making bits

I welded this on top of the turret- fully welded, then cut it to short. I also realised it wasn’t the shape I wanted. Getting stressed I got the grinder out and cut it back off


I’d wanted a nice round piece around the turret and for some reason i’d followed the shape and put a right angle in. So I made a new bit, and taller



And then welded a top on after cutting the new bit to the correct height






That’s better, and  what I was after. I’m off work again tomorrow as I’m working Saturday so might get this side finished and start on the other ( which is going to be a bit harder.