READER’S RESTORATION:
Escort RS Turbo
From farmer’s field to show field...
Wet grass does metalwork no favours. It holds water causing rust, meaning few of us are willing to buy a Ford that’s been sat in a field for decades. But with his bodywork and painting skills, Pete Bowden doesn’t worry about things like that, just so long as he can source any missing parts.
“I found this car for sale in late 2013,” explains Pete. “I’d been looking for an RS Turbo having owning several in the past and I specifically wanted a project. This one — a genuine 1986 Series 1 — had an engine but no interior, it had been sat outside for between 15 and 18 years and was basically gutted out. I suspect someone stripped it for restoration and instead started selling off the parts. I phoned the seller and he was a really nice guy, I knew it must be pretty bad since he was describing it honestly. I paid him £450 then had a mate collect it. Back then even a nice RS Turbo was only worth about £2500...”
The Escort still had all the glass but was missing a wing, its interior and bodykit, plus two of the inner wings were pretty rusty.
“The bonnet had rotted too, but otherwise it wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. I stored it in my mate’s barn on his two-poster and it stayed there another six months until he suggested I start doing something with it because he wanted his barn back,” laughs Pete. “So I dragged it home to my one-car garage and began to bare metal it by hand using wire wool and sand paper — doing the engine bay alone took a couple of weeks. The entire restoration, including the paint, was done in that tiny space.”
The inner wings were cut out, new rear arches fitted and Pete formed various small repair sections and welded them in. But it was 24 years since the last RS Turbo was built and parts were becoming hard to find. “Fortunately, a lot of the missing bits came from the Series 1 Turbo Forum — they’re always especially helpful finding pieces and offering useful advice too. I also had a few pieces around from the cars I’d owned previously.”
House painters
“Once all the wheelarches were solid the bodyshell was etch primed then I knocked a few more dents out and rubbed it down for paint. At the end of the
“THIS ONE HAD BEEN SAT OUTSIDE FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND HAD BASICALLY BEEN GUTTED OUT”
summer my friend, Gene Hallett helped me spray the car — massive thanks to him. We did one panel at a time using electric heaters to get the garage up to temperature. The interior was painted one evening, next the engine bay, then the door shuts. The following week the exterior rear, then the front. I used direct gloss paint with no lacquer; five coats of Diamond White smoothed with 1500-grit Wet & Dry then 2000 before a thorough polish.”
A fortunate find was an XR3i fitted with an RS Turbo interior. “I’d known about that car for ages — it was another Escort just sitting in a field locally that had been there 20 years. I paid quite a bit for it although it was worth it for the seats alone. It was really rotten though,” adds Pete. “It snapped in half when we lifted it, so I took everything off it and scrapped the shell. Those seats were dirty, but once the covers went through the washing machine they came out looking great. I found a carpet for £60 then I was stuck without the correct Turbo dashboard — they’re different to the XR3 ones.”
Again, fate smiled on Pete: “I found an Escort for sale for £550 and when we pulled it out of the garage in Bournemouth it was full of Mk3 parts the seller hadn’t even mentioned. Underneath some rubbish were two mint, never used Series 1 Turbo dashboards — still in their original wrapping. I sold the second one for a nice profit. That steering wheel was on the car when I bought it and just needed a good clean.”
The bodykit came from eBay: “I bought two rear arches, then found a front arch and finally the other pieces. There were a few cracks around the mounting rivets so I used a Wurth Replast Plastic Adhesive then redrilled the holes — it worked brilliantly.”
Pete sourced a correct engine from eBay, too: “It ran but I stripped it anyway and put in new big ends, shells, rings, a new cam and filters and so on. All standard spec parts, it was rebuilt really just for peace of mind. The gearbox was fine and I put in a new clutch and all new hoses, too.”
Radio free europe
A further lucky find was a period correct radio/cassette player spotted in another scrapped XR3. “We found about 150 cars abandoned on a farm a mile from my house after their owner died. The farmer was scrapping them and said I could take whatever I wanted.”
One of few deviations from standard is the EFi conversion: “That came from a Fiesta RS Turbo and meant I required a new loom. A guy on the Escort Cabriolet Club forum could source looms and I got the last brand-new one he had. It was converted to Mk3 Escort plugs by Mark Newman from the RS Owners’ Club and I also fitted an EFi flywheel. It’s a very worthwhile conversion.
“THE BODYKIT WAS CRACKED IN PLACES, SO I USED A PLASTIC ADHESIVE IT WORKED BRILLIANTLY”
Other than the mushroom style air filter everything else is how it left the factory.”
As for the suspension, Pete fitted new struts, shocks and new bushes. “The brakes are uprated to Series 2 rear drums which were larger — even with standard Series 1 front brakes you notice the difference.” The wheels were also sourced from that well-known online auction, just requiring a rub down and refurb before being painted in Strato Silver lacquer.
“It passed the MoT in June 2016, and just working a couple of nights a week it took me 18 months to complete.” After all that it’s a surprise to hear Pete has sold the Escort.
“I bought it to drive, not look at as an ornament and just wasn’t getting the time to use it. I’m restoring a couple of motorbikes so that often meant leaving the Escort outside in the street which I hated doing. It’s a great
car but I fancied a Focus RS, so I bought a 436 bhp one and sold the Escort in November. It went for £12,200 though I’ve seen it since with an asking price that’s quite a bit higher…”
“Everyone said I would regret selling it and I still do, but at least I saved the car and got it back on the road. Now I’ve just bought a stripped-out Cabriolet to restore and I also know where there’s a Mk2 XR2.” A decent one that’s ready to drive home? “Of course not,” laughs Pete, “it’s been sat out in a field for 15 years…”
Pete wants to say thanks to Carol, Edd and Steve from Hinton Park Estates for the photo location and also add a quick plug for the forum he and friends, Paul and Stacey have just set up at: www.somersetfordownersclub. co.uk – all enthusiasts of all years and models of Fords are welcome.