1985 Ford Escort Mk3 - 1.1 Popular -9 years & 30k miles later!

[CrapCarNerd]

After reading the Escort Base model thread I thought I'd share my Escort 1.1 Popular that I have owned for nearly 10 years now. Its proper chod spec and I love it!!

I always wanted one of these. When I was a kid my dad had a Sunburst Red Base Model 1.3 (x reg) until about 1998 followed by a mk4 1.4 GL. I always assumed I'd own a Red 3 door Escort mk3 when I passed my test but, that was 2005. My folks helped me with my first shit box which was a £900 Saxo and they wouldnt help to buy an Escort as they thought the ones they had were shite. I was stuck for a while until I was making my own money. Saxo died one Friday and I was looking for a mk3 in Red in a hurry. Didnt happen but I landed a mk5 3 door in Red for work on Monday (2008). I also test drove a Capri 1.6 but we'll come back to that later.

During owning this I went to view a mk3 (sunburst red 1.3) that a scrap yard in Manchester had put to one side. Went along with £300 which was what it wasnt selling for on ebay. Fell in love, was told to go home and bid. When I got home they'd taken it down and I was gutted! Even drove back and pleaded with them to sell it me. The bosses son wanted it apparently.  Anyway... had the mk5 for years, followed by a Focus when that died, then I was in a position where I was about to make some decent money as a touring musician which meant I could own a second car.

Although I was always looking for one of these (still do to this day) one hadnt popped up in Red for 3 years and during the rehearsals for said tour a C reg 3 door 1.1 in Red popped up for sale on ebay. It seemed like it was meant to be so I went down to Peterborough and had a look/test drive. I loved every minute of it and thought it was hilarious at the same time. The steering wheel was so thin, the gear stick really long, the seating position was less sporty than my old mk5. I had to have it. The seller said you've checked it over havent you and happy with it a few times... alarm bells should have rang but it looked fine and solid. Put my fingers under the arch and they seemed solid (should have looked harder as you'll see). Anyway I bought it with my heart and not my head. Enjoyed the summer of 2013 with the medium wave radio cranked and the single centre speaker working its bollocks off then it lived in my Dads garage in the winter. 

Apologies for the Photobucket watermark on these early pics.

As stereo upgrade from medium wave to Cassette medium wave. 

The following year as I remember it went for an MOT and they poked the little hole I'd found at the bottom of the driver sill, all the way around. Gutted!! This is the time I should have put it back on ebay, especially as on a now defunct Escort forum a guy couldnt sell a Base model 1.6 3 door in terracotta for £600. After a while I found some guys in Stoke-on-Trent who could restore it for me for a reasonable price so in it went... as you can see they found more rot than initially thought.  

All done! with some new wheels off a Capri, probably killing off all the wheel bearings.

 

This is probably 1/3 of story. Its 2014 at this point. My girlfriend had moved to Glasgow for a new job so I was occasionally using it to go up there (Still had my Focus Estate too). Mainly I used it to listen to the Smiths and Tom petty cassettes round Manchester when back from touring with various bands. At some point it was kicked out of my Dads garage when he bought a Spitfire 1500 in early 2017 and then I took it to London with my later that year when I moved.

I'll continue this later on when I have more time. As a long time lurker on here I thought I should maybe share my own tails of automotive woe with you... we havent even got to the Capri yet. 

[cpjitservices]

My grandad had one similar way back when.. hold on..

 

[cpjitservices]

[N19]

Fantastic thread - good to see you on here!

Tom (of the blue Capri)

[CrapCarNerd]

2 hours ago, cpjitservices said:

My grandad had one similar way back when.. hold on..

 

Thats the era of mk3 I really wanted. Being an absolute mk3 anorak the W,X & Y Reg models come in the nicer sunburst red and seem a bit more pov spec. Also those chrome decals "Escort 1.3L" Badges are great!

1 hour ago, N19 said:

Fantastic thread - good to see you on here!

Tom (of the blue Capri)

Hey Tom! Good to know your on here too! We made the pilgrimage back to the north this year so missing out on all the southern shows. 

[CrapCarNerd]

So... after getting it back from the welders I used it sparingly for a couple of years toying about with different stereos. Think I sold this one again as it didnt work that well but looked cool with the graphic eq. I decided to fit ISO blocks to all my stereos so I can swap them for shows etc. Pretty easy on the Escorts pov spec dash, you can just push them out from the back 🤪

Someone reversed into it and luckily some mates saw it. I got some cash off the guy to sort it out and managed to get two bumpers for it in the end. After that I put the new metal number plates under the bumper incase it happened again.

I also found a guy who had wrote off his Escort and was selling all the spares. Got these original wheels which replaced the Capri ones.

Then around 2016 I had the scuttle panel replaced and some rust touched up around the rear windows. Unfortunately (which has always been the case with this car) the body shop struggled to match the paint. Its never been the original Rosso Red so they did me a deal and flashed over the whole Car again. Unfortunately it lost its Popular stripes in the process and this is where it had to start living out side due to the Triumph Spitfire ...

... and me relocating to Crouch End, London. I loved this as it meant that I could go down to Ace Cafe regular and later on when we moved to West London go to loads of the West London Car meets. 

This is probably the Escorts peak. I entered it into Festival of the Unexceptional 2018 .

I started doing a bit of maintenance at this point as it wasnt doing to well in the London traffic. Changed the Radiator, hoses, thermostat to try and get the temp to chill out about. It turns out a leak on the bottom of the carb didnt help.  

I also tried to track down the original garage at this point. No luck unfortunately apparently everyone who owns 'Southern Cross Garages LTD' is now gone and the Market Deeping branch where this Car came from is now a Co-Op.

 After I bought my Capri (told you we'd get back to that) which was a total fixer upper, I started getting braver with this one and did some well overdue maintenance. I did the tappets and long over due oil change. At this point i realised how much id neglected it and how important oil changes are. Since that I got an oil leak from the oil pump. Its behaving more now but shows how you have to do regular oil changes. 

Up next, renting it out for films, electrical problems, moving north and my old friend rust returns! 

 

[bunglebus]

Used to be 10 a penny. I'm a RWD Escort person but my mate obsesses over these, started with a 1.3 3 door base or L (A38 THJ) in Sunburst which another friend had turned into a bit of an XR3 rep, lowered with a hot cam etc. That got dead thanks to a Citroen BX in its side so was replaced with a Crystal green 3 door Ghia, he then had a white MK4 cabrio (C638 MHJ I think), red MK3 cabrio and a Sunburst RS1600i.

[CrapCarNerd]

Yeah I'd have more If I could. I'd like a 1.3 that was the one I always wanted although this little 1.1 is pretty nippy. Never driven any of the sporty ones or any RWD Escorts, just Capris. What year did the XR3 get killed by the BX? Must have been 90s or early 2000s i'm guessing?

[CrapCarNerd]

This brings us up to 2020/ 2021 where I started renting out my Car for films and music videos. Its not had tons of work but at the moment its been in 2 Rap videos (duno why) a Sky internal training video, Levis advert (dont think they used it in the end) and a short film where it ran someone over. 

While I was working on the two above projects I was having problems with the Alternator showing the Battery light on those cold wet mornings. Trying to get a head of this incoming problem I sent it to my local garage rather than just doing it myself, dont know why and they said yeah its your alternator and fitted a new one. Didnt fully solve the problem though. Electrical smells started to apear in the cabin and it turned out to be the connector between the ignition switch and rest of the loom. Sometimes you would get in it and the car was just dead. Phoned GS Escorts in Runcorn or put me right. 

Its a bit gheto I know but just crimping them seemed the best way. The wires were too tight to do much else with.

You'd think that would have been enough for a while but no. I was using the Escort a lot to drive a few miles to my 8 month temporary Covid Job. It was only about 8 miles a day but all the speed bumps on the way I think took their tole on the 35 year old suspension. I got a nice gig recording for a Radio 1 artist at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick and as I was on the way over thinking "I hope the clutch ratchet doesnt go or the points or something" turned a corner and one of the rear Tie Bars snapped!! Luckily I was only doing about 10 mph as it was pretty ropey.

This is me blocking the way into the studios which wasnt ideal. Getting a tow back home was also less than ideal during covid.

Good thing this happened when it did though as the next thing I did was drive down to Goodwood and take it round the track for a few laps...

Which you can also watch here if you like on my Youtube channel ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyX0vSmiNSM&t=645s

After this I also did the clutch ratchet. Pulling off at Goodwood I almost lost the gears completley as some teeth had flown off. What a pig of a job!!! Again theres a whole video on this if anyone wants to see my pain. Hopefully I wont have to do it again. If I ever do the clutch myself I'll be taping/cable tying the cable to this bloody thing.

I also bought some second hand lowering suspension. I dont really want to modify this Car but after the tie rod thing I thought the spongey suspension had to go and as I'd dont the Capri myself Id do this. 

In all honesty I preferred it before even though its much nicer to drive now in some ways. 

Before

After

I think in the future I'll put some Xr3 springs on it to get the best of both worlds. The way the front sits is great but the back is a bit low I think. 

Doing this job is where I realised it might be a bit rustier than I first realised... 

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, CrapCarNerd said:

What year did the XR3 get killed by the BX? Must have been 90s or early 2000s i'm guessing?

Blimey, probably 1995 or so? I passed my test early that year and I think it was not long after - apparently he got T-boned as he pulled away in 3rd due to the gear linkage being poorly adjusted - another common complaint on these cars

1 hour ago, CrapCarNerd said:

turned a corner and one of the rear Tie Bars snapped!! Luckily I was only doing about 10 mph as it was pretty ropey.

They all seem to do that eventually. Apparently it's quite an experience if it happens at speed. 

[CrapCarNerd]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Blimey, probably 1995 or so? I passed my test early that year and I think it was not long after - apparently he got T-boned as he pulled away in 3rd due to the gear linkage being poorly adjusted - another common complaint on these cars

They all seem to do that eventually. Apparently it's quite an experience if it happens at speed. 

Yeah it was quite the experience. At first I thought a brake has stuck on as the car was all over the road. Even still I got out and had a look around as I think it made a lot of noise unsurprisingly. Couldn't see anything so carried on and it was mad. Luckily I was about a mile away from the studio and managed to limp there. Glad I was going slow... After this I slowly replaced all the suspension on both Cars 🤣 .

Fair enough it being 1995! I did wonder with you saying Escort Base. The one my folks had lasted until about 1998 and then I remember mk4 Escorts were the one to have.

[Tenmil Socket]

On 8/16/2022 at 7:36 PM, CrapCarNerd said:

This brings us up to 2020/ 2021 where I started renting out my Car for films and music videos. Its not had tons of work but at the moment its been in 2 Rap videos (duno why) a Sky internal training video, Levis advert (dont think they used it in the end) and a short film where it ran someone over. 

While I was working on the two above projects I was having problems with the Alternator showing the Battery light on those cold wet mornings. Trying to get a head of this incoming problem I sent it to my local garage rather than just doing it myself, dont know why and they said yeah its your alternator and fitted a new one. Didnt fully solve the problem though. Electrical smells started to apear in the cabin and it turned out to be the connector between the ignition switch and rest of the loom. Sometimes you would get in it and the car was just dead. Phoned GS Escorts in Runcorn or put me right. 

Its a bit gheto I know but just crimping them seemed the best way. The wires were too tight to do much else with.

You'd think that would have been enough for a while but no. I was using the Escort a lot to drive a few miles to my 8 month temporary Covid Job. It was only about 8 miles a day but all the speed bumps on the way I think took their tole on the 35 year old suspension. I got a nice gig recording for a Radio 1 artist at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick and as I was on the way over thinking "I hope the clutch ratchet doesnt go or the points or something" turned a corner and one of the rear Tie Bars snapped!! Luckily I was only doing about 10 mph as it was pretty ropey.

This is me blocking the way into the studios which wasnt ideal. Getting a tow back home was also less than ideal during covid.

Good thing this happened when it did though as the next thing I did was drive down to Goodwood and take it round the track for a few laps...

Which you can also watch here if you like on my Youtube channel ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyX0vSmiNSM&t=645s

After this I also did the clutch ratchet. Pulling off at Goodwood I almost lost the gears completley as some teeth had flown off. What a pig of a job!!! Again theres a whole video on this if anyone wants to see my pain. Hopefully I wont have to do it again. If I ever do the clutch myself I'll be taping/cable tying the cable to this bloody thing.

I also bought some second hand lowering suspension. I dont really want to modify this Car but after the tie rod thing I thought the spongey suspension had to go and as I'd dont the Capri myself Id do this. 

In all honesty I preferred it before even though its much nicer to drive now in some ways. 

Before

After

I think in the future I'll put some Xr3 springs on it to get the best of both worlds. The way the front sits is great but the back is a bit low I think. 

Doing this job is where I realised it might be a bit rustier than I first realised... 

Nice looking Escort 👍

I had a rear tie bar go on one of my old ones at low speed and would hate to think what would of happened at high speed!

I must say that replacing the clutch ratchet was probably the worst job I've ever done on a car purely due to the access. I had the dash and driver's seat out and was led on my back in the car with a head torch. Taking the dash out was probably a little excessive.

[CrapCarNerd]

4 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Nice looking Escort 👍

I had a rear tie bar go on one of my old ones at low speed and would hate to think what would of happened at high speed!

I must say that replacing the clutch ratchet was probably the worst job I've ever done on a car purely due to the access. I had the dash and driver's seat out and was led on my back in the car with a head torch. Taking the dash out was probably a little excessive.

Haha yeah I didnt end up taking the dash out but I did take the drivers seat out and lower drivers dash.  I decided to film it to help others and so I could remember how it all went back. I think they changed it on later ones but it seems mad the the brake pedal has to come off with it too! 

Yeah the tie rod snapping at high speed must be horrific!! To be honest after that I decided that any old car I buy i'll probably swap out anything that looks as crusty as mine did. The Capri I own has all new/newish parts on... although thats just reminded me it doesnt have new U bolts on... should really sort that haha

 

[Cavcraft]

Looks absolutely ace (especially in standard ride height), these really were the last of the interesting Escorts.

[CrapCarNerd]

Right to finish this off... Yesterday it was 10 years to the day I bought this old gal! 

In more recent times this has been used in Rapper Aitch's '1989' Music video! 

 

A short film where someone ran over a child in a graveyard (not out yet)

A sky internal video

then we moved north and the MOT man smashed the passenger sill off and passenger inner wing out. A couple months later it was back on the road and nearly a year later hear it is with a similar ear shite train...

Used this car a lot in the last year and about to under go a full overdue service. Thinking of going for points and condenser too as its not been done since 2018 and I've never actually done it myself. I dont have a dwell meter but hoping I can get by with a timing gun and feeler gauge. 

 

Anyway that probably brings this thread up to date. Obviously theres been a lot of trips all over the country to London, Manchester, Bristol, Dorset, Lake District (locked my keys in it there) Glasgow, Bath... im sure theres more... Its done 30k as a second car. 

And the reason why I keep this thing... when I was a kid my Dad had a 1.3 X reg Base model in Sunburst Red. As you can see here I think its cool as F**k. If one came up I would sell this Car or the Capri and keep em both. It was always my dream (sadly) but this is as close as it gets.

Heres a random photo dump of the last 10 years... mainly music related.

 

 

[bunglebus]

It has points and condenser? I thought by then they were all electronic - even the OHV 1.3 MK4 had solid state stuff

[CrapCarNerd]

9 hours ago, bunglebus said:

It has points and condenser? I thought by then they were all electronic - even the OHV 1.3 MK4 had solid state stuff

Nah still has them. I thought this for years then it started running terrible. Took it to my garage and they said your points arnt event sparking 🤪

I'm actually planing a full service this weekend and week. Not sure if I should change the points. I think last time was 2018 and I'd like to attempt them myself. Any advice is welcome.

So far i've bought

Rotor Arm
Distributor Cap
Points/Condenser
Spark Plugs
Air Filter
Oil + Filter
Rocker Cover Gasket (as i'm going to do the tappets)
 

Oil change yesterday, going for tappets today.

[Bren]

Being the wrong side of 50 I can remember a lot of my mates had these when they started out driving.

My mate paid circa £2k for an X reg 1.3 in 1989. I remember it was a bastard to start and would run badly - firing the parts cannon on the electrics cured nothing until a garage recommended a weber carb - no more rough running  and car ran much better.

Another mate had the 1.1 which oddly felt much livlier than the 1.3 cvh.

My wife also had an X reg 1.1 - terracotta red - which she wrote off.

In 1989 you were of a slightly higher status if you could stretch to a mk 3 - everybody else spent £ 500 on mk 2's....

[danthecapriman]

33 minutes ago, CrapCarNerd said:

Nah still has them. I thought this for years then it started running terrible. Took it to my garage and they said your points arnt event sparking 🤪

I'm actually planing a full service this weekend and week. Not sure if I should change the points. I think last time was 2018 and I'd like to attempt them myself. Any advice is welcome.

So far i've bought

Rotor Arm
Distributor Cap
Points/Condenser
Spark Plugs
Air Filter
Oil + Filter
Rocker Cover Gasket (as i'm going to do the tappets)
 

Oil change yesterday, going for tappets today.

Unless you can find really good quality points & (especially!) condenser I’d leave it alone if they’re working. If you can’t get quality replacement’s I’d fit an electronic ignition set up. They’re almost fit & forget and do the job much better. 
Points & condenser was always a weakness in old cars but it’s not made any better nowadays by the cheap crappy quality of the new bits. I went through several new condenser’s on my Mercury (all made in China or India!) some worked briefly, some were useless out of the box. I got fed up, spent a bit on a good electronic ignition kit, fitted it in about 5 mins and it worked beautifully immediately and has continued to do so with no adjustments etc etc ever since.

Ive fitted a kit to my Capri too after similar issues. They’re miles better! And you can’t tell they’re fitted either unless you really look hard as it’s all inside the distributor.

Great car btw! I love the mk3. Someone I knew when I was in the last year of school had one. He was in the sixth form and had a 1.6 Ghia, which was absolutely immaculate. Always liked it.

[High Jetter]

Even if you don't change the points or condenser, keep a spare of each in the car...justin case.

[CrapCarNerd]

An intermotor condenser turned up today. looks like the other spare I have, not sure how old these are though? 

[Matty]

Care of @Mally and @SiC I've bought points, condensor, rotor arm, leads and cap from Distributor Doctor. In total I'm into about hundred quid but if you want to stick with points and condenser ignition then you won't get better!

[RayMK]

4 minutes ago, Matty said:

Care of @Mally and @SiC I've bought points, condensor, rotor arm, leads and cap from Distributor Doctor. In total I'm into about hundred quid but if you want to stick with points and condenser ignition then you won't get better!

Pricey!  I take it you've got a V16 (😀).

[Matty]

8 minutes ago, RayMK said:

Pricey!  I take it you've got a V16 (😀).

Tbf the cost was mainly the cap and 4 leads, plug caps and the king lead. The points, condenser and rotor arm were within a quid of normal items.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, CrapCarNerd said:

An intermotor condenser turned up today. looks like the other spare I have, not sure how old these are though? 

I recognize the packaging from working at Longlife, late 70's

[CrapCarNerd]

On 2/25/2023 at 10:23 AM, Bren said:

Being the wrong side of 50 I can remember a lot of my mates had these when they started out driving.

My mate paid circa £2k for an X reg 1.3 in 1989. I remember it was a bastard to start and would run badly - firing the parts cannon on the electrics cured nothing until a garage recommended a weber carb - no more rough running  and car ran much better.

Another mate had the 1.1 which oddly felt much livlier than the 1.3 cvh.

My wife also had an X reg 1.1 - terracotta red - which she wrote off.

In 1989 you were of a slightly higher status if you could stretch to a mk 3 - everybody else spent £ 500 on mk 2's....

When I was a kid my Dad had an X reg 1.3 (5 Door, sunburst Red, Base model) He said it was the same. Used to jog about loads and trouble starting it. Him and his mate did a weber manual choke conversion on it and it was alright after. I'm sure he said he smashed the old vv up with a hammer 😂 

I bet the 1.1 Terracotta Escort was nice. I remember when I bought this one a guy had a terracotta 1.6 base model on another forum. I wish I had bought it from him. Last I remember he couldnt sell it for £600 and so he scrapped it unless that wasnt true. 

This is pretty quick once you get into second. Feels more lively than the Capri I own but then that also needs a bit of TLC in the tune up department.

[wuvvum]

On 2/24/2023 at 11:00 PM, CrapCarNerd said:

Lake District (locked my keys in it there)

If you're going to lock your keys in a car, an early '80s Ford is probably one of the better choices.

[cobblers]

1 minute ago, wuvvum said:

If you're going to lock your keys in a car, an early '80s Ford is probably one of the better choices.

I did this on my mk3 XR3 and when I mentioned it to the dodgy bloke who lived next door to my nan he came out with an old number plate, bent a slight curve in it over his knee and slid it down the window rubber and the door popped open. Three seconds.

[stuboy]

well done on keeping this alive

[CrapCarNerd]

40 minutes ago, cobblers said:

I did this on my mk3 XR3 and when I mentioned it to the dodgy bloke who lived next door to my nan he came out with an old number plate, bent a slight curve in it over his knee and slid it down the window rubber and the door popped open. Three seconds.

Apparently they made an L shaped plate to stop this happening. I dont think that kind of anti theft technology was standard from the factory though ha!