Escort XR3

Author
Discussion

mark beavan

125 posts

144 months

Monday 29th June 2020
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1602Mark said:
Konrod said:
Did these run a crossflow? I thought they used the CVH which weren't as tuneable.
Was it not the injected cars that ran CVH?

I'm not sure though.
All XR3 and XR3i ran CVH engines, Ford made a huge amount of changes to the XR3 during the period 1980 to 86, some obvious ones like injection and 5speed gearbox, some not so obvious. There is a world of difference between a 1980 XR3 on a carb with a 4 speedbox to a 1986 injection 5 speed car.

chrismc1977

854 posts

114 months

Monday 29th June 2020
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Mk1 xr2 used a Kent cross flow.

XR2 mk2 & XR3 used a carb’d CVH ~95hp

XR3i used a CVH with injection 105hp.

These were never famed for being particularly smooth or revvy motors & so bike carbs in isolation aren’t going to liberate big power gains.

https://www.burtonpower.com/tuning-guides/tuning-g...


Mr Tidy

22,764 posts

129 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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When I was looking to replace my MK2 RS2000 I tested a 5-speed XR3, but thankfully didn't buy it!

I bought a 2 year old Capri 2.8i instead which was fantastic - 160 bhp and RWD is always better than 105ish and FWD. banghead

generationx

6,934 posts

107 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Mum had a (Strato?) silver XR3 4-speed which we holidayed to Paris with, followed by a Sunburst red A-reg XR3i 5-speed which was a much better car. I learned to drive in it, passed my test, courted girls in it then, soon after, clambered from the inverted wreckage in a field... It was so new that insurance re-shelled it!

Still I had such happy memories that I eventually bought a (it turns out badly maintained) Nimbus grey XR3i (B434TEL) which was, without a doubt, the least reliable car I ever owned: 6 months of bills including a gearbox rebuild, rust repairs and several break-ins and it was gone.

Great thread by the way, lovely to see such love being lavished on this car.

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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chrismc1977 said:
Are they bike carbs?

Interested to see what you gain- other than a lot of noise, extra thirst & compromised driveability...
The original carb is way past it’s best plus i wanted a bit more induction noise. Was going to go down the twin 40 route but they are very thirsty and need regular tuning. Bike carbs are far more economical and will need very little maintenance once set up correctly on a dyno.
Buy your own xr3 and restore it the way you’d like mate. As the saying goes, “if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all”

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Trophy Husband said:
I learnt how to drive in an XR3! My then girlfriend's dad bought one new and kept it for years. Come 1985 and she was allowed to give me private driving lessons (amongst other lessons!), good convent educated girl that she was. Redhead too! I used to thrash it around Delamere and all those great Cheshire roads.
My old man (a copper), couldn't get his head around the fact that I had one driving lesson before I passed my test. Never told him the truth to this day!
biggrin

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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curly72 said:
That is indeed my old car, unfortunately I moved to North Devon to a house with no driveway or garage so had to sell her, I sold it last May to a local guy to me in Berkshire then so looks like it’s changed hands a couple of times in the last year, I was the 3rd owner and it had 63,000 on the clock ( apparently original according to the previous owner but not proven), it still ran on 4* petrol when I had it.
It’s good to see the old girl back to it’s former glory and being treated the way it should be, I’m glad it ended up with someone who will look after it and obviously spend the money on it that it needs, would love to see more pics of it (interior etc), keep us all updated as you go along
It still has the same mileage and I’m the 6th owner so it changed hands three times in a year. I’ll be keeping it though and using it daily to enjoy it.
The interior isn’t great so I’m keeping my eye out for some original seats in better condition. I have a decent dash to replace the badly cracked one.
I’ll definitely add some more pics as i go. Thanks for the info mate!

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Thanks everyone for your nice comments. Much appreciated smile

curly72

Original Poster:

124 posts

162 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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I still have my morning cuppa in the mug

chrismc1977

854 posts

114 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Spencerw9t9 said:
The original carb is way past it’s best plus i wanted a bit more induction noise. Was going to go down the twin 40 route but they are very thirsty and need regular tuning. Bike carbs are far more economical and will need very little maintenance once set up correctly on a dyno.
Buy your own xr3 and restore it the way you’d like mate. As the saying goes, “if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all”
All the best to you!

I’m sure you’ll get the induction noise you crave- just hope you avoid all the obvious pitfalls with setup & getting it to run properly. No easy task

1602Mark

16,217 posts

175 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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mark beavan said:
1602Mark said:
Konrod said:
Did these run a crossflow? I thought they used the CVH which weren't as tuneable.
Was it not the injected cars that ran CVH?

I'm not sure though.
All XR3 and XR3i ran CVH engines, Ford made a huge amount of changes to the XR3 during the period 1980 to 86, some obvious ones like injection and 5speed gearbox, some not so obvious. There is a world of difference between a 1980 XR3 on a carb with a 4 speedbox to a 1986 injection 5 speed car.
Thanks for clearing that up.

I missed out on a pre production MK3 Escort that sold on eBay about 4 years ago. It was basically a MK2 floorpan, so RWD and 1.6 crossflow. I assumed it was going to be well out of my budget and didn't bit past 1500 quid. It's sold for 1600. frown

Re bike carbs, I know several people who run them on their 4 cylinder m10 BMW's and they fine. Yes, jetting take a bit of effort but they're a nice alternative to 40's.


Edited by 1602Mark on Tuesday 30th June 10:57

Krupp88

591 posts

129 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Great to see one of these surviving.

I was offered a blue/grey XR3 for £50 in 1999, sadly it dumped most of its oil on the way home and I was firmly told by my father to return it from whence it came and get the money back.

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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curly72 said:


I still have my morning cuppa in the mug
thumbup
Love the mug mate!

njw1

2,095 posts

113 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Spencerw9t9 said:
That was always my favourite view of a mk3 Escort, what an awesome looking thing! I'll bet that mk4 Transit is rarer than the Escort these days too!

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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It’s a pre facelift mk3 transit camper van mate. Auto sleeper conversion. Probably is rarer these days.

1602Mark

16,217 posts

175 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Someone posted this for me the other day. Such a great combination and colour.


StuntmanMike

11,671 posts

153 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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1602Mark said:
Someone posted this for me the other day. Such a great combination and colour.

Agreed.

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Monday 13th July 2020
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Slow progress over the last couple of weeks but made a start on the mechanicals over the weekend.

Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Monday 13th July 2020
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Spencerw9t9

43 posts

49 months

Monday 13th July 2020
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