emu

Yep, Thats the one. The upper promenade is always packed with people whenever I've been to watch

The malpassi seems to be the more common choice on our cars. All sorted now. Thank you all for your responses

Ok, assuming I decide to keep the DHLA's on the side of my pinto, then I think I'm going to need a pressure regulator. Had a quick look around and there only seems to be a couple of choices: Either the Malpassi ones, either with filter bowl or without: OR these cheaper Sytec ones: Is there any real preference, or pro's/con's to one or the other? I do have an old Adjustable EFI pressure reg in the garage, but I assume that won't wind down far enough to use??

I've joined in when I've overheard people slating my car before now, had a good bitch and moan with them. Then, mid conversation, opened the boot to get a drink or something out. They always dissappeared really quickly and quietly As Vista says, the cars that people view as classics tend to be the ones from their teens. We all sit here and say a mondeo will never be a classic car, but then I expect that was what most people thought about 2 door 1100 escorts back in 1975 too. Give it another 10 years though and classic car shows will be full of them. My point is that many people don't see your capri, or my escort etc as classics because they remember them when they were nothing more than everyday, family cars that they saw loads of every day, on every street. Don't get downhearted about it though, you could just as easily go to a show next weekend and have loads of people wanting to chat and take photos

Ive always assumed your roads tend to be quite long, open and straight?? Whereas, we can't go 100 metres without someone sticking a sharp bend in the road to avoid a tree or a rambler. Stiffer suspension is generally regarded as 'better' on twisty roads, whereas its just annoying for highway/ motorway use. I imagine the preference for taller tyre profiles probably comes from the added suspension effect too. Especially given, as you say, that you can easily end up driving on dirt roads. The only time we end up on dirt tracks is driving across a show ground. Like you say, you'd be wrecking your cars and your fillings driving any distance on the sort of suspension we will live with. Personally I'm using 185/60s with 275lb springs, I was worried that going from 175lb it would feel like the suspension had seized, but its fine. The roads round here obviously arent as shocking as I thought they were

Went out for a little pointless drive up the A32 to farnham and back. Then blew a back tyre in the outside lane of the M27. All good fun

That looks just like my first Escort! Its not, mine met an interesting end with a post office van, but I still think the colour looks great on a Mk2. Assuming its a ford colour then my guess would be Electric / Monza blue.

I seem to remember cleaning my windows once, only ever use normal cheapie window cleaner. I used screwed up pages of The Sun* and they came up lovely . My other top tip is to wipe side-to-side on the outside and up-down of the inside. That way you know instantly which side any smears you do get are on *(Other tabloids are available, although I cant vouch for the effectiveness)

I watched a documentary about those raids a few weeks back. The logistics involved where just overwhelming. Tankers refueling tankers to refuel the vulcan. I couldnt keep track of who was getting fuel from who!?

OK, having taken on board peoples views, and more importantly weighed up the pro's and con's for my own circumstances. I've decided I am best of keeping the Pinto. I'm no more likely to buy twin carbs or throttle bodies for a zetec than I am the pinto, So realistically I'm putting a cap on the power potential of both engines anyway. The Pinto is mildly played with already making approximately the same peak power and torque as a standard zetec, which I'd more than likely have run on the original EFI. Therefore, I can't foresee any massive performance gain for the inevitable costs. If I was using the car as a daily then I think I might have swayed the other way. The improved road manners and fuel economy would be definate benefits The zetec option does seem almost to be becoming the modern day equivelant of of the old pinto swap. Cheap, plentiful engines, good power increase and robust. If I was still running the 13 or 1600 crossflow then I definately think it would be worth considering Thank you for your opinions and views everyone

Hmmm, some good points coming across here, certainly some food for thought. The more I think about it, and read, I would be making a load of work for myself. As you say Col all im really gaining is a smooth idle and easy starting. The car is only used for fun so whilst nice to have, neither is really going to make that much difference to me. I think part of my problem (ALL of my problem!!!) is that I'm tight, and was hoping the zetec would magically gain loads of power as thanks for being dropped in a proper car! Plus, OHC is right, I like to fiddle

Hiya Phil. Hope your keeping well I only dragged the escort back out a month or so back, but feel like fiddling with it again already!

This goes on a bit, but bear with me please. I was chatting to a friend yesterday about my pinto'd escort, He suggested chucking the Pinto and putting in a Zetec instead. Initially I dismissed this as the Pinto is already there and is reasonably nippy for a basically standard engine. (Head skimmed, different cam. It made 132 bhp/122 ft-lb on sierra EFI, but is now back on the DGAV). I think it was running about 15.7- 15.8 at Santa Pod. However, I started noseying into it and came to a few conclusions. 1.To get more power out of the Pinto means spending money on proper heads and carbs. Neither of which are particularly cheap. 2. A bog standard 2 litre Zetec is 130 bhp/128ft-lb, so much the same as the Pinto, but I dont know how the spread of power and torque compares. General consensus is that they make a decent amount more once the emissions kit is binned and it is on different induction. 3. Most of the conversion bits I can knock up for myself or get done cheaply enough. 4. I have a megajolt ECU sat here that I can use to run the ignition. 5. There are a few different ways to run it on the DGAV, bike carbs or the original injection so fuelling shouldnt be that difficult. However, I wouldnt really want to do all the faffing about to end up with a car that is no quicker than it is with the pinto, or worse slower. So, opinions are required people. I can find lots of "It's well quick" type opinions, but im after something a bit more subjective. 1/4 mile times are probably the easiest to relate I guess. Ta very much

Mk2 Shape? If so, The fusebox is in/ around the glovebox I think. Autodata reckons Fuse number 9 does both your wipers and your indicators so I would start there. It also does your brake lights so I would assume they arent working either.

What registration is it Jo?

A late RWD Escort, Cortina or Capri may be the same age as an early mk3 escort or sierra, but they are from a different era of car design. That's what makes them old skool, not how many candles they have on their birthday cake. Its similar to the year separation of vintage and veteran cars (1919 I beleive ) A vintage car doesn't suddenly become a veteran just because it gets a year older.

Ive been subscribed to 'Car craft', 'Popular hot rodding' and 'Hot rod' since June 2008. All the issues back to then are still available for me to read. Never had any problems with unwanted subscriptions either. You can set it up to automatically renew your subscription each year. I'm not sure I would bother for UK magazines, I prefer to read paper, but the yank stuff is less than 70p an issue, and its easier than trying to hunt down a newsagent that stocks them.

Its belonged to Ford since the 50's, building truck bodies for them initially. Not that that makes the news any better for all the people who work there

If your going to pull the engine and box out in one lump then jack the rear end of the car as high as you can. That way you wont need to hang it at such a steep angle to get it all in/out. If you can do it together then I would. Its easier than trying to manhandle the gearbox back onto the engine whilst lying on the deck.

hold on, my bit of advice is on its way......

The Jolly Roger has been extended and is back to being called the Jolly Roger again. Its more of an eating pub than a drinking pub though. All of the old Priddys Hard site has been developed for housing now so there are plenty of people to use it. I'm inclined to agree with you about the price being the cause rather the smoking. After all people didn't go to the pub for a smoke and can smoke almost anywhere, but the pub is the only place to drink in that kind of environment. Most of the Brockhurst/Forton establishments have been turned into housing and shops, so I assume the property itself is more profitable than the wine and spirits. One of the people I work with now was landlord at the Royal Arms for a couple of years. He always says that to make any money he should have done proper food too, simply because they were restricted to buying from the brewery, and the margins were just too small on drinks alone.

The bar is about half the length it used to be so you'd have a touch more space nowadays. Other than that its probably the exact same decor (and quite possibly a lot of the same clientele too ) You'd be hard pressed to do much of a pub crawl that way now . The Cocked hat is still a pub/ restaurant but the Wiltshire Lamb is now flats, along with the small pub almost next door in Anns Hill. Kelly's Hotel is flats too. The White Hart is still going, and after a long period of being derelict the Vine reopened a few years ago. The Royal Arms has been boarded for years and I think Olivers is too now. There is now a Wetherspoons in the High Street, which has taken the Star name. Arcs/JFKs and the pub beneath are all gone too. Brockhurst/Forton Road is fairing even worse. Its all change over here!

The Sail training centre is still there, although I think its 'just' JSASTC. No 'Hornet' anymore. Joanna's is long gone now, The building caught fire and was demolished a couple of years back along with the rest of 'that' row. The G&D, like the majority of the pubs you'll remember spends most of its time closed down Nelsons and Emmas on the other hand are both going strong Emmas is the only night nightclub left in town now so is still handy for avoiding the ferry trip

You didn't need to go all the way to Hamburg Vista, a trip back to sunny Gosport would sufficed.... This one is also used as a restaurant and bar. Can't offer opinion on the food or waitresses though i'm afraid. She was ordered in 1945 and decommisioned in 1993.

Hello there Mr G How you finding your cossie lump? I'll get myself a pair of D's ordered up then. I assumed it probably would be to basically replicate what is already there. Thank you for your reply too Vista. I'm looking at using the DIY weld-on-yourself kits, rather than the ready made stuff. I've heard good things about Gaz, but its well out of my price range . I'd feel a bit rude calling them for advise too when I know I have no intention of spending with them. Hope your enjoying your van, certainly looks the nuts in the photos you have posted