My "new" Escort Rs...

[kas750]

Basically it was bought at the rsoc national day at stanford hall in 1990...At the time, at 12 years old it was the best restoration candidate around and was very solid and had not been welded.It had 76,000 miles on the clock and 5 owners.It had rafts of history including all its original books,bill of sale,mots etc.

It was put into dry storage and for the next couple of years the new owner collected good used and nos parts to do a restoration.

Anyway over 21 years have passed since then and the car was in the same place,but it had been started regularly.The reality was that the car would probably not get restored as the owner has massive work commitments.I have had to tread very carefully but the owner is confident that i can do the car justice.I have had to pay "all the money" and then some for this car,but there can't be too many mk2 mexico barnfinds around that are still in original paint.So on sunday i collected it and the owner drove it the 15 miles to my house.

I was originally looking for a mk2 rs2000 but this came along.
Mk2 mexico's are very rare and were only made for 2 years from 76-78.They made around 2,000.
In comparison ford made 10,000 mk2 rs2000's.
I know it looks a nail in these pics but it really is a super straight car with nothing missing and everything restorable...

[z1bman]

looks like a good solid original car keep us informed on how the restoration progresses i am sure this will take up a lot of time but will be a beauty when finnished

[davy thomson]

Here's a my RS2000 built from a bare shell flat front,with all steel 1700 crossflow,built to hillclimb spec,atlas four link, bilsten platform suspension.full FIA cage,drysump rocket box 4.1 ratio diff.never dropped a rev on the change super fast, back in the day very little could keep with it on the roads round here.I will get you some pic's of my mates mint Mexico you will like it.must be the one of the only untouched RS escorts anywhere a very special car.

[Pigford]

Ahhhhhhhhh, love Escorts My first car in 1979 was a 1968 GT1300 Mk.I and a mate had a 1600 Mexico Mk.I in brown (bronze)

I also had a 1600 Sport Mk.II - OES 916P - I think in the early 80's?

[davy thomson]

Here's a we pic.

[davy thomson]

This RS turned up at a motorshow they have up here every year, check out the reg number a couple off mine, twenty odd years apart.small world

[davy thomson]

Odd to see it on a T plate must be one of the last,as most Mk11's were R or S plate could have sat about.

[kas750]

Odd to see it on a T plate must be one of the last,as most Mk11's were R or S plate could have sat about.

Thanks for posting Davy.Yes its a very late one.It was registered on the 3rd august 1978.Which was when this model was deleted and the rs2000 was split into base and custom models.I have every single piece of documentation from day 1 including bill of sale,old mot's and service invoices.

[davejames]

Great history there, will be good to see it restored

[davy thomson]

The Mexico that my mate has above is as it came from the factory,never even had a paint touch up never mind welding,when he takes it out to shows punters think its a resto but its not, the only thing that has been changed since it was bought are service item's.it has been in the town all its days my mates father bought it from a local school teacher,it was a dying gift from his late father,he's had it since it was two years old.you have a crackin base there KAS just don't over do it on the resto like some you see,ford never made them all blingy. I know as I am an ex ford panelbeater.

[Big John]

Nice one, my brother still has his 1977 Signal Amber MKII RS2000, had it 24 years now. My 1976 RS2000 was stoennever tobe seenagan,was an early one withthe FORD badge in the grillaspposed to the Blue Oval.

[kas750]

Ahhhhhhhhh, love Escorts My first car in 1979 was a 1968 GT1300 Mk.I and a mate had a 1600 Mexico Mk.I in brown (bronze)

I also had a 1600 Sport Mk.II - OES 916P - I think in the early 80's?

When we were Kids you either had an Escort or a Mini..I had a few mk2's including a 1600 sport and a mk1 1300 sport.I still love Escorts.
These cars still make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG-Tnj3E ... re=related

and this!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTXjoryI ... re=related

[Crofty]

Like Davy, I used to work as a panel beater, I remember tidying up a very nice MK1 Mexico in white with blue decals (IIRC). I actually prefer the curved lines of the MK1
They were both really good cars, a friend also had a MK2 that had the Ford TC BDA engine and was fully prepped for rallying, I used to have to knock all the dents out and reattatch the wheel arch flares after he'd stuffed it into something.
Being a BL panelshop meant I ended up with a Cooper S, the mate with the BDA got me a genuine works engine for it, 85 horsepower at the wheels and good for 100mph anywhere as it was on a 4:1 diff.
It used to wipe the smiles of the boy racers with there std Golf and Astra GTI's.
Also had the use of another rally prepped MK2 for a few weeks, glad to give it back after a few near misses on ice late at night!

[Crofty]

Just looking at the pics again and I can see that indeed that car is the ideal start point for a full resto, the engine bay is in better condition than some MOT failures we had back when the cars were only a few years old! Good luck with the resto and please post pictures.

[paul doran]

looks a good straight Car Adrian
keep Us updated on the restoration