Panel van project car

[Shounak]

Hey y'all,

I'm looking into a panel van as project car and the Falcons seem the go. I've found a column shift manual that's road registered in Sydney and am strongly considering getting it.

Anyone know what to look out for or how they go with parts? I'm thinking it should be alright, can't be too expensive, there are millions of em about.

[adam69]

What model are you looking at?

[Shounak]

EA-ED. Something with that shape. I'm looking around the $500 mark, that could be a bit of fun to work on.

[1vngal]

Nooooooooooo

WB Panel Van. Can't get much more pimp than that.

[adam69]

EA-ED. Something with that shape. I'm looking around the $500 mark, that could be a bit of fun to work on.

Didnt make then like that.Last one had the ef style front(XH)but was basicly an XD body shell.

[bangers]

the back doors can be a problem. apart from that you hardly ever see a good one getting around so it would be different.

[Astranomical]

Maybe do up a Sandman? Can't beat the classics.

[Shounak]

Didnt make then like that.Last one had the ef style front(XH)but was basicly an XD body shell.

ford falcon panelvan - eBay Falcon, Ford, Cars, Cars, Bikes Boats. (end time 04-Nov-07 18:47:17 AEDST)

I've got my eye on this one. I would get a Sandman, but they're too expensive for what I'm after. I want something with decent paint, because it's one thing which I just couldn't do.

I want to get a similar shape/colour panel van to that one, rip it all up, fix anything wrong mechanically and give it one hell of a scrub down. I want a sparkling interior, which would take a lot of work, given the POS condition a lot of them are in.

But I can generally find one with good tyres and running order for the $400 mark.

This is just a project car for over the long holidays where I will have lots of spare time on my hands. Don't want to throw my wallet in just yet.

BTW, all I know about fords are the models of the falcons from the XC - BF. A lot of people advertised these panel vans as EB Panel vans, so I just thought thats what they were.

[adam69]

The ones with the EA ED motors are called an XG.Id be looking for one of those and fitting a BA BF motor.Try and find one with the lift up drop down tailgate,i hate those barn doors.

[maginoodle]

i would go something hq-wb. you can wack a vn on 304 in them without too much hassle. no need for engineers certificate here in nsw dont know about down there in mexico though.

[Wagon_Wheel]

DONT BUY ONE!!!
They are absolutly hideous, and i think the less on the road the better.... lol
As for finding one with good paint, good luck with that, most of them were used as tradies cars and have dents and rust and what not all over them, which would need fixing, which would need new paint anyways.... So you just just strip it all down and paint it some wild color.
But personally i'd be going somthing between HQ-HZ Panel vans, they are sooooo sexy.

Whats your objective with the car though? I know you want the interior spotless, but is it going to be a daily driver? or just a weekender? or you want it running a lot of power or????

[Shounak]

I don't want to turn it into a street machine or anything just yet. I just want to make it a clean panel van in very good nick. At the moment, going fast is not a huge priority. I guess chucking a BA motor in wouldn't be too big a deal.

Although I wonder if the current gearbox could handle it and more importantly, if it would match up to the flywheel.

The only thing is that I want a manual, column or on the floor doesn't bother me.

[Shounak]

DONT BUY ONE!!!
They are absolutly hideous, and i think the less on the road the better.... lol
As for finding one with good paint, good luck with that, most of them were used as tradies cars and have dents and rust and what not all over them, which would need fixing, which would need new paint anyways.... So you just just strip it all down and paint it some wild color.
But personally i'd be going somthing between HQ-HZ Panel vans, they are sooooo sexy.

Whats your objective with the car though? I know you want the interior spotless, but is it going to be a daily driver? or just a weekender? or you want it running a lot of power or????

Definitely not a daily. A good weekender or something to travel around in.

I really see no point in making it go quick, I see spending money on making road cars go fast, it's like the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded. If I want speed, I'll just buy another motorbike and beat any car I want, for chump change.

I'd much rather spend the money making it nice inside and a dream to drive. A mattress is going in the back for sure.

By good paint, I mean no rust spots. Dings I can live with, a 30cm hole in the floor, not as much.

[Wagon_Wheel]

Although I wonder if the current gearbox could handle it and more importantly, if it would match up to the flywheel.

The only thing is that I want a manual, column or on the floor doesn't bother me.

No chance in hell i would run a 3 speed column with a BA motor...... i doubt it would handle it but even if it did i wouldnt recomend it.
Have you ever driven a column manual? If not i would suggest trying it before buying one, they are absolutly horrible to drive.

I really see no point in making it go quick, I see spending money on making road cars go fast, it's like the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

I'd much rather spend the money making it nice inside and a dream to drive. A mattress is going in the back for sure.

LOL at special olympics.....
Matress in the back = fun

[matty88]

XF panno with a BA engine.... interesting idea

[Shounak]

No chance in hell i would run a 3 speed column with a BA motor...... i doubt it would handle it but even if it did i wouldnt recomend it.
Have you ever driven a column manual? If not i would suggest trying it before buying one, they are absolutly horrible to drive.

Nahh, I've never driven one before. But I figure that I've driven heaps of other manuals out there (synchro, non-synchro, bike), a column shouldn't be that much harder to learn, although it will take a bit of getting used to.

Plus, it will stop anyone but me from driving the car (hopefully).

[Dayvo]

Are you going to deck it out with a TV, bar , bubble windows , orange fluff lambs wool mats heaps of pillows and murals of naked women like in the 70's ? ha ha ha .I've got some van mags somewhere from that era if you want some ideas.

[Stupa]

with the xg and xh, be prepared for running battles getting parts and when you do track them down, getting the wrong ones. For some reason with these models there are alot of incorrect listings in parts books.

[Dayvo]

While i remember there is an XE panel van at the Chrisco site on Ferntree gully road .Used to be the old John Lewis site . Been there for a while . Has been resprayed a dark burgandy color .from memory i think its got twelve slotters . It's owned by the maintinence guy , think he lost interest in the project ,could be worth a look .

[quick308]

the old shaggen wagon aye lol. cant go past one of them. i wanted to buy a hz sandman but cld not find one they r gettin rare. but im happy with tha car iv got

[Wagon_Wheel]

Nahh, I've never driven one before. But I figure that I've driven heaps of other manuals out there (synchro, non-synchro, bike), a column shouldn't be that much harder to learn, although it will take a bit of getting used to.

Plus, it will stop anyone but me from driving the car (hopefully).

Hmmm.... im sure you would get used to column after a while, but honestly ive drivin 2 different manual columns, and they are just poo. Seriously just terrible.

[Dayvo]

You can buy a kit to convert them to floor shifts. The old ford column shift is known for
getting stuck between 1st and 2nd when they get a bit worn

[Struma]

I can't believe some of you guys - the three on the tree is an Australian Automotive Icon.

I learnt to drive in a manual column shift H.Q. and never thought twice about it...I ended up owning the car a few years later and it was still fine...I even taught several female partners how to use the thing...seriously, it's not that hard...the biggest problem that H series column shifters had was a tendancy to occasionally get their linkages a bit jambed up as they got older, but this isn't a hard fix.

O.K. they're never going to be a short shifting racing monster, but Shounak has already categorised that this isn't what he is after anyway...not that you can't pull some moves with a column shifter...

Perfect for cruising, your hand moves a lot less distance from the wheel when you are changing gear and most importantly it facillitates the inclusion of a bench seat - another design classic.

If you want a really poor gear changing set up try driving a Citroen 2CV - 3 speed manual dash mounted H pattern shifter.

[Shounak]

Thanks guys. And very good point Struma, the other reason I wanted a column is because they have a bench seat. Much better than two buckets.

I've decided to give the panel van above on on eBay a miss. The seller won't post many pictures, even on request. He's mentioned a few things wrong with it (bog and rust), but won't show any close ups. I'd rather not buy something I can't inspect that could be a problem.

Time to start hunting for the perfect bomb to do up.

[Reaper]

Hey y'all,

I'm looking into a panel van as project car and the Falcons seem the go. I've found a column shift manual that's road registered in Sydney and am strongly considering getting it.

Anyone know what to look out for or how they go with parts? I'm thinking it should be alright, can't be too expensive, there are millions of em about.

Rust rust and more rust. Around the roof, doors, (rarely) sills. Motors are getting pretty shagged these days. Overall they are very strong but getting good 2nd handies are very hard. Everything else is as cheap as chips.

I'd go for a WB project myself each to their own.

Reaper