my firstseries2 rst
10-01-2005, 03:35 PM
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my firstseries2 rst
SOMEBODY HEEELLLPPP!!!! Im about to buy my first rst having had a mk 6 scort got about 1500-2000 to spend any advice whatsoever is much appreciated!!! Im a bit of a novice and need all the help i can get
for petepete!!
10-01-2005, 03:48 PM
#4
BUYING GUIDE
After doubling the production run to 10,000 units for the limited edition Escort RS turbo it was almost inevitable that the Ford motor company would continue to produce the car. In august of 1986 the new model Escort RS Turbo went on sale to the general public. Based around the MK4 Escort shell the car continued where it's predecessor left off.
It was available in the following four colours:
Radiant red
Mercury grey (originally listed as nimbus grey)
Black
Diamond white
The 1986 model, or 'Series two' as it is more commonly known is based around Fords CVH engine, along with a Garrett t3 turbocharger and Ford intercooler. Unlike most 4x4s it doesn’t have a huge intercooler sticker on the back.
Engine Type: SOHC, in line, 4 cylinder, transversely mounted
Engine size: 1597 cc
Bore: 80.00mm
Stroke: 79.5mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Brake horse power: 132 @ 5750 RPM
Torque: 133 LB per ft @ 2750 RPM
Brake horsepower per litre: 82.6
Power to weight ratio: 124 BHP per tonne
Gearbox: 5 speed with limited slip differential (non adjustable) as standard
Brakes: 10.2 inch front discs, 9.0 inch rear drums
Wheels: Alloy 15 inch with Dunlop 195x50x15 D40 tyres
Average Fuel consumption: 25 MPG
0 - 60 MPH: 8.1 seconds
Top speed: 128 MPH
Price of standard car: £10,028 including VAT
Fuel required when new: leaded 4 star or super unleaded 97 Ron
Fuel required today: Super unleaded or Optimax, minimum RON rating 97.
Insurance group: 14 as standard, higher if modified.
Kerb weight of the car: 1,021 KG
When you ordered the car from Ford you had a wide range of factory options available to you. You could have opted for a custom pack, consisting of electric windows, slide and tilt sunroof and central locking. This would set add £572 to the total price. Other options were as follows:
Heated front screen £100
Fuel computer £117
Electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors £69
Recaro seats for £271.
I personally do not know of any RS Turbo that wasn't ordered with Recaro seats as standard, but that doesn't mean that somebody somewhere didn't not order them.
SCS, Fords own anti lock braking system that came as standard on all series two models. Most people deem it as being useless, and they might well have removed it. But it was standard on all Series two cars.
When looking at buying a car in the press people will often use the following terms to describe certain items fitted to the car from the factory.
C/L - central locking
E/W - electric windows
FFSR - factory fitted sunroof
H/F/S - heated front screen
E/M - electric mirrors
Trip computer for the fuel computer.
FFSH would mean a Full Ford Service History.
At first people thought there wasn't much difference between the two models but there is actually quite a lot. The following is a list of items that I believe Ford altered.
Bonnet: bonnet vents were added to help cool the engine bay area. The front edge of the bonnet also slopes down, essence of the Granada of that time.
Body kit: this was toned down, the wheel arch deflectors didn't stick out as much. Ford weren't going to race or rally this car, so they didn't need the wheel arch deflectors to cover huge wheels. The front and rear bumpers were of standard MK4 escort type, they were over bumpers, and covered the front and rear valance of the car. They were colour coded to match the car. The boot spoiler was the same as on the XR3I of that time. Plastic, raised by three supports. The series 2 no longer had opening rear windows for security reasons.
Engine: the engine capacity remained the same (1597cc) and the Bosch KE fuel injection system was the
same. The turbo charger was now water cooled so it would last longer. The pistons were different, as were
the exhaust valves and the oil pump was of the low friction type.
The gearbox ratio was also changed; the LSD was a lazer welded one that was none adjustable. The ratios
in the gearbox box were also changed. The series two was slower off the mark than it's predecessor but
was more economical, and had a higher top end speed. Maximum power was reached at a lower RPM than
the series one. The car was also fitted with an anti knock sensor to detect if the car was using low grade
fuel, allowing the car to run on low grade fuel without causing any internal damage. Albeit not
at the full power the car was capable of!
The early series 2 cars were not fitted with an anti knock sensor, according to Ford, only cars registered on
or after 1987 will have an anti knock sensor. If you look on the right hand side of the inlet manifold you
will see a green plug connected to it. This is the anti knock sensor.
The engine management was changed slightly on the series 2. The units were still made my Motorola, but the components and chip inside were modified to incorporate the changes in the engine and the gearbox ration changes. As such the ignition and fueling map were altered accordingly. Ford also intended the car to be more economical, which officially it was.
Interior: a big area of change. The new interior is in a red/grey format. The clocks showed every 10 MPH
and there was no low fuel warning light on the dashboard, as the fuel computer is available as a factory
option. The column stalks were smaller. The dash and other parts of the interior was modeled on the Ford
Granada of that time. If you remove the fuel computer module from the dash and open it up it is even
marked up as Granada.
Wheels: the series two was supplied with 5 x 15 inch wheels. These can only be described as looking like a set of fan blades. They do actually suit the car though. 17 inch wheels will fit with a little bit of arch work. 16 inch wheels will fit without any problems at all. The standard tyres were even changed between the two models. The series ones came with 195/50/15 Michelin MX V tyres. The series twos were fitted with 195/50/15 Dunlop SP Sport D40 tyres.
Brakes: The series 2 had bigger brakes all around. It all came with Fords SCS (Stop-Control-System) as standard. This was Fords attempt, courtesy of Lucas-Girling, at a cheap ABS system. At the front the series 2 had 10.2 inch ventilated discs the same as fitted to the XR4I and 9.0 inch drums on the rear.
Ford decided to uprate the brakes as one of the major criticisms in the motoring press of that time was about the brakes on the series 1. They simply couldn't bring the car to stop quickly enough and they were considered to be quite bad. Luckily the series two brakes are OK.
The very early series 2 cars didn't have front wheel arch liners fitted to them. However, most
owners should have retro fitted them by now. From Early E all the cars were fitted with them from
the factory
1990 Update: The car was updated in late 1989. Most cars that were registered on a G plate in 1990 should have the following changes. Most people refer to these cars as being '90 spec'. What follows is a list of items that were changed; however I do not believe it to be a complete list.
Front bumper modified, to allow more air to the radiator to aid cooling
Boot spoiler, curves down at either side
ECU, was changed to the hearts and diamonds type.
Interior, the seats and door cards were given new patterns, called Zolda. It is grey with blue and red flecks.
Roof lining and sun visors are a different colour, as are the speaker panels, kick panels, and rear quarter panels.
Intermittent wiper speed control was added to the right hand dash column controller.
Second courtesy light was added in the rear of the car roof lining.
Centre console. A second part was added to extend the length of the console.
Screen wash reservoir wash changed slightly, incorporating a plastic gauze to stop any debris entering the screen wash reservoir.
Brake fluid reservoir updated.
Rocker cover changed slightly, holes for the charge carrier bolts moves out a few inches.
Charge carrier, bolt holes to connect to the rocker cover moved over a couple of inches.
Dash clocks, the fuel and temperature gauges are reversed.
Rear light clusters were changed slightly. The lenses are darker than the 1986 versions.
You would normally expect to pay more for a 1990 spec car, due to the fact that it is a newer car and the parts such as the interior, front bumper and boot spoiler are highly sort after. It is worth noting that not all the items were added on the production line. Some cars were released with only the 90 spec interior in late 1989, and then after that the car cars had everything changed over to the newer look spec.
Although the car has been out of production for 9 years you can still find good examples of Escort RS turbos. In my opinion, the best place to find a mint RS car for sale is in Rallye News. Not only will the car be genuine, but it will be known to other RS owners members, and almost definately registered with the club. That way you will be able to find out the history of the car if you need to.
The Series 2 cars were only made on the following plates, D, E, F, G, and H. None were ever officially supposed to be sold on a C or a J. But as always there will be examples out there that were registered late and they are genuine RS turbos. Just check them over and make sure they are what they are supposed to be.
Here are some performance figures for the factory car.
0 – 30 MPH = 3.0 seconds
0 – 40 MPH = 4.7 seconds
0 – 50 MPH = 6.1 seconds
0 – 60 MPH = 8.1 seconds
0 – 70 MPH = 11.4 seconds
0 – 80 MPH = 14.1 seconds
0 – 90 MPH = 18.5 seconds
0 – 100 MPH = 23.0 seconds
Standing ¼ mile 15.8 seconds
Below are the official Ford UK sales figures for the Series 2 model, sadly they don’t list the different types of colour sold or what options people specified. But it gives you a good idea as to which cars will be the most abundant and which ones won’t.
1986 (D only) 1317 cars sold by Ford UK
1987 (D and E) 4748 cars sold by Ford UK
1988 (E and F) 5786 cars sold by Ford UK
1989 (F and G) 6965 cars sold by Ford UK
1990 (G and H) 2795 cars sold by Ford UK
1991 (H only) 497 cars sold by Ford UK
The first thing to look for when buying a series 2 is to check the cars identity. Why waste the time and effort checking everything else when the car might be a ringer? There should be a chassis number stamped into the floor by the drivers seat, underneath a small plastic flap. That number should match the one on the VIN plate on the slam panel AND on the V5 document. If it doesn't match then walk away. There is also a small metal plate spot welded onto the car underneath the front valance. (If you want to be doubly sure about your cars identity phone the AA and get them to do a history check. It is much better than HPI as they hold much more information)
Here is an explanation of the chassis number. All the Series two cars should have been built in Germany, so if yours has been built in Brazil or somewhere else outside of Europe then questions it’s identity if it’s a genuine right hand drive UK car.
The chassis number on the RST is made up of letters and numbers. The numbers being the engine number that was originally fitted to the car when built.
Using this as an example chassis number I will break it down and explain what it all means.
WFOBXXGCABHP12345 when expanded becomes WFO,B,XX,G,C,A,B,H,P,12345
WFO is the Ford company that assembled the car. WFO is Cologne in Germany. Other codes that appear are SFA (Brentwood, Essex), VS6 (Valencia, Spain), UNI (Ford of Ireland, Dublin), XLC (Ford of Holland), TW2, (Portugal), and finally 98F (Brazil)
B stands for 3 door hatch back saloon. Other variants are L for a Cabriolet, V for a van, A for a 5 door hatch back, C for a 2 door coupe, D for a 2 door estate, N for a 5 door estate and T for a 2 door saloon.
XX is not needed.
G means the car was sourced from Germany. Other variants are B for Britain, W for Spain, C for Ireland, N for Portugal and L for Brazil.
C means the car was assembled in Saarlouis. Other variants are A for Cologne, B for Genk, B is also used for Halewood as well. K is for Karmann, N for Australian and P for Portugal.
A means the model of the car is Escort. B is for Sierra and Mondeo, G for a Granada, E for a Capri and F for a Fiesta.
B again is just repitition of the B above, in that it is what model of car it is.
H is the year the car was manufactured (1987)
Here is a list of some relevant years you should look for, and bear in mind that the letter I isn’t used at all.
1985 = F
1986 = G
1987 = H
1988 = J
1989 = K
1990 = L
1991 = M
1992 = N
P is the month (September 1986)the car was manufactured. These are represented by letters running in a sequence. Again with no letter I.
Here is a list of all the all the other months/years
December 1991 = P
November 1991 = O
October 1991 = N
September 1991 = M
August 1991 = L
July 1991 = K
June 1991 = J
May 1991 = H
April 1991 = G
March 1991 = F
February 1991= E
January 1991= D
December 1990 = C
November 1990 = B
October 1990 = A
September 1990 = Z
August 1990 = Y
July 1990 = X
June 1990 = W
May 1990 = V
April 1990 = U
March 1990 = T
February 1990 = S
January 1990 = R
December 1989 = Q
November 1989 = P
October 1989 = O
September 1989 = N
August 1989 = M
July 1989 = L
June 1989 = K
May 1989 = J
April 1989 = H
March 1989 = G
February 1989 = F
January 1989 = E
December 1988 = D
November 1988 = C
October 1988 = B
September 1988 = A
August 1988 = Z
July 1988 = Y
June 1988 = X
May 1988 = W
April 1988 = V
March 1988 = U
February 1988 = T
January 1988 = S
December 1987 = R
November 1987 = Q
October 1987 = P
September 1987 = O
August 1987 = N
July 1987 = M
June 1987 = L
May 1987 = K
April 1987 = J
March 1987 = H
February 1987 = G
January 1987 = F
December 1987 = E
November 1987 = D
October 1987 = C
September 1987 = B
August 1987 = A
July 1987 = Z
June 1987 = Y
May 1987 = X
April 1987 = W
March 1987 = V
February 1987 = U
January 1987 = T
December 1986 = S
November 1986 = R
October 1986 = Q
September 1986 = P
August 1986 = O
July 1986 = N
June 1986 = M
May 1986 = L
April 1986 = K
March 1986 = J
February 1986 = H
January 1986 = G
December 1985 = F
November 1985 = E
October 1985 = D
September 1985 = C
August 1985 = B
July 1985 = A
June 1985 = Z
May 1985 = Y
April 1985 = X
March 1985 = W
February 1985= V
January 1985 = U
The 5 numbers that follow are the engine number running from a range of 0001 to 99,999.
Next up is the slam panel plate or chassis plate as it’s sometimes called. This contains even more information about the car. Again if it’s missing as why. You can still get them re made from Fords, but if they don’t have them on the car shouldn’t pass it’s MOT.
The plate will have a few boxes on it with information in them. Here is a breakdown of what is contained in them and what they should say.
The DRIVE box, this should have a number 2 in it, which means the car was originally manufactured in RHD. It could also have the letter B in it as well which means the same. If it has a number 1 or the letter A in it the car was originally built in LHD form, even though it might now have been converted over to RHD, so look out for this as the car might be an import from Europe.
The ENG box has two parts to it. The first part gives the cubic capacity of the original engine and the second part is the type of engine (eg 1600 CVH, Fords never did a 1.9 turbo or 2.1 ZVH from the factory as you know) The engine code for a CVH is L. The RS turbo car should also have a second plate on the slam panel that says F for turbo on it or even the words Turbo. It should be the same colour as the car.
There is a third box which is called TRANS and it should have one of 4 letters in it, on the RST it should be W for a 5 speed manual gear box. The other letters are T for a 4 speed manual gear box, Q for an MTX type gear box and X for a CTX automatic gear box.
The fourth box is the AXLE box, which has all the details for the final drive on the gear box. The codes used are
4 for 3.82:1 ratio
6 for 3.12:1 ratio
8 for 3.56 2 ratio
2 for 3.59 (and also for a ratio of 4.27:1)
F for 3.84:1 ratio
J for 4.06:1 ratio
On the RS Turbo it should have a code 4.
The plate also contains information as to what trim is fitted to the car, but as it’s an RST just check it has Recaros and that the rear seats match and so do the door cars.
Next you will have to prove the mileage is genuine. Check all the service documentation and previous MOTs. If there aren't any ask yourself do you want to own the car? As the cars are quite a few years old they should have some kind of a history. Don't presume the MOT to be genuine either if it's only got the one with the car. The car will be at least 10 years old, and should have some form of history. If the car has no or little history it normally means it has gone missing for a reason! The more history the car has the better.
Check the steering wheel and see if it's shiny. Check the seats, the drivers recaro seats wear out very easily on the side nearest the door. Also check the drivers seat hasn't been replaced with another passengers seat (any easy trick to do) The rubber pedals will also indicate how much use the car has. Do the seat belts retract themselves when you disconnect them? If they don't it might be another sign of a high mileage car.
Security. Probably THE most important point of any RS badged car. Is the car alarmed and immobilized? Does the owner have certificates for the security systems? If not you may have trouble getting insurance. Are the windows and sunroof etched with the correct licence numbers? Has the chassis number, which may be correct, been welded into the floor? You don't want the hassle of buying a ringer or a stolen motor. Taking the worst case scenario you could end up losing all your money! Once you have bought the car change the door locks or better still de lock it. The more security features your car has the lower the chances of it being stolen. Theft was one of the major reasons Ford stopped producing the RS turbo. If you do decide to buy the car make sure you get hold of any spare keys and alarm fobs when you buy the car, otherwise it might disappear very easily.
Check the car for rust. D registration cars, and the very early E registration cars are well renowned for being rust prone. Check the car over properly, ideally spending a bit of time underneath the car as well, this may well stop you buying a rot box. Although well built the car does have a few known rust spots.
The following is a list of major panels, and where they are prone to rusting.
Roof, behind the sunroof
Bonnet, along the front edge below the Ford badge
Tailgate, inside behind the bottom corners
Doors, start to go at the very bottom
Sills, as always
battery tray and bulkhead near it
around the fuse box
underneath the spare wheel well
inside the sunroof, sign that the owner has opened the sun roof in the rain
rear chassis arm also rusts into the boot area
The list above seems quite long. But with a bit of patience and some waxoil, most can be prevented. If you intend on keeping your car, spend some money and time on rust proofing your car, it will help to protect your pride and joy. A good way of seeing how solid your potential car is, is to cover the car with water and see if it leaks anywhere inside. Any leaks and you can haggle the price down.
You should also check for over spray, the chances are the car might have been in an accident. Check were the front wings join the slam panel for the factory sealant. That is always a good indication of whether a panel has been replaced. Also check if the front wing, door and rear quarter line up. Using the lines that are moulded into the panel's check that they are all true and level.
Another easy way to check is to look in the boot and see if it is the original panel. Remove the boot seal and see if the bottom of lip has been welded, a sure sign that a panel has been replaced and that the car has been hit from the rear.
Check the bonnet is the proper turbo item with vents, don’t fall for the old it had no vents from the factory all series 2 cars had them as standard, there was no option to not have them. Check that the front edge of the bonnet isn’t rusted and open the bonnet to see if there is rust inside it. Then check the bonnet lines up evenly with the wings. If the bonnet doesn't line up it is probably due to a prang.
Check the wings line up with the bonnet and the doors, and that they have side repeaters in them, again all series 2 cars had these as standard.
Check the doors line up with the wings and they rear quarter panels in a straight line and that they aren’t rotten at the bottom too.
Check all the body kit is in good condition as well. It should all fit perfectly over the car, and should be bonded onto it so it doesn’t move. If it can be moved it has been removed and fitted wrongly. The arch deflectors are held on with rivets. The side skirts by screws. Over time the screw get rotten and are very hard to remove. If the screw are like new then you must assume that the car has been well looked after or that they have been replaced. Check all four jacking point covers are on the car, and that they are joined to the kit by a plastic strap.
When you start the car up it should idle perfectly at around 950 rpm. Check for blue smoke on start up, which is a sign of the engine burning oil. And it is normally the valve stem oil seals letting oil past. You should also check in the header tank for mayonnaise, which means the head gasket is leaking. Not a major problem, but do you want to buy a car knowing that it needs work doing to it? Look at the turbo and look how rusty the turbo is, this is a good sign of how old the unit is. When the car is running check the exhaust fumes that are coming out of it. If there is any smoke it isn't a good sign. Remember, white for water, blue for oil, black for over fuelling.
Ask or check when the cam belt was last changed. Ford recommend they are changed every 36,000 miles or less, I would say to change it as soon as you buy the car. The money it costs to buy and replace a cam belt compared to an engine rebuild is quite a lot.
Check the radiator, if it is green in parts it will soon need replacing. Check the front discs aren't warped or scored. The rear cylinders are prone to leaking after a few years of hard work. Also the rear load valve tends to seize, making the car think it is fully loaded and as such increases the braking power at the rear. Check all the electrical items work. If they don’t these could be a good bargaining point for lowering the cars price. Replacement parts are very cheap, and most electrical problems tend to stem from an earthing point and/or the fuse box.
When the engine has warmed up open the bonnet and listen to the engine. Does it sound very rattly at the top? If it does then the hydraulic lifters want replacing, normally a sign that the oil hasn't been changed as often as it should have been, but that isn't always the case. Also if the lifters are playing up, it might be best to replace the camshaft. The camshafts on the CVH engines to tend to wear out rather quickly.
Ideally, all the locks should be operated with the same key. If you have a different key for every lock then assume that the car has been stolen, or someone has attempted to steal it in the past.
Check all 4 of the large black hoses that the turbo uses for leaks. With age they do collapse, which means your car will have trouble idling and will use more petrol.
The turbocharger has a small rubber hose that it uses to return oil to the sump. Over time, due to it's location next to the turbo charger, the hose breaks down and can cause oil to leak out instead of returning to the sump.
Bonnet catch, again another problem caused by the heat. The heat dries out the grease on the catch, making it difficult to open the bonnet.
The fuel pump on the car, when originally fitted, should run fairly quietly. Over the years the pump will start to wear, and will start to make a humming noise. Not necessarily a major problem, it means that eventually the pump will fail, albeit it in a few years time.
Back in 1986 when Ford first released the series two models they were having problems with the exhaust down pipes. They kept cracking. If your car has a standard exhaust check were the exhaust down pipe joins the exhaust is spring loaded. If it isn't sooner or later it will go. Or perhaps it has already gone and the previous owner has replaced it, thinking the exhaust has gone due to its age. Again, not a major problem, but one worth noting if you are going to stick to a factory exhaust.
Don't buy the first car you see. Good RS turbos are in abundance. There are also some rough ones around as well though. The less owners the better. Ideally you want a car with full service history, with all the previous MOTS with one previous owner. Again, you want to be sure the car is what it says it is, so check all the chassis numbers against the one on the V5. The V5 should also say RS Turbo on it. If it doesn't then the car IS NOT an RS Turbo. Even though the car might well be an RS Turbo, the V5 never lies.
The earliest series two cars are now nearly 16 years old, and unless they have been stored away or well maintained they are going to need parts replacing, just like any other car would. Ford haven't started discontinuing any major parts as of yet so if you need any parts you will still be able to get them from a Ford RS dealer. In fact, the only items that I know of that Ford doesn't produce for the series two cars anymore are the tailgate graphics and the under bonnet stickers. Theses are, however, available from other companies and are 100% accurate copies.
There are also a lot of car breakers now that only deal in Ford RS cars. These are good places to go, as they will normally have every part in stock that you need. Certain parts were used by Ford on all it's MK4 Escorts, EG Track Control Arms, Track Rod Ends. The prices of RS specific parts are not that much more than normal MK4 parts, it's just that the dealers might have to order most items in. There's nothing wrong with that, as most dealers don't have EVERY part on the shelf. It just means you've got to plan ahead a little bit. Most parts are readily available from local motor factors, but in my opinion pattern parts are never as good quality as the Ford originals, and they don't tend to fit as easily as a Ford original item.
The Escort RS Turbo, Series 1 & 2 were supplied with 4 different ECU's during their build period.
They are all interchangeable, between the 2 cars, even though the Series 1 car and ECU don't support an anti knock sensor.
What follows is a list of what ECU should go on what car, but again this isn't totally accurate as large manufacturers tend to have so many parts they fit whatever is available at the time.
BLUE-RED-BLUE All series 1 cars and very early series 2 cars.
BLUE-RED-WHITE Early series 2 cars, D registration
BLUE-RED-BLACK Series 2 cars, on E, F & G registration
HEARTS-DIAMONDS ‘1990 spec’ series 2 cars only. G & H registration.
Both the BLUE-RED-BLUE and BLUE-RED-WHITE ECUs do not support the knock sensor, the other two ECUs do support the knock sensor.
The fuelling box or 'black box' as it's more commonly known is situated to the left of the battery. This is available in two versions. The only ways to tell the 2 different versions are by the stickers on the cover. They will either be green or blue. Again, very little information is available on the changes made between the two builds
Check the interior isn’t worn out, another sign of high mileage of fat people using the car. They seats normally wear out on the outside edge and collapse. Easily repairable and a good way of bargaining down the asking price.
In short, check the cars an RS turbo. Check the V5 and all ID plates. Check for any welding and check if that engine, gearbox and turbo are OK. Check the interior is in good condition and check the bodywork is not rotten. If in doubt get someone to help out and spend a lot of time looking at the car and it’s history!
Prices, these are what the current registrar values the cars to be: Again you should pay what your think the car is worth, and always remember to haggle on the price.
TAKEN FROM RSOC BB, COURTESY OF GAZP
HTH
After doubling the production run to 10,000 units for the limited edition Escort RS turbo it was almost inevitable that the Ford motor company would continue to produce the car. In august of 1986 the new model Escort RS Turbo went on sale to the general public. Based around the MK4 Escort shell the car continued where it's predecessor left off.
It was available in the following four colours:
Radiant red
Mercury grey (originally listed as nimbus grey)
Black
Diamond white
The 1986 model, or 'Series two' as it is more commonly known is based around Fords CVH engine, along with a Garrett t3 turbocharger and Ford intercooler. Unlike most 4x4s it doesn’t have a huge intercooler sticker on the back.
Engine Type: SOHC, in line, 4 cylinder, transversely mounted
Engine size: 1597 cc
Bore: 80.00mm
Stroke: 79.5mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Brake horse power: 132 @ 5750 RPM
Torque: 133 LB per ft @ 2750 RPM
Brake horsepower per litre: 82.6
Power to weight ratio: 124 BHP per tonne
Gearbox: 5 speed with limited slip differential (non adjustable) as standard
Brakes: 10.2 inch front discs, 9.0 inch rear drums
Wheels: Alloy 15 inch with Dunlop 195x50x15 D40 tyres
Average Fuel consumption: 25 MPG
0 - 60 MPH: 8.1 seconds
Top speed: 128 MPH
Price of standard car: £10,028 including VAT
Fuel required when new: leaded 4 star or super unleaded 97 Ron
Fuel required today: Super unleaded or Optimax, minimum RON rating 97.
Insurance group: 14 as standard, higher if modified.
Kerb weight of the car: 1,021 KG
When you ordered the car from Ford you had a wide range of factory options available to you. You could have opted for a custom pack, consisting of electric windows, slide and tilt sunroof and central locking. This would set add £572 to the total price. Other options were as follows:
Heated front screen £100
Fuel computer £117
Electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors £69
Recaro seats for £271.
I personally do not know of any RS Turbo that wasn't ordered with Recaro seats as standard, but that doesn't mean that somebody somewhere didn't not order them.
SCS, Fords own anti lock braking system that came as standard on all series two models. Most people deem it as being useless, and they might well have removed it. But it was standard on all Series two cars.
When looking at buying a car in the press people will often use the following terms to describe certain items fitted to the car from the factory.
C/L - central locking
E/W - electric windows
FFSR - factory fitted sunroof
H/F/S - heated front screen
E/M - electric mirrors
Trip computer for the fuel computer.
FFSH would mean a Full Ford Service History.
At first people thought there wasn't much difference between the two models but there is actually quite a lot. The following is a list of items that I believe Ford altered.
Bonnet: bonnet vents were added to help cool the engine bay area. The front edge of the bonnet also slopes down, essence of the Granada of that time.
Body kit: this was toned down, the wheel arch deflectors didn't stick out as much. Ford weren't going to race or rally this car, so they didn't need the wheel arch deflectors to cover huge wheels. The front and rear bumpers were of standard MK4 escort type, they were over bumpers, and covered the front and rear valance of the car. They were colour coded to match the car. The boot spoiler was the same as on the XR3I of that time. Plastic, raised by three supports. The series 2 no longer had opening rear windows for security reasons.
Engine: the engine capacity remained the same (1597cc) and the Bosch KE fuel injection system was the
same. The turbo charger was now water cooled so it would last longer. The pistons were different, as were
the exhaust valves and the oil pump was of the low friction type.
The gearbox ratio was also changed; the LSD was a lazer welded one that was none adjustable. The ratios
in the gearbox box were also changed. The series two was slower off the mark than it's predecessor but
was more economical, and had a higher top end speed. Maximum power was reached at a lower RPM than
the series one. The car was also fitted with an anti knock sensor to detect if the car was using low grade
fuel, allowing the car to run on low grade fuel without causing any internal damage. Albeit not
at the full power the car was capable of!
The early series 2 cars were not fitted with an anti knock sensor, according to Ford, only cars registered on
or after 1987 will have an anti knock sensor. If you look on the right hand side of the inlet manifold you
will see a green plug connected to it. This is the anti knock sensor.
The engine management was changed slightly on the series 2. The units were still made my Motorola, but the components and chip inside were modified to incorporate the changes in the engine and the gearbox ration changes. As such the ignition and fueling map were altered accordingly. Ford also intended the car to be more economical, which officially it was.
Interior: a big area of change. The new interior is in a red/grey format. The clocks showed every 10 MPH
and there was no low fuel warning light on the dashboard, as the fuel computer is available as a factory
option. The column stalks were smaller. The dash and other parts of the interior was modeled on the Ford
Granada of that time. If you remove the fuel computer module from the dash and open it up it is even
marked up as Granada.
Wheels: the series two was supplied with 5 x 15 inch wheels. These can only be described as looking like a set of fan blades. They do actually suit the car though. 17 inch wheels will fit with a little bit of arch work. 16 inch wheels will fit without any problems at all. The standard tyres were even changed between the two models. The series ones came with 195/50/15 Michelin MX V tyres. The series twos were fitted with 195/50/15 Dunlop SP Sport D40 tyres.
Brakes: The series 2 had bigger brakes all around. It all came with Fords SCS (Stop-Control-System) as standard. This was Fords attempt, courtesy of Lucas-Girling, at a cheap ABS system. At the front the series 2 had 10.2 inch ventilated discs the same as fitted to the XR4I and 9.0 inch drums on the rear.
Ford decided to uprate the brakes as one of the major criticisms in the motoring press of that time was about the brakes on the series 1. They simply couldn't bring the car to stop quickly enough and they were considered to be quite bad. Luckily the series two brakes are OK.
The very early series 2 cars didn't have front wheel arch liners fitted to them. However, most
owners should have retro fitted them by now. From Early E all the cars were fitted with them from
the factory
1990 Update: The car was updated in late 1989. Most cars that were registered on a G plate in 1990 should have the following changes. Most people refer to these cars as being '90 spec'. What follows is a list of items that were changed; however I do not believe it to be a complete list.
Front bumper modified, to allow more air to the radiator to aid cooling
Boot spoiler, curves down at either side
ECU, was changed to the hearts and diamonds type.
Interior, the seats and door cards were given new patterns, called Zolda. It is grey with blue and red flecks.
Roof lining and sun visors are a different colour, as are the speaker panels, kick panels, and rear quarter panels.
Intermittent wiper speed control was added to the right hand dash column controller.
Second courtesy light was added in the rear of the car roof lining.
Centre console. A second part was added to extend the length of the console.
Screen wash reservoir wash changed slightly, incorporating a plastic gauze to stop any debris entering the screen wash reservoir.
Brake fluid reservoir updated.
Rocker cover changed slightly, holes for the charge carrier bolts moves out a few inches.
Charge carrier, bolt holes to connect to the rocker cover moved over a couple of inches.
Dash clocks, the fuel and temperature gauges are reversed.
Rear light clusters were changed slightly. The lenses are darker than the 1986 versions.
You would normally expect to pay more for a 1990 spec car, due to the fact that it is a newer car and the parts such as the interior, front bumper and boot spoiler are highly sort after. It is worth noting that not all the items were added on the production line. Some cars were released with only the 90 spec interior in late 1989, and then after that the car cars had everything changed over to the newer look spec.
Although the car has been out of production for 9 years you can still find good examples of Escort RS turbos. In my opinion, the best place to find a mint RS car for sale is in Rallye News. Not only will the car be genuine, but it will be known to other RS owners members, and almost definately registered with the club. That way you will be able to find out the history of the car if you need to.
The Series 2 cars were only made on the following plates, D, E, F, G, and H. None were ever officially supposed to be sold on a C or a J. But as always there will be examples out there that were registered late and they are genuine RS turbos. Just check them over and make sure they are what they are supposed to be.
Here are some performance figures for the factory car.
0 – 30 MPH = 3.0 seconds
0 – 40 MPH = 4.7 seconds
0 – 50 MPH = 6.1 seconds
0 – 60 MPH = 8.1 seconds
0 – 70 MPH = 11.4 seconds
0 – 80 MPH = 14.1 seconds
0 – 90 MPH = 18.5 seconds
0 – 100 MPH = 23.0 seconds
Standing ¼ mile 15.8 seconds
Below are the official Ford UK sales figures for the Series 2 model, sadly they don’t list the different types of colour sold or what options people specified. But it gives you a good idea as to which cars will be the most abundant and which ones won’t.
1986 (D only) 1317 cars sold by Ford UK
1987 (D and E) 4748 cars sold by Ford UK
1988 (E and F) 5786 cars sold by Ford UK
1989 (F and G) 6965 cars sold by Ford UK
1990 (G and H) 2795 cars sold by Ford UK
1991 (H only) 497 cars sold by Ford UK
The first thing to look for when buying a series 2 is to check the cars identity. Why waste the time and effort checking everything else when the car might be a ringer? There should be a chassis number stamped into the floor by the drivers seat, underneath a small plastic flap. That number should match the one on the VIN plate on the slam panel AND on the V5 document. If it doesn't match then walk away. There is also a small metal plate spot welded onto the car underneath the front valance. (If you want to be doubly sure about your cars identity phone the AA and get them to do a history check. It is much better than HPI as they hold much more information)
Here is an explanation of the chassis number. All the Series two cars should have been built in Germany, so if yours has been built in Brazil or somewhere else outside of Europe then questions it’s identity if it’s a genuine right hand drive UK car.
The chassis number on the RST is made up of letters and numbers. The numbers being the engine number that was originally fitted to the car when built.
Using this as an example chassis number I will break it down and explain what it all means.
WFOBXXGCABHP12345 when expanded becomes WFO,B,XX,G,C,A,B,H,P,12345
WFO is the Ford company that assembled the car. WFO is Cologne in Germany. Other codes that appear are SFA (Brentwood, Essex), VS6 (Valencia, Spain), UNI (Ford of Ireland, Dublin), XLC (Ford of Holland), TW2, (Portugal), and finally 98F (Brazil)
B stands for 3 door hatch back saloon. Other variants are L for a Cabriolet, V for a van, A for a 5 door hatch back, C for a 2 door coupe, D for a 2 door estate, N for a 5 door estate and T for a 2 door saloon.
XX is not needed.
G means the car was sourced from Germany. Other variants are B for Britain, W for Spain, C for Ireland, N for Portugal and L for Brazil.
C means the car was assembled in Saarlouis. Other variants are A for Cologne, B for Genk, B is also used for Halewood as well. K is for Karmann, N for Australian and P for Portugal.
A means the model of the car is Escort. B is for Sierra and Mondeo, G for a Granada, E for a Capri and F for a Fiesta.
B again is just repitition of the B above, in that it is what model of car it is.
H is the year the car was manufactured (1987)
Here is a list of some relevant years you should look for, and bear in mind that the letter I isn’t used at all.
1985 = F
1986 = G
1987 = H
1988 = J
1989 = K
1990 = L
1991 = M
1992 = N
P is the month (September 1986)the car was manufactured. These are represented by letters running in a sequence. Again with no letter I.
Here is a list of all the all the other months/years
December 1991 = P
November 1991 = O
October 1991 = N
September 1991 = M
August 1991 = L
July 1991 = K
June 1991 = J
May 1991 = H
April 1991 = G
March 1991 = F
February 1991= E
January 1991= D
December 1990 = C
November 1990 = B
October 1990 = A
September 1990 = Z
August 1990 = Y
July 1990 = X
June 1990 = W
May 1990 = V
April 1990 = U
March 1990 = T
February 1990 = S
January 1990 = R
December 1989 = Q
November 1989 = P
October 1989 = O
September 1989 = N
August 1989 = M
July 1989 = L
June 1989 = K
May 1989 = J
April 1989 = H
March 1989 = G
February 1989 = F
January 1989 = E
December 1988 = D
November 1988 = C
October 1988 = B
September 1988 = A
August 1988 = Z
July 1988 = Y
June 1988 = X
May 1988 = W
April 1988 = V
March 1988 = U
February 1988 = T
January 1988 = S
December 1987 = R
November 1987 = Q
October 1987 = P
September 1987 = O
August 1987 = N
July 1987 = M
June 1987 = L
May 1987 = K
April 1987 = J
March 1987 = H
February 1987 = G
January 1987 = F
December 1987 = E
November 1987 = D
October 1987 = C
September 1987 = B
August 1987 = A
July 1987 = Z
June 1987 = Y
May 1987 = X
April 1987 = W
March 1987 = V
February 1987 = U
January 1987 = T
December 1986 = S
November 1986 = R
October 1986 = Q
September 1986 = P
August 1986 = O
July 1986 = N
June 1986 = M
May 1986 = L
April 1986 = K
March 1986 = J
February 1986 = H
January 1986 = G
December 1985 = F
November 1985 = E
October 1985 = D
September 1985 = C
August 1985 = B
July 1985 = A
June 1985 = Z
May 1985 = Y
April 1985 = X
March 1985 = W
February 1985= V
January 1985 = U
The 5 numbers that follow are the engine number running from a range of 0001 to 99,999.
Next up is the slam panel plate or chassis plate as it’s sometimes called. This contains even more information about the car. Again if it’s missing as why. You can still get them re made from Fords, but if they don’t have them on the car shouldn’t pass it’s MOT.
The plate will have a few boxes on it with information in them. Here is a breakdown of what is contained in them and what they should say.
The DRIVE box, this should have a number 2 in it, which means the car was originally manufactured in RHD. It could also have the letter B in it as well which means the same. If it has a number 1 or the letter A in it the car was originally built in LHD form, even though it might now have been converted over to RHD, so look out for this as the car might be an import from Europe.
The ENG box has two parts to it. The first part gives the cubic capacity of the original engine and the second part is the type of engine (eg 1600 CVH, Fords never did a 1.9 turbo or 2.1 ZVH from the factory as you know) The engine code for a CVH is L. The RS turbo car should also have a second plate on the slam panel that says F for turbo on it or even the words Turbo. It should be the same colour as the car.
There is a third box which is called TRANS and it should have one of 4 letters in it, on the RST it should be W for a 5 speed manual gear box. The other letters are T for a 4 speed manual gear box, Q for an MTX type gear box and X for a CTX automatic gear box.
The fourth box is the AXLE box, which has all the details for the final drive on the gear box. The codes used are
4 for 3.82:1 ratio
6 for 3.12:1 ratio
8 for 3.56 2 ratio
2 for 3.59 (and also for a ratio of 4.27:1)
F for 3.84:1 ratio
J for 4.06:1 ratio
On the RS Turbo it should have a code 4.
The plate also contains information as to what trim is fitted to the car, but as it’s an RST just check it has Recaros and that the rear seats match and so do the door cars.
Next you will have to prove the mileage is genuine. Check all the service documentation and previous MOTs. If there aren't any ask yourself do you want to own the car? As the cars are quite a few years old they should have some kind of a history. Don't presume the MOT to be genuine either if it's only got the one with the car. The car will be at least 10 years old, and should have some form of history. If the car has no or little history it normally means it has gone missing for a reason! The more history the car has the better.
Check the steering wheel and see if it's shiny. Check the seats, the drivers recaro seats wear out very easily on the side nearest the door. Also check the drivers seat hasn't been replaced with another passengers seat (any easy trick to do) The rubber pedals will also indicate how much use the car has. Do the seat belts retract themselves when you disconnect them? If they don't it might be another sign of a high mileage car.
Security. Probably THE most important point of any RS badged car. Is the car alarmed and immobilized? Does the owner have certificates for the security systems? If not you may have trouble getting insurance. Are the windows and sunroof etched with the correct licence numbers? Has the chassis number, which may be correct, been welded into the floor? You don't want the hassle of buying a ringer or a stolen motor. Taking the worst case scenario you could end up losing all your money! Once you have bought the car change the door locks or better still de lock it. The more security features your car has the lower the chances of it being stolen. Theft was one of the major reasons Ford stopped producing the RS turbo. If you do decide to buy the car make sure you get hold of any spare keys and alarm fobs when you buy the car, otherwise it might disappear very easily.
Check the car for rust. D registration cars, and the very early E registration cars are well renowned for being rust prone. Check the car over properly, ideally spending a bit of time underneath the car as well, this may well stop you buying a rot box. Although well built the car does have a few known rust spots.
The following is a list of major panels, and where they are prone to rusting.
Roof, behind the sunroof
Bonnet, along the front edge below the Ford badge
Tailgate, inside behind the bottom corners
Doors, start to go at the very bottom
Sills, as always
battery tray and bulkhead near it
around the fuse box
underneath the spare wheel well
inside the sunroof, sign that the owner has opened the sun roof in the rain
rear chassis arm also rusts into the boot area
The list above seems quite long. But with a bit of patience and some waxoil, most can be prevented. If you intend on keeping your car, spend some money and time on rust proofing your car, it will help to protect your pride and joy. A good way of seeing how solid your potential car is, is to cover the car with water and see if it leaks anywhere inside. Any leaks and you can haggle the price down.
You should also check for over spray, the chances are the car might have been in an accident. Check were the front wings join the slam panel for the factory sealant. That is always a good indication of whether a panel has been replaced. Also check if the front wing, door and rear quarter line up. Using the lines that are moulded into the panel's check that they are all true and level.
Another easy way to check is to look in the boot and see if it is the original panel. Remove the boot seal and see if the bottom of lip has been welded, a sure sign that a panel has been replaced and that the car has been hit from the rear.
Check the bonnet is the proper turbo item with vents, don’t fall for the old it had no vents from the factory all series 2 cars had them as standard, there was no option to not have them. Check that the front edge of the bonnet isn’t rusted and open the bonnet to see if there is rust inside it. Then check the bonnet lines up evenly with the wings. If the bonnet doesn't line up it is probably due to a prang.
Check the wings line up with the bonnet and the doors, and that they have side repeaters in them, again all series 2 cars had these as standard.
Check the doors line up with the wings and they rear quarter panels in a straight line and that they aren’t rotten at the bottom too.
Check all the body kit is in good condition as well. It should all fit perfectly over the car, and should be bonded onto it so it doesn’t move. If it can be moved it has been removed and fitted wrongly. The arch deflectors are held on with rivets. The side skirts by screws. Over time the screw get rotten and are very hard to remove. If the screw are like new then you must assume that the car has been well looked after or that they have been replaced. Check all four jacking point covers are on the car, and that they are joined to the kit by a plastic strap.
When you start the car up it should idle perfectly at around 950 rpm. Check for blue smoke on start up, which is a sign of the engine burning oil. And it is normally the valve stem oil seals letting oil past. You should also check in the header tank for mayonnaise, which means the head gasket is leaking. Not a major problem, but do you want to buy a car knowing that it needs work doing to it? Look at the turbo and look how rusty the turbo is, this is a good sign of how old the unit is. When the car is running check the exhaust fumes that are coming out of it. If there is any smoke it isn't a good sign. Remember, white for water, blue for oil, black for over fuelling.
Ask or check when the cam belt was last changed. Ford recommend they are changed every 36,000 miles or less, I would say to change it as soon as you buy the car. The money it costs to buy and replace a cam belt compared to an engine rebuild is quite a lot.
Check the radiator, if it is green in parts it will soon need replacing. Check the front discs aren't warped or scored. The rear cylinders are prone to leaking after a few years of hard work. Also the rear load valve tends to seize, making the car think it is fully loaded and as such increases the braking power at the rear. Check all the electrical items work. If they don’t these could be a good bargaining point for lowering the cars price. Replacement parts are very cheap, and most electrical problems tend to stem from an earthing point and/or the fuse box.
When the engine has warmed up open the bonnet and listen to the engine. Does it sound very rattly at the top? If it does then the hydraulic lifters want replacing, normally a sign that the oil hasn't been changed as often as it should have been, but that isn't always the case. Also if the lifters are playing up, it might be best to replace the camshaft. The camshafts on the CVH engines to tend to wear out rather quickly.
Ideally, all the locks should be operated with the same key. If you have a different key for every lock then assume that the car has been stolen, or someone has attempted to steal it in the past.
Check all 4 of the large black hoses that the turbo uses for leaks. With age they do collapse, which means your car will have trouble idling and will use more petrol.
The turbocharger has a small rubber hose that it uses to return oil to the sump. Over time, due to it's location next to the turbo charger, the hose breaks down and can cause oil to leak out instead of returning to the sump.
Bonnet catch, again another problem caused by the heat. The heat dries out the grease on the catch, making it difficult to open the bonnet.
The fuel pump on the car, when originally fitted, should run fairly quietly. Over the years the pump will start to wear, and will start to make a humming noise. Not necessarily a major problem, it means that eventually the pump will fail, albeit it in a few years time.
Back in 1986 when Ford first released the series two models they were having problems with the exhaust down pipes. They kept cracking. If your car has a standard exhaust check were the exhaust down pipe joins the exhaust is spring loaded. If it isn't sooner or later it will go. Or perhaps it has already gone and the previous owner has replaced it, thinking the exhaust has gone due to its age. Again, not a major problem, but one worth noting if you are going to stick to a factory exhaust.
Don't buy the first car you see. Good RS turbos are in abundance. There are also some rough ones around as well though. The less owners the better. Ideally you want a car with full service history, with all the previous MOTS with one previous owner. Again, you want to be sure the car is what it says it is, so check all the chassis numbers against the one on the V5. The V5 should also say RS Turbo on it. If it doesn't then the car IS NOT an RS Turbo. Even though the car might well be an RS Turbo, the V5 never lies.
The earliest series two cars are now nearly 16 years old, and unless they have been stored away or well maintained they are going to need parts replacing, just like any other car would. Ford haven't started discontinuing any major parts as of yet so if you need any parts you will still be able to get them from a Ford RS dealer. In fact, the only items that I know of that Ford doesn't produce for the series two cars anymore are the tailgate graphics and the under bonnet stickers. Theses are, however, available from other companies and are 100% accurate copies.
There are also a lot of car breakers now that only deal in Ford RS cars. These are good places to go, as they will normally have every part in stock that you need. Certain parts were used by Ford on all it's MK4 Escorts, EG Track Control Arms, Track Rod Ends. The prices of RS specific parts are not that much more than normal MK4 parts, it's just that the dealers might have to order most items in. There's nothing wrong with that, as most dealers don't have EVERY part on the shelf. It just means you've got to plan ahead a little bit. Most parts are readily available from local motor factors, but in my opinion pattern parts are never as good quality as the Ford originals, and they don't tend to fit as easily as a Ford original item.
The Escort RS Turbo, Series 1 & 2 were supplied with 4 different ECU's during their build period.
They are all interchangeable, between the 2 cars, even though the Series 1 car and ECU don't support an anti knock sensor.
What follows is a list of what ECU should go on what car, but again this isn't totally accurate as large manufacturers tend to have so many parts they fit whatever is available at the time.
BLUE-RED-BLUE All series 1 cars and very early series 2 cars.
BLUE-RED-WHITE Early series 2 cars, D registration
BLUE-RED-BLACK Series 2 cars, on E, F & G registration
HEARTS-DIAMONDS ‘1990 spec’ series 2 cars only. G & H registration.
Both the BLUE-RED-BLUE and BLUE-RED-WHITE ECUs do not support the knock sensor, the other two ECUs do support the knock sensor.
The fuelling box or 'black box' as it's more commonly known is situated to the left of the battery. This is available in two versions. The only ways to tell the 2 different versions are by the stickers on the cover. They will either be green or blue. Again, very little information is available on the changes made between the two builds
Check the interior isn’t worn out, another sign of high mileage of fat people using the car. They seats normally wear out on the outside edge and collapse. Easily repairable and a good way of bargaining down the asking price.
In short, check the cars an RS turbo. Check the V5 and all ID plates. Check for any welding and check if that engine, gearbox and turbo are OK. Check the interior is in good condition and check the bodywork is not rotten. If in doubt get someone to help out and spend a lot of time looking at the car and it’s history!
Prices, these are what the current registrar values the cars to be: Again you should pay what your think the car is worth, and always remember to haggle on the price.
TAKEN FROM RSOC BB, COURTESY OF GAZP
HTH
10-01-2005, 03:51 PM
#5
PassionFord Post Troll
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Nr Crewe, Cheshire
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You will be pushing it for 2k to find an ERST that still has rear arches, some original floor, and an un knackered engine! 
Seriously most cars are dogs in that price range... HOWEVER there are some bargains out there.. just check to make sure that its straight and doesnt require shed load of work... the main problem you are likely to find with cars of this age is RUST especially as its made by ford!
front and rear arches, sills, boot floor, inner wings, battery tray, fuse box, behind sunroof, a pillars, front pannel, doors, rear hatch all go rotten very easily!
Along with that is the posibility of engine problems.. mismatched parts and a general furry of DIY tuning going on under the bonnet!
apart from whats mentioned above and a few other things ive missed off these are great cars!
What im saying is BE CAREFULL please take someone whos knows what there looking SPECIFICALLY with RST's
CheeRS
Phil
Seriously most cars are dogs in that price range... HOWEVER there are some bargains out there.. just check to make sure that its straight and doesnt require shed load of work... the main problem you are likely to find with cars of this age is RUST especially as its made by ford!
front and rear arches, sills, boot floor, inner wings, battery tray, fuse box, behind sunroof, a pillars, front pannel, doors, rear hatch all go rotten very easily!
Along with that is the posibility of engine problems.. mismatched parts and a general furry of DIY tuning going on under the bonnet!
apart from whats mentioned above and a few other things ive missed off these are great cars!
What im saying is BE CAREFULL please take someone whos knows what there looking SPECIFICALLY with RST's
CheeRS
Phil
10-01-2005, 03:51 PM
#6
jus make sure you check for the dreaded metal worm this will save you alot of money later on the places to check are battery tray.fuse box.rear chassis rails,front bumper mounts on front panel,roof(wind back sunroof and listen for grating noise if so more than likely rusty if not to bad this can be treated very easily),rear arches under kit,bottom of rear quarter panels where sunroof drain exits,front foot wells in car under carpet,scuttle panel,and the bolt ons doors tailgate and front edge of bonnet hope this is of some help and u should bag yourself a minter
10-01-2005, 04:14 PM
#7
Yep, be extra careful on the rust front, this is something that will cost the most and be the most unrewarding job to fix.
A solid body, HPI clear, go for a mildly modded motor, something with some history and bills for bits done.
I personally thing you'll pick one up that ok for that money without many problems, just look at as many as possible and don't be affraid to travell to see them.
Look back over the last few pages of the cars for sale section, some may still be for sale, ready to be snapped up.
I wouldn't go looking for a 250bhp S2, as for your money, it will either have been done on the cheap or a tired old dog, either way ready for a rebiuld or scrap. Look for a solid body decent paint, ok trim, poss alloy radiator, K&N, Stainless Exhaust, chip, and a decent suspension set up.
If I see out I will let you know.
Welcome to the site
Matt
A solid body, HPI clear, go for a mildly modded motor, something with some history and bills for bits done.
I personally thing you'll pick one up that ok for that money without many problems, just look at as many as possible and don't be affraid to travell to see them.
Look back over the last few pages of the cars for sale section, some may still be for sale, ready to be snapped up.
I wouldn't go looking for a 250bhp S2, as for your money, it will either have been done on the cheap or a tired old dog, either way ready for a rebiuld or scrap. Look for a solid body decent paint, ok trim, poss alloy radiator, K&N, Stainless Exhaust, chip, and a decent suspension set up.
If I see out I will let you know.
Welcome to the site
Matt
Trending Topics
10-01-2005, 04:15 PM
#8
Yep, be extra careful on the rust front, this is something that will cost the most and be the most unrewarding job to fix.
A solid body, HPI clear, go for a mildly modded motor, something with some history and bills for bits done.
I personally thing you'll pick one up that ok for that money without many problems, just look at as many as possible and don't be affraid to travell to see them.
Look back over the last few pages of the cars for sale section, some may still be for sale, ready to be snapped up.
I wouldn't go looking for a 250bhp S2, as for your money, it will either have been done on the cheap or a tired old dog, either way ready for a rebiuld or scrap. Look for a solid body decent paint, ok trim, poss alloy radiator, K&N, Stainless Exhaust, chip, and a decent suspension set up.
If I see out I will let you know.
Welcome to the site
Matt
A solid body, HPI clear, go for a mildly modded motor, something with some history and bills for bits done.
I personally thing you'll pick one up that ok for that money without many problems, just look at as many as possible and don't be affraid to travell to see them.
Look back over the last few pages of the cars for sale section, some may still be for sale, ready to be snapped up.
I wouldn't go looking for a 250bhp S2, as for your money, it will either have been done on the cheap or a tired old dog, either way ready for a rebiuld or scrap. Look for a solid body decent paint, ok trim, poss alloy radiator, K&N, Stainless Exhaust, chip, and a decent suspension set up.
If I see out I will let you know.
Welcome to the site
Matt
10-01-2005, 04:16 PM
#9
Saw this, caught my eye a couple ot times, looks ok if you rip them graphics off, sure there are plenty more ready to view
https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83342
https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83342
10-01-2005, 05:57 PM
#12
Professional Waffler
I wouldnt pay less than 3k for one. What you save in the beginning you spend later. Get a good solid, nice paintwork one and enjoy modifying it, rather than haveing it welded and painted before you can enjoy it,....to which time youll probably have fell out with it
10-01-2005, 06:37 PM
#13
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Blackpool
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Originally Posted by matts1
Saw this, caught my eye a couple ot times, looks ok if you rip them graphics off, sure there are plenty more ready to view
https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83342
https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83342
I paid £2.5k for mine
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nicodinho
Ford Non RS / XR / ST parts for sale.
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07-10-2015 12:56 PM