1974 Ford Escort RS2000

This is a terrific looking, sounding and driving machine – we absolutely love it! So, we’ve done a lot of homework considering it’s nearly 50 years old and like all race cars it’s common to see them modified or altered depending upon their track history.

According to our research – backed up in its history file with a receipt – the car was purchased in 1997 as a rolling shell from well-known Ford competition aficionado and amateur rally driver Ian Harwood. His firm, Ian Harwood Competition Cars & Parts in Ellesmere Port, shut up shop in 2004 but was known in Ford circles as a one-stop-shop for all things fast Ford. In fact, many of the UK’s enthusiasts and AVO owners can trace their parts/cars back to Ian, who often sold off discarded Ford competition cars. Incidentally, the firm Ian started lives on (sort of) as GS Escorts (gsescorts.co.uk), who took over Ian’s concern and now operate from a unit just down the road in Widnes, Cheshire.

This Escort has the correct ‘BFAT’ beginning chassis plate and 20-stamped engine (this one was converted to a racer a while ago). Decoding its chassis plate reveals figures that tell us it belonged to the 187th Escort built in March 1973 at Ford’s Aveley plant and was first registered on 21st March’74. That aforementioned large ‘20’ stamped on the engine block also indicates that the correct RS2000-spec engine remains present.

The other physical clue to the car’s authenticity – other than its badging and rear window vents – is the word ‘Olympic’ printed on its chassis plate, which refers to the car’s eye-catching RS2000 shade of blue. It’s hard to believe, but for a long time these machines weren’t worth the sums they now command. Incidentally, we suspect the car’s last competitive outing was at a BARC race at Snetterton in 2019. We don’t know, maybe it has been raced in anger for many years, but it’s clearly been maintained exceptionally well, and has just been comprehensively brought back to its former glory by competition specialist SGS Services.

Thankfully, the car’s original Olympic Blue and matching deep blue stripe remain and look superb. The vendor informs us that the car’s just come out of the paint booth. An avid collector, he was determined to have every bump and scar on this Escort repaired, inside and out. We’d say he’s achieved his goal as the exterior finish on this machine is far better than we’d expect for a car that’s spent at least the last 20 years of its life in competition. It’s that life on the race track and rally stage that of course dominates the aesthetic here. Wide Minilite alloy wheels fill those flared arches and come fitted with the default mega-grip tarmac tyre, Toyo Proxes R888s. The rears have seen the most action, but they look to have a few more laps left in them.

The front end has the competition look, with a drilled front panel that allows air to flow over the engine oil cooler. There are also tow straps front and back for when you get a little too carried away. As this car has come straight from competition – in fact its ready to go right back as its belts and cage are still in date – it also has the mandatory high-vis rear LED ‘rain light’ fitted to the underside of the rear bumper. While we’re on the bumpers, the fit isn’t perfect on the front ¼ chrome items, either they or the front indicators are slightly wonky. A minor imperfection that’s just as paltry as the little patch of overspray on the driver’s side bottom of the rear screen seal.

As expected, opening the door reveals a totally-stripped cabin. There’s exposed steel everywhere with chequered plate foot panels protecting the floors. This is a machine made for fast lap and stage times, not creature comforts. In fact, the vendor reports that it’s loud and hard-riding on the road, which is to be expected for a machine this focussed. Basically, what we’re saying is that if you want to jump in and drive to the Le Mans Classic, there are better machines for the job. If you want to hammer around a forest, circuit or even your favourite B-road at the weekend however, few will come close.

The cabin is very workmanlike and spartan with the usual factory clocks replaced by readouts for important stuff like battery volts, coolant temperature and oil pressure – there are also large ‘idiot’ lights for oil pressure, ignition and battery charge – likely still easy to spot even with the vibration of banging along at 90mph off-road. The conventional speedo and rev counter can be found in the middle of the dash. Other serious driving addenda include a handsome and weighty Momo metal gear knob and new high-grip steering wheel.

The alloy sheet forming the centre console contains the mandated competition safety stuff – master battery cut-off, fire extinguisher with Lifeline Power Pack and system tester box. There’s also an additional bank of toggle switches for all the lights and electric fans etc.

We’re guessing from its last turn in anger that this Escort has been setup for tarmac and the ride height and reported stiffness would certainly back that up. We spotted yellow on the shocks indicating that top-end Bilstein suspension has been fitted. There’s a pair of coilovers on the front axle and some shock inserts on the rear. Top mounts look solid (rather than bushed), which would also explain its lack of give in the ride department. As is common, the threads on the coilovers are showing some surface corrosion. There are plenty of other bushes under here – on the anti-roll bars and steering rack for example – all of which appear near new and of an upgraded nature.

Releasing the bonnet pins and lifting off the lightened bonnet (inner cross supports chopped) you’re greeted with a surprisingly tidy ‘bay. You can’t miss the upgraded silicone top rad and radiator overflow hoses, twin throttle cables, fuel accumulator/swirl pot and braided steel fuel hoses that feed those massive twin carburettors. There’s also an adjustable front upper strut brace, tied into the suspension turrets, taking some flex out of the shell. The servicing appears to have been kept up (as we’ll get to later in the history) as fluids and belts appear in great shape. We know that the engine has been upgraded as we have a rolling-road printout. We think the horsepower figure will still be about 150 at the wheels. More than enough to provide some very lively performance in such a light car.

Having a good look underneath we did spot a few of the expected scars from racing. There’s a battered bit of floor and another dent in a chassis leg, but nothing excessive. The rust protection seems to have been topped up when the car was resprayed recently. There’s evidence of old repairs and plates welded in here – plus some surface rust – but it’s all looking strong and honest.

This Ford has had a rather large 25 former keepers, but that’s not unheard of for a car that’s spent a long time in competition. Many love the idea of racing but either run out of funds or talent within a season or two. Of course, there’s always the allure of more competitive cars and series, which mean a car often gets sold on faster than if it were solely a road car (this Escort is road legal by the way). Anyway, it’s clear that the most recent owners in that collection have certainly poured plenty of money into this Escort.

We have invoices for new reverse and number plate lights in 2020 at £103,65 and £96,47 respectively – talk about Ford tax! Someone has recently sought out plenty of original spares as there’s a host of bills from 2019/2020 for all sorts of little ancillary components. Recent mechanical invoices show plenty of expenditure here too. SGS seem to have carried out plenty of work on the car from 2018, including a head gasket, clutch cable, water pump, timing belt, steering wheel, fuel hose, gauges and assorted clips and cables – that lot came to £1735,74. Another £1232,85 was spent at SGS for a new battery, hi-torque starter, wheels and hydraulic fittings in March 2018. Effectively, by August 2018, this Escort had been brought back to race-ready with a previous owner paying SGS a total of £4763.61 for the privilege.

Looking further back in the history we have in our possession (which begins in the late-1990s) there are loads of invoices from some of the biggest names in fast Ford and motorsport circles including; Burton Power, Demon Tweeks, Quaife, Titan, Serck, Rally Design, JBM Motorsport and Autoquip. As we mentioned at the start, there’s also an invoice for the car’s shell, minus engine and transmission, from Ian Harwood ltd. in 1997. A grand total of £745 was paid back then – those were the days!

Rally or circuit cars prepared to this level appeal to a specific kind of petrol head. This particular one can be driven to the track (or forest) and then raced. We’ve driven it, and it will certainly make you feel alive.

The right safety gear has been fitted and seems to have fitted well so you can rest assured that even if you end up on your roof, all that’ll be dented is your pride. To put this Escort back to its road specification would unquestionably take some work, but wouldn’t be beyond the scope of any dedicated enthusiast. Just think, you’d also have a big bag of lovely motorsport bits to sell and recoup some of the expense. Whatever you want to do to this fast Ford icon, we think you’ll need between £34,000 - £40,000 to make it yours.

Viewing is always encouraged, within government guidelines of course. The car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’