By Antti Kautonen
Last weekend in Jakobstad, the snowy Saabs weren’t the only things I saw. Nope, the first thing that made me get my DSLR out was this perfectly restored -looking late 1960s – early 1970s Mk1 Ford Escort Panel Van.
Khaki beige with a black vinyl interior, the Ford looked like it had just rolled off the assembly line.
Such spotless perfection. Even the wheels looked freshly painted, and I expect nothing less than a nut and bolt restoration in the Escort’s past. I wonder, if any parts were difficult to source, and what the engine bay looks like.
80 km/h speed limit sticker on the back, as befits a commercial vehicle. And a Soviet Finland Suomi Finland SF sticker.
I can’t help but think the Escort wouldn’t survived this clean for a week back in the day it was made and delivered into van duties. It was a work van and treates as such, and the roads and conditions were harsher in 1960s Finland.
[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
Wow, it's beautiful. Too bad you couldn't hookup with the owner, and get some underhood and interior shots. And those taillights, they almost look frenched.
It makes me so happy to see that one of these survives in such good condition.
A friend and I used one as our vehicle on a rock-climbing expedition. It had a 2.0L. Good times.
I assume that the numbers on the fender are trailer, empty, and maximum load weights in kilograms? I dimly remember commercial vehicles wearing these back in the day. If so, that's one light little van…
Almost. I think the first figure is for load capacity, the second is the gross weight, and the last one is the maximum axle load. All in kilograms, naturally.
I'm assuming "6 CWT" means six hundredweight, as in capacity? Also, if OLRF wants an emblem, there's a pair for sale online right now, on the UK's Bay of E, for £11.00:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-Mk1-VAN-6cw…
That reminds me, OLRF: Friend's son's friend's family owns a bunch of dealerships in Jakarta. They are trying to track down an Opel hood badge for your Xtreme.
No promises though.
It's probably inappropriate for such a clean stock van, but every time I see a mk1 Escort, I think twin cam swap.
Show me a car that doesn't look good as a panel.
Then put Panasports on it!