New MK2 Escort Shells

[colr6]

1 hour ago, mk2esccy said:

Are the Higgins front wings for the mk2 escort any good or should I go with magnum.... the wings I have on mine are really badly pressed with a few issues

The few Higgins panels I’ve seen / used ….total shite. Stick with magnum somewhat better.

[mk2esccy]

2 hours ago, RWL81P said:

my mate used magnum ones on his escort. but magnum did 2. cheaper ones and then dear ones that are supposed to be a lot better quality. he used the cheaper ones

 

I was wondering about that because I was seeing some strange prices on ebay 

[katana]

11 hours ago, mk2esccy said:

I was wondering about that because I was seeing some strange prices on ebay 

You may also want to look at : https://www.steelpanels.co.uk/category/ford/escort-mk-2/body-side-escort-mk-2/page/2/ - they seem to have good rep although pricey?

[Rally Pack 2000]

16 hours ago, RWL81P said:

my mate used magnum ones on his escort. but magnum did 2. cheaper ones and then dear ones that are supposed to be a lot better quality. he used the cheaper ones

 

I didnt know Magnum had two different quality panels. The ones I got were pretty bad and even crinkled in places.

16 hours ago, colr6 said:

The few Higgins panels I’ve seen / used ….total shite. Stick with magnum somewhat better.

I have never heard of Higgins before, are they UK based?

2 hours ago, katana said:

You may also want to look at : https://www.steelpanels.co.uk/category/ford/escort-mk-2/body-side-escort-mk-2/page/2/ - they seem to have good rep although pricey?

I have always heard Expressed to be one of the best, maybe Magnum have upped their game to match their market with a better quality line too now?

[Johnny Boy]

5 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

 

I have never heard of Higgins before, are they UK based?

 

Higgins are an Irish car dismantlers , that had panels and Shells made in China to sell on the UK market, and I guess world market.

 

click here

[RWL81P]

9 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

I didnt know Magnum had two different quality panels. The ones I got were pretty bad and even crinkled in places.

I have never heard of Higgins before, are they UK based?

I have always heard Expressed to be one of the best, maybe Magnum have upped their game to match their market with a better quality line too now?

i dont know how to ad a link to the ebay ads but here are the item numbers. the dearer wings are listed as restorer quality.  364433686924       275572938694

[mk2esccy]

I

Edited November 27, 2023 by mk2esccy

[mk2esccy]

This is the crap panels I have ...poorly fitting and wrinkled...Im going to cut the driver side back off and see if I can get it to sit better but that top edge that lines up with the bonnet is awful and the fit round the scuttle panel is even worse.... the passenger side is just hideous 

[RWL81P]

i'd have sent them back, they are a shocking fit!

[Miniliteman]

1 hour ago, RWL81P said:

i dont know how to ad a link to the ebay ads but here are the item numbers. the dearer wings are listed as restorer quality.  364433686924       275572938694

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364433686924   (Magnum 25-19-31-1)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275572938694   (Magnum 25-19-31-6)

Edited November 27, 2023 by Miniliteman

[RWL81P]

56 minutes ago, Miniliteman said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364433686924   (Magnum 25-19-31-1)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275572938694   (Magnum 25-19-31-6)

top man, i knew someone on here with be cleverer than me with the dreaded technology!

[Rally Pack 2000]

4 hours ago, mk2esccy said:

This is the crap panels I have ...poorly fitting and wrinkled...Im going to cut the driver side back off and see if I can get it to sit better but that top edge that lines up with the bonnet is awful and the fit round the scuttle panel is even worse.... the passenger side is just hideous 

 

4 hours ago, RWL81P said:

i'd have sent them back, they are a shocking fit!

They definitely arent good but I think it looks worse that it may be from damage to the base of the A pillar and the door seems bent too if im not mistaken.

[Miniliteman]

If a car is bent a straight panel won't fit properly.

[mk2esccy]

14 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

 

They definitely arent good but I think it looks worse that it may be from damage to the base of the A pillar and the door seems bent too if im not mistaken.

I see what ur saying .. as far as I'm aware there isn't any damage there but the photo does look odd... id be interested to see other mk2s there...I did think the door gap was a bit wide but just assumed they were all like that..

[mk2esccy]

14 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by mk2esccy

[mk2esccy]

19 hours ago, RWL81P said:

i'd have sent them back, they are a shocking fit!

They were bought long ago and sat around for ages before fitting.. they are awful though..

[mk2esccy]

Here's a better picture.. it's the light reflecting off the mirror that makes it look bent

[Rally Pack 2000]

6 hours ago, mk2esccy said:

I see what ur saying .. as far as I'm aware there isn't any damage there but the photo does look odd... id be interested to see other mk2s there...I did think the door gap was a bit wide but just assumed they were all like that..

Definitely a better photo but the base of the A Pillar usually curves out to meet the door more and there seems to just be a slight inset point that appears to create a larger gap than it should. Maybe its just the door not hugging right.

[mk2esccy]

Here's the other side.. just as bad albeit with a different door

[Rally Pack 2000]

4 hours ago, mk2esccy said:

Here's the other side.. just as bad albeit with a different door

It must just be the angle and close up, that ones looks fine.

[accord83]

Is it me? We're talking Ford panel fit here, not Merc W123, I consider myself fortunate that I had one door on each side, not two doors on one side and one door on the other.😂

[Rally Pack 2000]

On 01/12/2023 at 01:58, accord83 said:

Is it me? We're talking Ford panel fit here, not Merc W123, I consider myself fortunate that I had one door on each side, not two doors on one side and one door on the other.😂

But still not that fortunate considering you ordered a four door!

[YellowTaxi]

Back to the Higgins shells for a moment.

During lock down I was seriously considering re shelling my Mk2.

I contacted Higgins and was told several shells where sold to MST.

I took the time and effort to take a trip over there and looks for myself. Credit to MST they clearly stated the shells where not great and was fully aware of the bad press at the time.

I spent an hour going over the shell they had. Im not a profesional panel beater or car restorer but even I could see it was a potential nightmare.

The shell was exactly as they had described,They didnt pull any punches to be fair. I really hoped it would be better than they said.

Firstly, the bottom of where the rear screen joins the boot opening was awfull, very rounded in the middle but pin sharp at each side. So bad I doubt a rear screen could be fitted without a lot of metal work.

The worst and probably most obvious was the door pressing, swage line was very poor no bit was uniform, wings where just as bad. Inside door pressing was so bad the hole for the lock button which should be on top was half way down the top pressing meaning basically everything on that panel was in the wrong place, every hole or pressed shape would also be wrong.

i suppose you could get away with building one into a rally car but thats not my thing really.

I was gutted it was so bad, had the money in my pocket and a trailer in tow.

Moving to the current day, I have seen a new Mk1 shell they produce and it was spot on in every detail.

[Johnny Boy]

That's  good first hand information  👍 

It's a great pity that after all the effort put in by Higgins to get the panels and shells produced cheaply in China , that the end product is so bad.

It could have been cheap but good. 🙂

 

 

 

[katana]

51 minutes ago, Johnny Boy said:

That's  good first hand information  👍 

It's a great pity that after all the effort put in by Higgins to get the panels and shells produced cheaply in China , that the end product is so bad.

It could have been cheap but good. 🙂

Why do people keep thinking these (Higgins ones) are 'restoration' shells ? The Irish rally scene love their old Escorts - there are hundreds getting used virtually every weekend (some of which get badly bent) This is what these shells were for - a 'cheap' replacement for an ever diminishing supply of old original and now crusty & rusty 70's cars!

MST are now making their own shells on jigs (as I understand it) and are better - but they are still primarily aimed at the rally crowd. I think their shells start at just shy of £20k! Cheap if building a new rally / track race car but for a reshell on a road car (which deffo won't be original!) its maybe too steep? I can't even sell a 'complete RS 'replica'' for 5k less than a shell - draw your own conclusions.