Hi now my Series 1 is sold, well nearly, I've gone and bought a Mk1 Escort. It needs a full restoration, and i am lost for ideas?
It is a 2door 1300 Super in (well a kind of) sea foam green/mint original colour. With the green/turquise vinal interior.

I have 3 ideas:

1 - Restore it to original factory spec

2 - Wack in mk2 2.0L capri engine and running gear

3 - Bubble arch and cossie it

Please give responsible answers, as i guess the majority will be bias and tell me to bubble & cossie it. I want to undertake the option that is going to give me the best return when i come to sell it, and more importantly i like to think im being as honest as possible to the car itself! I dont tend to keep my cars for more than a year as i enjoy restoring them more than driving them!! So the saying goes... Its better to travel than arrive.

 

Heart says go for option 1, mad mind says option 3 but if you intend to just sell the car it has to be option 2 as its the only way you will make any money. 1 and 3 are just too costly against returns.

CheeRS

 

At last an honest answer! Every one is telling me to cozzie it, well wouldn't we all if we could!

Do you really think ill be best puting the capri gear on? you say this will make the most money? Can you quote a rough price what onption 1 and 2 would be worth at the end?

To do option one all i have to do is restore/replace what i have. Option 2 requires spending say Ł300-Ł400 extra sourcing the 2.0L capri engine and front suspension! So are you implying that option two would be worth a significant amount more than a complete original concourse 1300 super?

cheers lee

 

My reasons for answers were that to Cossie your car would costs many thousands and then not be worth as much as it cost to build. To restore a car to concourse will also cost a fortune as many of the parts simply are not avaialble unless you are prepared to pay, unless it does nto need much?
Dropping a 2 litre engine in is realtively cheap and the bits are easy to buy. Also it then makes the car more appealing to buyers in the future who are just after a "good" escort to hoon about in and not be too worried about causing normal use damage.

When I say it will make the most money, that was not what I meant. I mean it in the way that its the way that you will get the highest return per expenditure or even the lowest loss.

Does that make sense?

CheeRS

 

Thank you for your advise. Your obviously business minded like my self, thats good to know.
I see what your saying. I think i need to weigh up the cost of buying all the 2L gear against a nice original interior and wheels, as thats all its needs to make it complete!

Id hazzard a guess that the both will cost about the same. So my bigest hurdle is the target audience im going for, with a mind to sell and make a profit.

I dont suppose you know what prices are like at the moment, regarding a concourse 1300 super against a 2Ltrd mk1??

I seem to have found that they are all floting around 4-5k, is this correct?
Id just like to point out this will be a mint restoration to concourse standard so i expect to target the top prices!

cheers lee

 

Lee,

If its going to be mint concourse car then the standard one could possibly be worth more as they are few on teh fround. However, some folks would be buying it to do a 2 litre engine swap. It really depends on who is there atthe right time.
Personnaly I never have restored or built cars for resale so my input is maybe not valid? I have always made money on cars at resale but that has never been the intention.

CheeRS

 

I think it would be quicker and easier to sell as option 2, for people who wanna have one for a bit of fun and change a few things to they're liking as its already modified.
Fully restored and original (option 1) is for the more commited people with heated garages and the like who will only use it for half the year probably, believe it would be worth a fair bit more though. Just not sure of costs to bring it back that way and sourcing of parts???