1978 Ford Escort 1.3 L 4 Door

[Miller]

Well, Ive been posting for a little while so I thought it was time to finally stick up a few pics of my car.

Its a 1978 Ford Escort 1.3, its got 4 doors and the square headlights but I love it even more for that. Its been a local car all its life and I brought it last summer from a nice chap who had saved it from being cut up for parts who was going to turn it into some sort of rally car. Since buying it I have tidied it up around the edges a little and forked out what I paid for the car again on getting it welded up properly. Since then its been great as my only car and took 3 of us and all our luggage to Leeds festival without any problems at all. It also regually lugs my bands gear around to and from gigs / band practice as I am the only one in the group that can drive. I havent really any plans for it other than to just enjoy it (being a skint student), anyways, enough of that heres some pics.




This is the car when I brought it, don't know if you can see the repair above the rear right lights. Cant see how it was an improvement over the original damage.






The side moldings have gone as the originals were in a poor state, still need to fill some of the mounting holes.


The Mountney wheel came with the car but the seat covers are cheapies just to cover up ripped originals.

Well, there you have it, the paintwork will need some attention in the future but structually its now at least sound. Its a fun reliable old car.

[coggers]

i like it

least you've got all the welding sorted , like you say now you can blast around in it and have some fun ;D

but don't be tempted to change the lights for roundies , the square ones are winners !!

[slater]

The number plates are my favorite part!

[skamanfrank]

Nice car! I like the square headlights myself!

Ive got family down in Oke! Might have to keep an eye out next time I go a visiting!

[Miller]

Well, Yesterday I picked up some new RS2000 wheels and whacked them on so heres some new pics. Ive also been working on some of the dodgy wrong colour paint work so now it has matching dodgy paint work ;D. Despite some lowlifes best attempts at nicking it the Escort is still here.









Ive decided the square headlights are staying, all that remains now is to get some new door and wing trims, new roof guttering trim (which was wrecked in theft attempt) and a bit more paintwork and Il be happy..... and maybe a 2.0 Pinto

[trg1984]

looks sweet mate, think it could do with a slightly larger exhaust, i like it without the side trim tbh

[Miller]

The pictures flatter it a bit, the paint is very patchy in some lights and to be honest its a candidate for a respray if there ever was one. It doesn't look too bad now its polished though which is the best I can do at the moment. Doesn't matter when your driving anyway. I'm really not sure about the side trims, I'm halfway before drilling holes in the new wing to fit them or filling in all the other holes and paiting to go without. I'm thinking putting trims on would allow me to get away with a half body respray but I do like the without look. May be able to get away with half respray due to the waistline anyway. Hmmm Decisions Decisions...
Project Parsons I would say leave yours on as the paint looks very tidy and you would need to fill and paint over the fitting holes to do the job right. I guess it depends with what look your going for in the end though (although yours has a great look now - I'm not biased ;D).

[samyboy]

looking goooooooood

glad you junked the fog lights

[Jowe]

love mk2's beautiful cars

[SeventyNine]

ive got some trim you can have

[Miller]

Well being an old Ford the time has come to get the welding torch out on it and after hassling my friend Tony about it for long enough we got started yesterday.



Looks good in this picture, but the front panel is full of filler, the wing is rottern and I just know that its worse underneath. Water was leaking from under the dash and the passenger side a post was proper bodged by the idiot garage that welded it up for its last MOT.



Its painfull to watch someone attack your car with an air chisel, and Tony seemed to be enjoying it a bit too much. The wing didn't put up a fight (it practicly fell off when given a good tug) but the front panel took hours to get of neatly.





Behind the wing lurked the expected, and this will have to be replaced with fabricated panels. Worryingly I know this is the good side. The nice replacement strut top I gave to the garage to replace the old one just turns out to have been welded over it so this will have to be redone. Luckily we should be able to save it.



Tony fighting the remains of my front panel.



The Workshop and pile of new panels (more inside).



Tony's Mk1 Escort - 2 Litre RS2000 replica (built with mostly genuine parts), having owned tons of Fords in the past he is in a good position to tackle mine. Hopefully he'l teach me how to weld when the car is ready as its a skill I desperatly need.
He also owns a Bedford HA Van hes just restored and a Mk1 Transit Camper awaiting restoration. His dad owns tons of old bikes, a Mk2 granada and another Mk1 Transit Camper. The Fiesta belongs to another friend of Tonys who has a total of 23 Mk1 Fiestas!





The passenger side wing still hides the horrors beneath. This wing is a pattern but its still good so will be reused.

More Photos and Progress next week when it really gets started.

While the Escort is off the road I'm smoking about in this:

Il do a readers rides on it later, at the moment I'm too busy enjoying the strange apperance of bright blue patches and white clouds in the sky!

Ps: Sorry for not replying about that very kind offer SeventyNine, that will teach me to check these threads more oftern. You don't still have them by anychance?

[jizzy gillespie]

loving that capri ;D

[skoda_norman]

cool

i hate rust and its good to see a car being saved from it.

more info on capri please

[skoda_norman]

skodanorman said:

more info on capri please

my capri loving girlfrind has just seen the picture of your capri and is now rather jealous! ;D