1993 Ford Spectron XL-T

[DerFahrer]

Hey all, been a long, LONG time since I've been on this forum... nearly 5 years, in fact!

I still have the B4 RSK; it's waiting patiently in storage for 1) the corona virus to pass and 2) for me to get a job :-(

But one other thing I've acquired in the last year that I thought you all would particularly enjoy is this ludicrous thing...

... it's a Ford Spectron!

This is the picture I took the day I got it, before cleaning it up a bit. It had Nissan wheels on it, either from a U13 Bluebird (the one that doesn't look like an Altima) or an M11 Prairie Joy (related to our Nissan Axxess).

And this is what it looks like now, with a new set of steel wheels and some very, VERY period correct wheel covers:

What it actually is is a rebadge of a Mazda Bongo van. Mazda's Bongo was immensely successful in the East, to the point where they were rebadged as Mitsubishis, Nissans, Kias, and Fords. This is the Ford version.

So, yes, it's a JDM Ford!

Power is from a Mazda RF 2.0L turbodiesel 4cyl engine, an engine that actually did make a brief appearance in the United States, in the `84-`86 Ford Escort and Tempo, and Mercury Lynx and Topaz, and also in the `84-`85 Mazda 626 diesel (have you ever seen one of those?!). Those engines were not turbocharged though. This one is.

The results? A WHOPPING 71hp and, I estimate, about 150 ft-lbs or so of torque. It's not intercooled, so the power bump over the 52hp USDM nonturbo engines is relatively modest... but hey, that's over 36% more power!

It's rear wheel drive (some versions were 4WD) and it's a 5-speed manual.

It's by far the most charming and wholesome vehicle I've ever owned and the best part is, It has less than 34,000kms on it! So I have many more years still to enjoy it!

 

[carfreak85]

I first saw this when you shared over on the BBS.  Really cool van!  Do you daily this?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Those are pretty abundant here in Honduras / Latin America, but the entirely built by Kia versions, called Kia Besta (short van and there are newer versions with larger body); I've never seen a Ford Version, but this doen't surprise me, as we have many Mazdas, sold as Kia and Ford side by side here, since the 1970's Ford Courier / Kia Master \ Mazda B1600 or Sundowner, almost all same products were traded in those three brands, but they vary in their country of origin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Bongo

Kia sells those as Trucks here, also.

Kia Frontier / K 2700 \ K 3000

We also have Japanese-made Ford Rangers all these years, non stopping despite that in USA their sales stopped some years... those are Mazda BT50 / Ford Ranger. 

Some photos ~► https://www.ranger-forums.com/member-introductions-12/greetings-honduras-149022/page2/#post2109628

_________________

Back on Topic: Nice Van! ... I like it, and I didn't knew about a Ford Version of these.

Thanks for sharing, enjoy it ...  ...

Why the Steering wheel on the right side?

Kind Regards.

[DerFahrer]

@carfreak85 I don't daily it, no. My living and job situation is kinda up in the air right now, so it's currently sitting in a friend's hangar about 20 miles away.

@Loyale 2.7 Turbo yes the Besta/Bongo was a license-built version of the Bongo that Kia made themselves. My Spectron, however, is made by Mazda in Japan (the VIN plate actually says, in English, "manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation"), that's why it's right-hand-drive. That's one of the strange ironies I enjoy about it, it's badged as a Ford (an American car company) but it's made in Japan for the Japanese market and then it was imported into America

Thank you all for the kind words!

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by DerFahrer