Just agreed to buy........

[shite_meister]

I am surprised that no-one has bought this before I did [it's been advertised for some time] OK, it's a left hooker, and it would have involved a trip to France, but it is pretty much as new, and rare as rocking horse do-do. If this was an equivalent Ford [Mki Cortina GT?] it' would probably be three times what I paid for it............I really don't get it.

 

Scene tax init, I guess there's no real logic to prices of some cars other than they're in fashion as opposed to any real merit.

[flat4alfa]

It's a funny old world. Catching on though, as seems there are more VX4/90 FC and FB surviving today than there were five years ago. But never worth anything like a Ford or Rootes equivalent.

 

That car was first for sale at least four years ago (because I sold the 101 three ago) but he was trying for 5000 Euro or thereabouts. Surprising it didn't go into a museum even at that money.

 

Keep the smart VX trims on it! If you must, fit them to some wide-band steels with 185/70/13 to keep the rolling circ. That size worked for me on the Cosmics. Any lower profile and the 1950s suspension crashes to buggery.

 

 

[Rocket88]

Apparently, because it has disc brakes on the front it is 5 stud. I would appear that Rover P6 wheels fit, which maybe a bit wider. Any other suggestions ref wheels? I'd like to keep the original trims, but I'm not too keen on getting these banded.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'd just smoke it as is. Has it got the limited slip diff?

 

The 101 was so called because it supposedly had 101 improvements over the FB. Fuck knows what they were, but rustproofing wasn't one of them!

[Cavcraft]

Shit the bed that's absolutely fantastic. Very, very impressed sir, 100/10.

[hairnet]

5x5

 

no problem bra

 

http://www.roadkillcustoms.com/hot-rods ... dSpreadMM=

[eddyramrod]

Bloody gorgeous! Just colour me seriously-impressed!

[Pete-M]

That is rather tidy. Well done.

 

As for the 'scene tax' comments, Zzzzz. If a car becomes valuable with age because it's sought after why is that scene tax? It's not, it's supply and demand. Some cars are more sought after than others. If I mention my Mk2 Escort to people they invariably say "I'd love one of those" or "I know someone who'd give you good money for that", and quite often "Sell it to me". I mention the 604 and more often than not the reply is "You're mad, I'd rather have a Granada", "What is that worth" and "Why are you bothering?".

 

Of course, to those who think that something has become too expensive simply because its value has risen since they were scrapyard fodder 20 years earlier it will always be 'Scene tax' and they'll always shout it from the rooftops at every opportunity and suggest completely inappropriate alternatives instead. "Well, the Morris Marina was always a better rally car than the Integrale" type insanity normally follows along with suggestions of Avengers being better than Mk2 Escorts and Wartburg Knights touted as being far superior luxury cars than the XJ6 or P5B.

 

Can't afford it? Call it Scene Tax and sit back looking smug.

 

Oh, if P6 rims fit then Jensen Interceptor ones will

[Rocket88]

The 101 was so called because it supposedly had 101 improvements over the FB. Fuck knows what they were, but rustproofing wasn't one of them!

 

Indded no......they seem to be far less about than the FB, which seemed to have survived in far greater numbers. First Vauxhall with curved side glass though.......I can find no left hand drive survivors, and apparently only one on the road in the UK.

From what I've read, they were more of a cruiser than a GT car, although they can be made to handle quite well. Vauxhall's equivalent to an Arrows shape Humber Sceptre, rather than a 1600e Cortina.

[andrew e]

Fabulous, just Fabulous!

[flat4alfa]

5x5? That was for the FB VX4/90 only, with the 14" wheels. Thought FC kept 13" across range inc VX?

Maybe export cars had the 5x5 then.

 

Servoed disc front was an option for all FC, not restricted to the VX. Have set in shed, will check. Pretty sure they are 4-stud. From late 1965 limited slip diff as standard in VX.

 

A 4x5 VX FC:

 

 

 

Hey but, either way, it's Brill !

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

That is rather tidy. Well done.

 

As for the 'scene tax' comments, Zzzzz. If a car becomes valuable with age because it's sought after why is that scene tax? It's not, it's supply and demand. Some cars are more sought after than others. If I mention my Mk2 Escort to people they invariably say "I'd love one of those" or "I know someone who'd give you good money for that", and quite often "Sell it to me". I mention the 604 and more often than not the reply is "You're mad, I'd rather have a Granada", "What is that worth" and "Why are you bothering?".

 

Of course, to those who think that something has become too expensive simply because its value has risen since they were scrapyard fodder 20 years earlier it will always be 'Scene tax' and they'll always shout it from the rooftops at every opportunity and suggest completely inappropriate alternatives instead. "Well, the Morris Marina was always a better rally car than the Integrale" type insanity normally follows along with suggestions of Avengers being better than Mk2 Escorts and Wartburg Knights touted as being far superior luxury cars than the XJ6 or P5B.

 

Can't afford it? Call it Scene Tax and sit back looking smug.

 

Oh, if P6 rims fit then Jensen Interceptor ones will

 

To a point - but when Mark 2 Escorts are selling for ten grand, it's not supply and demand but a case of too much money and not enough imagination. They were okay, but they weren't particularly brilliant. There were lots of better cars around at the time.

But if the apple of anyone's eye is an average saloon car from the seventies, then crack on.

 

Regarding Avengers, Chevette Hatchbacks and so on. They were better in some respects and worse in others although they were all shit compared to proper cars and it makes no odds now - but a nicely modded Avenger is certainly the thinking Man's choice - all that seventies crapness/coolness in a far, far cheaper and less obvious package.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

It is simple supply and demand. Classic car are emotive purchases. No one buys them because they’re good, they’re not - even the best cars have been overtaken by progress. Most people buy one because it makes them feel good – whether because of nostalgia, rekindling the past or because it is the car they always wanted.

 

Take the Mk2 Escort: lots of people have happy memories of one whether owned by their parents when they were small, or as a first car. Lots of people watched them race and promised themselves, "one day I will have one of those." That creates a real reservoir of buyers who want one now – far more buyers than there are cars left. Some of these have a bit of money; they spend it and price everyone else out of the market. A guy who has set his heart on an Escort isn’t going to be satisfied with an Avenger, whether it is better or not. If he wants to drive something better he will drive the BMW or Mercedes he also has…

 

The reverse is true for cars like my XJ40. They are an excellent car but do not produce an emotional, nostalgic response in many people and there is little demand for them. They have also survived in considerable numbers so the handful of people who actually want one have a very wide choice of cars and XJ40 prices have been a race to the bottom as a consequence.

 

 

Oh, and the Vauxhall is fabulous!

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

True. Another way of looking at is is that the ten grand spent on a mint Mark 11 RS2000 doesn't buy much in the way of a new car. In fact, it buys some miserable Korean thing which in 3 year time will be worth 3 grand whilst the Escort is worth at least what you paid if not more.

 

My 10 bags would still go on something a bit nicer - an XJ12 Coupe, a 6.9 Mercedes 450SEL or a 635CSi Highline - something that in it's day was a bit special and very expensive. Mark 2 Escorts are a bit too Rally Jacket for me.

[Pete-M]

True. Another way of looking at is is that the ten grand spent on a mint Mark 11 RS2000 doesn't buy much in the way of a new car. In fact, it buys some miserable Korean thing which in 3 year time will be worth 3 grand whilst the Escort is worth at least what you paid if not more.

 

My 10 bags would still go on something a bit nicer - an XJ12 Coupe, a 6.9 Mercedes 450SEL or a 635CSi Highline - something that in it's day was a bit special and very expensive. Mark 2 Escorts are a bit too Rally Jacket for me.

 

I think a lot of the value in 2dr Mk2 Escorts is rally related. They'll beat 911s etc on rally stages which is why the value of a good Mk2 2dr is so much higher than the value of an Avenger etc, even at £10k initial purchase a Mk2 is cheaper and easier to prepare to rally winning spec than a 911. I like the rally connection, and I would pay more for a mint RS than for an XJ12 Coupé mainly because the RS is more fun.

 

That doesn't mean I'd say no to a mint XJ12C, 450 6.9 or 635 CSi. Just means that if one day I have £10k spare and can find an immaculate Mk2 RS Cutsom in the correct colour and trim then that'd get my money instead of the others. There aren't many 'correct' Mk2s about though, most have been cocked up by people who don't know wtf they're doing.

[eddyramrod]

This thread is drifting so much you'd think Hannu Mikkola was driving it!

 

Mk2 Escort? My over-riding memory, which may possibly have affected my view of them ever since, is of not getting on with it as a driving-school car in 1977, and failing my first test. I passed next time, in a Mk1 Fiesta. Somehow the Escort never got the chance to redeem itself for me, so I don't "get" the current price wave. I'd much rather spend that kind of money on something from Detroit, with a V8 and lots of toys (all of which will work, because they were pretty damn good at this stuff 40-50 years ago...). However, that hasn't stopped me from lending a hand over the last year or so with the creation of these two...

KG 849 is a 2.0 Pinto rally weapon; HZ 615 is a 1.6 Crossflow for daily use.

[Rocket88]

Collected Luton's finest yesterday, "en France". Much as expected, Pretty much rot free, although there's a couple of tiny bits that will be getting attended to this weekend. Twin Zenith carbs are not very happy at tick over speed, but once moving, she goes well, although under geared [as is the way of early sixties stuff] Not quire sure what I can do about that, I wonder if it would feasible to fit a stand alone overdrive [MGB type of thing].Interior is a sea of red leathercloth and dials, and in very good order. Much documentation as well.Wheels are 4x4 PCD, so period alloys are still a possibility [it looks comically under wheeled, another sixties feature] gearbox and brakes are fine, the handling is appalling, but the ride is very comfy.

Going back to the twin Zenith carbs, they are notoriouly shite, so looking at what else I could stick on via an adaptor plate Twn 1.25" S.U perhaps?

All in all, tres groovy, merci

[dollywobbler]

Is low gearing really a problem on Jersey?! I'd be reluctant to meddle too much with the carbs. Given how few survivors there are, I would have thought that Original Equipment was the way to play it. Look forward to some more pics!

[boobydoo]

That is a truly wonderful purchase!

My Uncle had a 101 estate in the early seventies in two-tone grey of which I have very fond memories.

 

ANORAK MODE:

 

VX 4/90 FC October 1964-August 1967

Launch price £872

0-60 in 16sec

1594cc 81bhp

Number produced 13,449

[Rocket88]

Low gearing not a problem over here, but I want to take it the UK and possibly France. I'm even toying with the idea of a more modern engine / box, as long as I don't have to make any irreversable mods.

[dollywobbler]

Was overdrive not an option on these? I have driven an FE Victor with the non-overdrive 'box (they deleted the overdrive option in 1974) and while it wasn't horrific, it was certainly 'busy' at motorway speeds. Or maybe you can change the rear axle ratio?

[Tayne]

Can you squeeze taller tyres on?

[Rocket88]

Was overdrive not an option on these? I have driven an FE Victor with the non-overdrive 'box (they deleted the overdrive option in 1974) and while it wasn't horrific, it was certainly 'busy' at motorway speeds. Or maybe you can change the rear axle ratio?

 

No, although it was on the Crestas of the same era. FD/FE range was a completely different kettle of fish, with no carried over parts from the earlier "F" series cars.

[triang1]

From what I've read, they were more of a cruiser than a GT car, although they can be made to handle quite well. Vauxhall's equivalent to an Arrows shape Humber Sceptre, rather than a 1600e Cortina.

 

Faberoony VX. I'm jealous.

 

 

My uncle had a '65 in two tone green - fan-bloody-tastic. Definitely designed as a 'Gentlemans Sports Saloon' using the same recipe that Rootes and BMC used for their Sunbeam Rapiers, Riley 4/72 and MG Magnettes ie Stick a two-tone stripe on it, twin carbs ,different radiator grille and deeper carpets. Everything the pipe smoking , stringback glove and cravat wearing sporting man about town would crave - except that formula was wearing a bit thin by the mid 60's and Fords GTs and 1600E was showing the way to go - more rally course then golf club.

 

It's up to you but I can't help saying "Keep the original trims and wheels!" - they were meant to be skinny! Put on alloys (or Rostyles) and it will have the I-really-wanted-a-1600E-but-couldn't-afford-it look.