RS2000, not its Best Colour?

I have a story about the Cordoba Beige......

Back when I were a yoof just before learning to drive, I used to go with my Dad to a yearly Sports Club open day type event, usually first weekend of Aug and the local dealers used to turn up with a display of new cars every year, local BL dealer, local Ford dealer and I think it was a Volvo dealer.
In 1980, a week or so after my first driving lesson, the local Ford being a RS dealer, and they had a Cordoba Beige RS2, with brown interior, just like this one on display, brand new.
I remember sitting in it and knowing as they had just stopped making them, that I'd never sit in a new RS2 ever again.
I got talking the the SE, and I remember him saying, as they were an Essex RS dealer, they put in a pre-order of RS2's when they were informed of the stopping of production, and they ordered one of each colour for stock, I'm guessing it was 3-4 months before end of production.
By this first weekend in Aug, this beige one was the only one they had left unsold, all the others had been snapped up as soon as they went on sale.

I've always wondered how long it was before they sold that beige one, but given by Sept/Oct there was almost no un-registered new RS2's left in dealer stock, I'm guessing not long, as it was either beige or nothing.

Not too sure Steve , the thick coach line is cut (badly) either side of the joint and the thin one seems to just continue across it . It may be just an illusion though I don't think so . Its on the Picture with the bubbling paintwork

I appreciate it's not an escort RS 2000 in a shade of beige, maybe needing some unknown level of refurbishment, but I would go for this based on the auction esimate for the Ford,

https://www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1981-talbot...

I forgot about Calypso Green, lovely colour. I don't recall ever seeing one in the flesh, but if they only made 7, that will be why

Wasn't this a very late color option, along with Signal Red 80?

I think so, however I’ve seen a few Mk2 Mexicos in it and also a few late Cortinas, so the former would suggest it was about earlier than 80.

A best pal bought what was said to be the last unsold RS2 left in Britain.
He went into Gates of Woodford to buy a new RS2, but there was no demo car and he was told instead to “ Take a test drive in our XR3 demo “ he told them in no uncertain terms that “ He had come to buy an RS2, that £ money was no object and an RS it had to be !! “
The salesman said “ let me see what I can do “
A few days later he got a call saying “ We’ve found you one, it’s in Scotland, it’s the last one left, it’s a Venetian red Custom and it is yours “
Gates had it shipped down and a few days later he drove away a very happy man in his new W registered ( KMH ??? W ) car. A few months later he had a glass sunroof fitted. One day he noticed a crack in the front corner of the roof. He took it back & they welded the roof. A few months later and it cracked again. He was told that the only solution was to fit a Webasto ( hateful things ) vinle sun roof.
We had “ many hoons “ together, me in my tweaked / very quick MK1 3 Litre Capri. He kept it for about another six months and then sold it. Fast forward to 1986 and one eve, I spot a very down @ heel looking red RS2, parked by the great Cambridge road roundabout on the Nth Circular road. I stopped and was stunned & saddened to see my pals old car. One tyre was flat, one wing mirror was hanging off and its paint was flat and a mess. I wish now that I had knocked on a few doors, but I didn’t have the £ cash anyway. When I checked a few years ago, it had disappeared in the late 90s.
I had a very nice / very quick Burton 2.1 red S plate one in 2010, it took ages to find a buyer @ just £5,500…..
No way do I see them worth current £ prices though.

I sold a 1978 Venetian Red RS2000 one in 1984 and didn't mange to get £2,500 for it!

I know it's a Fast Ford but I wouldn't pay current prices for a bit of nostalgia - there are other things I'd much rather have.

But assuming I was willing to I think Beige and Terracotta would go on the list be two colours I just wouldn't consider, along with Black and White!

Still good luck if you do go for it.

Lovely.

(apart from the glass sunroof of course. So many RS's and other cars of the period were ruined by the hideous pox that was the cheap glass sunroof)

wow, never knew they were made in that color, also not the terracotta example.

The ones back in the days in my neighborhood were yellow, black, red and white and some had the black vinyl roof wrap.

Those cars could rot... I had once a very bad example a car bought in a place right at the Dutch Nordsee. it looked ok but spotted a few bad places which the owner would weld pieces in... and the ones I spotted next to a busy street were repaired.

But once at home I went direct to a local wash box to give it a good wash and wash all dirt/mud away under the car, lots or clay/mud... but when doing that I direct the water beam also on the structureel frame were the leaf springs were mounted at, the strong... beam part, lots of mud there and I sprayed a hole in it and the other side the same, it was all covered in mud/sea salt? anyhow, lots of rot under that... not happy at the time.

I guess seeing the one offered in the topic start can hide some rot as well looking at some pictures, maybe a older resto parts under it as well?

al my 5 examples were dull colors, 3 yellow and 2 orange.

you can see those here in my once owned cars collection (a tiny part of) in 1/43 scale



and here the way way younger me when I bought my second RS2000 and it broke down (radiator sprung leak... after just 10 min driving from the garage I bought it from in the same city, bought without guaranty, called the garage seller, he said ow thats not good, I take care of that, brought it to a radiator repair guy nearby that he knew and they repaired it, problem solved for then.

7 RS Escorts, and now on my 3rd Lotus Sunbeam. I get your point, as you Very well know however the Club [SLOC] which you might of mentioned you had a part in is VERY good and can usually come up with parts required. Its one of the big attractions of older RS Escorts though, there is nothing you cant buy for them.

A 200 bhp ish LS is a Far far nicer car to drive on the road than an equivalent RS2000, in totally standard form though, the RS handled a bit better but the LS would disappear on the strait ish bits.
I recall i did a Sprint at Goodwood in my 1st series 1 LS which was bog standard, there was a chap in a lovely, also bog standard. signal yellow Mk 2 RS2000 who regularly won his class. The LS was 2 seconds a lap faster.

Never driven the 131 sport, i remember when they came out, saw a few around, only in Grey or orange?
I recall the road tests raved about the ride and handling being better than the RS, but slower in a straight line. Shame it did not come from the factory with 150 bhp ish.