Cars I don't "get". Add yours!

[Gompo]

The main attraction for both Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts to me has always been their looks - Far from beatiful or even attractive, I like the simpleness of a flat front Mk2 and the curves of a Mk1.

[Pete-M]

I'm still restoring my 1300 Sport. Doing it properly isn't cheap, but the car at the end of it will be worth it as at the end of the day, it's a Mk2 Escort.

 

Judging by the responses on here, they're either a car you 'get' or you don't. Like a Golf GTi, MGB, MX5, Audi quattro, Manta or whatever.

 

Personally, I prefer the Mk2 to all of the above because I love the way they handle, I love the driving position, the look of a well sorted one, and the ease of turning even a slobby old one into something very entertaining which happens to be insanely simple.The Mk2 just makes me grin. Lots.

 

The thing that is killing me with the 1300 is that it would be so much easier to just drop a 2.0 Zetec in, five speed box, Bilsteins, tramp bars, RS1800 anti roll bar, double width kit, roller top mounts and a quick rack than to completely finish it as a 1300 Sport and then rip it all apart 1000 miles later. But I want to enjoy it in its original spec for a while first. Just for fun.

 

I really couldn't be bothered doing any of this with pretty much any other car. Maybe a nice Sapphire Cosworth. I really fancy another one, but the Escort is more fun.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'm still restoring my 1300 Sport. Doing it properly isn't cheap, but the car at the end of it will be worth it as at the end of the day, it's a Mk2 Escort.

 

Judging by the responses on here, they're either a car you 'get' or you don't. Like a Golf GTi, MGB, MX5, Audi quattro, Manta or whatever.

 

Personally, I prefer the Mk2 to all of the above because I love the way they handle, I love the driving position, the look of a well sorted one, and the ease of turning even a slobby old one into something very entertaining which happens to be insanely simple.The Mk2 just makes me grin. Lots.

 

The thing that is killing me with the 1300 is that it would be so much easier to just drop a 2.0 Zetec in, five speed box, Bilsteins, tramp bars, RS1800 anti roll bar, double width kit, roller top mounts and a quick rack than to completely finish it as a 1300 Sport and then rip it all apart 1000 miles later. But I want to enjoy it in its original spec for a while first. Just for fun.

 

I really couldn't be bothered doing any of this with pretty much any other car. Maybe a nice Sapphire Cosworth. I really fancy another one, but the Escort is more fun.

 

Trouble is, you drop a Zetec in and all you have is yet another modded Escort. A 1300 Sport has an appeal and the 1300 GT xflow was quite a perky little motor. I would however put a 3.89 (standard 1300) diff in as the 4.1 was just a bit too low geared. It would be worth butting some better spings and dampers in as well perhaps?

[Pete-M]

 

Trouble is, you drop a Zetec in and all you have is yet another modded Escort. A 1300 Sport has an appeal and the 1300 GT xflow was quite a perky little motor. I would however put a 3.89 (standard 1300) diff in as the 4.1 was just a bit too low geared. It would be worth butting some better spings and dampers in as well perhaps?

 

Nothing wrong with modded Escorts. 1300 Sport has 71 bhp. Well sorted 2.0 Zetec (or Pinto) has 140 bhp(ish). A well setup Escort is just about right with 140 bhp.. I'd be using the RS diff (3.54), Bilsteins, 140lb front springs, and probably CD6 single leaf rears. The tramp bars make more of a difference to handling than pretty much anything else, but combined with an RS1800 front ARB it all makes a spectacularly decent handling little car.

 

If I keep it, I'd be ripping the 1.3 out. If someone buys it from me, they'll be doing the same. It's madness not to.

 

I have to say, if I had a few more quid to throw at it, it would be turning into a Vatenen / Rothmans replica.

 

 

or

 

 

(and even the pic of the sport in this pic is 'modded' as it has the chin and boot spoilers...)

[Wilko220]

It's an easy thing to say but the French do make good petrol engines. I have had Citroens in both sparky and Hdi 110 flavour and preferred the petrol Xantia in every way. I had the 1.8 16 valve. It was revvy, powerful, reliable and good with petrol. As a light lump it responded dutifully to the throttle and really delivered when holding on to third gear. It was rather similar (in both concept and capacity) to my BMW; which possesses an outstanding four cylinder engine.

 

 

The 1400 petrol engine in my old 309 was absolutely stonking and went on for 120,000 miles with nothing more than routine maintenance.

[Alpineandy]

205 GTi, 306 GTi-6, 106 GTi and Rallye, Saxo VTS, ZX Volcane, AX GT..........I'd rather have them over the oil burner. There's more to a car than how many mpg it gets

 

I'd add the CX, XM and the big pugs as well.

Yes they're good in oilburner form but they're also rather nice in petrol form.

Really great mileage eaters. On anything other than smooth motorways, they're better mileage coverers than their german rivals.

[ashmicro]

I drove a sporty petrol 306 (XSi I think) in a charidee race at Kirkistown Circuit many years ago. My own car at the time was a mark 4 Escort XR3i, and the Pug would have pissed all over the Ford. The dealer who lent us the cars (3 of them, 1 red 1 white 1 blue) was grinning until he saw the way we were chucking them around. Initially, I thought it would understeer, but soon discovered that turning in MORE and earlier made it grip well. Great engine too, loads of low-down grunt. The white one didn't last though - a certain Eddie Irvine fried its brakes.

[dollywobbler]

I s'pose that really, I should have offered up the 2CV, GS, DS, SM and Traction Avant as non-diesel French cars that are marvellous, but you couldn't have an oil burner for those even if you wanted it. Nor a Facel Vega.

 

CX is trickier. GTi Turbo is meant to be a barrel of laughs, but then there's the Turbo Diesel, which can still hit 120mph without such frailties as coil packs and the like.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Trouble is, you drop a Zetec in and all you have is yet another modded Escort. A 1300 Sport has an appeal and the 1300 GT xflow was quite a perky little motor. I would however put a 3.89 (standard 1300) diff in as the 4.1 was just a bit too low geared. It would be worth butting some better spings and dampers in as well perhaps?

 

Nothing wrong with modded Escorts. 1300 Sport has 71 bhp. Well sorted 2.0 Zetec (or Pinto) has 140 bhp(ish). A well setup Escort is just about right with 140 bhp.. I'd be using the RS diff (3.54), Bilsteins, 140lb front springs, and probably CD6 single leaf rears. The tramp bars make more of a difference to handling than pretty much anything else, but combined with an RS1800 front ARB it all makes a spectacularly decent handling little car.

 

If I keep it, I'd be ripping the 1.3 out. If someone buys it from me, they'll be doing the same. It's madness not to.

 

I have to say, if I had a few more quid to throw at it, it would be turning into a Vatenen / Rothmans replica.

 

 

or

 

 

(and even the pic of the sport in this pic is 'modded' as it has the chin and boot spoilers...)

 

I get what you're saying, but I feel there are enough modded Escorts out there. I guess a 1600 Xflow wouldn't hurt, but I like the red Sport for what it is - every boy racer's wet dream in 1979.

[forddeliveryboy]