Andy060172 Posted October 14, 2016 Report Posted October 14, 2016 Hi, Could anyone help please? Looking to get my first mk1 and have seen this advertised and would appreciate any thoughts from you guys. http://www.autobarnsports.com/showroom/detail/?stockID=8 Things like what's the difference between the 1600gt and the Mexico, does it look like good value etc... Thanks Andy
Vista Posted October 14, 2016 Report Posted October 14, 2016 I think the Capri Laser wheels need to come off it in favour of some Mk1 RS alloys (mk2 RS alloys at a push). Difference between a GT and a Mexico? Good question actually, a 130mph speedo and no wooden trim on the doors (plus different wooden trim on the dash (if fitted at all)) no chrome trim round the side windows on a Mexico. These are for certain but other than that (without researching it) I'm not sure. Some clever marketing and stripes / badging? To be honest, there's probably little difference in performance terms nowadays and any difference there are you can make up with a bit of tweaking.
Mexican Gerbil Posted October 14, 2016 Report Posted October 14, 2016 Hello. I asked the same question years ago when I bought mine. The Mexico was badged up as a 1600gt if it had the broad Mexico stripes. Mine is a Mexico on the log book. Some do say 1600 or 1600gt from what if read on other forums. Without the reg or the vin number it's hard to find out. I believe but don't take it as gospel that some European models were sold as gt versions rather than mexicos.
Mexican Gerbil Posted October 14, 2016 Report Posted October 14, 2016 Looking at the photos a bit more closely it's not a Mexico shell. The speedo is from a 1300 as well. It might just be a 1300model like the gt with a 1600 crossflow stuck in it.
Mexican Gerbil Posted October 14, 2016 Report Posted October 14, 2016 http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=173424 When I asked on a different forum 5 years ago
Rally Pack 2000 Posted October 15, 2016 Report Posted October 15, 2016 Are we sure there was ever an actual model called the 1600 GT not just an alternate badge for Mexicos depending on what stripes it had? I have seen reference to South African MK1 1600 GTs but I cannot find any proof the factory actually made them and all I have seen were really 1300 GTs with 1600 engines in them to which people put badges on. Im open to the possibility but I have never seen a brochure or advert from Ford Europe or South Africa to suggest such a model actually exists. Even when you read the the Brooklands road tests there is no mention of a factory produced 1600 GT which certainly would have drawn attention by some magazine as a sporting model. There is definitely one 1600 GT Mk1 Escort that can be confirmed and thats in Australia. But its not a Mexico type deal its that in Australia in 1972 they changed the name of the Twincam to the 1600 GT to bring it into line with the GT (Grand Touring) sports branding As I mentioned before I would love to solve this mystery as its become a bit like bigfoot. I see plenty of photos that could be but no real proof. If you do own a Mk1 1600 GT , European or South African I would love to see images of the VIN or Compliance plates showing to that effect. It would be good to get a definitive answer as its had be curious for many years. 1
khanlad Posted October 15, 2016 Report Posted October 15, 2016 As above I've never seen or heard of a 1600gt, seen the badges and the rocker cover states 1600gt. There was a post about the orange 1300 sport whether it was or wasn't and the pictures show a car of a bit of a mishmash? Later rear suspension so it going to be a 74/75 car? 110mph clocks so not Mexico, (unless clocks have been changed)? Rs stripes, having said all that was it 15k if it's a nice one, would think that's about the going rate for the car? Did they do 13gt in the later years? Maybe one of them with a 16 dropped in? My sport didn't have the wood and the outside silver trim, which is missing on the nearside of the car !
YellowTaxi Posted October 16, 2016 Report Posted October 16, 2016 First the bad news... Stripe is wrong colour in the photos but could just be the camera. Its an RS2000 stripe by the way. OK then..Some Mexicos where banged as 1600GT, On engine it always read 1600GT regardless of outside badging . It looks like a type 49 shell which indicates Mexico, shouldnt have side chrome though. Front wings look slightly flared which is a good sign. Wheels are not Escort, they are Capri Laser. Have you seen the car in the flesh? What does the log book say it is? Check VIN number here: http://www.rs-garage.co.uk/decode.html Mexico, RS1600 and RS2000 Mk1 Escorts had type 49 shells ?(similar but not identical to export shells) How to ID a type 49 shell: http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?p=854826&highlight=type#post854826 The good news: Even if its not a Mex if its solid, mechanically sounds and is as good as it looks in the photos its a fair price and may be the buy of the century if its a Mex or RS. If your serious go and see it and take someone who knows early Escorts with you. Print off the links and give it a good check. If its a clean usable copy haggle on the price. If it checks out as a genuine Mexico buy it, sell a kidney if you have to.! 1
mexmogs Posted October 20, 2016 Report Posted October 20, 2016 mk1 escort 1600gt or not? I own one and the research is on!
khanlad Posted October 20, 2016 Report Posted October 20, 2016 There you go, live and learn, what is it then aussie or African?
Rally Pack 2000 Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 mk1 escort 1600gt or not? I own one and the research is on! Sorry but thats not quite proof yet. This is the same thing people have put up as proof before but it could just equally be photos of a MK1 1300 GT. South Africa made a 1300 GT with exactly those stripes and every 1600 GT I have ever seen has been one of those with a 1600 Engine put in it later. What I need to see is images of both matching compliance plates with the engine code and also the body painted plate that states the engine capacity. If someone can show me those I will be over the moon as its been a bit of a unicorn for me for decades now. There you go, live and learn, what is it then aussie or African? We're not quite there yet. Its not Australian. The 1600 GT in Australia was the name for later Twincams. We never made a regular 1600 Kent engined Mk1. The only likely 1600 GT source is South African but as mentioned above I have only seen 1300 GTs with 1600 engines in them. If Mexmogs owns one he is the person to provide the photos we need for a definitive answer. We are very very close and I would love to believe.
YellowTaxi Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 Interesting post this one. I will keep my eye on it with baited breath.
meXEco Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 Guess those GT's didn't have mex wings then?
mexmogs Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 mk1 escort 1300gt south Africa, was on ebay this week.
mexmogs Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 mk1 escort south Africa, 1600gt or 1300gt? 1
mexmogs Posted October 21, 2016 Report Posted October 21, 2016 under the bonnet off my mk1 escort 1600gt, its the same as the metallic brown one. 1
mexmogs Posted October 23, 2016 Report Posted October 23, 2016 yep its genuine! I give you the mk1 ford escort 1600gt from south Africa. very very rare in the uk! 1
YellowTaxi Posted November 1, 2016 Report Posted November 1, 2016 What a lovely looking Mk1. Rostyles look great on it.
68gt Posted May 18, 2020 Report Posted May 18, 2020 I'm sorry to open a really old discussion. But it's the only place that came up in my search results. I've recently purchased what I believe to be a 1968 mk1 escort. From south africa. I have a friend over there. And he assures me it's a 1 owner. And never been touched...... Now the fun part. It's apparently a 1600gt. And after reading the above posts. Was it confirmed they do exist? As I can't see the pics anymore. And if so from what year? I'm aware of one discrepancie, Like the front bumper, any more you know of? I'm sure it's a 68. Managed to get that. And the engine code comes up as a 1500 out of a cortina unless I'm reading the vin decoder wrong. As it's not for South African plates. I will try and upload a pic of the vin plate ect. And see if anyone can help? Thanks for looking.
meXEco Posted May 18, 2020 Report Posted May 18, 2020 It's definitely an early one due to the bonnet release button in the grille and the heater dome with pointy sides, so yes 1968/1969.
Rally Pack 2000 Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 10 hours ago, 68gt said: I'm sorry to open a really old discussion. But it's the only place that came up in my search results. I've recently purchased what I believe to be a 1968 mk1 escort. From south africa. I have a friend over there. And he assures me it's a 1 owner. And never been touched...... Now the fun part. It's apparently a 1600gt. And after reading the above posts. Was it confirmed they do exist? As I can't see the pics anymore. And if so from what year? I'm aware of one discrepancie, Like the front bumper, any more you know of? I'm sure it's a 68. Managed to get that. And the engine code comes up as a 1500 out of a cortina unless I'm reading the vin decoder wrong. As it's not for South African plates. I will try and upload a pic of the vin plate ect. And see if anyone can help? Thanks for looking. Yes they do really exists and yours is an original South African GT even down to its original paint and unique striping. I had to revise my original post because I found conflicting engine code information on whether its a 1300GT or a 1600GT unfortunately It was built in March 1968. Its the earliest I have seen for a 1600 if that proves correct but have seen 1300 GTs of this vintage as most 1600GT's seem to be from early 70s but it definitely appears to be a genuine GT. The early South African GT's didnt use split bumpers so that's actually period correct and hasnt been changed like you thought. At first glance I thought it was a 1300GT for this reason having not seen an early 1600GT of this vintage always under the assumption 1600s were offered later. Here is an original 1968 full bumpered South African 1300GT. As mentioned at a glance I would have pegged the car as a 1300GT but the engine Code reads to me as a 1600 GT Kent engine when using a period Capri Code of the same vintage as a reference. So in that respect it all looks good. I just have one example of South African vin that uses the same code which I dont believe was a 1600 but rather 1300. It gets difficult when this information is lost by the factory and they would often reuse codes. Its still a great rare find I must add. I love their distinctive striping and Yellow is one of the best colours in their range for GT's to contrast with the black bonnet striping so you got a great car in the best colour combination as well. I would very much like to see the side striping that your example has as well as that changed in colour form and positioning in the early cars to later. If you can get an image of the secondary Vin plate that's paint coloured that would be excellent and reveal more details. It should clarify any engine doubts. They reused trim code colours unfortunately and using Capri codes as a guide it should have an Aqua interior but being a GT its more than likely black, however the early GTs there did have some wild interior colours. So would be nice addition to my code data base if you could photograph the paint coloured plate. 1
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