Escort Mk3 soft top Rebuild
Ok, Probably not up to some of the standards i have seen on here, but I'll post a few pics and appreciate any comments.
All Started when i cleared my garage out, found my old cab burried under a pile of Parts, and thought id give her a quick respray and drop a spare engine in i had. As you will see it snowballed....
All Started when i cleared my garage out, found my old cab burried under a pile of Parts, and thought id give her a quick respray and drop a spare engine in i had. As you will see it snowballed....
Started by rebuilding the engine.







Wrong water pump i know,
been that long since i did anything like this, i have been having problems remembering what is interchangeable from mk3 to mk4








Wrong water pump i know,

Last edited by History; Mar 15, 2011 at 12:14 AM.
Then i went to take the other engine out... Not Good.. It had been repaired bodywork wise 12yrs ago, before i bought her as a shell. Well lets just say it was worse than i remembered.


Well to cut a long story short, it ended up like this...

Then..





Looks like it had a rear driver bump, and front passenger bump. Slide hammered out the back dent, (after removing a fist size lump filler)


Well to cut a long story short, it ended up like this...

Then..





Looks like it had a rear driver bump, and front passenger bump. Slide hammered out the back dent, (after removing a fist size lump filler)
Last edited by History; Mar 15, 2011 at 08:37 AM.
Managed to get a genuine ford inner wing, (fleabay) but Passenger side wing was a pain to source, and i got charged well for it.
Hadrian Motor panels supplied all the other panels. (although i got them cheaper going through an agent than dealing direct)









Welding was a mix of Mig, Tig and Arc depending what mood / if i had one the lads from work helping.
Hadrian Motor panels supplied all the other panels. (although i got them cheaper going through an agent than dealing direct)









Welding was a mix of Mig, Tig and Arc depending what mood / if i had one the lads from work helping.
Then it was time to prime...









Put about 8 litres High build on in the end. wanted all the panels straight, lol





Then i bonded the Kit on


Including a RS1600i front spliter



Then Resealed all the panels



Then in a moment of
i borrowed a couple litres of primer from work... and primed it again. (more on this later)









Put about 8 litres High build on in the end. wanted all the panels straight, lol





Then i bonded the Kit on


Including a RS1600i front spliter



Then Resealed all the panels



Then in a moment of
i borrowed a couple litres of primer from work... and primed it again. (more on this later)
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Thanks i like colour as well. went through 100's of colour chips, then added the tint. 
Unfortunately the primer i borrowed from work turned out to be acrylic.
When we started to polish her up. Big blisters as the paint lifted.
So nothing for it... 8 litre's of paint stripper and alot sanding latter..






Unfortunately the primer i borrowed from work turned out to be acrylic.

When we started to polish her up. Big blisters as the paint lifted.

So nothing for it... 8 litre's of paint stripper and alot sanding latter..






After a grueling two weekends...


Painted again.
Not as much pearl this time.. i am tempted to paint again, but due to a looming house move i am running out of time.


Painted again.
Not as much pearl this time.. i am tempted to paint again, but due to a looming house move i am running out of time.
Last edited by History; Mar 15, 2011 at 02:27 PM.
Every Part i have taken off i have tried to replace with a new part. where this is not possible i have had the parts shotblasted and powder coated.
If i had the time i would of had them eco blacked as well. To be honest now i have gone this far i wish i had had the shell shot blasted, Still 5 litres of waxoil have made the underneath presentable, lol





Shocks and springs were new, just sat in the garage for 8 yrs,
30mm drop

New tie bars and some nice Braided Flexy Hose's
If i had the time i would of had them eco blacked as well. To be honest now i have gone this far i wish i had had the shell shot blasted, Still 5 litres of waxoil have made the underneath presentable, lol





Shocks and springs were new, just sat in the garage for 8 yrs,
30mm drop

New tie bars and some nice Braided Flexy Hose's
Last edited by History; Mar 15, 2011 at 02:11 PM.
Sweet, have to post me your link.
Struggling to get some parts personally. have to pick your brain.
Got a Recon Gearbox for it, Forgot they changed the gearbox casting for the engine mounts from mk3 to 4. Having to swap all the parts over.
And i cant find new engine mount bush's anywhere. (Gearbox one's)
Hope i remembered right that Transit one's fit. Find out when they show up.
If not, i'll have to manufacture new Mounts.
Struggling to get some parts personally. have to pick your brain.
Got a Recon Gearbox for it, Forgot they changed the gearbox casting for the engine mounts from mk3 to 4. Having to swap all the parts over.

And i cant find new engine mount bush's anywhere. (Gearbox one's)

Hope i remembered right that Transit one's fit. Find out when they show up.
If not, i'll have to manufacture new Mounts.
Shows how long it's been, (Nearly 10 yrs) since i messed around with cars.
Forgot ford changed The casing on the gearbox...

Mk3

Mk4
Dam Cast alum engine mount broke as well..

Still easy fix luckily. Alum weld it up

Clean it up. Not bothered to put the Hole in, waiting to see what the engine mounts are like. Soon machine one in.
Forgot ford changed The casing on the gearbox...


Mk3

Mk4

Dam Cast alum engine mount broke as well..

Still easy fix luckily. Alum weld it up

Clean it up. Not bothered to put the Hole in, waiting to see what the engine mounts are like. Soon machine one in.
Started getting the Front end ready, replacing all the rubbers, Ball joints, bush's etc.
Most of the stuff was new, although some Items have sat in my garage for a long time, so needed some TLC.

Steering Rack Polly bush's were tricky to fit.
Cheers lads..

Escort love in, lol
Most of the stuff was new, although some Items have sat in my garage for a long time, so needed some TLC.

Steering Rack Polly bush's were tricky to fit.
Cheers lads..

Escort love in, lol
Last edited by History; Mar 18, 2011 at 09:16 AM.
Bumper overrider clips, Rotten through. 
Just flattened one out and used it as a template so i could laser a few blanks out. will have a play bending them tomorrow. Made them from St/St now, Lets see them rot this time.

Just flattened one out and used it as a template so i could laser a few blanks out. will have a play bending them tomorrow. Made them from St/St now, Lets see them rot this time.

Last edited by History; Mar 16, 2011 at 05:35 PM.
Been awhile.... struggling with small awkward jobs. 
worst problem was engine mounts.. could i get any could i *******.
Tried fitting transit mounts, back one was ok, but front one hit the anti roll bar.
Then finally tracked some new mounts down.

Transit one ^^

old and new mounts, plus the transit one ^^
put the front end together aswell.


Beleave it or not that's all been shot blasted and powder coated. ^^




Rebuilt the Front brakes.

rested a few shiny parts on just to get some motivation.
worst problem was engine mounts.. could i get any could i *******.
Tried fitting transit mounts, back one was ok, but front one hit the anti roll bar.
Then finally tracked some new mounts down.

Transit one ^^

old and new mounts, plus the transit one ^^
put the front end together aswell.


Beleave it or not that's all been shot blasted and powder coated. ^^




Rebuilt the Front brakes.

rested a few shiny parts on just to get some motivation.

Series one turbo, had them polished a few years ago so they like chrome.
should look nice with the paint.
Trying to keep the car pretty standard, with just subtle change's.
Managed to get the roof back on, ran the new brake pipe's and cleaned / refurb a few parts tonight, finally got on the flypress to bend the new over rider clips as well.
will post some pics tomorrow.
I hate Doing brake pipe's, but someone had replaced them before, made a real mess. don't think there was more than a foot in a straight line.

Finally Folded the Bumper over rider clips. St/St now

Roof on.

Door Handle's, few other bits. etc


Finished the brake pipe's of now, and started remaking the wiring loom.
I'll take some pics latter.
Cheers for the nice comments.

Finally Folded the Bumper over rider clips. St/St now

Roof on.

Door Handle's, few other bits. etc


Finished the brake pipe's of now, and started remaking the wiring loom.
I'll take some pics latter.
Cheers for the nice comments.

replaced all the hose's with braided or silicone


Dash in

just messing around tidying up the interior and installing the ice at the minute. picture's need updating so bear with me please. had a few health issue's aswell (mini stroke) so everything is going slow.





nice shiney new lights ^^



Finally Got round to Starting her up to-night,
small problem, a friend who has been helping me didn't put the fuel push rod back in. (he's only young, first car with a carb he's ever seen, lol) so question... What length should the push road be. ? so i can manufacture a new one. anyone got an idear.? be a big help.




































