HAVE YOUR SAY
Did you spend more on your classic in 2011 than the previous year?
 |
| Modifying a MkII Escort |
|
There’s just one fly in the ointment: the fashion for all things retro and classic rallying in particular has seen the values of MkIs soaring to the point where they’re at the same level as some pretty exotic kit. This of course makes the MkII something of a bargain since under that square front end it’s essentially MkI running gear anyway. The real bargain in the MkII world is the four-door, since the upward trend in MkI values has had a knock-on effect on the two-door MkII. Don’t let that put you off though: even a brown 1600 Ghia complete with vinyl roof can still be turned into a capable little performance car. RS models aside, the MkII was available in the UK with three engines: the Ford Crossflow in 1100, 1300 or 1600 flavours. The 1100 and 1300 share the same block so turning an 1100 into a 1300 is a matter of swapping the crank and pistons, but most Escort modifiers will start with the 84 bhp 1600 engine which offers usefully more torque. An overbore is common to give around 1700cc, after which the popular recipe involves a ported head but retaining the standard valves (referred to a stage one) plus an uprated camshaft, four-branch exhaust manifold and a twin-choke Weber. The end result will be around the 100 bhp mark, with another 10-15 bhp to come if you go for bigger valves and a wilder cam.
PRODUCED: 1975-1980
Read the full article in the December 2011 issue of Classic Car Mart - available to buy here. |
We don’t need to explain why you might want to consider an Escort as your modified classic. The car’s simple but tough mechanical layout, its DIY-friendly nature and the possiblity to mix and match from other Ford models all make it a no-brainer, on top of which there’s a competition history second to none.
Add comment
     |
