I have been looking for a 2 door mk2 escort project for a long time now with out the silly price tags that people ask, i didn't want a popular or a ghia nor an import and stumbled across one that seemed to not need a vast amout of welding. I am going to get the shell sandblasted by blasting magic who i have heard have done a lot of mk1 and mk2 rally shells and other body shells, once this has been done i expect to replace all the rust etc and return to a solid shell that will last a long time. My thoughts are to drop a 2.0 duratec engine in with a type 9 5 speed box. do you think its worth seam welding the shell and adding the extra strenghening brackets and plates as they come in pre cut kit form. It is an original rs shell that has all the extra strengh kit from factory but new kit has extra skids, floor and sill protection, gusset plates from chassis to baulkhead. (would it de value the shell?) Myself personally would like to use it on the road and for track days and shows, its never going to be concourse as it may have a bit of dirt in a gap or a bit of paint on the wrong nut and not only that it will have a duratec in it. I prefer an arched mk2 with the gartrac alloy arch and spoiler kit they are so nice if fitted properly, again rear arches would need cutting and an infill fitted would this de value the shell or not effect it. so to sum up what i want out of this car is to be able to drive it at weekends, drive it to shows, have a bit of sideway fun in with a very solid pretty looking mk2 with about 200bhp in a very nice gaphite grey finnish. Any info will be taken on board regards Neil