Mexico van

[vannin]

In a recent classic car publication it mentioned that ford amongst other thing produced a one off escort mk1 mexico van, I'd never heard of this before, has anyone even seen this vehicle in the flesh ?

[gt40steve]

In a recent classic car publication it mentioned that ford amongst other thing produced a one off escort mk1 mexico van, I'd never heard of this before, has anyone even seen this vehicle in the flesh ?

I've only seen a photograph of the Mexico van, which also had a camper conversion too.

Regards Steve

[vannin]

Hi Steve,
Yes it did say it had been converted to a camper very early in it's life and it was bronze but that was about it

[loydpg]

I've not heard of a Mexico van but Ford did make a couple of Mexico Estates. I believe one got written off and the other was converted to RS2000. I know Ford Australia built 1600 Escort Vans, could it be one of those imported to the UK, or perhaps the van was built using a damaged Mexico as a donor?

[vannin]

I was under the impression that the van was built around the same time that Ford produced the estate's ?

Ford Australia also produced a 2 litre escort van

[gt40steve]

There seem to of been three Mexico estates, one of which was later converted to an RS2000 estate as mentioned.

One of the Mexico estates in Daytona Yellow was restored by a colleague of mine in the 1980's, in Essex.

It was well known on the show scene there after, with both him & the subsequent owner.

The most logical way for the van to of been built would surely of been from all new UK components assembled at AVO's prototype area. I wonder if there's an AVO worker out there that remembers it.

[escortmad79]

Didn't Ford make the person who requested the van or camper sign a waiver that if he was to crash it & die, his family couldn't sue Ford?

[gt40steve]

Didn't Ford make the person who requested the van or camper sign a waiver that if he was to crash it & die, his family couldn't sue Ford?

One & the same vehicle as far as I know. I've never heard of it being sold, I thought it was a one off prototype that then disappeared (was scrapped). It would be great if it turned up one day though.

You may have more information than me, but the waiver story sounds unlikely to me. The easiest option for the manufacturer is to scrap a prototype, however granted, some do escape this fate.
(For example, if the buyer signs a waiver for FoMoCo what then happens when that buyer sells that vehicle to another member of the public ?)