Transit

[Danny Wideboy]

The smiley Transits have none of the electonics you mention and actually rust less than the mk6.
As my tagline suggests, i have fondled a few mk5 transits and still am,  as my thread proves.
They are available for anything from scrap money to strong money. I wouldn't pay over £500 for one now, you say you are up for welding, thats inevitable.
Most panels are available and cheap to buy. It isn't much fun though.

If i was buying a Transit to weld and keep now, it would be the least rotten mk6 FWD I could find.
They are just better to drive. I currently own both, and am driving my mk5 to Holland in 2 weeks. Its more comfy to sit in due to the minibus captains seat but the mk6 would be faster and more economical. Also much, much more quiet.
I'm not a fan of the later mk7 2.2 engine. Far too many failures.
The 2.0 in the earlier vans can suffer fuel pump failure but isn't catastrophic, unlike the 2.2 which suffers oil starvation issues and throws legs out of bed.