Well it's all a matter of science...

[hard top]

OK, now I get you but that is why it is called a van. They all need some weight in the back, that is what they were made for.

 

[t-tony]

BTW Mike, seeing the pictures of your companies airstrip in Libya, did you say it's likely that's where my nephew left there in a hurry those years ago?

Tony.

 

[hard top]

Yep Tony, that would be the place and it was not that long ago, 2011.

 

[Shiro_se]

I have not driven an Escort van. In NA, escorts are small hatchback/sedan/wagon that proceeded the Focus. Our Minivans are not typically described as tail happy, probably because they have pretty terrible body roll, not conducive to throwing them into corners and inducing oversteer. Lol

 

[Rha]

Can I just clear up the cement bags bit for you all, you see a empty van will handle better with the said bags in the back albeit a bit slower, SLOWER is the point here, so taking them out would make it QUICKER, isn't that what Pog was wanting, how on earth did you get onto 911 road manners, and my father never owned a van, it was just a bit of info he quoted from someone else, just like me to you looney lot. Now the point I was trying to make was IF your driving around with two hundred weight of junk in yer Z boot just take it out and you'll increase your performance and your fuel economy, not by much but HEY isn't that what was asked?. Get rid of your spare wheel, air con, don't fill right up, leave the wife at home, dump the H/T, loose some weight, get a decent(big)boot spoiler, yes the big spoiler will make it go faster, well that's what the man that sold it to me said.

 

[Shiro_se]

For this application, basically a cargo vehicle, I agree that overall handling will improve with SOME weight balancing the chassis, as it was intended to be loaded. My mistake was assuming that an Escort Van was a passenger vehicle.

 

[Rha]

For this application, basically a cargo vehicle, I agree that overall handling will improve with SOME weight balancing the chassis, as it was intended to be loaded. My mistake was assuming that an Escort Van was a passenger vehicle.

Shiro, ASSUME will make a ASS of U and ME. No offence intended, just a Englishman's weird sense of humour and not taking anything seriously. You see my father and his advice was old school and when he only had about 38-40HP on tap and he was faced with a steep gradient he would ask half the family to walk to the top rather than the embarrassment of konking out half way up, so you see there is no comparison to then and now in real car terms, only that the physics still apply so to speak, not only that the family consisted of 8 children so you can see his point, (didn't really mean to compare my brothers and sisters to cement bags, but if the cap fits!!!!!!!!!!!.ha ha ha ha. I'm dead if any of them see this, 5 sisters 2 brothers all piled into Austin saloon circa 1950) and yes we would all pretend we didn't know the car driver when we made it to the top, just milled around until no other traffic about, how things have changed, now a 6/8 seater has enough power for a large family plus a caravan and no hill in the country would make the family walk, well maybe one or two in the West Country. YEP it's official, power wise we've never had it so good. But the quest for more power prevails even if it's not necessary.

 

[t-tony]

For this application, basically a cargo vehicle, I agree that overall handling will improve with SOME weight balancing the chassis, as it was intended to be loaded. My mistake was assuming that an Escort Van was a passenger vehicle.

We made that same mistake 21 years ago the first time that we came to Florida. The Make-A-Wish Foundation supplied a hire car for us all which was described as a "mini van". This turned out to be a Mazda MPV V6 People carrier, however our thoughts turned to this!,

Imagine our relief .

Tony.

 

[Rha]

We made that same mistake 21 years ago the first time that we came to Florida. The Make-A-Wish Foundation supplied a hire car for us all which was described as a "mini van". This turned out to be a Mazda MPV V6 People carrier, however our thoughts turned to this!,
View attachment 14940
Imagine our relief .

Tony.

Good old mini, still remember mine, not many of us olden's haven't had the pleasure, did all maintenance/repairs on it, real doddle, had S (wrote it off) then countryman when my first arrived. Great little cars in their time.