Ultra rare mk 1 Escort at upcoming auction

[generationx]

aeropilot said:

Mark A S said:

This car appears to have a interesting history https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11088117
I wonder if GR knows of it ?

Haven't got access to books at the moment, but there are a few well known press photo's of a RWC reg Mex's.

Slades is only about 30 mins away from me, so might go and have a look at it, would like to see what's on that RS2 service shell build plate on the slam panel

You can see its an RS2 shell as well on the underbonnet shots.

Shame who ever restored/painted it covered it in silly stickers and fake stuff, and the wrong colour Mex stripes for Sunset

Nice to have a car signed by Mick J, not that he ever had anything to do with AVO which is a bit of dealer waffle.

I have it on excellent authority (AAGR and additionally Charlie Reynolds who was Ford Sport secretary at the time who has never heard of these cars and doubts Ford would have left any cars behind in Africa, together with doubtful rumblings from Stuart Turner) that the whole advert is complete bks. Together with the very questionable “provenance “ of Tony Mason’s signature when actually Jim Porter was Roger’s codriver on the ‘73 Safari... buyer beware!

[MuscleSedan]

How come the RWC registrations ? That's Exeter.

[generationx]

MuscleSedan said:

How come the RWC registrations ? That's Exeter.

Nope, in the “old” system RWC was Chelmsford, Boreham is just outside.

[MuscleSedan]

Thanks for the info !

[Tyre Smoke]

Exeter used to be DV and Plymouth CO

[aeropilot]

generationx said:

aeropilot said:

Mark A S said:

This car appears to have a interesting history https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11088117
I wonder if GR knows of it ?

Haven't got access to books at the moment, but there are a few well known press photo's of a RWC reg Mex's.

Slades is only about 30 mins away from me, so might go and have a look at it, would like to see what's on that RS2 service shell build plate on the slam panel

You can see its an RS2 shell as well on the underbonnet shots.

Shame who ever restored/painted it covered it in silly stickers and fake stuff, and the wrong colour Mex stripes for Sunset

Nice to have a car signed by Mick J, not that he ever had anything to do with AVO which is a bit of dealer waffle.

I have it on excellent authority (AAGR and additionally Charlie Reynolds who was Ford Sport secretary at the time who has never heard of these cars and doubts Ford would have left any cars behind in Africa, together with doubtful rumblings from Stuart Turner) that the whole advert is complete bks. Together with the very questionable “provenance “ of Tony Mason’s signature when actually Jim Porter was Roger’s codriver on the ‘73 Safari... buyer beware!

I went and had a look at it today.
It would be a nice car, if it was un-tarted.....but it's not a £50k car be any means.....and laughably not a 50k car.
It's not a got a RS2 service shell build plate either, its the original Mexico AVO plate from the original car, which is quite nice, in that it's been reshelled, but someone thought about that small detail, which many didn't do back in the day.
I don't think its dealer stock, I reckon its on a 'consignment' sale arrangment.

The same garage has quite a nice Sebring Red RS1600 as well, but again, not without minor faults like incorrect early interior and repro RS alloys, but it's quite straight and original, rather than a full on restoration job. Silly price though at £68k...... Again, I think its a consignment sale for the owner, who was clearly an 'investor' as he'd supposedly never driven the car in the 2/3 years he'd owned it.
It would be a nice buy at a sensible price, i.e 20k less than what they are asking

[MuscleSedan]

Looks like RWC 483K sold at Bonhams in the past ....

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16245/lot/315/

LOT 315
1972 FORD ESCORT MEXICO RALLY CAR
Registration no. RWC 483K
Chassis no. BFATMC70033
Engine no. MC70033
Sold for £ 25,300 inc. premium
15 Mar 2008
Kenilworth, Stoneleigh Park

[Tyre Smoke]

That was a lot of wonga even back then.

[Ken P]

Tyre Smoke said:

Phew! Worried I'd lost my touch.

Did all Sports have that poorly fitted front moulding?

No, Mk2 Sports didn't have the front spoiler as standard - only the Mk2 Mex and RS1800 did.

Lots of Sports had them retro fitted, commonly to hide damage to the front valance.

I had a couple of Sports back in the day, one without spoiler, the other with an aftermarket fibreglass copy. IIRC the factory spoilers where made of a flexible material.

[Tyre Smoke]

I didn't want to say, but I was sure the Sport (or Harrier) didn't have that spoiler.

[AAGR]

I can report that I have spoken to Charles Reynolds, who was working at Boreham at the time, and he confirms that the description of this car is a work of pure fiction.

While mourning the passing of Mick Jones, of Boreham, he said it would have been a pleasure to see what Mick would have said about the b******s written therein. He also confirms that he was a part of the team which travelled to Africa for the 1973 Safari, that he never saw a red recce car, that he never heard of them being built at AVO, and that Jim Porter was Roger Clark's co-driver on that event, not Tony Mason.
If they had existed, they would presumably have been mentioned in the authoritative 'works' Escort books - but not a word exists in those titles.

[aeropilot]

AAGR said:

While mourning the passing of Mick Jones, of Boreham, he said it would have been a pleasure to see what Mick would have said about the b******s written therein.

A book needs to be written about Mick while there's still enough people around to recount the huge volume of stories.

[Touring442]

Tyre Smoke said:

Lovely though the Mk1 is, I'd take the 1600 Sport next to it all day long. It is a 1600 Sport isn't it?

I think you might be on your own there........

[Tyre Smoke]

Touring442 said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Lovely though the Mk1 is, I'd take the 1600 Sport next to it all day long. It is a 1600 Sport isn't it?

I think you might be on your own there........

Fine by me. I'll be watching you all fight over the Mk 1. But I will have to get that spoiler sorted...

[Mark A S]

aeropilot said:

A book needs to be written about Mick while there's still enough people around to recount the huge volume of stories.

Great idea, there would be lots of expletives though

Thanks GR for confirming what i and clearly others suspected regarding the History of the aforesaid mentioned car. I used to watch Jackanory as a kid, clearly some motors traders did too !

[aeropilot]

Mark A S said:

Thanks GR for confirming what i and clearly others suspected regarding the History of the aforesaid mentioned car. I used to watch Jackanory as a kid, clearly some motors traders did too !

To be fair to the trader....having viewed the car and talked to them, they know jack about the car (and AVO in general) all they did was repeat what they have been told by the previous owner(s), and they got out the file of info that came with the car, and then read out the same story from what was contained in it's file of paperwork that came with the car.
They've taken that info as being correct.

[Mark A S]

Fair enough.

[aeropilot]

Mark A S said:

aeropilot said:

A book needs to be written about Mick while there's still enough people around to recount the huge volume of stories.

Great idea, there would be lots of expletives though

Love the stories about expletives being directed in person at Ford Vice-Presidents as well - no one was spared

He was bemused to find out from his daughter-in-law I believe, that he was indeed a legend, and she told him to Google himself and so he found out he was....

This I believe was what followed

[Mark A S]

Brilliant

[Touring442]

Tyre Smoke said:

Fine by me. I'll be watching you all fight over the Mk 1. But I will have to get that spoiler sorted...

My Escort days are over. It's all about rivet counting, Facebook bhing and 911 money for a simple rear drive Ford.

Aaaahm oot!