Ford Escort MkI

You don’t have to spend a lot to get a good early Escort. Here’s how to avoid the headaches

PROJECT

CHECK THE PANELS

Major body panels have been scarce since the early Nineties – and priced accordingly – so check areas like the doors, wings and bonnet carefully.

LOOK FOR ROT

Open the bonnet and check the metal around the top mounts of the front struts and under the wings. The bulkhead and the bottom of the A-pillars are known for going, too.

SEE HOW IT RUNS

Look for fumes from the breather, listen for crankshaft rattles on the Crossflow units and look out for excessive smoke on worn Kent units.

USABLE

CHECK FLOORPANS

These corrode where they meet the front footwell panels and inner rear wheelarches – lift the carpets and seat cushions to check them out.

LOOK UNDER IT

Examine the chassis rails that run from front to rear; the area just inboard of the rear wheels is prone to corrosion. They’re thicker – but still vulnerable – on the Mexico and RS1800.

ANY WELDING?

Most surviving Escorts have been welded to some degree, unless they’ve had a replacement shell. Look out for bodged DIY repairs, which can be costly to put right.

GOOD

CHECK THE TRIM

Interior trim can be tricky to source. Do your research to make sure that it’s all to the correct spec because there were variations for each model, and correctness will affect resale value.

INSPECT BRAKES

Cooking models’ all-drum brakes must be in good health to be safe; wheel cylinders may seize if the car is left outside for prolonged periods.

HOW DOES IT SHIFT?

Gearboxes are all-synchromesh, so watch out for any jumping out of gear or grumbling noises. Difficult selection could be down to something as simple as a stretched clutch cable.

CONCOURS

CHECK IT’S REAL

The sky’s the limit on prices of RS models – but there are plenty of fakes out there. Clubs can help to point you towards genuine examples.

DOORS MATTER

The sporting models fetch the biggest prices, but four-door Escorts are typically worth 20 per cent less than their twodoor siblings and seldom sell for more than £15k.

IS IT STANDARD?

Lots of owners drop later Zetec engines and add other upgrades. There’s nothing wrong with the most of these – but original, unmolested cars still generally command the highest prices.