Jackdaw 17

Friday 24th February
This diary seemed like a good idea when I first started but I just never seem to find time to keep it updated. The weather has not been too kind so the van has gone onto the back burner again for a while. I decided to build myself another computer that's all singing all dancing and I have also found the joys of eBay selling off a collection of old models and bits belonging to my dad and Marilyn's dad. So I have been a little distracted. At least I have cleared space and made a bit of money at the same time.
But back to Jackdaw
It's been a busy week this week on Monday night a mate of mine told me he had seen 2 suits with clipboards looking at the trailer stood out in the street. (If you remember I'd said I had extended the trailer, well some idiot ran into it and dented all my good work) he advised me to shift it. Then on the Tuesday morning Marilyn told me some yobs where jumping all over the thing during the same night so I decided to put it into the yard.
I repaired the damage then messed about backing the trailer into the yard and pulled Jackdaw onto it. Of course nothing is easy! The Transit grounded out the trailer as I backed it into the yard so I had to put wood blocks under the wheels. Then I found that the temporary garage roof was about 1 inch too low. This actually forced me to do what I had to do. It made me lift the roof at one side so it now has a better fall on it so the rain runs off instead of sitting there and seeping through the overlaps.
Anyway eventually it was on and in! Only Just! The trailer looks ever so small with Jackdaw sitting on it. I am thinking that I may have to spend a bit extra a get a better trailer. I have jacked the whole thing up so it's now sitting on axle stands for stability.
I now have about six manuals on Cortina’s and I am sure it's a mark 2 now.
I am going to take the Transit in to the garage on Monday for some work so I am going to ask the experts their opinion and will keep you posted.

Tuesday 23rd January
Back to the quiet times again. And back to the diary. We have been away on a little break so I hope to start getting things done now.
Over the last couple of weeks I have been messing about in the workshop clearing out junk mostly getting ready for the work to come. I have extended the length of the trailer now. I have not tried the van on as yet but it looks OK. I also built a sandblasting box out of bits of wood/plastic and carpet. Not pretty to look at but it does the job of saving the grit. I had a practice run on the petrol can I bought at York and it works reasonably well. I already own a compressor that I bought for the caravan so I have not included this in costs.
It's just too cold to do much work outside but I pulled the van out and had my first good look around it. Boy is it going to be a big project; I should have it finished for the summer "ye right 2010!"
I have had a bit of a setback regarding the running gear on Jackdaw as I now think its based on a Mk2 Cortina and not Mk3 like the log book and papers I have got. The engine is a 1600 not 2000 and none of the steering looks like what's in the Haynes manual so as I write I am waiting for a Mk2 manual found on EBay just to confirm my suspicions. The engine is in a really bad way so I am on the look out for something better; the good thing is that almost any inline ford OHC engine should fit so I can go for 2ltr with a five speed box.