THE LISTING

About this vehicle

After a lot of thought, I've decided to sell my Ford Escort RS Cosworth.

The car was manufactured in October 1995 – the SU date code within the VIN identifies the build month – placing it towards the very end of Escort RS Cosworth production. It was subsequently first registered on 31 January 1996.

It has now covered approximately 103,436 miles and has an MOT until 5 August 2027.

I bought the car in September 2022 as a largely completed restoration/project. The previous owner was a professional paint sprayer and had already put a considerable amount of time into the bodywork and paint, as well as having the engine and drivetrain out and carrying out a substantial mechanical rebuild.

The quality of the paintwork and general presentation was one of the things that attracted me to the car. However, although it looked extremely good, there were a number of mechanical and electrical details from the reassembly that weren't quite right. I've spent my ownership working through those and completing the car properly.

It's now reached the point where I've achieved what I wanted to achieve with it – which is ultimately why I'm selling it.

2019 RESTORATION & ENGINE REBUILD

The substantial restoration and engine rebuild took place during 2019, at approximately 99,500 miles.

I wasn't the owner when this work was carried out, so I'm not going to claim first-hand knowledge of everything that went into the engine. What I do have is an extensive photographic record showing the car stripped and the engine dismantled and subsequently rebuilt, together with invoices for a number of the components used during the process.

The supporting invoices include items such as new pistons and piston rings, Mahle Motorsport big-end bearing sets, camshaft bearings, timing belt and timing-belt tensioner, amongst other components.

The turbocharger was professionally rebuilt by Midland Turbos in February 2018.

A new clutch kit was fitted in June 2020, with rear beam bushes and anti-roll-bar bushes renewed in July 2020.

The engine and turbo specification remain standard. The principal engine-related modification is a stainless-steel exhaust system.

The car has covered only approximately 3,900 miles since the 2019 rebuild/restoration.

WORK SINCE THE RESTORATION

Although the previous restoration was extremely presentable, the person who had reassembled the car had made a few mistakes, particularly with some of the engine-bay sensor wiring. There was also evidence of a previous problem with the radiator-fan wiring which had been repaired rather poorly.

I've worked through these issues rather than simply living with them.

Work carried out or evidenced within the more recent history includes replacement engine-bay sensors, cooling-fan relays and rectification of the associated wiring, together with items including brake discs, refurbished brake calipers, wheel bearings and track-rod ends, plus routine servicing items including oil, filters, coolant and air filter.

The object for me was never to turn the car into a concours exhibit. It was to finish the project properly and end up with a very presentable, usable Escort Cosworth that I could actually enjoy.

BODYWORK & UNDERSIDE

The previous owner was a professional paint sprayer and the car was repainted as part of the restoration. The quality of the finish and attention to detail are very good, and it remains extremely presentable today.

The underside was also attended to as part of the restoration and I have photographs showing the car stripped underneath during that work.

More importantly, I've also included photographs taken with the car on the ramp at its most recent MOT in July 2026. These allow prospective buyers to see how the underside looks today rather than relying solely on restoration photographs taken several years ago.

It remains remarkably clean underneath considering its age and there is no known structural corrosion.

I'm deliberately not describing the car as concours. It is a 30-year-old car which has been used and enjoyed. There are inevitably minor imperfections if you go looking for them, but overall it is a very presentable car which has clearly had a great deal of time and money spent on it.

WHEELS, SUSPENSION & TYRES

The car is fitted with 18-inch versions of the familiar Escort Cosworth wheel design, which I think suit the car extremely well. The tyres are in very good condition.

When I acquired the car it was fitted with red Spax springs. I preferred a more original-looking installation and therefore replaced them with Graham Goode Racing GGR1842 uprated standard-height springs.

These retain an essentially standard ride height, so the car does sit higher than some of the heavily lowered Cosworths you see. That was intentional and has also proved rather useful on my gravel driveway.

The previous Spax springs are included with the car and have since been powder-coated black, so the next owner has the option of refitting them if they prefer a different stance.

Otherwise, the suspension and braking specification remains substantially standard.

INTERIOR & INSTRUMENTS

The black leather interior presents very well for its age and mileage while retaining the period appearance of the car.

The electroluminescent instrument dials appear to have been renewed during the previous restoration and are in exceptionally good condition.

There is one minor peculiarity which I would rather mention than leave a buyer to discover. I believe the temperature and fuel-gauge needles may have been refitted fractionally out of position when the instruments were worked on.

The temperature gauge therefore indicates slightly higher than I would expect, while the low-fuel warning lamp comes on at around the quarter-tank mark rather than nearer empty. I've simply allowed for this when using the car and it has never concerned me, but a future owner may wish to have the needles repositioned.

MILEAGE – PLEASE READ

The current mileage is approximately 103,436 miles.

Anyone carrying out an HPI or other vehicle-history check will see a mileage discrepancy flagged in 2021. There is a straightforward explanation and I'd rather set it out here.

The Escort has a five-digit odometer, which rolled over when the car passed 100,000 miles.

The MOT history records:

February 2020 – 99,600 miles
January 2021 – 581 miles
January 2022 – 2,243 miles
July 2023 – 103,246 miles
August 2024 – 103,280 miles
July 2025 – 103,304 miles
July 2026 – 103,431 miles

The 2021 and 2022 testers simply recorded the mileage displayed on the five-digit odometer rather than adding the 100,000 miles. Later MOTs record the cumulative mileage.

The mileage progression is therefore readily understandable from the MOT history.

The MOT history also demonstrates just how little use the car has had during significant periods of its life. For example, it recorded 99,490 miles in May 2014 and 99,600 miles in February 2020 – just 110 miles between those MOTs.

Historic MOT failures are for relatively mundane maintenance items such as brake pads, a CV gaiter, wiper blade and strut-top movement rather than structural or corrosion-related failures.

The current MOT runs until 5 August 2027.

HISTORY & DOCUMENTATION

I want to be completely open about the history.

This car does not have a complete service history from new. Some of its earlier history has unfortunately been lost over the years and I don't intend to pretend otherwise.

What it does have is a useful collection of invoices and paperwork, particularly relating to the later restoration and mechanical work, together with an extensive photographic record of the restoration, engine rebuild and subsequent work.

There is also a handwritten maintenance record from a previous owner covering approximately 2011–2013, documenting the maintenance and attention the car received during that period.

I have considerably more photographs than can sensibly be included in an eBay advert. These include numerous photographs of the 2019 restoration and engine rebuild, the car stripped underneath, mechanical work and further detailed current-condition photographs.

Links to the full photographic archive are available to genuinely interested prospective buyers on request.

SECURITY & KEYS

The car is fitted with a Toad Category 1 immobiliser and comes with two remote fobs.

It also comes with spare keys, including the Ford red master key.

WHY AM I SELLING IT?

Quite simply, I've finished the project.

A large part of the enjoyment for me has been getting the car to where it is now – finding the right parts, sorting out the niggles left from the previous restoration and gradually getting everything working and presenting as I wanted it.

I could carry on and take it towards concours condition, but that's never really been my thing. I don't want a trophy sitting in the garage that I'm frightened to use.

I've enjoyed the process of getting it here and I've now got another couple of projects that I want to get my teeth into.

The thing that probably brought it home to me was realising that Stevie the cat seems to spend more time sitting in the Cosworth than I do driving it these days!

I've owned Escort Cosworths previously and have thoroughly enjoyed having another one and bringing this one to the condition it's in today. But it's now time for somebody else to take it to the shows, drive it and enjoy it rather than have it sitting in my garage.

KNOWN IMPERFECTIONS
In the interests of being completely open, there is a very small mark on the driver's door and another small mark on the tailgate. There is also a small crack in the plastic windscreen scuttle panel around the wiper area and a small split in one of the door rubbers. None of these detract significantly from the overall presentation of the car, but I'd rather point them out now than have somebody travel to view it expecting a flawless concours car. Also I have been reminded that the aircon was removed from the car during the rebuild and never put back on. I did start to get the parts for this but gave up as I thought the correct gas was no longer available but I'm told it is so that might be something the new owner would like to restore over time. 

VIEWING

I've tried to describe the car, its history and the few imperfections I know about as accurately as possible.

I'm not advertising it as concours and I'm not pretending it has a perfect history from new. What I am offering is an extremely presentable, largely standard Escort RS Cosworth with a documented restoration and substantial mechanical rebuild, very limited mileage since that work, and a considerable photographic and invoice history to support it.

If the next owner wants to take it another step towards concours condition, there's certainly scope to do that. Equally, it can simply be driven, shown and enjoyed exactly as it is.

Serious prospective purchasers are very welcome to come and spend time inspecting the car properly. I'm quite happy for somebody who knows these cars to look around it thoroughly, including underneath.

Vehicle specification

• Make: Ford
• Model: Escort
• Year: 1996
• Mileage: 103436
• Engine: 2.0
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive Type: 4WD
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Body Style: Hatchback
• Colour: Blue
• MOT Expiry: August 2027

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.