Description

1975 Ford Escort Two-Door Saloon

Australian-built Escort; fitted with 2.0-litre Pinto; fresh interior; RS lookalike

As with most Mk I Escorts, this impressive RS lookalike didn't start life in Ford's AVO department in Dagenham. Part of its appeal (other than being offered for under £50k) is that it lived until recently in Australia, a country well known for its dry climate and for driving on the correct side of the road.

An official letter on file from Ford Australia, confirms the spec details of chassis number CK44RS96168, which was a locally produced at their Geelong factory just outside Melbourne, Victoria.

It was built in July 1975 and delivered to the selling dealer Anderson Ford in South Australia. Ford confirmed that it was built as a two-door XL with a 1,300cc engine and three speed auto, painted in Frosted Lime with saddle interior - wow!

What you see before you however is a bit different, the car having been radically updated in around 2017. A list of the work done at this time includes a new dash top, rear bumpers, six-dial binnacle, steering wheel and boss kit, quick shift, badges, exhaust system including 'headers', alloys and tyres etc etc.....the inference being that this is when the 2.0-litre Pinto engine was installed too but we don't know for sure.

It was sold by a gent in Lawson, NSW to Blue Mountains Mazda in 2020 who sold it to our vendor, who has recently returned to the UK after a change of plans and no longer has a use for the car.

Correctly imported with duties paid, it has a NOVA number which will allow easy UK registration and an original handbook, although that refers to the basic 1,300 auto as originally built.

Well updated and with a solid Australian two-door shell, it looks great value and a lot of fun.

Contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com