Vehicle details
- Make
- Ford
- Model
- Escort
- Year
- 1982
- Transmission
- Manual
- Drive Type
- FWD
- Fuel Type
- Petrol
- Body Style
- Hatchback
- Colour
- Red
THE LISTING
About this vehicle
With the dawning of a new decade, it was all change for Ford regarding their best selling Escort model. The eighties saw them leave their well proven rear wheel drive format and join the many other marques in adopting a front wheel drive set up. The advantages were obvious with the weight of the engine to improve traction and grip particularly in ice and snow. In fact it seemed archaic to think for so many years that the Escort had pushed it's load from the back.I remember my best friend trading in his black Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport for a new (basic) Mk3 model. I was impressed at how cool the car was. Totally cutting edge at the time. Of course, all the RS derivatives were gone at that point, the only sporting model being the XR3. And Ford got it soooo right with this - it was striking to look at and stimulated the emotions of envy and desire!
I remember working on an ICI Dairy Farm at the time. I was just a student, outside shovelling cow sh*t. Inside was Jim who was an office wallah well above my pay grade. He had a brand new XR3 and it looked fantastic. John, the tractor driver, told me Jim had the option of a 5 speed box or a Sunroof - He took the sunroof....
So here we have an early XR3 in it's most primitive form - no 5 speed box and a carburettor model rather than injection. Common colour, Sunburst Red. They were ten a penny back in the day but you don't see them now. This car is a right hand drive South African Import and generally the climate has been kind. Just a couple of areas of serious corrosion as can be seen in the photos.
These areas are the bottom of the battery well, a common problem, no doubt promoted by leaking acid. A very crude "repair" has been made but the relatively small area concerned obviously needs plating properly.
Also the passenger side footwell needs replacing as it is corroded and it runs down the edge of the inner sill but again a fairly localised area. Driver's side footwell may have had a repair.
Apart from these areas, from what I recall, the car is relatively rust free. Yes, there are the odd floor dents where she's been jacked up in the wrong place during her 45 years of life but no real rust.
The panels are in the main, rust free, with good doors although a small area of surface rust and the handle broken on the driver's side. Good bonnet and tailgate. Even the characteristic rear spoiler is complete although somewhat weathered. Passenger side front wing has an awkward dent high up but possibly not beyond the skills of a dent master. While he's there, the roof has a shallow dent towards the rear which looks like it will pop out using a sucker. There are a couple of other minor dings in the roof.
As you can see, the front aspect of the car has a minor dent to it which may originate from the valence and should easily be straightened. There is no evidence of accident damage to the slam panel or at the ends of the inner wings. The headlights are corroded on the reflectors and require replacing. The front grille appears ok but on close inspection has had bits broken off over the years.
The interior is largely complete as you can see but in need of a good clean. The dash top has suffered from extreme sun over the decades but with minor repairs should be made quite liveable. Sadly the head up digital clock fitting (quite cool at the time) is missing.
The car has had an aftermarket ignition fitted, not sure why - perhaps it incorporates an immobiliser - but keys are present and the car starts up. The CVH engine runs quite smooth with no blue smoke evident. Gears engage and we've driven the car around the yard.
The clover leaf alloys have in the main, serviceable tyres but the wheels themselves obviously want a refurb if you're keeping the car original.
I can assist with uk registration and the car should be denoted XR3 on the V5c.
Conclusion: An easy project with numerous improvements well within the reach of even the most amateur enthusiast/layman once the limited welding work has been completed by a competent person. Some of you may have kept bits in your garages that will find a home in this project. Your efforts will be rewarded with an appreciating asset that you can enjoy using as a historic vehicle with the benefits of MOT & Road Tax Exemption ☺ Viewing is recommended as I may have missed things important to you here. For an appointment call 07889 286559. It's Steve.Delivery possible for the price of the fuel. Thanks for reading
Vehicle specification
- Make: Ford
- Model: Escort
- Year: 1982
- Transmission: Manual
- Drive Type: FWD
- Fuel Type: Petrol
- Body Style: Hatchback
- Colour: Red
Important information
This vehicle is advertised by an independent eBay seller. The information shown has been taken from the seller's listing. Please review the original eBay advert for the complete description, condition, history, photographs and terms of sale before purchasing.