Ultra rare mk 1 Escort at upcoming auction

Ultra rare mk 1 Escort at upcoming auction

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Discussion

AL5026

Original Poster:

450 posts

195 months

Thursday 23rd July 2020
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https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/ultra-ra...

Lovely thing, not overly restored or a garage queen. Wonder what it will achieve at auction.

aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Thursday 23rd July 2020
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Interesting (as an ex-Twin Cam owner myself).......

The other one family owned Twink must be one that turned up after I sold mine around 1990, as I don't recall there were no one owners cars registered with the owners club at the time. This one may have been, but its a long time ago now.

He must have hit the scenery at some point in those years of hillclimbing as the front panel isn't the original one wink


newsatten

3,903 posts

121 months

Thursday 23rd July 2020
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I had a G plater, square lamps, one owner when i brought it in 77'
complete sack of crap!, the guy that brought in new from Peacocks in Folkestone was a Sea Scout Leader and the car had been down the lower Sandgate Rd since new, Rusted to death lol

Think i paid 300 quid for it! Typical lumpy bumpy Twin Cam lump, horrible thing!



aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Thursday 23rd July 2020
quotequote all
newsatten said:
I had a G plater, square lamps, one owner when i brought it in 77'
Same as mine, except for the one owner bit, and I didn't get mine until winter of 85/6. Shell on mine was mint though, only one sill being a bit bubbly. Engine was shot though, head was damaged and the car had been sitting with the head removed for several years so bottom end was scrap as was already at max bore. Gearbox had disappeared as well.
Mate of mine was the Twin Cam Registrar for the owners club though, and over time we sourced from various contacts an all-steel bottom end, and a head that was rebuilt with QED cams and some other tweeks. Sadly had to sell it soon afterwards as the lock-up block I kept it in near where I lived was compulsory purchased by the local council to build houses on the site, and there were no other garages anywhere else nearby that were secure enough and parking it on the street was a no-go, as I had already had a RS2000 stolen from outside the house a year before.
Its the only car I've ever regretted selling, and I thought it was going to a good home, but the guy sold it within a year when he was given a one in a lifetime chance of buying one of only two known to survive, late model, factory Custom Pack equipped RS1600...which he then kept for the next 20 odd years.

TarquinMX5

2,058 posts

87 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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The world is mad.

Expected to make c£70,000. For a 50+ year old Ford Escort, albeit a twincam. In reality, what is it? An old, cheaply-built basic car with a for-its-time well-specced engine (nothing special now, though), which was reasonably quick in its day (again, nothing special now though).

There might only be two left (that claim is open to argument) but the RS1600 is very similar and is hardly rare.

It might well achieve a decent price now, but in years to come will it really be that sought after? I think I'll pass on this one biggrin

Other views are available.

sideways man

1,395 posts

144 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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One of my motoring regrets was not getting a ‘twink’ in the early 80’s, when £1500 got you a good ‘un. Insurance was my big problem back then (18 year old...) was also offered an immaculate looking Mk1 cortina lotus for £1000, which I also turned down.
Think I’ll hand in my PH membership card cry

aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
quotequote all
TarquinMX5 said:
There might only be two left (that claim is open to argument) but the RS1600 is very similar and is hardly rare.
You've not read the article have you?

Only two left that are still in the same family ownership from new...... wink


And I don't see this fetching £70k..........or even close.
High 40's, would be my best guess.....maybe just sneak into the low 50k's if a couple of bidders are keen.

As I said, it's certainly had a new front panel fitted, so what other stuff has it had.....that comes from a hard comp life, albeit not one that has seen much if any road use.




aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
quotequote all
sideways man said:
One of my motoring regrets was not getting a ‘twink’ in the early 80’s, when £1500 got you a good ‘un. Insurance was my big problem back then (18 year old...) was also offered an immaculate looking Mk1 cortina lotus for £1000, which I also turned down.
Think I’ll hand in my PH membership card cry
But if you had, the chances are you still (like me) wouldn't have it, and likely sold it for not much more than you paid for it....

I made a 100 quid profit on mine when I sold it cry


littleredrooster

5,702 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
quotequote all
sideways man said:
One of my motoring regrets was not getting a ‘twink’ in the early 80’s, when £1500 got you a good ‘un. Insurance was my big problem back then (18 year old...) was also offered an immaculate looking Mk1 cortina lotus for £1000, which I also turned down.
Think I’ll hand in my PH membership card cry
When I was 18-19 in the mid-seventies, I turned down a MkI Cortina Lotus and a MkII Cortina Savage because I was a skint apprentice. The Lotus was £150 and the Savage was £180 - both mint.

eldar

22,750 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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aeropilot said:
But if you had, the chances are you still (like me) wouldn't have it, and likely sold it for not much more than you paid for it....

I made a 100 quid profit on mine when I sold it cry
I bought a lovely* red Early sixties E type convertible, for £150 and sold it for £275, and thought id really done well.

Though it was an MOT failure thanks to very advanced corrosion. The new owner broke it for spares.

  • If you are an iron oxide fan.

TarquinMX5

2,058 posts

87 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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aeropilot said:
TarquinMX5 said:
There might only be two left (that claim is open to argument) but the RS1600 is very similar and is hardly rare.
You've not read the article have you?

Only two left that are still in the same family ownership from new......
Well, I did read it but the finer points, presumably obtained from the auctioneer's spiel, were treated much like I treat an estate agent's ramblings, a load of waffle to try and 'big up' the sale (although not connected with commission from sale proceeds) wink .

Unusual auction house but with the internet and loads of publicity (just like this thread), does it matter?

Of course, I turned down one for three guineas in 1985 when fwd and the XR3i (i no less, not just an XR3) was the thing to have - if only I'd have had a crystal ball biggrin

aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
quotequote all
TarquinMX5 said:
Of course, I turned down one for three guineas in 1985 when fwd and the XR3i (i no less, not just an XR3) was the thing to have - if only I'd have had a crystal ball biggrin
Fwd was never the 'thing' to have back in 1985.... wink


Touring442

3,096 posts

216 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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I've had a few of these of late (RS1600's and TC's) and the values are eye watering.
The market is probably cooling now - as you say, they're nice but not as nice as a 1750GTV or an early 1600-2 Ti BMW.
Of the two, the RS1600 with its BDA was much better. Correctly built (they are a very simple engine) running decent spark plugs and properly set up, they are quite good fun to hammer along.

They are certainly a rich Man's toy as well as a liability - you can't park one anywhere.

This one looks like a 50k car at a push but it may surprise everyone.


aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
quotequote all
Touring442 said:
They are certainly a rich Man's toy as well as a liability - you can't park one anywhere.
That indeed is the problem with them, now, just as it was back in the late 70's and early 80's.

Dave Brodie had his replica Alan Mann racer big wing Mk.1 stolen last month.



Mark A S

1,900 posts

195 months

Saturday 25th July 2020
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I have had 7 Escorts (mk1 and 2) over the years, various types, mostly RS versions, last November I aquired no 7 another Mk1 RS with lots of mods. ALL of them without exception have been a hoot to drive. Out of the standard ones I have owned, the RS1600 was easily the most fun, never driven a twin cam, but I suspect it is much the same.
I appreciate them more now for the fun, simple compact way they are, I suspect many of us of a certain age, think the same, hence the prices, they are indeed very special cars smile

Touring442

3,096 posts

216 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
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Escorts are fun for about 2 hours and then come a bit wearing. My Old Man had a new Mexico around 1972 ish and I can recall the drive from the SW up to Dundee. Jesus Christ, it took forever and damn it was noisy.

Cars like the 2002Tii and the Alfa GTV were a lot more money new but worth less now. Bizarre. Father Touring drove a yellow Tii belonging to a friend around 1974 ish and truly coveted it in that 'I wish I could afford this' way.

aeropilot

36,554 posts

234 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
quotequote all
Touring442 said:
Escorts are fun for about 2 hours and then come a bit wearing. My Old Man had a new Mexico around 1972 ish and I can recall the drive from the SW up to Dundee. Jesus Christ, it took forever and damn it was noisy.

Cars like the 2002Tii and the Alfa GTV were a lot more money new but worth less now. Bizarre.
Not bizarre at all, as neither had the competition heritage in the UK (or even in Europe) that the Escort has.

The value of RS Escorts has absolutely nothing to do with how bad a road car they are compared to other much better road cars of the era.

Mexman

2,442 posts

91 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
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Gordon Murray has just had a Mk1 Escort built from scratch, from an base model 2dr car, as a daily smoker.
OK, this thing bares little resemblance mechanically to a standard Escort, but from the outside it could be any MK1 Escort, albeit with some tasty mod cons.
Christ knows how much the build has cost, got to be upwards of 120k ?
Now, I dare say, he knows a few things about car design and driveability, why has he chosen an Escort?
He explains fully, why during the build process.
Full episodes of build on YouTube.

Touring442

3,096 posts

216 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Not bizarre at all, as neither had the competition heritage in the UK (or even in Europe) that the Escort has.
You're aware of the racing pedigree of the Alfa 105 and 2002....?


Touring442

3,096 posts

216 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
quotequote all
Mexman said:
Gordon Murray has just had a Mk1 Escort built from scratch, from an base model 2dr car, as a daily smoker.
OK, this thing bares little resemblance mechanically to a standard Escort, but from the outside it could be any MK1 Escort, albeit with some tasty mod cons.
Christ knows how much the build has cost, got to be upwards of 120k ?
Now, I dare say, he knows a few things about car design and driveability, why has he chosen an Escort?
He explains fully, why during the build process.
Full episodes of build on YouTube.
That's one for later. Sounds good on the dyno!