Hey folks.

This is my pride and joy.
Its a 1600cc CVH original engine on 71k and shell but fully rebuilt with some OEM parts.

Its a daily but my plans are pretty big. Next year I'm binning the CVH for a Zetec but I'm not sure which one. Either the ST170 engine or the 2.3 from a Mondeo.
I'll also be finishing off some of the body work.

Hopefully it'll be ready for next year Ford fair!
Here's the list for this and next year which will change.

- fog lights
- new clutch cable (bought)
- referbed wheels
- 1.8 bottom end
- find and wire in a stereo and antenna
- find some original mud flaps (found, awaiting fitting)
- new floor carpet
- replace headlight electrics (done)
- fiz cracking paint in rear panel
- flock dash and door/rear cards

 

Some of the wiring was nigly and annoying me such as this which was causing the light to flicker on and off from movement in the coolent pipe.


A bit anal but the spot lights where annoying me facing pretty much in the sky and the bottom bolt was hitting the bumper which has done an annoying mark. so i put a bung on it and adjusted them.
Nothing drastic but hey, its an update

 

Right then, found some very rare original mud flaps that came off another escort just need to collect them when i get the money together. Might seem sad but It's one of those wee things that make the car look that bit better and keep it clean.
Things will slow down now until after Christmas obviously but no doubt I'll get some goodies from santa from it.

mean while a problem, the bulbs have melted the connectors. Guess they where too powerful for the 30 year old wiring so I've binned them and wired in some new heat resistant H4 connectors. If it does it again **** knows where the problem lies



I had a real trouble with taking the headlight out, could not get the 3rd clip thing undone thanks to it being right at the bottom so got the misses with her baby hands to do it for me haha damn my shovel hands.

 

some paper work:

 

Went to the Gorge, 2nd gear aaaall the way up it when it was dark coming back from seeing a mate. My god...

Also i may have got myself a custom exhaust. oops.



Does anyone have a clue as to where i can find myself the wind deflectors for the sun roof and those fog lights? I've seen some lights on ebay but they want Ł100 which is fine just needed to check if there was a cheaper place first.

 

Nice little 3i that

 

Its looking nice. That RS16i is lush.

 

Cheers guys! I do love the RS1600i I'd have one or make one out of my own but after the XR I reckon it's either a cossie or a capri. But i'll finish on this first haha.

 

looks the dogs dangly bits that 3i mate that rs 16i aint so bad eitha!! simple is efficient!!!

 

Use some "dielectric grease" on the connectors.... When the connectors corrode the resistance goes up creating heat... the grease prevents that from happening... Clean the contacts and liberally apply

 

Will have to keep an eye on this. Looks like a real interesting car

 

I'd love that, really nice car.

 

Thanks everyone Been driving it a bit harder as i get used to how different it is compared to my old car (A diesel vRS) and I'm already craving that 1.8 bottom end haha need more power, MOAR!!!

Thanks mate I might have to get some. wiring in some of these with great difficulty, got one in but I cant seem to get the headlights out which is making it tough on my shovel hands:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Ceramic...item53fcc8abe0

 

Looking nice mate

 

Fixed the wiring problems. the bulbs caused the wiring to melt and short out a few other things like the Spot lights. All replaced with better and higher spec connectors and wiring now which was a grade A **** to do but its done at least.
I also replaced all the bulbs as i didnt like the modern bright white stuff on a 31 year old car so I've got some yellow tinted bulbs for a bit of retroness. Not sure if i like them but hey ho, cant see them in these pics very well





made use of the ST



**** sake:

 

I ripped the interior apart today to try and find where this water was coming from to no avail.
I bought a car cover but its too big so will have to get another one.

If anyone has info on working with these please help me

Using a bucket of water I've checked the bulk head which is fine, also checked the sun roof drain ports which all flowed fine and not into the cabin.

The only tiny bit of moisture I've seen is from behind the windscreen in the corner.



down the side and on top of the speaker box onto the carpet but when ever i poured water over it, nothing.



Any other places people know about to check?

the floor is all tight with only a light bit of surface rust which I'll get rid of in the summer.




I straightend the steering wheel too which turned out to be an arse. I didnt know about the steering lock (as it never worked before) so when it came to putting it back on, it stopped the wheel from going back in place. took me a good 20 minutes of head scratching to realise i had to put the ignition on to lift the piece of metal and allow it to go back in. doh.





just shows how easy they are to steel...

the hunt continues.

Oh and a new starter motor as the other one fried its self in a deep puddle i went through at work.
I had the one from a diesel fiesta fitted as its much more reliable and stronger.
sounds ace when i start it too.

Hopefully on the 25th it'll have its new exhaust

 

update! good and bad.

The good, new exhaust and it sounds epic. Very raspy and loud on full chat but when cruising about or doing 70 it subtle.
It was custom made by an exhaust company for the 1.3XL version of the escort but fits mine perfectly. When i say perfectly I mean it took Ben and myself over an hour and a half to get it right and find the right bolts because the gasket was thicker. Video's later.



It was also treated to a snow foam from system clenz in bristol.



For the bad.
In Bristol it started to overheat. the needle got 3/4 up the temperature gauge but it stopped there only when idle in traffic which isnt a massive deal since it is old but the fan wasnt kicking it so I need to find the fault there. It was also very low on coolent. the reserve was empty which was worrying. No leaks though.

The main issue of the day was the alternator which packed up on the way home. A loud crunch and it's rattling its tits off so obv there is something a miss on the inside. New one is on order as soon as its off.
No idea how to change it but I've been told its piss easy so i'm not too worried.

**** sake. 80's yo...

 

sounds epic with no exhaust lol

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...ntions_comment

 

look/sounds nice bud, gradually getting there then. Alternator is very easy to change even someone with no motor skills should easily be able to change it (on this car), as for your starter motor diesel starter is best as they're a lot stronger! 1 thing though if you are going to fit either st170 engine or 2.3 mondeo engine this year then why go to the trouble and expense of changing your bottom end to 1.8cvh? (do not personally know anything about 2.3 mondeo engine but the st170 engine in mk3/4 escort is fun especially on carbs but they are very very heavy on fuel with or without the carbs lol)

 

Cheers!

I'm not sure what I want to do with the engine. I like the idea of keeping it a 8v on its original head with a 1.8 bottom end but on the other a reliable and more tunable engine is tempting. I'll see how it does this year I may chop it in next year for something else.

I'm still enjoying it though I just need some dry weather to sort things out

 

They do go well with a more up to date engine I've put a 2ltr silvertop into a mk4, 1.7 puma engine into a mk4, st170 into mk4 and an rs2000 engine into mk4 rs2000 was best and sounded awesome raw power

 

All depends on what you want/will use her for!

 

daily driver mate!

 

Alt is off. concerned about a few things, looks like it was a rush job which might have led to its failure. was all a bit squint which probably led to a high tension on the belt and bearings. A bit annoyed but then again it was built in a garage by someone I dont really know! never mind its done now.
Now I'm hoping its not the tension wheel, or what ever its called, that's fucked. if it is I'll be very annoyed.

 

I've not done an update in a while so thought I best keep those interested informed.

Since the last update all I've done it service it and enjoyed it and took it to fordfair.
Two big updates though.

1. The new dash and resealed bulk head (i've not had a chance to take any proper pictures yet):

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2. I blew up the engine...

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so here's the issue. I took it around silverstone at full pelt and when I say full pelt I mean I overtook a lot of stuff haha! so much fun.
I got 3 laps in then heard that dreaded noise. knock knock knock!
Once I pulled into the pits it stopped but as soon as i put a bit of pressure on the throttle it would pick up now and then which meant I either put a valve out or the timing had slipped.

none of them.

What has happened is the **** who put the engine together after "rebuilding" had put the wrong size follower in number 2. for a year and a half its been bouncing around in the middle of its cyclinder and scoring/grinding its self apart. all it took was 10 minutes of full throttle to push it to the edge. obviously its been on its way out for some time.

I've also found the distributor has a snapped arm which isnt too bad and the cam has properly worn out so I've decided to replace pretty much everything. I'll replace the bottom end shells too while its off the road



Said Followers, the right one is the wrong size:

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What a lovely looking car

 

thanks! got a lot of attention especially the engine bay (even when it was covered in oil after the session lol)

 

Pictures of the dash repair and flock:

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A cheeky picture of her on track before she went bang:

 

Love it mate keep the updates coming. Im also building a mk3

 

thanks bud It's more than just my project its my daily lol.

 

had more black mk3 XR3i`s and RS1600is than any other colour of other Fords!

love your car

this was my last mk3 daily: (was black before the blue paint!)

 

bet thats a beast with the Z lump in it. 2.0 or 1.6? looks ace in that colour too!

cams have arrived today hoping to put it all back together tomorrow if the weather holds off.

 

The source of the tapping/knocking has been found.

To put it simply the entire engine is FUBARED I replaced the cam and followers which stopped the loud tapping but then let us hear a slight knocking.
Took the sump off and got the shells off:



****ed.

also found the cam has been reground before because these are -25mm. so it'll need a new cam and possibly a big end bearing.

this engine has well and truely had it. god knows what else is wrong with it hidden.

time to find a replacement bottom end

 

I'm not a big fan of the mk3 but yours is a nice car.

 

PM sent

 

Cheers mate I do love her even though she has a knackered heart.

missing it a lot.