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3.0 MK2 Escort and how in became!


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Got to thinking earlier (as you do), about a MK1 Escort 3.0 SuperSpeed that my brother looked to buy back in 1984 (ish). It was up for sale fairly locally at First County Garages in Southall for around £2900! It was a white car with black stripes fitted with similar looking wheels as the MBG V8. But my brother bottled it as he really wanted an RS2.

Anyway, several RS's and other Fords later between us, in 1986 we decided that we wanted to build our own 3.0, my brother was the money man and I was an apprentice at Fords ready to fook it up. Our family were all in the motor trade and a white 1975 MK2 1.1 pop soon fell into our laps for £300, shortly after, a lad up the road smashed up his 3.0 MK1 Capri which I think we gave about £80 for, so we were all set😋

At the time and without the internet, doing this stuff was a bit hit n miss and meant spending many weekends trawling through the breakers yards. According to magazines at the time, they way to do it was to weld in the Capri tunnel so as the box would fit. But as luck would have it I realised that the MK1 Granada/Consul 2.5 had the type E  (rocket) gearbox with the longer 1st motion shaft, so this was mounted as per the RS2 with an RS2 prop-shaft, so the original tunnel remained. The 2.5 bellhousing was retained with a slight bit of relieving around the tunnel,/bulkhead area. We made up direct to chassis engine mounts and then modified the exhaust manifolds so they sat tighter to the block. The sump from memory was from a Zephyr MK4 , once it was in we soon had it up and running!

The Escort was finished off with Billys all around and a set of 7.5" RS Alloys

And the reason for this long winded explanation, is that I just found some old pics of it lol 😂

About a year later, we sold the car to an oil rig worker, who when come back from a stint on the rigs the Escort was gone!!!. And I only know this as the guy rang up asking for its full spec for the insurance company. It was quite sad to hear after the work we put into it! I never knew if he ever got it back or not 😒

 

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8 hours ago, katana said:

In those pictures - spot the non Fords - must be around Dagenham or Halewood LOL! Nice car btw!

You would think so lol. But it was Northolt, West London. EVERYONE seem to own a Ford back then, much like VAG now I suppose!

I know I used to get a lot of private work back then because of it. My parents driveway always had an old Ford jacked up on it at the weekend 👍

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15 minutes ago, The Transplanter said:

It did feel quick back in the day, I remember chasing a brand new Audi UR Quattro down the north circular lol. But I think the sound made it seem faster than it was.

The noise adds 20mph and about 45bhp 😁

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  • 1 month later...
On 07/10/2021 at 18:01, The Transplanter said:

You would think so lol. But it was Northolt, West London. EVERYONE seem to own a Ford back then, much like VAG now I suppose!

I know I used to get a lot of private work back then because of it. My parents driveway always had an old Ford jacked up on it at the weekend 👍

Did you live on the Race course estate . I have lived in Hayes near the Brook House  pub since 1982 and Sarf Arra before that  near Lascelles/Whitmore school .

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50 minutes ago, D-FENS said:

Did you live on the Race course estate . I have lived in Hayes near the Brook House  pub since 1982 and Sarf Arra before that  near Lascelles/Whitmore school .

Yes! 

Are you Deon? who had the lockup in South Harrow behind the shops, who was building a 3.0 MK1 back then?

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  • 2 months later...
On 22/11/2021 at 00:12, The Transplanter said:

Yes! 

Are you Deon? who had the lockup in South Harrow behind the shops, who was building a 3.0 MK1 back then?

Sorry but no I am not Deon  . Which Ford dealer did you work for ?

Edited by D-FENS
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  • 4 months later...
On 10/02/2022 at 20:13, The Transplanter said:

Iron Bridge Garages, Southall (and then Neil Smith when it changed hands in 1984).

How did you know I was from the racecourse???

 

It was just a lucky  guess  👍

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