Ford Transit Forum

by **Bryan** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:48 pm

Well, just thought I'd introduce my SWB Transit project I've worked on for the past few months.

This is how it looked on the day I bought it and this is where it came from:

First job was to get rid of that stupid roof rack. I've never seen a roof rack like it - it's entirely made of wood apart from the metal brackets that hold it to the guttering.

I thought it didn't look too bad when I got it but then when I got it home and removed the plywood floor from the rear I got a big shock...

Had to replace both rear spring hangers at a cost of £35 per repair section as well as welding plates in all over the place!!

This is the new floor section being tacked in place before seam welding (I know my welding isn't the best!!)... The new floor is made from the roof of another SWB Transit I'm breaking for parts for this one!

After a wee bit of bodywork this is the colour I was planning to paint it but then decided against it and I'm keeping it white now:

And this is the most recent photo I have of the van - this was taken just after the Smiley front conversion. This was quite a task. I decided against keeping the mk4 front panel and used the proper mk5 front panel. This involve cutting a section of the front cross member out the mk5 donor vehicle and welding it into the cross member on this mk4 in order to attach the supporting arm of the front panel.

I've since changed the mirrors to mk5 style and I've also replaced the mk4 dash with the one from the mk5 (all wired in and working at the minute with the exception of the heater!). Not content with the dash I also added the mk5 doorcards to the mk4 - quite a task indeed but it's done now and I'll add a technical how-to when I get a chance.

And finally, this is my donor mk5 Transit after cutting out the sections of the roof:

My list of things to do to the mk4 seems never-ending and I've still got to...
1. Respray it
2. Change the windscreen over from the mk5 to the mk4 due to chips
3. Finish the dash wiring and the air ducting
4. Source & fit tow bar
5. Fit power steering

All within the next few weeks as this is was bought to be my work van for my new business venture which I started in January and badly need the Transit asap!!

by **Luke** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:54 pm

@ the 2nd pic :lol:

serious welding done there mate!!!!

also i quite like the blue

by **Bryan** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:57 pm

Tell me about the welding... I thought it was never gonna end and I went through about 4/5 rolls of welding wire. Still have another wee patch to weld on the sill and then that will be all the welding done (I hope!!)

I love the blue but as I've never sprayed before I thought it would be wise to stick with the white in case I make a mess it might not be as noticeable!!

by **madmark** » Mon May 15, 2006 2:05 am

my god thats gota be the rustyest floor in a transit i have ever seen! :shock:

how has that been getting through the mot! :shock:

by **Bryan** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:51 am

Well, this is what it currently looks like... almost ready for painting

Dash in the process of being fitted (all speedo clocks & gauges wired and fully working at this point)

Mk5 Door cards fitted to mk4 doors...

New rear doors added with no windows for extra security... As you can see the bottom of the right hand door required major surgery!!

What you mean rusty floor???!! lol That's a clean floor over here in Northern Ireland!!

This is going to be a working van which has to last me at least 1 year so that's why it's kinda just being "tidied up" and not restored to a fantastic condition. Lots of body filler everywhere does the trick.

by **Bryan** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:01 pm

Well... one more thing off the list...

DONE: Respray it (well, rollered it more like)
DONE: Change the windscreen over from the mk5 to the mk4 due to chips (Never ever want to do that again!!!)
DONE: Finish the dash wiring
DONE: Source & fit tow bar (hopefully do tomorrow)
4. Source & fit power steering
In the process: Fit new rear bumpers

by **madmark** » Tue May 16, 2006 3:53 am

mate you are dooing very well ,they are not hard to get were you are ,are they ???overhere there everywere!

by **Bryan** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:31 pm

Just thought I would give a quick update on the progress with my Transit... haven't been on in a while as I made a trip to the "dark side" for a while as you'll see in the photos below. Didn't take long to return though.

This is what it looks like after being painted, polished and washed. Not bad for a roller and 3 tins of cellulose paint.

Still to fit the rear bumper and endcaps to the van. Reason there's still a bit of rust there is because I'm planning to rust proof that area with some underseal before I put on the bumper once I get some rust convertor etc.

The interior, finally finished. Still to sort out the connection between the heater controls and the heater box. My van originally had the older dash but I hate the shape of it so I changed the whole thing to the newer type dash which is a mission and a half alright.

Finally, the dark side. I bought this LDV Convoy 400 off ebay as I thought the Transit would never be finished. Needless to say I sold the LDV less than one week later. The LDV was 1997 but drove and looked like it was 1977 - I would have a Transit over an LDV anyday. Transit is a far better drive (Even without power steering) and the doors actually feel like they are made out of metal rather than tin foil.

Anyway, rant over... this is my Transit almost ready for the road. A few more patches to weld underneath and that'll be her.

About 4 months work so far but it's so satisfying to have a van sitting exactly how I wanted a Transit.

So far the van has cost me around £470-500 (van originally cost me £150 and the rest is parts and another van for parts etc)