My RWD Escort RS Cosworth nick named "The Widow Maker"
Discussion
I didnt buy them out of choice, the guy at Halfrauds gave them to me. Didnt really pay much attention to it to be honest until I got home. They are hard to get out but then that is what I want. Not that someone is going to try and steal the number plate to go on another but more for kids thinking they can nick them. They do come off just have to go very slow and careful 
Dr G said:
Mole grip locked over them to remove but it's a bit fiddly.
I do most of our numberplates here and have developed OCD over wrong colour screw caps
haha, I am like that, its all in the detail.I do most of our numberplates here and have developed OCD over wrong colour screw caps
Well I have ordered some new tyres for the back, went for 235/40/18 Toyo T1 Sport's from camskills. Should be at home now, not getting them fitted yet, going to have a couple days of wearing these ones out she has on at the moment. Might go for a spin at WestonZoyland airfield and practice catching the arse
ATM said:
Whats the story with the RWD:
Is it a T5 from a 2WD sierra?
What about front suspension - anything changed?
etc
Hi, yes a T5 box, engine, shortened prop, rear beam and diff.Is it a T5 from a 2WD sierra?
What about front suspension - anything changed?
etc
Front suspension is Escort without the drive shafts and front diff etc. The front does feel a little light and this is because the springs have been rated for a 4x4 car and this now has less weight around the front end, nothing major but could do with being slightly stiffer on the front to match the rear.
Update:
Today I collected my electric window/boot release plastic cover from the post office which I purchased off Dave (Monster)
Item arrived and in lovely condition, thanks Dave
What a rubbish design these bits are though, I can see why they constantly break
I fitted it but cannot get it to sit flush in the holder? It is like the cables from the switches are stopping it from going down far enough... Anyone got any idea how to resolve this?
I also noticed some black fluid coming from the exhaust, after a quick post on www.escortrscosworth.com it was found the car needed a good run so that is what she got. Took her for a good blast, holding the old girl at motorway speeds and all seems well now. We had a good amount of rain so think that got up the exhaust some how
H Guys, cheers for the comments. I like the standard wheels but the car would need to be standard ride height for it to work for me. This car running standard suspension would be a death trap and my personal preference is the Rondells. I would change them for some Dark comp mo's but think the car would maybe look a little too moody so I will be keeping these
Update.
These turned up yesterday, been sat in my front room making it smell like a condom factory
Toyo T1 Sports
Still got a little bit more left on the ones on the car so these are not getting fitted straight away.
I went for the 235/40/18 for the engels I have on the car. Wanted a bit more rubber on the rear to help keep it in line and someone pointed out the 225 looked stretched on the back which I agree with.
Update.
These turned up yesterday, been sat in my front room making it smell like a condom factory
Toyo T1 SportsStill got a little bit more left on the ones on the car so these are not getting fitted straight away.
I went for the 235/40/18 for the engels I have on the car. Wanted a bit more rubber on the rear to help keep it in line and someone pointed out the 225 looked stretched on the back which I agree with.
FlashBastd said:
Love the car, but avoid the Recaro child seat. I am a big fan of Recaro products for grown ups, so naturally got that very same car seat when my daughter was old enough. It is utter rubbish. The Britax "KidPlus" or "KidFix" work much better. Better quality and easier to use. We had a Britax KidFix for my wife's car and the Recaro was so crap in comparison that it was relegated to a spare and I got a Britax KidPlus for my car, which is much better.
Hello mate, thanks for the heads up. I was so tempted but in the end I went with the Mrs and got the Maxi Cosi Priorifix seat with the head cushion. My Mrs didnt like the way you had to have both hands to adjust the seat in sleeping position where as the maxi one we have is a one hand motion and much easier. Just waiting for it to arrive nowWell I just knew something was going to happen today, and it did... I blew it up!!!!!!!!!
The tyre that is
Went and got the two new rears fitted, a mate was going to do this but on arrival he noticed he did not have the right machine to fit the big tyres so made a call to a local tyre shop who fitted them for £15 a corner.
I picked the car up off the Mrs after work and didnt think he looked too bad with the bigger rears, looks wider from behind and has no stretched look which is good, feel slightly softer on the rear which is not a bad thing
I will get some photos up at the weekend after a clean, its filthy
MADRod said:
My rwd Cossie has over twice your power & grips in 2nd. You need a decent rear beam & coilovers, chassis connectors & Toyo 888's then the car will just go & not spin.
Was this video taken before your mods to the rear?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvkk7GENhHk
iva cosworth said:
Nothing but positivity from a fellow owner of an Escort Cosworth.
Pity mine isn't as nice.
For those that don't like the wheels,you CANNOT fit big brakes under standard 16s.
Very true about the brakes. I do like these wheels but thinking about some dark gray comp mo's. Thanks for the comment, are you on escos.comPity mine isn't as nice.
For those that don't like the wheels,you CANNOT fit big brakes under standard 16s.
Update and loads of photos
I cleaned her today, been a couple weeks since I last did as I have been working on the house.
Went for a nice ride, gave her some beans and it looks like the tyres are starting to grip in second. I have warn them in so it seems
Anyway I gently drove it to some places for some photos and then went for a blast.
This is at Yeovilton Weir, stumbled across a well speced E46 M3 which looked so nice. Owner was not around so took a few snaps and left
I moved up the road to the back end of Yeovilton Navy Camp, took a few snaps and went to move on, ended up at a dead end right on the end of the runway, I was going to take some photos but the gaurds had driven around and gave me the look to leave quickly, so I did
I then moved to Haynes Motor Museum which is where I took most of my pics. This is properly pic heavey so look away now if you dont like looking at Escort RS Cosworths
As you can see, I have killed the front bumper good and proper. Had a price from a mate who makes carbon fibre parts mainly for Hondas etc but said he can fix the bumper and the splitter for £70, but did say it would need some paintwork so he is looking into that for me, not as bad as having to replace. Was quoted £500 for a new bumper, then paint, then a new splitter.
I am thinking if this splitter gets battered again of maybe getting a fibre glass one and just wrapping in carbon fibre wrap.
I also want to carbon firbre wrap the strut brace and the two chrome tanks under the bonnet. This will match in with the other CF and I hope will not look OTT
All comments welcome, even on my wonkey front splitter/bumper and poor camera work
PS I tried getting arty with the shots as you can tell
I cleaned her today, been a couple weeks since I last did as I have been working on the house.
Went for a nice ride, gave her some beans and it looks like the tyres are starting to grip in second. I have warn them in so it seems
Anyway I gently drove it to some places for some photos and then went for a blast.
This is at Yeovilton Weir, stumbled across a well speced E46 M3 which looked so nice. Owner was not around so took a few snaps and left
I moved up the road to the back end of Yeovilton Navy Camp, took a few snaps and went to move on, ended up at a dead end right on the end of the runway, I was going to take some photos but the gaurds had driven around and gave me the look to leave quickly, so I did
I then moved to Haynes Motor Museum which is where I took most of my pics. This is properly pic heavey so look away now if you dont like looking at Escort RS Cosworths
As you can see, I have killed the front bumper good and proper. Had a price from a mate who makes carbon fibre parts mainly for Hondas etc but said he can fix the bumper and the splitter for £70, but did say it would need some paintwork so he is looking into that for me, not as bad as having to replace. Was quoted £500 for a new bumper, then paint, then a new splitter.
I am thinking if this splitter gets battered again of maybe getting a fibre glass one and just wrapping in carbon fibre wrap.
I also want to carbon firbre wrap the strut brace and the two chrome tanks under the bonnet. This will match in with the other CF and I hope will not look OTT
All comments welcome, even on my wonkey front splitter/bumper and poor camera work
PS I tried getting arty with the shots as you can tell
Do it bud, Wont be as quick, or as reliable, hell it wont even handle as well unless it has been changed. But they get you, the old school feel, the old school power and smell of the thing munching through 99 ron.
My cousin had a STi PP Something or other, it was number 1 of 500 made. He said it does everything so well, but just does not have the drama of a sorted cossie. Get one before they become too expensive to stick in the garage and only use as a weekend car
My cousin had a STi PP Something or other, it was number 1 of 500 made. He said it does everything so well, but just does not have the drama of a sorted cossie. Get one before they become too expensive to stick in the garage and only use as a weekend car
Small update with no photos.
After a few miles on the rear tyres I now have grip in second  OK not on all surfaces etc. But much better than it was, it is now drivable in all gears so happy days on that.
Not managed to fix the front bumper yet, a mate has quoted me £70 to fix the bumper and the splitter, he has to get a price for paintwork on top of that so not the end of the world.
I have now bought a baby seat! We went for the Maxi Cosi Priorifix with the extra head pillow. Not my choice, the Mrs wanted this as it had a much better function of laying the seat back into a sleeping position than the Recaro seat. One thing I do know, it’s a ball ache to get my little girl in and out of the seat, not just this seat but all seats. If I had known this I would of got the seat that turns so it is facing the door when you need to un-belt them etc. I have not tried the seat yet with the belts in the back of the Cosworth but it should be fine.
One thing I would like to know, can you disable the passenger side airbag in an Escort Cosworth? I would prefer for my daughter to ride shotgun when it’s just me and her in the car but don’t want to with the airbag still on. Can anyone confirm if you have to disable the airbag for the front facing baby seats?
I took the car for a blast yesterday and had a few comments, first was from a guy who waved me down from his 4x4. I stopped and asked if I wanted to buy a Chainsaw!!! No thanks, he then moved onto the car, don’t see many of them he said, how much power does it have, is it fast etc
Then I had a guy who was cleaning cars in the car park I put her in ask if it was real, then went on to say you don’t see them anymore and it was good to see them being used. I couldn’t stop long but was happy enough to know this guy was clearly going to keep an eye on the car for me while it was parked 
I have to confess, I am finding myself looking in the Pistonheads classifieds again  never a good sign with me
After a few miles on the rear tyres I now have grip in second  OK not on all surfaces etc. But much better than it was, it is now drivable in all gears so happy days on that.
Not managed to fix the front bumper yet, a mate has quoted me £70 to fix the bumper and the splitter, he has to get a price for paintwork on top of that so not the end of the world.
I have now bought a baby seat! We went for the Maxi Cosi Priorifix with the extra head pillow. Not my choice, the Mrs wanted this as it had a much better function of laying the seat back into a sleeping position than the Recaro seat. One thing I do know, it’s a ball ache to get my little girl in and out of the seat, not just this seat but all seats. If I had known this I would of got the seat that turns so it is facing the door when you need to un-belt them etc. I have not tried the seat yet with the belts in the back of the Cosworth but it should be fine.
One thing I would like to know, can you disable the passenger side airbag in an Escort Cosworth? I would prefer for my daughter to ride shotgun when it’s just me and her in the car but don’t want to with the airbag still on. Can anyone confirm if you have to disable the airbag for the front facing baby seats?
I took the car for a blast yesterday and had a few comments, first was from a guy who waved me down from his 4x4. I stopped and asked if I wanted to buy a Chainsaw!!! No thanks, he then moved onto the car, don’t see many of them he said, how much power does it have, is it fast etc
Then I had a guy who was cleaning cars in the car park I put her in ask if it was real, then went on to say you don’t see them anymore and it was good to see them being used. I couldn’t stop long but was happy enough to know this guy was clearly going to keep an eye on the car for me while it was parked 
I have to confess, I am finding myself looking in the Pistonheads classifieds again  never a good sign with me
Lord, I am the same, the looks of it get me everytime. The sound is the next best thing to sex as well.
The thing with Cosworths, you just dont know what is under the bonnet, could be a standard 230 bhp or a 600 bhp RWD. Mine has enough power and RWD to play with most things on the road but bikes I dont really bother with unless 600 or under. Around town your never going to keep with anything in mine but when you get her out on the road so she can stretch her legs she really does go well. I went passed a 370Z the other day like he was going backwards (and yes he was trying as hard as he could) With mine not having parts of the 4x4 system anymore, the air con taken out and no heavy leather etc makes it a lightish car, especially for its power.
Part of me thinks, use her for a couple years like I am then take it out of everyday use, stick a cage in her, strip it, big brakes and turn the boost up and go track days or very fast road use or sell up within a year and buy something more family related like a M5 or something
The thing with Cosworths, you just dont know what is under the bonnet, could be a standard 230 bhp or a 600 bhp RWD. Mine has enough power and RWD to play with most things on the road but bikes I dont really bother with unless 600 or under. Around town your never going to keep with anything in mine but when you get her out on the road so she can stretch her legs she really does go well. I went passed a 370Z the other day like he was going backwards (and yes he was trying as hard as he could) With mine not having parts of the 4x4 system anymore, the air con taken out and no heavy leather etc makes it a lightish car, especially for its power.
Part of me thinks, use her for a couple years like I am then take it out of everyday use, stick a cage in her, strip it, big brakes and turn the boost up and go track days or very fast road use or sell up within a year and buy something more family related like a M5 or something
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