Group Buy: 1982 Ford Escort bASe. Purchased.

[greengartside]

I’d bid him £1700. Not worth going past that IMHO. 

Makes me wish I’d kept hold of my immaculate 1984 1.6 GL Cabriolet, a genuine 64k from new and totally rot-free. I bought it in 2007, locally off autotrader (with a very sparse advert listing) for just £500. I sold it in 2009 for £1000. I dread to think how much it’d be worth now.

[BorniteIdentity]

10 hours ago, Rusty_Rocket said:

Is it really a full on restoration project?

Not for a shiter, no.  You just enjoy it for what it is - rather than what it isn't - and fix it up as you go.  I'm not a restoration man really; renovate is a much better word.  Just titivate here and there as stuff comes up, and ffs keep the wheels rollin'.

I would imagine 50% of the potential audience for this car will fix it up and make it beautiful, and the other 50% have an itchy trigger finger over the satin black spray cans.

[Cavcraft]

It needs saving that's for sure, wouldn't be too surprised if got the OSF 'treatment' of a lowering kit, RS Turbo alloys, Recaros and bonnet vents. The fact it's still live (at least I'm assuming it is) is a good sign, he's probably just had the usual morons offering him £100 at 3.00am, hopefully you could get it at a decent price. 

[sierraman]

As above if you turned up, looked at it, showed genuine interest in preserving it and had ACTUAL money in your hands I reckon you’d get a fair bit off the price. 

[BorniteIdentity]

Oh ffs. 

 

Full write up tomorrow. Sufficient to say the three owners are like a big bunch of proud, happy, Gay Dads. 

It is also superior in most measurable ways to the Sierra. 

[greengartside]

@BorniteIdentity- you’ve won autoshite. God status achieved.

[Skizzer]

On 2/25/2021 at 1:25 PM, Skizzer said:

I’m not in the market this time

Yeah, ask me how long that lasted.

It does look a lovely thing though, so no regrets whatsoever. And yes, we did get a bit of money knocked off.

[crad]

the 2022 calendar beckons...

[LightBulbFun]

38 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Oh ffs. 

 

Full write up tomorrow. Sufficient to say the three owners are like a big bunch of proud, happy, Gay Dads. 

It is also superior in most measurable ways to the Sierra. 

 

33 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

Yeah, ask me how long that lasted.

It does look a lovely thing though, so no regrets whatsoever. And yes, we did get a bit of money knocked off.

Awesome stuff! 

glad to see this has entered fold and saved from any sort of scene treatment hopefully!  

well done to those brave few that went in with the group purchase

 

now someone needs to get an early Base Metro or something... (or maybe thats just me being a sucker for the recessed headlights)

[Timewaster]

4 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

now bornite needs to get an early Fiesta Popular...

😁

[Cheggers]

Awesome stuff! 
glad to see this has entered fold and saved from any sort of scene treatment hopefully!  
well done to those brave few that went in with the group purchase
 
now someone needs to get an early Base Metro or something... (or maybe thats just me being a sucker for the recessed headlights)

It's a fine line between brave and foolish

[N19]

Awesome. I just hope that domestic bliss in Chez Identity isn't compromised.

[loserone]

Top work chaps, thoroughly excellent news

[dave j]

Nice one! Can't wait to see the updates. 

[captain_70s]

Am very glad this happened, even gladder I'm not a co-owner.

Well done to all involved.

[Bren]

I am not a fan of front drive ezzies. However, this takes me back to 1989 and 1990 - my mate had a terracotta red 1300. CNV399X. Much fun listening to fuzzbox and Alannah Myles while blasting around Widnes and Warrington.

[sierraman]

Get some rustproofing fluid into it once you are satisfied it’s completely solid. I don’t know if you have a compressor but it wants applying into the box sections under pressure.

Then get out using it and showing it, of course you’ll have to endure people who sound like they’ve got a mouth full of sausages saying ‘it’s a shame it’s not an RS Turbo!’ Or their uncle had the only 1700T ever made any such bullshit that old Fords attract. This is much more interesting than any RS Turbo.

[Conan]

So... when is the Indenor Granada coming?

[greengartside]

I’m just waiting for Midnite to come back on here protesting about how he doesn’t get it...

A bit of internet sleuthing has revealed this photo, which I believe is the Escort bASe...

 

[BorniteIdentity]

14 minutes ago, greengartside said:

I’m just waiting for Midnite to come back on here protesting about how he doesn’t get it...

A bit of internet sleuthing has revealed this photo, which I believe is the Escort bASe...

 

Mmm beaded seat cover. 

I have to say I’m bloody exhausted but it’s been a fucking brilliant day. Buzzing past Audley End House in a low rent Escort is, again, one of those memories that will live with me forever. 

If anyone wants to treat it to a pair of sheepskin seat covers (without threats of legal action in future) then we’d be delighted. 

The tyres are also 20 years old 😉 

[Skizzer]

Actually I’ve been searching for sheepskin seat covers today but they all seem to have integrated head rest bits. This car snorts at such decadent nonsense as head restraints.

We may need to teleport back to Woolworths in 1978 to get a pair, unless someone has some in the loft?

[BorniteIdentity]

I once read that negotiation is about reaching a price that neither party is pleased with. Having spent a considerable amount of time on this car, it was quite clear that we were never going to agree on value. The seller “knew what he had” and, in the spirit of fairness which is occasionally unpopular on AS, he was right. 

 

I left on Friday feeling glad I wouldn’t be going back. It was a nice idea, but the wrong car. It was just a bit TOO shonky. It didn’t grab me. It was frustrating, because I’ve quietly and ashamedly admired these since about 1994. So, you can imagine my surprise when I sent a detailed video to the other guys, showcasing every single issue in 1080p HD only to receive:

 

 

 

 

So, we made an offer - acknowledging it wasn’t the price he wanted, nor the price we wanted to pay. Should it have been cheaper? I honestly don’t know. Does it matter? Not one jot. People spend more on a fortnight in some grotty Spanish shithole and are left with nothing more than a sunburnt head and an overdraft. We’d still have a MK3 Escort. At the very worst, we paid next years prices this year. Without wishing to sound like a privileged old ponce, there’s also something a bit common about arguing over a few quid. What price style?

 

 

So we went over to collect it this morning. The seller, in fairness, was much more amenable and warm. Annoyingly, Faster Payments are anything but and we were stuck in each other’s company for an hour whilst the money cleared. I watched on whilst he did his daughters garden, feeling like Louis Theroux making a documentary on some sub-culture he was trying to understand. Still, they were rather charming and welcoming and we had a bit of a laugh in the winter sunshine. 

 

When the money cleared, I did the pleasantries and hit the road. 

 

 

No shit, it drives wonderfully. The tyres are 20 years old but, even so, it handles delightfully and the 1.3 CVH is responsive and willing. There’s not an ounce of blue smoke, the clutch is new, and the gearbox just does its job with aplomb. With the windows down and the sun streaming through, I felt like the king of the world. (In a shit jumper and rusty car)

 

First problem, the fuel gauge. The guy said it didn’t work - but it sort of does. Turn on the car and the needle moves around to about 7/8 full. I’m sure he wouldn’t lie about it not working, so I guess the float is stuck? Secondly, no dice with the temp gauge either. Not ideal when pressing a car into service that hasn’t been used in a while. 

 

With the car on the MID and the tax in post, I took the back ways home - avoiding popular fuelling stations with cameras. 
 

 

Just as I came into the village before mine, we had a quick glimmer of the red gravy boat - and then, after this photo, the brake light too.
 

 

Obviously I handed over a lot of money for a car that’s not been used for months and drove off without checking the levels. That’s what knuckleheads like me do. 

 

Once home, I gave it the full extent of a Bornite Wash. Hose, soft brush, that’s it. 
 

 

 

 

I did stick a bit of wax on the back and, you know what, it made a slight difference, but not a lot. 

 

In summary, I’m delighted with it - and I know the other guys are too. Lovely little things like this make a disproportionate difference.
 

 

 

The car was clearly loved for a long time by the owner of 23 years. 

 

For me, the MK3 (along with the MK5a) Escort is THE Autoshite Escort. And in base spec with no fripperies, it suits me just fine

 

 

 

Yep, it’s just my luck that my first experience with an escort is one with a terrible body who’s pushing 40, but I’ll give it some love nonetheless. 
 

Just time for a final tonight from one of my co-directors... 

 

 

Mission complete.

[Fumbler]

Epic saga, epic car. I look forward to metallic arches being fitted to it.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Hmm... how to phrase this?

 Oh, I know. FUCK YEAH!!!!!

[vulgalour]

I'd be happy to offer my services as a thing-maker to run up some sheepskin covers for this.  Only trouble is, ideally I'd need a seat to make sure I got the fit right.  They're not difficult to make for low-back seats, you can do them out of a single length of fabric, 2 seams, and a hem.  A bit of cord/elastic through the hem for tension and you're good to go.  Make it out of the right sort of fabric and they're even machine washable.

[Skizzer]

3 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

I'd be happy to offer my services as a thing-maker to run up some sheepskin covers for this.  Only trouble is, ideally I'd need a seat to make sure I got the fit right.  They're not difficult to make for low-back seats, you can do them out of a single length of fabric, 2 seams, and a hem.  A bit of cord/elastic through the hem for tension and you're good to go.  Make it out of the right sort of fabric and they're even machine washable.

That would be just fantastic, huge thank you. This MUST happen.

[SiC]

25 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

In summary, I’m delighted with it - and I know the other guys are too. Lovely little things like this make a disproportionate difference.
 

 

I haven't commented on this thread as, if I don't have a nice thing to say, I thought best to stay quiet. 

However it did warm me up to it on the fact it's a car that was local to me here. Something about seeing something that is quite old and would have been regularly buzzing around where you live, with one owner cherishing it. 

It's part of the reason why I bought the E28 off Steve, as it's a car that lived it's whole life around here (also of course they're also they're cool too). 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Well done on managing to add it to the fleet. I wonder how the fella you bought it from managed to get his mitts on it? 

Seeing the dash has brought back a very distant memory of the choke on these- does it glow a warming orange when you pull it out? 

[SiC]

Presumably MJ Motors used to be where these flats are now.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dh5tYmgQ7WXhFzFd8

[bigstraight6]

Love this car, I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw a MK3 Escort estate, what a survivor!