VALUES

Practical and stylish, Volvo’s 120-series might just be the best daily driver going. Escorts are highly sort after these days, so you won’t get much change from a grand for a total basket case. For a good one, budget £2500-£3000 while a minter is £5k up. An equivalent Mexico or RS2000 is knocking on £15,000 these days. Fancy a pukka RS1600 or Twin Cam? Then you’d better have £20k to play with…

WHICH IS WHICH?

• 1100 (1968-74) 1098cc ‘Kent’, 53bhp, 0-60 22.3secs, 80mph top speed
• 1300GT (1968-1973) 1298cc ‘Kent’, 75bhp, 0-60mph 13secs, 96mph top speed
• Twin Cam (1968-70) 1558cc Lotus Cortina derived, 110bhp, 0-60mph 9.9secs, 113mph top speed
• RS Mexico (1970-75) 1599cc ‘Kent’, 86bhp, 0-60mph 10.7secs, 99mph top speed
• RS 1600 (1970-74) 1601cc ‘BDA’, 120bhp, 0-60mph 8.3secs, 113mph top speed
• RS 2000 (1973-75) 1993cc ‘Pinto’, 100bhp, 0-60mph 9secs, 108 mph top speed

• Blue smoke from the exhaust suggests oil is getting into the engine from worn piston rings or bores
• Listen for tappet noise from worn camshaft followers
• Check the rubber timing belt has been replaced every three years
• Maintaining Twin Cam and BDA engines is a job best left to a specialist
• Check for low-gear rumblings from manual gearbox, which hint at worn bearings
• If the ’box crunches between shifts, it could just be a worn clutch cable
• Leaky suspension struts & damaged springs

To read the complete Buyer's Checklist feature buy the September 2011 issue of Classic Car Mart. Click here for back issues of the magazine.

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