Ford Escort MK1 1974

[BigGreenF100]

Hi, I am looking at buying a ford escort as in title. For $1800.

I have a few questions.

* The engine is apparently a 1300 cross flow.
Can you do much with these engines.
Or is it better to swap to a modern engine / gearbox.
If so out of which vehicle(s).

* Its is a four door. Can it be converted to a two door.
If so, how difficult. (Not saying I would, but thought I would ask).

Thanks,

[simon varley]

1300 crossflow is a pretty decent engine. not a rocket by any means, but pretty decent and revs well and don't foget how light the car is. TBH not worth spending a lot on mods. You will get an instant boost by swapping for a 1600 crossflow and spend money on that. You can swap for a 2.0 Pinto, but you need to swap the exhaust routing to the other side. Zetec conversions are reasonably popular but they start to get expensive. A 5-speed gearbox swap is also a common mod.

$1800 is a bargain as long as it's reasonably decent. if it's a matching numbers car I'd be keeping the 1300. Good models can easily top $30,000

anything can be done to the body I've seen utes, but tbh if you really want a 2 door then it would be massively easier to buy one instead of the 4-door. 2-doors are in more demand for rallying and racing as the body structure is stiffer, but for road use you wont notice.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by BigGreenF100

Hi, I am looking at buying a ford escort as in title. For $1800

$2k gets you sod all now days. So either its a bargain, or a pile of scrap.
If it runs, is mostly completely, and won't take much to get it roadworthy, then I'd snap it up.

Originally Posted by BigGreenF100

The engine is apparently a 1300 cross flow.
Can you do much with these engines.

Oh, hell yeah.
google "Formula Ford"
It was also used by companies such as Lotus, Caterham, etc.
So beloved was this engine, that Ford actually put the blocks back into production, and last I heard you could still buy a new Kent Block from Ford.

Originally Posted by BigGreenF100

Or is it better to swap to a modern engine

If the engine was missing, or completely shot, and/or you wanted to restomod, I'd simply update to later 1.6 version, with a decent TBI, and 5spd.

Originally Posted by BigGreenF100

Can it be converted to a two door.

No.
Unless by "two door" you mean "four door with the rear doors welded shut"
OR by "convert" you mean "sell and buy a two door."

[Vesper Martini]

As above.

Its pretty hard to find something decent under $2K.

My Guess is the body is rotten with Rust, as most of these cars were 20 years ago let alone now.

Tidied up and original it could be worth $30K

the 1600 (as used in formula ford) with a hot cam & twin throat weber would be an easy upgrade.

but this is not something for somebody without the know how or the time to take on

[simon varley]

there are quite a few Escort specialists around - Taff's in SA, Anthony Lawler in Qld. Yesterford in Vic.

I usually point people to some pretty active FB groups for this sort of thing

https://www.facebook.com/groups/615584418513482
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1375394579362821
https://www.facebook.com/groups/793590210793600
https://www.facebook.com/groups/770158216354095

[XRtowcar]

Raced a Mk 2 sedan with the 2v 1600.
So slow.
See if you find a nice Nissan 2.0l twin cam that will fit.

[PooDog]

As said 1600 is the way to go better all round than 2 litre pinto , combustion chamber in piston with flat heads plenty of room to carve the ports out with a decent cam they have nothing down low but amazing acceleration when the cam starts working with a low ratio diff (van) use to love upsetting the 2l powered ones by whacking it from 4th to 2nd and leaving them for dead it was the best vehicle for leaving your guts behind

one day at the beach this guy pulls up in a 2l demanding to know what it had in it after i had thrashed him a couple of times in town ....had to lift the bonnet and show him because he didnt believe me ....never said a word got in his van and drove off

[BigGreenF100]

This is the car below

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...ssenger_banner

[simon varley]

that's a lot of work but it's totally fixable. All the panels you need are readily available and there are plenty of sources for the rubbers and mechanical parts

go for it!

[BigGreenF100]

I have found a two door. But it looks ruff to me.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...f-97e39b9ef07d
what do you guys think?

[Camma]

Not sure if i have jumped in on a thread but hoping i can get some help. I have a Mk1 escort 1975 and for the life of me cant get the headlights to work!
Seems to have power everywhere and the globes work but when all plugged in. No go. Seems to me could be an earth but nothing seems out of place

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by Camma

Not sure if i have jumped in on a thread but hoping i can get some help. I have a Mk1 escort 1975 and for the life of me cant get the headlights to work!
Seems to have power everywhere and the globes work but when all plugged in. No go. Seems to me could be an earth but nothing seems out of place

Not familiar with the Mk1 but if its the same as the Mk2 there are a couple of plugs at the front of the loom, near where the headlight wiring goes through the inner wing.
They are a rubber coated, 4 pin plug, wires quite often fracture inside the plug and will fail or work intermittently.

[simon varley]

mk1 switches can be a bit dodgy, especially after 50 years.

do you have anything? parkers, low beam, high beam?