1979 Ford Escort MK II

Finished in Ford Race Red with a Charcoal textile interior, ‘DHN 360T’ is a 1979 Escort 1600 Sport that was built in South Africa and stayed there for four decades, which gave the seller a good solid base for the restoration he had planned for it after it arrived here in 2020.

And what a restoration it is! 

Not only did it involve the usual bodywork and paint, he also sourced the correct Beta fabric for the interior (which was no small feat in itself…) and boosted engine capacity to 1,690cc to give the Escort the power to back up its factory fresh looks.

The result is nothing short of divine.

We doubt Ford built it this well in the first place, which is high praise. Mind you, getting there wouldn’t have been easy.

We are told that the Escort was stripped to a shell and then carefully inspected to see what welding needed doing. The answer was “not a lot” with only the scuttle needing work. The seller lived in South Africa for many years and has another four ex-SA cars in his collection, so he understands the advantages of buying cars from such a warm country – and has the contacts to make it happen.

With the small amount of welding completed, the car was refitted and the tight and consistent shutlines speak of many hours of expensive labour easing them into alignment.

The glossy finish to the Ford Race Red paintwork speaks of even more hours of pre-paint preparation ahead of the primer and we suspect a considerable investment was made in flatting that down too before the topcoats were applied.

No matter what the cost in time and money – and the seller was canny enough to employ professionals to do the entire bare-metal respray - it was worth it because it looks absolutely terrific.

This dedication to getting the coachwork right extends to areas such as the bonnet slam panel, the boot and door shuts, and the engine bulkhead. All are beautifully painted.

Of course, a large part of any restored cars appeal lies in the details, and these stack up just as well. Straight, simple matt-black bumpers lie fore and aft, while the sides are adorned with the correct black pinstripes.

The front benefits from a deeper front valence plus a pair of Maxtel spotlights, which begs the question: Is an Escort even an Escort without spotlights?

The black door mirrors and C-pillar vents are very good, as are the badges, lamp lenses, and window glass - and all of the window rubbers have been replaced but then you could have guessed that, couldn’t you?

The 13-inch wheels are, of course, steel. Shotblasted and then powdercoated,  their simplicity and small diameter hark back to a simpler time before we all became obsessed with alloys and twenty inches…

That they are fitted with new and matching tyres won’t surprise you, in this case 185/60R13 Hifly HF201.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

If you are looking for a small job or two then the offside front Hella indicator is wonky, the finish on the front quarter-bumpers isn’t as good as the rest of the vehicle, and the perforated panels that lie between them aren’t quite straight.

The seat retrim in the correct Beta fabric was a solid four-figure job and the results speak for themselves. He was lucky enough to be able to snaffle the very last batch, which was an impressive bit of timing that the winning bidder will be able to take advantage of. 

The door cards are new too, and the whole lot looks every bit as good as it would have done when it rolled off the production line in 1979. 

The deeply dished RMD steering wheel might not be original but it looks terrific and suits the car’s mission statement of being subtly tweaked but still recognisably a family car, perfectly.

As do the white-faced dials, the fire extinguisher, and the twin cylinders of the pedal box that sits next to the steering column. The seller had to fit the latter in order to fit the twin Weber carburettors under the bonnet; the old servo was in the way and he’s pleased with the result: “it works well”.

As for standard fittings, the original headlining is still taut and clean, as is the factory-fitted ‘Sport’ dashboard trim. Even the top of the dashboard is free of the sort of cracking and sun damage you often see in cars that have spent their lives in sunnier climes than ours. 

The boot contains a space-saver spare wheel and the Safari petrol tank that was fitted to South African cars to help keep the temperature of the fuel down. This is why it sits above the boot floor and you can see the mounting brackets on the underside near the differential. 

There’s another fire extinguisher in there too, possibly prompted by the leak the seller discovered – and later remedied – from the fuel filler cap. 

As for flaws, there is some wear to the areas of carpet that lie between both doors and both front seats, although the rest of the carpets look good.

There is also some crazing to the clear Perspex on the instrument binnacle.

It starts well and while the video shows a lumpy idle the seller assures us that this is only because it was cold when the video was shot and the engine had only just been started.

It revs very well with an attractively gruff edge and the sort of induction roar through the four chromed trumpets younger drivers may not have come across.

A Burton camcover sets the scene for what is an unusually well-order engine bay. Twin Weber DCOE carburettors feed the greedy 1,690cc engine, an engine that was bored out and rebuilt by Robert Walker Engineering and whose specification includes a fast road camshaft but is otherwise standard. The seller was keen to add a spring to the Escort’s step but wanted to retain its tractability, so avoided going OTT on its specification.

The carbs are controlled by matching and neatly aligned blue throttle cables whose colour matches the blue engine block.

The gearbox was rebuilt with new bearings and synchromesh, and it is connected to the differential via a bespoke propshaft.

Further joy comes from neatly labelled front and rear brake fluid reservoirs, a sinuous tubular exhaust manifold, plenty of stainless-steel fasteners, and an oil pressure gauge. Heck, even the fuel line has been arranged so you can read the writing printed on it.

The underside looks solid and well protected. It’s been finished in gloss red too, which is another lovely touch and you can admire the new rear Gaz dampers, suspension bushes and springs, as well as the Mahle oil filter. 

The ride height might be one-and-a-half inches lower than stock but it looks terrific and we’re pleased to see he resisted the urge to fit coilover suspension.

Again, it all stacks up and reinforces the impression of a job well done.

As is so often the case with imported cars its earlier paperwork has gone astray. However, given the comprehensive nature of the restoration, we can’t help but feel this is less of an issue than it might otherwise be.

Because there are plenty of receipts and invoices for parts and labour for the restoration though, including 13 from Burton Power, six from G.S. Escorts, and two from BGH Geartech.

Plus, another from Aldridge Trimming, five from Webcon, two from Eurocarb, two from Robert Walker Engineering, four from West Wales Rally Spares, and no fewer than nine from Rally Design. 

Obviously, the seller would be happy for you to leaf through them when you when you inspect the car. 

The Escort doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

When an owner says they don’t have much to say we sharpen our pencil because it usually leads to a long conversation involving a dozen fascinating stories – before apologising for not being able to help us.

The seller is one such man. Thirty-three years in South Africa means he knows where to buy cars from and skillset is on display here with a Ford Escort whose interior trim has survived the ravages of a tropical sun just as well as its underside and body panels resisted rot and corrosion.

He also restores his cars properly. 

While many of us are happy to have a go at any job that needs doing (and fair play to those who do!) he’s a man who finds the best in their field and pays them to do the job right; he provides the vision and cash, they provide the skills and experience. It’s a match made in heaven cars like this are the result.

All of which means that while this one isn’t going to be cheap, it will be good value. 

We estimate it’s going to fetch somewhere between £20,000 and £25,000, and with the reserve set even lower, we can see some fierce bidding developing…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Appleton, Oxfordshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.