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This section is unashamedly about the Escorts I have been lucky enough to own. Just mine, no one else's - the rest of the site is a public service, this is a piece of personal nostalgia.
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My First MK II Escort (1987-1991)A 1979, 1300cc L, essentially the most basic you could get. This was my first ever car, which I purchased from my parents for the very subsidised price of $2000 (market value at the time was around $4000). Thus I was very young (17) with a far more modern car than a large number of my friends parents - quite an ego swelling experience at the time. Unfortunately my time with this car was cut short when a kamikaze Honda embedded itself in my bonnet - but not before I'd converted it to a very hot 1600 (rebuilt by myself - my first) coupled to a Toyota five speed, a package capable of 200kph. Thus passed my boy racer stage, and started my stage of owning more sedate vehicles. |
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My Second MK II Escort (1991-1992)A 1976 1300cc L, again the most basic you could get - on the positive side, the car had no rust, none, not any - amazing really considering my next purchase. This car was destroyed whilst parked on the side of the road - a very sad event, seeing as I'd only had the car for less than six months. |
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My Third MK II Escort (1992-1995)A 1981 1600cc sport. This car was fun, it drove beautifully, handled well - probably the most fun of all of my cars. I loved the sunroof and 4 speaker stereo. Unfortunately it was also the rustiest car ever - I've never seen a rustier car that was still legally on the road. I used to get quite scared as it would creak horribly when slowly driving over sleeping policemen. To be honest I don't know how it kept passing the WOF test (MOT). Yes, that is me in the photo, my excuse is this is the only one I can find of the car. | |
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My Fourth MK II Escort (1992-Present)A 1976, 1600cc Ghia, This car took me three years to finish a nut and bolt restoration, It has and didn't have any rust (thats why I bought it), however it had a little accident damage and needed a new front, left wing and rear panel. It has been fully rust protected during the rebuild (I really hate undersealing, yes Andrea ended up doing it) and painted inside and out. It is a fantastic driver with gas shocks all round, and nolethane suspension bushes. The engine has been balanced and the cam dialled, but for smoothness and longevity rather than performance (Honestly). The interior is plush as befits a Ghia, even including two small pieces of real wood veneer. This car now has its original alloy wheels fitted (powder coated) and the latest news is a Sony MP3 CD player and new speakers - nice. |
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My Fifth MK II Escort (1995-1998)Yet another 1976 1300cc L. My reason for preferring 1976 Escorts is that they seem to rust less than those from '78 - '80, and I've yet to be impressed by a '77. This car is my daily driver - destined for all the motoring jobs that I'd rather not risk my other cars on, in particular, going to the supermarket. If any of you have had the experiences I've had, or witnessed in the parking lot, you'd also never go grocery shopping in anything difficult to repair.This car's engine expired in a big way, and it turned out to be too rusty to be worth fixing in the end - RIP little orange car... | |
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Our Seventh MK II Escort (2000-present)A 1976, 1100 Base, I bought this very straight and original car for my wife. Since then it has recieved a full recondition to 1300 GT spec, Sierra 5 speed, sports wheels and gas shocks all round. It is reliable and great fun to drive. I guess we now have his and hers cars....Bugger! The little Escort was run over by a road rule ignoring 4X4 at the end of 2003. Not too much damage, but enough for the insurance company to write it off, due to its low value. I've bought the remains back, and am fitting a new wing, partial front panel, bonnet and a few rust repairs that have surfaced (drivers door replaced and some work in the spare tyre well). Car is still not finished, but will get a full repaint once I'm done. |
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Our Eighth MK II Escort (2004-present)A 1977, 1600 Sport in Signal Orange. Overcome by nostalgia for my sliver sport above, I bought this one. It looks absolutely fantastic - brilliant paint, cool hotwires and louvers, a real 70's Gem. Last thing I wanted was another project car - I love driving it, however this lovely car needed more repairs than I first thought. To say it had a load of well hidden rust in the bulkhead and floors is an understatement. My first hint was damp floors, someone with my experience should have known better - but there you go... You can have a look at my progress in fixing things (all without ruining the paint job).My Escort Sport is undergoing a fairly major refit at the moment - Oops, this car has turned into a project, a brief description:
I will write this up properly, so there is a record of where I cannibalised all the parts from. This is a scrapyard special. |
Updated: 04-Jul-2005, Kris.Bubendorfer