Group Buy: 1982 Ford Escort bASe. Purchased.

[CrapCarNerd]

I've enjoyed reading up on this Escort! I'd love a base model. Mines a popular (C reg) so I guess an end of the line base model.  Wish It was an early one like this car with the different dash etc. Hope the wiring is sorted now, I got a mention a few post back where I posted a fair bit on Retro Rides about my Escort loosing all its power. Turned out to be the connection between the ignition switch and the loom. I ended up cutting the melted plug out and crimped the wires together. 

Heres mine enjoying a few other Escorts (an L 5 door mk4 and Popular 3 Door mk3 ) last weekend. 

[sierraman]

Love seeing an old base Escort, so many have been modified. My dad had one exactly same but in that flat dark blue that they all seemed to be in, it was only about 6 years old and it had to have a new battery tray welded in. 

[C3C3]

Been while, I've replaced the front wings with brand new pattern wings that fit dead on. Only need a little shove to flex them back into shape after shipping. Panel beat the rear arches back into shape, It's still the original metal other than along the bottom where it had rotten away. It's been painted on the lower half where the repairs have been carried out, really shows the paint fade but only if you look at it from the right direction, sidewards on it isn't that noticeable.

Engine could do with new tappets. The fuel sender's carbon strip has worn away so need a solution for that. I had to swap the gearbox out after it started whining and eventually ejected a drive shaft. That was scary as hell. It's now got a 5 speed from a later escort and the gear remote has been replaced with one from a Fiesta Zetec S (The shorter shifting one), as the gate on the 4 speed was in the remote too.

Looking into getting the front seat material replaced with the original material. 

I recently moved home into a flat but I have two parking spaces so I get to keep the escort around along with the company vehicle. When there is space, it will go straight into the garage for a complete rub down and respray.

Cost of ownership now that it is a historical vehicle is 94 pound per year for insurance. Thats it.

[Uphillbox]

Well done for preserving this vehicle and thank you for letting us know how it's getting on, I was thinking about it the other day.

[sierraman]

5 speed box sounds a sensible mod for longer journeys.

[C3C3]

27 minutes ago, sierraman said:

5 speed box sounds a sensible mod for longer journeys.

Do get some funny looks when over taking all the traffic on the A12 blasting my way through Essex. It's actually quite a nimble vehicle after you get the little CVH revving nicely. Could do with a shiny carburettor now that I think about it, but then I'd have to sort out the entire engine and make it equally shiny. Perhaps I'll do that when I pull it out for the respray, the engine pay is painted in red oxide paint just like the arches were so whoever did that actually saved a ton of the surfaces from rust.

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, C3C3 said:

Do get some funny looks when over taking all the traffic on the A12 blasting my way through Essex. It's actually quite a nimble vehicle after you get the little CVH revving nicely. Could do with a shiny carburettor now that I think about it, but then I'd have to sort out the entire engine and make it equally shiny. Perhaps I'll do that when I pull it out for the respray, the engine pay is painted in red oxide paint just like the arches were so whoever did that actually saved a ton of the surfaces from rust.

Hello!
I thought of you yesterday as I still have another set of keys for you!  

I bloody loved this thing - more practical and nicer inside than the Sierra which I still have!  Good to see it being used as a motor car and given the attention it needs to do another 40 years of motoring.   Good on you!

[sierraman]

5 hours ago, C3C3 said:

Do get some funny looks when over taking all the traffic on the A12 blasting my way through Essex. It's actually quite a nimble vehicle after you get the little CVH revving nicely. Could do with a shiny carburettor now that I think about it, but then I'd have to sort out the entire engine and make it equally shiny. Perhaps I'll do that when I pull it out for the respray, the engine pay is painted in red oxide paint just like the arches were so whoever did that actually saved a ton of the surfaces from rust.

Those carbs were almost a service item back in the day. I’m assuming are a VV or a Pierberg? Makes a lot of sense getting a Weber. 

[CrapCarNerd]

Good to hear its coming along nicely! I took my 1.1 out the other day and compared to my 2.0 Capri its way more nimble and quick off the mark (maybe that says more about the Capri)  Great cars and good to see its getting the love it deserves. Also £94 for insurance is a bargain. My Popular 1.1 is about £400!! 

Out of interest does it say Escort base on the log book? I was trying to figure out on 'How many left.com' if there are in fact many base models left? If I could find a 3 door like mine as as base I'd probably sell mine. Starting to wonder if yours is the only one left haha! ? 

Lastly did your 4 speed constantly whine like an old Morris minor ?  Mines always done it i think but sounds like you had a bad experience 

[warren t claim]

Back in 1993 my then girlfriend had a super early W plate 1.3GL estate. It didn't even have head restraints but did have the obligatory Ford P21 push button radio. I had a late RS1600i at the time and couldn't believe how different they felt to drive. I remember four of us piling into her Escort to go to the cinema and on the way she drove through a deep puddle causing the electrics to die. By the time I'd managed to get it running again we were late for the screening of Indecent Proposal so just got tickets for whatever film was next to start. We scored tickets for the opening night of a movie called Reservoir Dogs by an unknown director and watched it in the cinema with about a dozen other people.  

[C3C3]

14 hours ago, CrapCarNerd said:

Good to hear its coming along nicely! I took my 1.1 out the other day and compared to my 2.0 Capri its way more nimble and quick off the mark (maybe that says more about the Capri)  Great cars and good to see its getting the love it deserves. Also £94 for insurance is a bargain. My Popular 1.1 is about £400!! 

Out of interest does it say Escort base on the log book? I was trying to figure out on 'How many left.com' if there are in fact many base models left? If I could find a 3 door like mine as as base I'd probably sell mine. Starting to wonder if yours is the only one left haha! ? 

Lastly did your 4 speed constantly whine like an old Morris minor ?  Mines always done it i think but sounds like you had a bad experience 

I was driving through some backroads when it had a hissy fit, the gearbox started to whine about 7 months ago but only at certain RPMs so I wasn't fussed. The passenger side shaft just flat out ejected and had the CV jammed at a weird angle. Was doing about 20mph around a sharp bend when it happened,  had a ratchet strap on hand so getting it back in wasn't a problem but the box was making the most horrendous racket on the trip back home. 

Quick visit to my fathers friend who's been hording any vehicle he can get his hands on for 50 years, found a stack of mk5/mk6 escorts (including an Rs2000 4x4!) behind some overgrowth and in the bottom was all the gearboxes and engines from them. I did spot a twin choke manifold and carb in the pile but I dont know if a twin choke Webber is overkill for a 1.3 hemi cvh. All my knowledge is around twin cam zetec engines & the Mazda derived  Ford Duratec engines that run on EFI. 

Im pretty sure it says escort base on the log book, Ill double check when I pickup the rest of the paperwork later today. Haven't moved my cars to their new homes yet, escort will be staying with me and my 78 mk fiesta L will be going into storage until I can find the time to finish custom drive shafts, exhaust and wiring loom. Offtopic but I crammed a Mk1 Focus St170 2.0 engine into it with a mk5 escort turbo diesel gearbox, the same style gearbox on the Rs2000 4x4 but with longer gear ratios due to being a diesel. No it does not fit straight in, you gotta cut BOTH sides of the inner wing to cram it all in.

[Richard_FM]

My brother had an E reg Mk4 where the gearbox started to jump out of 5th, not fun on a motorway.

He considered getting getting a reconditioned box but it wasn't really going to be worth it, especially as the bodywork was beginning to get flaky.

In the end he bought an ex-demo Mk4 Astra on credit & scrapped the Escort.

[mk2_craig]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:19 AM, C3C3 said:

the gate on the 4 speed was in the remote too

On early 80s cars yes. Possible to modify the remote/lever to remove the gate, for use with the later 80s onwards gearboxes. 

[C3C3]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:46 PM, CrapCarNerd said:

Out of interest does it say Escort base on the log book?

Checked the logbook, yeah says "ESCORT BASE" on the paper work.

[CrapCarNerd]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:42 PM, C3C3 said:

Checked the logbook, yeah says "ESCORT BASE" on the paper work.

Thats cool man! On how many left is seems like only a hand full of ESCORT BASE from the early 80s are left. A few Sorn and some must have engine swaps as one is a 1.9 or 2.0 haha. 

I was thinking about the gearbox whine on mine today. I made a quick video and was hoping you'd see if it was the same sound you had? I'm thinking of doing a 150 mile trip into wales and back but starting to think it might be a bad idea. It definitely needs a new clutch thats for sure. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozP3DENeo78

[C3C3]

Rolled over 79,000. Oh yeah I rebuilt the steering rack a while ago. Nice and toight now. 

[wuvvum]

On 8/15/2022 at 5:50 PM, CrapCarNerd said:

Thats cool man! On how many left is seems like only a hand full of ESCORT BASE from the early 80s are left. A few Sorn and some must have engine swaps as one is a 1.9 or 2.0 haha.

If it's a 1.9 it's probably a US import.

[C3C3]

Still doodling around. Got spotted while moving house recently.

Still needs a complete rub down, tidying up small dents on the back and painting in full. The mk1 fiesta should be finished or at least driving within a month or two so this will finally get some good attention. Front seats are crying to be redone. 

Rebuilt the distributor after it fell to pieces a few days ago. The carb is starting to play up, thats the next thing on the list to bolt on. There is a 32/34 DFT knocking around somewhere but I need a manifold for it.

[C3C3]

Good lord. I've been driving this? It's uhhh...

Questionable mounting mechanism if I do say so my self. I have no idea what carb this is but its going the first moment I stop being a lazy bastard. I do wonder how long this has been like this.

Installed a new alternator as the old crapped out, gutted some of the loom and replaced the wiring. Cracked wires galore. Alternator wasn't exciting, blown bulb in the dash. Gonna replace all the wheel bearings this weekend. Head needs a bit of a rebuild. Noisy etc. buuuuuuut dont fancy spending the wonga right now.

Must resist the urge to swap a zetec engine in. It's just too innocent and pure with the 1.3 CVH.

 

A bit off topic but there's a good reason why: finally getting the St170 Mk1 Fiesta on the road.

Mk2 Focus Diesel drive shafts, slapped onto my early mk1 fiesta drive shafts with 100% legit JB weld & bubble gum, garnished with some fresh chips off of the lathe.

The worlds shortest XR9R Carb manifold for a zetec. Less than 3 inches. Something something dick size, internet, roll snare. 

 

[High Jetter]

Uh, Weld one?

[C3C3]

Still hunting for a bumper cap.

[Matty]

Still looking mint tho

[yes oui si]

I love this car so much ❤️

[CrapCarNerd]

Whats the news on the Escort? Did you sort the Carb out? Mines still running the old VV unit (manual choke though) keep thinking maybe I should get the webber. Just fired it up after 4 months and its so easy to drive compared to my Capri. 

[C3C3]

On 26/10/2024 at 10:36, CrapCarNerd said:

Whats the news on the Escort? Did you sort the Carb out? Mines still running the old VV unit (manual choke though) keep thinking maybe I should get the webber. Just fired it up after 4 months and its so easy to drive compared to my Capri. 

I'm like a ghost wooo wooo oweoeooeoe!

 

It's on the to do list but im busy sorting out my mk1 fiesta so I can take the escort off the road for a full paint job and a head refresh. 

The carb that is on it actually runs OK and starts well in the cold so I've left it be for now. 32/34 carb is needed, already got a manifold.

 

Just look at the friggin paint dust and shagged wiper from a couple of months ago. Sassy. It's still my daily even in -3c mornings.