1971 Ford Escort RS1600

Built in October 1970, KWU 339J has retained its original BDA engine making it a very special car indeed. Its first owner, Paul Corkhill, kept the car for an astonishing 32 years, registering it with the AVO register in 1988 before selling the car to Francis Morris in 2003 after a period of storage.

Francis restored the car to a very high standard, including an engine rebuild. He kept the car for three years before passing it on to Ken Henderson of Escort specialists Henderson Auto Sport and Spares who then sold it to Garry Stockton.

It has had a couple of discrete modifications over the years to include such worthwhile upgrades as a close-ratio, five-speed Ford Type 9 gearbox and extra lighting by way of four huge Cibie Super Oscars.

The condition of this example is stunning, with the underside being every bit as clean as the bodywork. It is not an exaggeration to say that this car is a potential concours winning example that could do double-duty as an extremely competitive historic rally or race car.

The paintwork on the seam-welded, strengthened shell started life as Maize Yellow but is now Daytona Yellow. It’s in stunning condition thanks to the restoration work that has clearly been done to a very high standard.

The minimal chromework is all in excellent condition, as are the badges and the Cibie Super Oscar spotlights that have been painted to match the car’s coachwork.

While the Escort’s suspension and brakes are to standard RS1600 specification, the flared steel wheelarches and wide Minilite alloy wheels (currently shod with Yokohama tyres) are not. However, they were done early in the car’s life and so are a period modification and, unlike some 'bubble-arches', these have been done to a high standard, are seamless and look sensational.

The painted underside of the car is also virtually perfect. Yes, that’s right; the underside has been left painted rather than undersealed, all the better to show off the car’s structural integrity and originality.

Both the front and rear seats are free of rips and tears, as are the door cards and headlining. The dashboard is original and everything works as it should. There are a couple of minor marks here and there but the overall condition is very, very good, bordering on excellent.

While neither the Springalex steering wheel nor the Restall bucket seats formed part of the original specification, both are thought to have been installed from new; customization like this formed an important part of the car’s appeal when it was offered to the public and the flexibility offered by Ford’s AVO meant that few cars left the factory in completely standard specification.

The seatbelts have recently been refurbished and, although not photographed, will be included in the auction.

The BDA engine has been rebuilt but is still to original specification, retaining its original valve sizes, camshafts, Weber carburettors, air box (which is apparently an unusual shape but is utterly genuine) and exhaust manifold although it does now exhale through an Ashley exhaust system. It is beautifully responsive and the addictive BDA crackle is all present and correct!

The car has been fitted with a five-speed, close-ratio, Type 9 gearbox.

First registered with the AVO Owners’ Club back in 1988, this very car was the subject of a six-page feature in Retro Ford magazine in June 2011, where it drew comments such as “The RS1600 is a very special type of Escort and KWU 339J happens to be one of the very best of the breed”.

Please visit the ‘Gallery’ section of this listing where you will find a large number of invoices and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has an impressively comprehensive service history.

With the price of good early performance Escorts continuing to confound market commentators, we think this example will sell for between £42,000 and £50,000, at which point we think it offers good value and is thoroughly realistic in the current environment. Collectors will always pay a premium for the very best examples of their type and this Ford Escort RS1600 is probably the very best on offer today.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Crawley, West Sussex; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.