Miller Posted July 25, 2007 Report Posted July 25, 2007 Some of you may have seen this in the forsale section or on ebay already. For those that havent here is my new purchase which I collected almost without incident yesterday. It all started when I saw it on ebay, put a late bid on and won it for £1400. Obviously I was lucky as buying a car unseen on ebay is asking for trouble but upon arriving in Nottingham yesterday already knackered (big journey from Devon) it turned out to have been described spot on and was a very solid, original if slightly scruffy machine. After chatting with the seller (top bloke, his son has a Mk2 Rally Rep project), exhanging bits of paper and drinking copius amounts of tea it was time to hit the road again. Feeling dead pleased with myself I was relieved that all had gone well,and the car was all I hoped it was and with only the racket from the exhuast to distract me I screamed down the motorway for 180 ish miles before going to pull into services to ring my Girlfriend and parents to tell them I would be home soon. However the decided it wasn't going to stop and as the brake pedal disapered into the floor a few thoughts ran through my mind, mostly along the lines of "Oh Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap" Fortuantly the service station carpark was pretty empty and after making my dramatic 70 mph entrance I decided more tea was in order and came to the conclusion shelling out for breakdown cover the previous night was one of my better ideas. I eventually made it home at 11pm on the back of the recovery truck much to the dismay of my neighbors who dont approve of me bringing "old bangers" into their bubble of suburban bliss. I made a call to my mate Tony (owner of a very nice, very orange MK1 RS2000 rep) and got him to agree to come over and give me a hand with it this morning. So when we removed the front right wheel this morning to find that the brake calliper intended on coming with it the mystery of the disapearing brakes was solved. Turns out the bolts had worked loose on the motorway and parted ways with the car leaving the calipper to fall onto the brand new superlight wheel (which it then gouged a big chunk out of) and diconecting the brake line in the process. This bled the system dry over the however many miles it was before I tried the brakes meaning that when I did try them the pedal had no effect. So, after getting new brake line made up, cutting down some calliper bolts, screwing everything back together with liberal applications of locktite the car was back on the road and very pleased I was. Its not the tidiest Mk2 around but its incredibly honest with only 55,000 miles on the clock (presumed genuine as pedal rubbers are un worn) and a very solid un welded shell its an ideal toy and basis for a project (probably entailing 2.0 Pintos and what not). Theres surface rust which lets it down and to do the job properly it would need a new pair of wings, arches and a front panel but underneath its incredibly good. I intend to keep it's appearence much the same including the fetching go faster stripes (which will allow me to gettaway with just respraying the bottom half of the car when I do sort the rust). So overall im very pleased with it, i expect il find a few more things to add to list of "to dos" but for the money I definatly cant complain and its doing me well as a daily while my Mk2 Saloon is off the road waiting for a new exhaust. Heres the pics anyway, they do flatter it a bit, il get some more done when the light is better: So there you have it, hope that wasn't too boring to read. Cheers, Miller
marky4 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Posted July 25, 2007 looks like a very good buy you were very lucky not to have a nasty accident when the brakes failed though
Admin Vista Posted July 26, 2007 Admin Report Posted July 26, 2007 Looking good mate, nice to see more OSF motors appearing in our neck of the woods. Haven't seen your mates RS rep anywhere though. We need to get another SW meet on the go........
tonymk2wagon Posted July 26, 2007 Report Posted July 26, 2007 looks sweet mate, good luck getting it all sorted. looks like a good base
Miller Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Posted July 27, 2007 Heh, thanks for the comments, been having good fun chucking it round the back roads - although it is ridculously undergeared thanks to the diff ratio. Really wants a 5 speed or at least a saloon diff whacking in until I can sort a new engine for it. The Capri is mine and its on ebay at the moment, sadly it has to go to make way for the Estate And heres a pic of my mates RS2000 rep, sure its of interest to you folks: Ah well, im off out to attack that scabby wheel arch, can of red oxide primer in hand. Cheers, Miller
Copey Posted July 27, 2007 Report Posted July 27, 2007 nice!! shame u are sellin tho like the escort too!!
Mick The Cabbie Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 I saw this motor on fleabay too. Following a recent conversation I had with a bloke at me local scrappy, I believe it was actually rescued from the crusher around April time! Obviously the old girl had trouble dealing with her proposed untimely departure from this world and subsequently tried to comit suicide on the motorway a few weeks later! (not good with you at the wheel though eh!) A little therapy and tlc is required for your new toy to make her feel special again me thinks Nice car mate and glad you made it home safely
whitey Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 hey mate nice car, good to see another estate on the devon scene,this is a long shot but by any chance do you know drew or andy from felix i was meant to play for them once. cya around ,
Miller Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 Yes! I know Dru and Andy, my girlfriend is Charlotte who used to drum in felix (theyve since split up). Small world, you dont happen to own a very nice 2 door Mk1 (Purple 1300E??) because I saw one hanging around up near Dru's once and Andy was telling me that they'd met someone with a nicer Escort than mine . Interesting about its brush with death cossie350anglia, apparantly it had been sitting for 3 years before the chap I got it from brought it so I can belive that it nearly got crushed, as to some (ie my neighbors) escorts are just old bangers. In further protest to being put back into hard use its just blown the waterpump gasket and dumped its coolant yesterday, all sorted now though. Old cars, got to love em!
whitey Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 Haha yeah deffo a small world , i think i was deping for your girl friend (the drummer?) at a new years eve gig last year that got canceled. yeah i used to own the purple 2 door 1300e , wish i didnt sell it now ,but needed to get an estate so i could fit my drum kit in it and yeah the gear ratio is a bit low lol, i now own a white mk2 escort estate which rocks, ill spect i will bump into you when there is another south west meet . cya around
Miller Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 That sounds right, and the pub you were playing messed you guys around and ended up cancelling, I couldn't belive it! I was amazed when Andy told me you carried your drum kit around in your 2 door, I thought that was pretty hardcore. My old band used to use my 4 door Mk2 as a van for gigs (it was the only car we had) and that was quite awkward. Estates are much more practicle for that kind of thing. Il deffo look out for you at meets, and your car. Cheers, Miller
Miller Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 Haha yeah deffo a small world , i think i was deping for your girl friend (the drummer?) at a new years eve gig last year that got canceled. yeah i used to own the purple 2 door 1300e , wish i didnt sell it now ,but needed to get an estate so i could fit my drum kit in it and yeah the gear ratio is a bit low lol, i now own a white mk2 escort estate which rocks, ill spect i will bump into you when there is another south west meet . cya around Ive just thought, your not Chris's brother are you?
MK II Mark Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 Sweet lookin wagon ya got there brother. I was watchin that one on Ebay for a while, glad it went to a member of the site
Miller Posted July 29, 2007 Author Report Posted July 29, 2007 Been out trying to make the escort feel a bit more loved in response to cossie350anglia's theory: tidied up the wheel arch and thankfully under the the flaking paint it turned out solid: Skimed some filler and covered it in redoxide primer for now, needs a tiny bit more rubbing down to finish. Did the same with the front panel which is tbh totally knackered. At least its one colour now and presetable until I can replace it. Wings could do with replacing, does anyone know of any companies that do pattern or fibreglass replacements for MK2 Esates or Vans? Also touched up a couple of places and generally wire brushed and under sealed flaky paint underneath for peace of mind. pleased to announce I havent found any rot yet. Ive also been given a very 1970s red mountney wheel and boss by Tony, and with the overall theme of the car it would be rude not to!! Off out for a drive now cheers, Miller
Miller Posted July 29, 2007 Author Report Posted July 29, 2007 cool, was a long shot anyway heh, you never know. Must be more Mk2 Estates in Devon left than I gave credit for.
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