Cheers from Germany (Escort Mk1 1.3)

[SirFirekahn]

Dear Sirs and... probably mostly Sirs 😁of oldskool ford.

I'm Dennis, an 40y old german and owner of a 1999 Caterham R400 (so I do know british humour in building cars 😉) and a 1991 E30 335i swap.

After finishing my E30 M30 project I did hope to be done with wrenching at least for a while. Which I wasn't... Thanks to my father in law my wife "inherited" a 1969 Escort 1.3 Automatic in decent condition and I got the order to build her something nice.

So the commander in chief decided that she wants a narrow 1.6 manual running in 13x7 minilites. 

Well thus began another journey to mount pain, dirt and rust.

I got a heap of questions and will be challenging your patience very soon 🙈.

 

Anyway cheers and have an awesome sunday,

Dennis

Edited September 14, 2025 by SirFirekahn

[accord83]

If you put white doors on it you would have a Panda Car! The 1100's were the fastest urban car in the world!!😁

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/360/1113/27/ford-escort-mk1-panda-car-retro-a3_360_5e29065f160fd05ca81ebc06d2348273.jpg 

[SirFirekahn]

😁 how hillariously ugly

But our colour seems to be a tad more green

[Dave Knight]

Welcome Dennis,

Looking forward to seeing the Ford change. I do love an E30, they are rust monsters as I’m sure you’ve found out. 
 

The commander in chief… 🤣 🫡 

[SirFirekahn]

Thanks!

Well E30s aren't generally that bad. Mine had a bit on the factory handling panels and that was about it 🙂. It was rather my follies that kept us occupied and the bank empty 😜

For parts a nice 1.6 711M-BA, two 40 DelOrtos and the Minilites are already here 🙂

Edited September 14, 2025 by SirFirekahn

[quickrack]

Nice collection.

Great starting point you have there.

One suggestion is the oil.

I killed every escort engine I owned until I switched to Valvoline 20/w50. 

Enjoy 

[guido]

( Na dann Herzlich willkommen. Dennis ) Now then very welcome Dennis. I had one mk1 two door. I wish i had never sold it as restoration project many years ago.

Now after 12 years i have a mk2 four door ( i had them also before two door ), wich needs work, because i am afraid it wont get through M.O.T. or in German TüV 

this time in Oktober. 

[guido]

6 hours ago, quickrack said:

Nice collection.

Great starting point you have there.

One suggestion is the oil.

I killed every escort engine I owned until I switched to Valvoline 20/w50. 

Enjoy 

Killed? I use this Valvoline VR1 now in a CVH engine. But i did drove a light modded 1600 Kent on Castrol RS 10/40 ( half synthetic ), and it did very well. No harm to anything normal use no such abuse.

I run on the current Kent 1300 a MPM 15/40 mineral oil wich is not thé best but for road good, and with slick 50 added ( did tested it ) even better.

[Dave Knight]

I use this oil in my Crossflow.

 

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChsSEwiv2cuV2N2PAxU7pVAGHdlOFl0YACICCAEQDRoCZGc&co=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwlaTGBhANEiwAoRgXBcB3xJZ0kYCC-HqE0D1xeDanlZrhR-NwHVPk9J9WNtOBkTislJJrxRoCqrIQAvD_BwE&cce=1&sig=AOD64_3EpWF71AwBWCojJk-RQK8M4OPgWg&adurl

[SirFirekahn]

Guys I don't want to unleash the holy wars of oiling. Seemingly in all Car Communities this ends frendships fast 😅

But I'm thinking to at least install an Oil gauge, if I can't get mir grubby fingers on a GT Dash 😉