So.. I need the advice of the collective.

[YellowTaxi]

Story so far.. As per my last post (4 door 2 door differences). Im considering building a road car from one of the new Higgins Shells.

I have had several Escorts Mk1's and Mk2's and although I loved them all they all rattled and banged away like any old car does. My plan is to build a sort of modern car on a brand new shell with tons of sound deadening, power stearing, modern fuel Injection and perfect road manners is what Im after, a car thats a pleasure to drive.  I do have other classics at the moment so If I want a pure bred Ford I have access already.

I have read lots about these new shells, seen a green Mexico as a built-up finished car from one. I have seen a shell in the flesh. Im no expert so will be enlisting a body shop to do all the prep and painting. Surely these are a better starting point than an old patched-up rusty shell? I not a welder so doing one myself is out of the question. I am a self confessed perfectionist so will pay for the right finish.

What Im after is a road car, im really not into any of the Rally look, its got to be standard looking for me.

I have bought at a very good price a 4 door Australian RS2000 its actually in very good shape. Bought at a good price as I say and has all the bits I need including Roll top seats,  5 speed RS front nose etc etc. Im not happy with breaking a perfectly good car but when I add up all the bits I need it works out consideably more than I paid for this car. Add to that the shell and bits I dont use will have a residual value as well.

I have been building-up a Cosworth N/A for the project, Fitted the Throttle bodies yesterday so that now all ready to go.

Soo.. what do you lot think?

Any opinions however harsh welcome.

[notenoughtime]

Great idea and why not, they do it with E types, mgb’s etc now with late running gear electric windows, power steering etc

as you say the key is plenty of sound deadening and stopping all those bangs and crashes, standard bushes and not poly ones 

I’m trying to get the Mexico to drive nice again and going back to standard height, with original springs, removing the 5 speed as it’s to tight on the tunnel imo and going to get some sound deadening back in it, I’ll post up how I get on 

[YellowTaxi]

Good luck with the Mexico, sounds like we are singing from the same Hymn Sheet.

I love old Fords just dont like the way they drive.

In fact in the 35+ years I have been modifying them I honestly dont think I improved one.

45 Webers = constantly out of tune, too noisey.

Free Flow exhausts = too much noise and never fit properly.

Wider Wheels and Tyres = Tramline and rub on arches.

Harder springs and Shocks = a car that bangs over each bump..not nice.

I could go on but Im sure you get the idea.

Yes, Im mad its just a different kind of madness to most Petrol Heads.

 

[colr6]

I had a good look round one of those shells at CF..........well I won't go into an explicit view as the spellcheck on here would destroy it!

You could describe it easily ...Rally car material.......full stop

Total poor quality and to make a proper resto, toooooo much required. Going on various comparisons uk panels don't fit them and a lot of the Chinese panels differ from uk cars. You having the 4 door RS is different to start with. If the decision was mine it would be the 4 door all day long

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks for the reply Col. Its what I need good honest advice from people that know a lot more about these things than I do.

The green Mex did look good though. Wonder how much prep went into it.

[colr6]

I seem to remember the one your referring to, but not seeing it closely can't comment. Did you see it closely or just from pics ?

[YellowTaxi]

I saw it at Santa Pod erlier this year. It looked very good but dont know how much work went into it.

Even if it did have lots of time lavished on it on prep it still ended up as a really good looking totaly rust free shell and hats what Im after. I dont have bottomless pockets but prepared to pay for that if I need to.

[notenoughtime]

The Mexico your referring to is a group 4 shell is it not? And standard shell is available I believe but has it got all the correct trim mounts etc 

it would be good to actually see a shell without say 20 or 30 other people crowding round at a show 

 

[accord83]

Tell me I'm a git if you wish, but in my head I'm thinking, " So you have a rare Mk2 Escort 4dr, and you effectively want to use it as a donor for a kit car, why?"

Sell the 4dr and use the money plus the expected budget for all the body shop work and the new shell, and all the incidentals to buy a good 2dr.

Or, buy a bucket to collect your anguished tears and wreck a good car to make a bitsa.

[meXEco]

Heard the same about the shells-nothing fits properly from original shells and probably needs just as much work as an original shell would need-as Col says best for rallying. As suggested i'd do the RS 4 door or just get a decent original 2 door-lovely red one on Turbosport.

[YellowTaxi]

The one I saw at Santa Pod wasnt a modified shell, well not that I could see anyway. Theres lots of pics on the net of it. I will see if I can find them and post.

[notenoughtime]

18 minutes ago, YellowTaxi said:

Good luck with the Mexico, sounds like we are singing from the same Hymn Sheet.

I love old Fords just dont like the way they drive.

In fact in the 35+ years I have been modifying them I honestly dont think I improved one.

45 Webers = constantly out of tune, too noisey.

Free Flow exhausts = too much noise and never fit properly.

Wider Wheels and Tyres = Tramline and rub on arches.

Harder springs and Shocks = a car that bangs over each bump..not nice.

I could go on but Im sure you get the idea.

Yes, Im mad its just a different kind of madness to most Petrol Heads.

 

Someone asked me why I was reverting back to how it was, I said I’ve done all that rubbish before and it doesnt work lol 

Weber’s usually go out of tune as there isn’t a stop on the throttle pedal this then pulls on the spindles in the carbs throwing them out of tune, so if you do go the twin carb route always fit a stop at full throttle 

[meXEco]

Whats the cost of the copy shells-£6-7k-plus all the bits you wanna rob off a perfectly good and rare car-just buy a complete 2 door.

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks Accord, No your not a Git. As I said any oppinions welcome.

Im not sold on the Idea it just makes sense in my messed-up crazy head then.

 

[colr6]

2 minutes ago, notenoughtime said:

The Mexico your referring to is a group 4 shell is it not? And standard shell is available I believe but has it got all the correct trim mounts etc 

it would be good to actually see a shell without say 20 or 30 other people crowding round at a show 

 

I did, and spent about an hour looking round it. If you have a look around and they are such good value for money of which  first thoughts they are considering the work and panels resurrecting a rust bucket there're should have been loads sold and out there. Somehow I don't think so, A few now coming on the market as unfinished or even started, my thoughts are read between the lines. One mans interpretation of a resto is different to another's, mine is not to perfection but I wouldn't use one of these shells to do one.

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks For your Reply Mexico.

Yes 7k for the shell, with prep and paint im looking at the sharp end of 10k. So..yes it doesnt make sence but then a car worth 4 times what it cost new doesnt either and thats what most of us have.

I know what I want to achieve just dont know the best way to get there.

What I dont want is a patched-up rusty shell and looking at a lot of classic cars for sale that have been so-called restored it seems rust is never eradicated once it sets-in.

I dont mind throwing some money at this but the thought of doing it then doing it all again is not something Im prepared to do.

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks for your advice there Col.

Good point you make too. If they are so good how come they wasnt all snapped-up'.

I cant asnswer that one. Perhaps you have hit the nail on the head.!

Im all sad now.

[meXEco]

Check out the red one on Turbosport almost mint apparently-gotta be worth a looksie?

[meXEco]

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks for the heads-up on that one Mex.

I have dropped him a message asking for more photos.Its not far from me.

Anybody want to buy a Genuine Mk2 4 Door RS2000?

 

[colr6]

23 minutes ago, YellowTaxi said:

Yes 7k for the shell, with prep and paint im looking at the sharp end of 10k. So..yes it doesnt make sence but then a car w

I would be putting at least the shell price on top to get somewhere near.

sorry if it all sounds negative, I did give one a thought when they first came out. Consequently I didn't get one, bought a real one even with its rust!

[notenoughtime]

10 minutes ago, meXEco said:

Just looked at that on eBay, looks good base 

[meXEco]

Didn't know it was on fraudbay just saw it on TS - thought it looked good obviously needs looking at - gotta be a  better all round bet tho?

[RWL81P]

1 hour ago, YellowTaxi said:

Good luck with the Mexico, sounds like we are singing from the same Hymn Sheet.

I love old Fords just dont like the way they drive.

In fact in the 35+ years I have been modifying them I honestly dont think I improved one.

45 Webers = constantly out of tune, too noisey.

Free Flow exhausts = too much noise and never fit properly.

Wider Wheels and Tyres = Tramline and rub on arches.

Harder springs and Shocks = a car that bangs over each bump..not nice.

I could go on but Im sure you get the idea.

Yes, Im mad its just a different kind of madness to most Petrol Heads.

 

sounds like a good idea and im sure it would drive excellent. not to put a dampner on it but why spend all that money on a chinese shell, then prep and paint, power steering, efi.? sure it would drive like a modern car. but thats why we drive classics. they tramline, clunk n bang, pull around a bit, noisey, stink of fuel, need arms like Geoff Capes to steer them. but after all that upgrading is it still an escort? could just buy a modern classic such as a mk1 focus rs. would be an interesting build though.

[YellowTaxi]

Thanks Col.

Not negative at all, Spose I needed to hear it.