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My 1987 Escort RS Turbo


Trig

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After deciding that it would take far too long to get the mk6 track car built, once a few bits were sold and I had the money burning a hole in my pocket, not forgeting a space in the garage, I decided I would buy another Escort.

 

Firstly I was thinking of getting a RS2000 4x4, but the insurance was a bit of an issue (car wasn't old enough to be considered a classic) so I started looking further back. Its not long since I had a mk4 XR3i, which I loved, Im not really sure why I sold it. So, I thought I would start having a look for a RS Turbo.

 

I started looking and decided that I really like mercury grey, but I wasn't a huge fan of black, but would have had white. I didn't really consider red because the XR3i was Rosso Red. After a few weeks of hunting, the only grey ones were either top condition (therefore top money) or dogs. I wanted something that was 80% there, only needing a few little bits doing, but not a huge project as I dont have the time for that.

 

After a few weeks of constantly searching ebay, pistonheads, gumtree and the like (places to find cheap cars), I had a quick look at Autotrader and saw a red one, it appeared pretty tidy and had a long MOT and a few months tax. When I went to look at it I saw there were a few things on it that needed a bit of tidying up, it ran well and has loads of history. A couple of days of thinking about it and I got back on the phone and arranged to go and pick it up.

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010837.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010838.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010839.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010840.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010841.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010843.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010844.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010848.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010849.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010850.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010851.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010852.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010855.jpg

 

 

Here are a few of the things that need sorting

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010845.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010846.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010847.jpg

 

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/trig_112/1987%20Escort%20RS%20Turbo/first%20photos/P1010853.jpg

 

 

There is loads of history with the car, thousands of £'s of receipts going back to when the car was nearly new. The wheels havent long since been refurbed, but the colour is a little off.

 

Plans:

 

I want to get this back to standard in terms of looks. I do like the 90 spec parts, but this is a 1987 car and its really not bad for its age, so its a case of it will be Re-tango'd, all the spots of rust corrected, it might even be Re-locked if I can find a set of the correct locks for this year.

 

The guy that I bought it from gave me another bonnet for it, which is rust free, but its black. With this needing painting along with the roof, the bit on the back bumper, part of the front bumper, the front wings around the side repeaters and parts of the arch extenstions, Ive decided that it will get a full respray over the winter, the engine will even come out and the engine bay can be done too.

 

The other changes to make are to fit the right rear lights, fit new boot struts, fix the broken rev counter, new suspension (the springs are old) and replace the exhaust as the one fitted is stupidly loud and it shakes the house when it starts up.

 

It needs a bit of maintenance too, a new timing belt, tensioner and pump, along with fresh bottom arms and new brake pads as the brakes at the minute are shocking. Oil, filter and plugs will be changed soon too.

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Doesn't look too bad Trig, seen a lot worse! Mind if I ask what the cost was? Shame about the rust on the roof, that can be a bit of a pain to sort out. Any modification plans, or just a tidy up? What's the engine spec?

 

Was gathering parts for a Zetec turbo conversion to a MK5 Escort I've got, but tempted to shelve that for a bit and fit the engine from one of these for a bit of cheap bang!

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Like i said at central day pal the brakes on these are shocking anyway your best bet if you want them to actually work is rip the abs off and bang a set of cossie 4x4 calipers on the front with a set of 2wd disc's. They fit easily inside the standard wheels and still look factory fitted with the added bonus that they actually work lol

 

Mark.

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Nice little project, i love my 90 spec Rs turbo as will you once its finished - are you keeping everything standard looking?

 

i may have a few bits lying around if interested?

 

also the standard brakes are perfectky fine - if they are bled fine, mine still has stock brakes and still has the abs and mine is fine

Edited by marc_gti
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Nice little project, i love my 90 spec Rs turbo as will you once its finished - are you keeping everything standard looking?

 

i may have a few bits lying around if interested?

 

also the standard brakes are perfectky fine - if they are bled fine, mine still has stock brakes and still has the abs and mine is fine

 

Fine is the operable word here fine and good are 2 completely different things

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Nice little project, i love my 90 spec Rs turbo as will you once its finished - are you keeping everything standard looking?

 

i may have a few bits lying around if interested?

 

also the standard brakes are perfectky fine - if they are bled fine, mine still has stock brakes and still has the abs and mine is fine

 

Fine is the operable word here fine and good are 2 completely different things

 

 

If the brakes were no good then they would not have used them from factory. i know plenty of people with S1's and S2's that use standard brakes and none of them have any stopping problems

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I beg to differ.... the Ford factory churned out plenty of cars with crap brakes... i.e. all of the Mk6 Escorts I've had issues with rubbish brakes, apart from my 1.3 which I never needed to use the brakes. So I imagine an 80's Escort with a turbo bolted on is even worse

 

 

 

 

Nice project Trig, Im sure it will look great once finished. Really want to own a mk3/4 at somepoint

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I beg to differ.... the Ford factory churned out plenty of cars with crap brakes... i.e. all of the Mk6 Escorts I've had issues with rubbish brakes, apart from my 1.3 which I never needed to use the brakes. So I imagine an 80's Escort with a turbo bolted on is even worse

 

 

i take it you have never owned an rs turbo? its great how people jump on the "they must have crap brakes" bandwagon when 90% of the people are guessing that they are crap. Ford wouldnt spend thousands of pounds on research into brakes to install "crap" brakes :cheers:

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I beg to differ.... the Ford factory churned out plenty of cars with crap brakes... i.e. all of the Mk6 Escorts I've had issues with rubbish brakes, apart from my 1.3 which I never needed to use the brakes. So I imagine an 80's Escort with a turbo bolted on is even worse

 

 

i take it you have never owned an rs turbo? its great how people jump on the "they must have crap brakes" bandwagon when 90% of the people are guessing that they are crap. Ford wouldnt spend thousands of pounds on research into brakes to install "crap" brakes :cheers:

 

What about the S1?!

 

The brakes on the S2 are adequate. For the cost, I'd definitely upgrade. Cossie disks will even fit under standard wheels. Be rude not to!

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I beg to differ.... the Ford factory churned out plenty of cars with crap brakes... i.e. all of the Mk6 Escorts I've had issues with rubbish brakes, apart from my 1.3 which I never needed to use the brakes. So I imagine an 80's Escort with a turbo bolted on is even worse

 

 

i take it you have never owned an rs turbo? its great how people jump on the "they must have crap brakes" bandwagon when 90% of the people are guessing that they are crap. Ford wouldnt spend thousands of pounds on research into brakes to install "crap" brakes :cheers:

 

They didnt spend thousands developing the brakes they just used what they already had off the xr4x4

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