Ray

no offence was meant, as i think we are all agreed, its just down to personal opinion,

where i was coming from more on this one is as follows, if you take a mk1 escort mexico for example, take the running gear out, drop in a pinto, change the carbs, axle etc to suit, in my book you no longer have a mexico, same applies to any heavy mods, ie put a zetec in it, change all sorts else etc, in my book its no longer a MK1 Escort, its a kit car, and should be treated as such, and pay full road tax my 1300E came with capri struts and front brakes, but luck would have it the guy stopped there, so it was easy to change back, the engine was its original matching number. i accept 40 years down the line that a lot of the anciliaries get replaced, but take an anglia (accepted genuine parts are probably hard so source) but to make them like hot rods at this stage of the cars life, to my mind is ruining a bit of our history, but as said, just my opinion what i have tried to do with my first 1300E, is to replicate, as close as possible, to what its production line state would have been, just a tad better here and there like the paintwork for its own preservation, and yes, that has involved a lot of NOS parts, and yes i would accept not original, but they are the parts that would have been fitted from new, and not an aftermarket part, i also accept, that with so many new parts, then perhaps it shouldnt qualify for free tax (heritage status), but then again i have not done it to get free tax, i would hope that one day it may end up a museum piece, but at least outlast me and give my kids something to remember me by i know re-shelling went on back then, it stil does today in rare instances, but could we say that the amount of welding some shells are having, can the shell really be regarded as original with so much new metal, it cant be far removed from making one from two (avoiding those dreaded words), if we re-shell a car say after 2 years old, then perhaps it should be a re-registration case, or at least marked on the log book everything is down to personal opinions at the end of the day, but like buidings, i feel there should become a stage where the car is protected, and restoration mean restoration, not just modify for the sake of it i understand wanting the car to drive like a modern car if its used every day, but should a car of this age be used as a daily (just asking the question) as its putting it at a lot of risk

i wasnt meaning to get handbags out at dawn, its just my opinion, personally, im more for keeping originality where possible, i see it as when a car gets to a certain age its a heritage car, however, if all you have left is basically a shell, then its not original and in my eyes cant be classed as a heritage car, or even an old car for that matter, you may have well bought a kit car but thats my opinion, everyone to their own im gonna sit back and let the fireworks fly now lol, as i know im in the minority

is it you who has listed one on e-bay now with tower

firstly everyone to their own, you like driving the car, i like looking at a piece of history thats correct, yes a museum piece if you like, my personal belief is that modifying cars over a certain age should be illegal, and restorations over a cetain age should be to original spec, but thats personal opinion and preference, on the other hand, the more modifyers wreck a car, the rarer and more valuble an original car becomes now, the cut down ones for lowering blocks i have that came with my car, and a set i bought on flea bay, are metric, they are meant to be UNC thread, im not saying they are all like it, but it seems that way as we live in a metric world now, and they are just bent round bar thats been threaded, they do not fit round the bump stops properly as they are round, if you look at a genuine ford one, they are flattened around the U, to fit the bump stop plate, the nuts used originally were off the shelf aircraft spec nuts that are still in production, as aircraft in the main ave not gone metric, regardless of tensile steel or not, the job they do, any plating work needs to be stress relieved properly, if you dont, then they will snap, they will have to have a degree of tensile strength, if too soft they will stretch, but yer agreed if too hard they will snap the whole point of my original post was pointing out that genuine ones are rocking horse droppings

if you take a look at the car im restoring and to the standard i am doing it, (its a show car), you will see why that really i would prefer genuine ford new old stock but if you need it explaining its as follows you cut them down, you create bare metal that will rust, they are highly tensioned, so its not a good idea to replate without knowing the manufacturers spec for heat treatments, the cut down ones arent actually the correct shape around the curve, therefore dont actually sit correctly, they are also the incorrect thread and as a result you cant but the correct style nuts

if you find a good source let me know, ive been looking for std u bolts for a year, but to no avail

im not sure that naming names will do you any one any good on a legal stance, especially if your going to make a claim through the courts questions i ask at this stage would be was it a hobby build or does the guy do it for a living what was the condition you bought it, ie newly re-built, re-built x miles ago, as remeoved etc etc, how many miles since re-build this will give you an idea of legal standing then go to a solicitor and get half hour free advice even a private seller has warranty liabilities, but its all about how it was termed in a sale, print off the e-bay page for records dont slate publically with names though, or it could be you thats on the end of legal proceedings if all fails, then a few old skool door men escorting him to a cashpoint to relieve him of your dosh could be an answer (i didnt type that did i)

a piller repair panels dont come with the hinges, the hinge is welded to the original A post as RSash says, contact someone like escortec, they break the cars so they may be able to help with one cut from a shell

mine are welded to the car and doors on both my escorts, not something that could or would be easily removed or cut off either, and how you would re-align once removed i dont know cant say ive ever seen any for sale either

im in need of the black vinyl 6 dial dash top, needs to be in good original condition and not torn etc, as its for a concourse RHD car i know these dont come along too often, but if anyone has anything im prepared to give a good price for the right thing i have a repaired one that i can exchange if needed, just im too fussy to fit the repaired one, but the repaired one is not up for grabs yet until i have a mint one, just in case i cant get one must be a genuine ford one, not a horrible micky mouse grp thing

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Modify-Ford-S-O-H-C-Engines/dp/0863430856 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Book-How-to-Modify-Ford-S-O-H-C-Engines-by-David-Vizard-/171645777078

thats the best ive seen, and very good prices too, many thanks, but i will have to call them tho, as the amp in the unit will still blow the car speaker to bits, and also they are stereo and i need mono, but you never know they may be able to help you would think in this day and age that there would be a littlee unit that plugs in the ariel socket wouldnt you

none of them i can find want to keep it to standard look unless your in the states they want to modernise it completely with digital front i want to keep original look, i dont want mp3 rubbish, just a radio and be suitable and compatable with the original 2.5 watt single speaker iin the parcel shelf

hi Guys need a little help, being a little purist, im not sure if im doing the right thing here, but here goes neither of my escorts had radios fitted from new, so i wasnt going to fit one, however, i just bought myself a NOS ford aeriel still in packaging with the ford logo on, just like the one on the green 1300E in Dan Williamsons book, i bought it on a whim, as you dont see them come up very often (my nose is still quite painfull lol) so now i dont know whether to fit a radio or not, but if i do, then i want to keep the period look, probably just a radio, but from my understanding, a period working one wont work on todays frequencies is there a company out there that modifies them keeping the old look, and better still sells them already modified, or am i barking up the wrong tree and it not possible just a radio is fine, not looking for cd players or amps etc

he has changed the listing and e-mailed me

lots wrong to be an E when you know what your looking for, but do a text reg check and it tells you its an XL as well the red wing badges, the imitation wood, missing pillar badges, missing vinyl roof etc etc, dead giveaways to me, but to someone else im not sure, thats why i thought i would point it out

hi everyone for those who dont know pls dont be fooled by this car on e-bay, its not a 1300E, i have e-mailed the seller, but he has chosen to ignore me http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Escort-1300E-/251809844400?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3aa1094cb0 its a 1300XL, Exported to southern ireland, despite the english plate, its still registered with DVLA as exported

absolutely beautiful

thats why we have old skool fords lol, they are the reliable cars modern junk is just that, junk, i wouldnt buy another new car from any manufacturer

i take it a sense of humour was not appropriate then

well having been on their site, im confused, but i cannot find one old skool ford advertised for sale was looking fwd to seeing a few mk1 escorts for sale with a 2 year warranty

go with the second picture

nice granny, i really like that, nice colour as well

not knowing my 1600GT badge, after buying repro 1300E ones and finding when they arrived, that they are so far different its untrue, i have to ask, is the lettering the correct font etc