JOIN THE CLUB:
Retro Rides
There was a point way back through the swirling mists of time when somebody realised that sensible work vehicles could be promotional tools, as well as practical means for lugging cargo about. History doesn’t appear to have recorded the moment of this seismic realisation, but presumably at some juncture in the 1920s an
enterprising business owner thought, ‘Hang on a minute, why don’t we paint the telephone number on the side of the van?’ and, in their own small way, changed history.
In time, the choice of vehicle itself became a worthy marker of the company in question’s accessibility to customers: sure, a functional Transit is the ubiquitous choice (and with good reason, the Tranny changed history on its own merit), but what if the van which a company chooses to lug things about in is unusual or eye-catching in its own right?
That’s very much the line of thinking which has led to the existence of the Mk2 Escort van you see here. Before we delve into the story, first we need to introduce you to
two characters: Adam Barnett, who shall walk us through the tale, and Paul Saywell, his father-inlaw, who owns a company called Brite Sparks Auto Electrical. This is an outfit supplying Cyclesense systems to HGVs, to detect cyclists alongside vehicles to prevent accidents, and it’s this branding that you see on the Mk2 van’s arrow-straight side panels.
Taking you back
“You can spend £30,000 on a new work van in this day and age and it will literally go unnoticed,” Adam reasons, “but whenever this is seen out and about, everyone will always stop and stare — usually followed by smiles and plenty of questions about it, saying how it takes them back to many years ago, whether they worked on the vans or used them as daily vehicles!”
This isn’t, however, an entirely cynical move to promote a business, there’s passion and personal fondness underpinning this decision. Paul grew up around Escorts, and when the van appeared for sale it flicked a very nostalgic
switch in his brain. Brite Sparks has always used oddball and eye-catching vehicles to promote the company while earning their keep, from Morris Minor vans and Mini pick-ups to a variety of classic Escorts, and the purchase of this particular van was actually closely followed by another Mk2 with a Mk1 front end, so there’s a matching set!
“As well as being a trip down memory lane, the van is something we can both go out for a tear about,” Adam grins. “Another reason for the purchase is that we wanted something we could tweak and really make perfect by sorting out a lot of the finicky jobs — such as making sure the wiring is all neat and perfect — to really complement the rest of the van.”
The fellas got hold of the vehicle a few months ago. Much of the hard work had already been done by assorted previous owners and a variety of companies, and things have certainly been done properly. One viewing was all it took for Adam and Paul to fall for the van’s charms, and a deal was done there and then.
Retro-specced
The spec positively bristles with retro splendour. Under the bonnet we find a fully rebuilt 2.1 Pinto with a big-valve head, fast road cam, and a Bogg Bros bike carb set-up. This runs through a rebuilt Type 9 five-speed and single-piece prop. “We’ve also recently upgraded the diff to a 4.1:1 which has made a massive difference,” says Adam.
Under the skin reside GAZ Gold front coil-overs and rear shocks along with singleleaves, while braking is taken care of via a Wilwood four-pot front arrangement and a rear disc conversion with Cosworth callipers. So the mechanicals are all bona fide, and as you can see the aesthetics are equally on-point: “The body has received a full spit restoration,” Adam reveals. “A few new panels were required to get it all perfect, and it was then painted Modena Green inside and out including the complete underside. And the interior… well, it’s like brand-new in there! It has RS2000 seats which were freshly refurbed, and at the same time the doorcards, headlining and carpets were changed. The van also has RS2000 instruments,
“YOU CAN SPEND £30,000 ON A NEW VAN AND NO-ONE WILL NOTICE, BUT WHENEVER THIS IS OUT AND ABOUT, EVERYONE STOPS AND STARES...”
“THE WAY THE VAN SITS WOUND RIGHT DOWN ON COILOVERS OVER THOSE REVOLUTION SPLITRIMS IS TO DIE FOR”
RS2000 steering wheel, and a flocked dash.” The fit-and-finish both inside and out is impeccable, and the way it sits wound down on those coilies over three-piece Revolution four-spokes is to die for.
“The secret to the stance is that it’s running a narrow Anglia van axle, which allows the wider wheels to sit under the stock arches,” Adam intimates, and it’s little details like this that pepper the project and give such character and exploitability. The hugely upgraded braking system, for example, works hand-in-hand with a bias pedal box — you can see the mighty brake bias adjuster poking out under the right-hand side of the dash — and this, combined with the fully adjustable suspension and torquey grunt of the hot Pinto makes for a thoroughly entertaining B-road blaster… particularly given the lack of weight over the rear axle!
“We plan on using this van as a benchmark,” Adam assures us. “We are currently having a matching engine built for the other van, and the engines and transmissions will be identical so we can really have some proper fun on the B-roads!”
“The van has just undergone a week’s detail with 3NINE7 Detailing, based in Bedfordshire,” he continues. “It was treated to a multi-stage polish and finish in a Zypha ceramic coating, which is incredibly durable and also really makes the paint pop.” Well, you know what they say: look after your tools, and your tools will look after you. And there’s certainly no mistaking the latest addition to the fleet — there isn’t another work van in the country quite like this one. Beats riding around in a duffed-up Sprinter, doesn’t it?