MK2 Escort - Thoughts on this?

[littleredrooster]

Looks like a good basis for an easy resto, depending on what's underneath.

Somewhere in the garage I have a set of door hinge pins for one of those which I bought in 1980 for mine.

Given the ridiculous prices that Escorts are fetching, that actually looks cheap, IMO.

[uncinquesei]

A colleague bought one of these SA Escorts a few weeks ago, got it home and it had had the whole OSR corner cut off a another one and welded in, presumably to repair accident damage. In every other respect the car is tidy, rust free, original but it it had a rather crude, major repair. I'm not suggesting they are all dodgy, I only have knowledge of the one car but the cynic in me thinks that enterprising South Africans have identified mk2 escorts as a good way of making money. A bit of a bodge, a blowover, some new stripes and sticking them on a boat could be very lucrative.

[Dog Star]

littleredrooster said:

Somewhere in the garage I have a set of door hinge pins for one of those which I bought in 1980 for mine.

Funny you should say that; Last night I found and opened up the toolbox that I used to keep stashed under the boot floorboards in my X reg Mk1 Fiesta when I lived in France in 1989. In it are a set of new hingepins and a condenser (as well as tosh like a tyre art pen!).

Never needed to look at hinge pins since those distant days.

[blade7]

littleredrooster said:

Given the ridiculous prices that Escorts are fetching,

Very true. I could stick up a load of pics of my old Mexico's and RS2's but 30 years on they are just nice memories. Actually owning one today holds no interest for me and the prices are just comical.

[stuntmaneddie]

I happen to know the chap who brings these into the country, and they are very very good examples, and well priced considering how much it would cost to tidy up a more 'used' example and their asking price

[GreatGranny]

Thats got me looking at these now.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C391725

Will they ever rise like the RS Fords and Escorts?

[Krikkit]

Buggles said:

So, I'm after something to have a laugh with, bit of a rolling restoration and bit of a project with potential if you like.

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/car-advert/for...

I fancy something like this? Is the price good?

Doesn't look like a bad buy for the money - you might not make a bundle on it, but with it already being in the UK you could go and inspect it to make sure it's solid. New interior and maybe a rebuilt engine of some kind it'd be rather nice.

[300bhp/ton]

Buggles said:

littleredrooster - that was my thoughts really, pretty cheap for a mk2 escort and as long as it's predominantly rot free, why wouldn't you?!

Well it all depends what you are after really. But £6500 could also buy you something like this:



or this



or this



or this



or this



or this





Don't get me wrong. I like the Escort, but it's not overly sporty, not overly comfy, not overly luxury, you can't take to roof off and it doesn't look wow. Which sort of makes it a bit 'meh' for the money considering some of the metal you can buy for this price.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Friday 25th October 14:44

[s m]

blade7 said:

Very true. I could stick up a load of pics of my old Mexico's and RS2's but 30 years on they are just nice memories. Actually owning one today holds no interest for me and the prices are just comical.

Go on chap, it would make a change from all the people that log in to moan about the current prices.....

[SonicShadow]

300bhp/ton said:

• a load of cars that would be of no interest to someone in the market for a Mk2 Escort.

I know you like to play devils advocate, but that selection is really pushing it.

[rohrl]

SonicShadow said:

300bhp/ton said:

• a load of cars that would be of no interest to someone in the market for a Mk2 Escort.

I know you like to play devils advocate, but that selection is really pushing it.

To be fair to 300 the Crapi is mechanically pretty much the same as an Escort. I expect that an Escort buyer might be interested in one.

[Steamer]

This MK2 has been on my watch list for a while..

..Not a fan of the engine, and have seen some nice zetec conversions for similar money - would still love it, however I just cannot get over the 'Blue Oval Classic Car Crazy Price'

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231068156961?ssPageName=...

[300bhp/ton]

SonicShadow said:

300bhp/ton said:

• a load of cars that would be of no interest to someone in the market for a Mk2 Escort.

I know you like to play devils advocate, but that selection is really pushing it.

Afraid you'll have to explain that one, as I have no concept of what you mean.

The op has said only this:

Buggles said:

So, I'm after something to have a laugh with, bit of a rolling restoration and bit of a project with potential if you like.

All of the cars I listed fall well into the 'have a laugh with', 'rolling restoration' and 'bit of a project' categories.

And meet the price. If the op was only wanting to spend £2-3k, then the Escort would be ideal, if it wasn't so over priced for what it is.

But seriously, why would anyone want a compact family car with a 1600 engine in, over a 4.2 Jag or a proper sports car? It's not as if such a car is actually going to be a daily driver or the main family vehicle.

As I said, and have said in many other threads. I genuinely like MK1/2 Escorts. But putting the rose tinted specs down for a second or two. What exactly does it offer for £6500 that you can't easily better on almost every level?

[graham22]

GreatGranny said:

Thats got me looking at these now.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C391725

Will they ever rise like the RS Fords and Escorts?

The forgotten original fast Sierra.

However, one from a windswept salty air island in the middle of the Irish Sea, 93k but never done a long journey in it's life and speed limit free roads moments from where it lives!! And aren't MoTs voluntary there too?

Looks nice though.

[s m]

rohrl said:

To be fair to 300 the Crapi is mechanically pretty much the same as an Escort. I expect that an Escort buyer might be interested in one.

Well they both have struts and leaf springs I guess....but the engine,box and back axle are different as that is a 2.8.

[Crafty_]

300bhp/ton said:

But seriously, why would anyone want a compact family car with a 1600 engine in, over a 4.2 Jag or a proper sports car? It's not as if such a car is actually going to be a daily driver or the main family vehicle.

To be totally honest ? all IMHO
The Jags are floaty old boats for people who want to pretend they're Arthur Daily.
The stag will be more rotten than the escort.
The first TVR is ugly, the Chimarea looks old, but not old enough to be a classic.
The capri ? never liked coupe cars really.

Escorts are expensive though.

What about something from our american cousins ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-CHEVROLET-IMPALA-SS...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1968-mercury-cougar-/181...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chevrolet-Bel-Air-409-/3... (budget? who cares, its a 409, sell one of the kids...)

ooh theres another one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1963-Chevrolet-Bel-Air-4...

[SMcP114]

Opened a thread that was of interest to me. Saw 'him' posting in it. Decided not to bother.

[TonyRPH]

Buggles said:

So, I'm after something to have a laugh with, bit of a rolling restoration and bit of a project with potential if you like.

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/car-advert/for...

I fancy something like this? Is the price good?

I note that this particular car comes from Durban (ND registration) - which is on the North East coast of SA, and one of the most humid places in SA.

If that isn't riddled with hidden rust, I'd be very surprised.

Ideally, if buying a car from SA, you want one from somewhere inland, preferably north of the Cape.

I lived in East London (south east coast) for several years, and EL is not quite as humid as Durban, and yet I saw many a car of 3 years old rusting away nicely. Many were scrap within 5 - 7 years, as few were rustproofed in the factory in those days, and after market rust treatments were quite dear.

I had a 1976 MK II which rotted away within about 10 years, and that had been rust proofed.

[TonyRPH]

Buggles said:

Right, that's very good knowledge and I appreciate your post.

What's your thoughts on this one then?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-MK2-1600-SPO...

That's another coastal car, CEY prefix is Cape Town area (Belville IIRC).

Cape Town can be cold and damp in the winter time. I bet that car is harbouring some rust horrors too.

There are many, many back street body shops over there with plenty of cheap unskilled labour only too happy to bodge cars.

ETA: Something else to consider is that SA never had (or never used to have - it may have changed now) an annual MOT. Cars were only subjected to a 'roadworthy' test when changing hands. So if the same car had been owned for 15 years, it may not have seen much in the way of regular repair work...

Edited by TonyRPH on Friday 25th October 21:43

[Gompo]

Buggles said:

Right, that's very good knowledge and I appreciate your post.

What's your thoughts on this one then?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-MK2-1600-SPO...

Are you happy paying a bit of a premium for a 'Sport'? It entirely depends what your plans are I guess. I would love a modernised Mk1/Mk2, injected 2.0 perhaps with a decent (more civilised) interior and the like but they're very hard to come by, especially for sale.