The Transplanter

In the 90's I was marketing manager & product analyst for two different car manufactures in the UK. The UK market would chose the specs and options from a list given by the manufacturer, which would be completely different to any other country, so that's why you have the differences. When I worked for FIAT Auto UK. Sometimes if the Asian markets were slow, cars destined for them would get re-directed to the UK, these were generally always higher spec than standard UK models and also were available in different colours! But on the flip side, when I worked for Volkswagen GB they would do the same with South African built Golfs & Passats, that were of a lower spec compared to UK models. In the early 2000s I used to import new Alfa Romeo 156's, GTV's & Spiders from Germany, I used to order the options to match the UK spec cars as it made them easier to sell, Although I ordered all GTV's with the UK optional "Aero Pack" as they looked so much better with them. Yes the ads seem pointless, but they are now all European or World adverts to save on costs, gone are the UK based ads

I did have a 1980 RS2000 Custom and a MK1 Golf GTi from Belgium in the 80s, on those particular cars the specs were identical to the UK. Although I have seen many differences on modern stuff.

Perfect for a decent road trip that tank!

I didnt know that about the doors 👍 Apart from the obvious strengthening pieces, how else did the MK1 shells differ? I have a 75 1.3XL Auto, Yellow with Saddle interior waiting for me to do something with here in the UK 😋

You sure, they look like laser alloys when you zoom in, completely different profile to RS2 wheels and the part numbers and stampings are a different format GP1 wheels were ATS, And RS2 wheels were GKN. They look like Ford made wheels to me.

Did you get it sold in the end? My brother wasnt interested (which surprised me). If I wasnt moving house early next year I would have been all over it myself, but I dont think my missus would appreciate me spending our stamp duty money on another car 😂

If the Higgins shells were targeted at the Rally scene, then why wouldnt they had just had them made for that use with 4 link, forest arches, seam welded, gusseted, caged etc etc??? IMO it makes me think they thought they were going to earn the big bucks from the restorers, but when realised the quality wasnt as good as maybe they hoped, they then come up with the "for rally use" story!

Its a base model, so had the POP type door cards, the LHD base models also had the clock pods, unlike the RHD base models. The alloys fitted to it a laser alloys, not RS2 alloys, the door mirror is also wrong for a base model, but this stuff always got swapped about, when it was plentyful. Looking at that Retards Club profile it looks like a propa scam

It will state on the V5 "declared year of manufacture" and "previously registered overseas" Also, Escorts built outside of Europe have a different format VIN numbers Here are a couple of my V5's of imported vehicles

I have an Australian MK1, apart from a slight bit of corrosion on one floorpan its totally solid. IMO its much better than a rusty Escort that has been badly patched up or one of these cars built from pattern parts! You can tell an original UK car by the VIN number, so there is a place for them all.

The DVLA will not change the year. When it was originally registered, the owner would have had to prove the year of manufacture, Be that the Maltese log book or a dating letter, either way that will not diverge from that.

Shit news, but im guessing the V5 states that it is an RS2000? In truth many RS's got into this situation in the late 90s when they were not worth a great deal and solid 2dr shells were two a penny. I will speak to my brother as he has just sold his 69 Mustang and was looking for a cheaper project. Im only up the road from Camberley (Farnham) so could come and have a butchers for him.

Miami Blue was a great colour!

Yeah, I think they built the 351 Cleveland's down under for the Falcons and the 6 pots evolved into the Barra which is a very tunable engine by all accounts!

I currently have 3 old Fords, but I have a bit of a fetish for VW MK1 Caddys. I see my very first one in the 80's when the guy I sold my RS2 to had one as a company pickup and had fancied one ever since! I got my first one in 99 and have had more than 20 since then. Here are my current ones: 1988 2.8 VR6 Turbo. I originally built this one in 2003 and took it off the road in 2011, its currently on a slow burn to get it finished but hoping to do it over the winter Previously Currently I also have this rare factory GTi engined Caddy with just 66k miles and original paint And lastly, I have this GTI Engineering Caddy, 1 of only 2 built and currently waiting its turn for restoration.

Maybe not the best place for this, but it is a Ford and it is old 😋 1970 Ford Torino Type N/W 1 of only 395 ever built 5.0 V8 (302 Windsor) C4 Automatic Power Steering Type N/W extras include: Magnum 500 Steel Mags Mach 1 Hood Pins Mach 1 Door Mirrors Boot Spoiler Front Spoiler Black Headliner I imported this from California a couple of years ago, I have seen another OSF that I fancy so putting this up for sale Obviously its MOT & Tax exempt, and I pay £62 are year fully comp, so the only expensive bit is the fuel! £15995.00 ono Stored in Hampshire SO21 Message me if you are interested and I will give you my number 👍

Yeah, I think it must have been an Oz or non UK market thing.

The colour change was in March 77 on the Pinto's I was a Ford mechanic back in the early 80s and only remember the Pintos being available in blue. American Ford engines were the same blue from 65 to about the same time as our pinto's, so maybe it was the American influence!? I could be wrong but I cant recall seeing any blue Essex, Kent or Valencia engines. Even the early Colognes were black and went grey

Its a lovely looking car, so whatever you decide to do wont spoil it and like you said previously. they are just bolt-on bits that can be easily changed if yo change your mind.

Did they do a blue Essex, I thought they were all black like the crossflows?

Yep, another one for black. Sometimes you can get carried away with colours and it all looks garish & ott imo

Both the chassis and VIN plate will show the original colour 👍

I think you now have to go to your local bootsale to make it work now lol Or you can run bluetooth through the Aux and pretend your wiv'it in 2023

No, this hater just doesn't watch it, life is to short to waste time on that shit.