1972 Ford Escort RS2000 Recreation

While many politicians and billionaires like to boast of their humble beginnings, few have a story to rival that of ‘BPX 468L’.

It started life in Essex with a 1.1-litre engine, wobbling its way through its early years on budget suspension and skinny tyres. And yet, in a Rocky-esque transformation, this RS2000 recreation now features a 2.2-litre Harris Performance ‘Pinto’ engine, a six-speed Quaife sequential gearbox with straight-cut gears, a 345 limited-slip differential, fully adjustable front coilovers, and chunky tyres.

It’s a helluva a machine.

Designed to compete in hillclimbs, it would be equally at home as a dedicated track day car or even – for the brave and slightly deaf – an incredible daily driver.

Read on for more…

Subtly flared wheelarches? Check

Four HUGE Cibie spotlamps? Check

Sporting livery? Check

Massive blue mudflaps? Check

Bonnet pins? Check

Chunky Minilite-style alloy wheels with sticky Yokohama rubber? Check

You get the idea – and if we had a big enough garage we’d set it on a plinth as a 1:1 scale model of our childhood rallying dreams.

It’s been nicely done, too. While so many competition vehicles are, of necessity, a bit rough around the edges the show-based lifestyle this one was built for has allowed the odd hint of unnecessary loveliness to creep in like the top-notch badges and the silver and black numberplates plus chrome door handles, mirrors, bumpers, and wiper arms.

The 13-inch alloy wheels are JBW Superlights. In an unmarked condition they’re retained with blemish-free chrome nuts and fitted with fat 185/60R13 Yokohama A539 tyres, all of which have masses of tread left on them.

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.

The panels align nicely, sport very good shutlines, and the finish of the Polar White paint is excellent. The blue ‘go faster’ stripes add at least 10% to the top end and are free of wrinkles and bubbles.

Flaws? None that we can see.

As you’d expect, the cockpit is as purposeful as the exterior. Featuring an FIA-approved Safety Devices roll cage and a pair of new carbonfibre-backed Corbeau seats with matching harnesses (both of which are ‘in date’ should you want to use the Escort in competition) it’s an absolute delight.

It also has more instrumentation and switches than the Space Shuttle and everything has been done with flare, diligence and an eye for detail.

Look at the gear knob, for example. And the lightweight pedals. And the deeply dished steering wheel. And the map light. And the alloy foot brace for the passenger.

There’s a little carbon fibre trim to match the back of the seats too, plus addition gauges for engine revs, oil pressure, and both water and oil temperatures.

An OMP fire suppression system is fitted.

There’s also a display for the Quaife sequential gearbox plus a digital speedometer.

The boot is, if anything, even more impressive than the cabin. Home to the spare alloy wheel and Yokohama tyre, Bosch battery, and a beautifully crafted alloy fuel tank with an easily serviced fuel pump and filter system, it’s as close to a piece of art as we’ve seen. Utterly delightful.

As for work to do you could paint the handbrake lever if you felt the need but it’s otherwise all good.

The car’s specification is so vast it’s probably easiest to list it in bullet points:

• 2.2-litre Ford ‘Pinto’ engine was built by Harris Performance Engines and is fitted with a HT1 cam and twin 45 Weber carburettors
• The Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox features straight-cut dog gears and feeds the power to a rear axle that includes a 345 limited-slip differential
• The front coilover suspension is fully adjustable
• Steering is via a ‘quick rack’

As is so often the case with cars like this, the seller derives as much pleasure from the doing as the driving, and he couldn’t resist tweaking and checking it even though there was nothing wrong with it. (Heh, we aren’t judging; we’ve all been there…)

Eighteen months ago, he commissioned the Escort to be re-wired.

And to have the engine stripped down and checked over and rebuilt with a new water pump, gaskets, oil sump, alternator, exhaust manifold, gearbox mounts, and a full stainless steel Harris Performance Engines exhaust.

Plus, new brake and fuel lines. And brake discs and pads.

The carburettors were also rebuilt.

All-in-all, he estimates he spent around £15,000 on the rebuild, even though, he says, “she has never been tracked and has purely been a show pony.”

Other bits and bobs he’s fitted on his watch include new Corbeau seats. He has the wheels refurbished too, and fitted with new tyres.

As you can see and hear, it starts beautifully, idles as it should, and barks when provoked. We’re wary of hyperbole but have you ever heard a better noise from a four-cylinder engine?

And yet, for all its aural delight what the video can’t demonstrate is the smell: it might be unfashionable to admit it but there are few better smells than unburnt hydrocarbons, are there?

Of course, the engine bay is as beautifully presented as everything else. Stuffed full of gorgeous details and high-end components, it wants for nothing.

The seller’s had it for the past three years, buying it from a friend of his who’d owned it for the previous six. Between them, he estimates they’ve covered well under 1,000 miles – and maybe only half that.

This is just a guess though as the odometer isn’t connected, the question of how fast you’re going being taken care of via a digital speedometer.

Given its current role it’s probably no surprise that the Escort doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, but every single one between 2006 and 2017 was advisory free.

The history file is full of receipts spanning the last three owners.

If you’re looking for a MKI Escort for fun and to show then you’ve come to the right place. It might have spent the last few years as an art installation but the seller’s attitude towards its mechanical condition is uncompromising: it has to perform as it should - and he was prepared to spend £15,000 on making sure that’s the case.

Which means the winning bidder can use it for whatever they like, from hillclimbing to classic rallying to showing. It’s a genuinely multipurpose car that can turn its hand to anything.

And, the fact it isn’t a ‘real’ RS2000 means it’ll be cheap. Cheap enough to be able to use it as God and Ford intended, anyway.

We estimate it’ll fetch somewhere between £28,000 and £32,000, which might not sound like a bargain but it is: just try finding a genuine RS2000 and then add the cost of preparing it to this specification.

Besides, we’re struggling to think of a car in its price range that would deliver more fun for the same amount.

And, have we mentioned the noise it makes?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Littlehampton, West Sussex. 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’.