Hi I’m new to this site,I’m looking for a steering rack,front offside calliper and front brake pads for a 1971 1300 mk1 escort,the car is in a garage at the moment and they ordered these parts from their source and when they arrived they didn’t fit,anybody have any idea where I might get these parts please??

https://www.classicpartsshack.co.uk/store/c41/Escort_Mk1_Parts.htm

https://www.motorsport-tools.com/ford-escort-parts-mk1-mk2.html

https://www.autopartspro.co.uk/ford-escort-carparts

https://www.euspares.co.uk/original-parts/ford/escort/escort-i-afh-ath

Hi Robert, Mine is a 1974 1300GT, but I am in Portugal, just got mine and need parts too. Do you have a problem with your cooling system, I drove the 100miles from Porto to my house and it ran close to the red and used 5 litres of water. No apparent leeks but it was 32c ambient.

 

I found this, but it's in Portugal https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/caixa-direco-nova-ford-escort-mk1-e-mk2-IDGbTrQ.html#890a670768

9 minutes ago, Allanby said:

Hi Robert,

Your're wasting your time asking Robert, he's another one of the OPW's. Joined 12th July 2021 asked for help, and never came back.

3 hours ago, unofix said:

Your're wasting your time asking Robert, he's another one of the OPW's. Joined 12th July 2021 asked for help, and never came back.

I have an engineering background and am always hungry to learn, a bit isolated in a country where I don't speak the lingo and bought the Escort for a hobby winter project. Done many cars in the past, but am getting on in years now... and my first Ford.

I loved the MK1 and especially the MK2 Escort. Back in the 70's and 80's I had many of them. I always promised myself one day I would buy one to do up, but so far I've not.

The old Mk1 Mk2 Escort used to often have the Thermostat fail, its very easy to replace. Also they use the BLUE Ford coolant not the Red. You propbably can't get the blue coolant anymore, so in order to change to the red type you need to make sure you flush the system well and refill with a 50/50 coolant water mix.

26 minutes ago, unofix said:

I always promised myself one day I would buy one to do up, but so far I've not.

How about one of these?😀

 

https://mst-cars.com/mk1-fast-road-touring/

3 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

How about one of these?😀

It's just the £75K price that puts me off a little 🤣

Back in 1979, I paid £95 for my very first car, a red 1968 F reg Escort 1100. It came with 6 months MOT and Tax. I ran it through the winter and then sold it for scrap.

19 minutes ago, unofix said:

It's just the £75K price that puts me off a little 🤣

Yeah, made me wince a bit, too! But then, thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the cars I've seen at shows came to that sort of figure, by the time they're finished. Perhaps if the Premium Bonds came up...........!

I remember my older cousin buying a brand new red Mk 1 - both front wings were perforated in 18 months. I had to replace both wings on mine in the 70's, as well as the usual plating of the strut mounts, so goodness knows what sort of rust you'd be dealing with now.

5 hours ago, unofix said:

The old Mk1 Mk2 Escort used to often have the Thermostat fail, its very easy to replace. Also they use the BLUE Ford coolant not the Red. You propbably can't get the blue coolant anymore, so in order to change to the red type you need to make sure you flush the system well and refill with a 50/50 coolant water mix.

I will take the stat out, its very hot here right now and after my trip there is just water in the rad. A number of people have told me to upgrade the rad and fit an electric fan c/w stat, due to the high ambients of summer. Today was 35c and it can get up to 40c+ in some parts of Portugal. First the rad needs a good flush and then try to find a bigger rad. Not sure what colour the coolant is here

As you can see mine is a 4 door but Eur4.5k was good for the condition and low km...and this being Portugal.

Any idea of the bhp, I read 82 and I know the car is only 800kg, doesn't seem that powerful, maybe the horses have escaped?

Also any idea of the gearing it seems to be riving high at 100kph (62mph)?

Thanks lads

My first company car was an 1100 escort I was very young (read stupid)and could get up to 80 on the M4 if I slipstreamed, mpg was less than 20 at that speed.

https://www.automobile-catalog.com/model/ford_gb/escort_gb_1gen.html

I had three Mk 1 Escorts, 1970 1100L, 1972 1300L, then a 1974 1300 Sport. Yes, fond memories, but rust on wings, strut mounts etc, Young brother later bought a white Mexico, and I used to maintain a Mk 2 for a friend.

Lots of Specs on the link above.

11 hours ago, Allanby said:

Any idea of the bhp, I read 82 and I know the car is only 800kg, doesn't seem that powerful, maybe the horses have escaped?

As far as I can remember, they were 72 bhp, slightly less than a contemporary Cooper S which had 76 (I think).

It's funny looking back how low powered cars were then, but weight was also much lower of course. I was surprised recently when I came across a contemporary road test of the 1971 MG Midget I had. It seemed quite nippy at the the time but it's de-tuned Cooper S motor only had 64 bhp and the 0-60 was around 14 secs! It was a lot of fun, though.

I believe the 1300GT was around 12.5 secs on the 0-60.

No need to take the stat out there wasn't one there, but is now. There is some corrosion in the system and have flushed it out and replaced with 50/50 Optimal (organic) antifreeze. Will flush again in a month or so. I will also put an overflow bottle in to see if it comes from there, but there are no leaks. I have the option of an ally high capacity rad and electric fan, but will give this a chance first.

Another issue I have is that the fuel pump does a lot of clicking after being standing for just a day. Does anyone know if there is a non-return valve in the electric pumps, or were the originals mechanical pumps?

I bought a workshop manual but wont get it for a few weeks.

1 hour ago, Allanby said:

were the originals mechanical pumps?

Yes. Mechanical pumps were still being used on various models well into the 80's. Electric pumps seem to be a common mod, though.

I thought it was a better arrangement than the electric pump on Minis at the time, vulnerably located on the rear subframe.

On 8/23/2021 at 11:48 PM, Allanby said:

Also any idea of the gearing it seems to be riving high at 100kph (62mph)?

Gearing was only about 15mph per 1,000 in top gear, so about 4,000rpm at 60. Cars in those days were low geared, especially those with sporting pretensions, so maximum speed would pretty much be achieved at maximum revs (just under 100mph at 6,500rpm in the case of the 1300GT).

It’s amazing how low geared cars were. I had a 1971 Vauxhall vx4/90 (think of it as a 2 litre gt version of victor fd series). It had the luxury of overdrive(think of it as a 5th gear which is engaged with an electrical switch) , this did 70mph at 3000rpm which was pretty high geared for those days.  My existing fiesta 1.5tdci econetic would be at 100mph at 3000rpm.  My sons vw lupo 1litre would only do 55mph at 3000rpm (yes it had 5 gears). In these days of motorways the biggest down side of driving an old classic is the extremely low gearing. British Leyland was way ahead. 5 gears on an Austin maxi in the 1960s. Even allegro had 5 gears if you bought the 1500cc version. Plenty of other Leland problems but they were way ahead of others on the gears on some models.

And back to the escort temperature. At first reading I was thinking flush out the radiator (backwards) . This did make a difference in the days when those cars were common. It’s amazing how small some radiators were in those days. (I know you have mentioned flushing so fingers crossed it helps) .  Putting the heater on would help also. Effectively adding more radiator core surface area. Obviously a bit uncomfortable though, but it’s the kind of thing we found necessary in the old days.

I see that @Robert Birkett is yet another OPW. Joined 12th July 2021 asked for help and never came back. I just don't understand the point, why join - post - ask for help and then not bother to check back.

9 minutes ago, unofix said:

I see that @Robert Birkett is yet another OPW. Joined 12th July 2021 asked for help and never came back. I just don't understand the point, why join - post - ask for help and then not bother to check back.

Lol, he might have looked in later that same day, and gathered the info you had posted, without saying "ta", I suppose😃. It can be a bit annoying, knowing the trouble members often go to trying to help others.

No need to take the stat out there wasn't one there, but is now. There is some corrosion in the system and have flushed it out and replaced with 50/50 Optimal (organic) antifreeze. Took out the rad (15 minutes, those were the days) and got a lot more of crap out, then filled with boiling water and the centre 1/3rd is cold, I was advised not to use a radiator flush, but lost in the translation couldn't find out why.

Another issue I have is that the fuel pump does a lot of clicking after being standing for just a day. Does anyone know if there is a non-return valve in the electric pumps, or were the originals mechanical pumps?

I bought a workshop manual but wont get it for a few weeks.

With regards to the gearing, seems about right but could really do with an overdrive, had one on an MGB GT and that worked great. I remember my first Escort, a brand new 1100, flat out at 70mph unless you slipstreamed, never had a revcounter to find the rpm. Aclually this gearing remindes me of a Lotus 7 replica I had, with a 1600 twin-cam, geared for hill climbs and LSD, that would barely do 80mph, but 1-60 in 4 seconds complete with cherry-bomb sound effects..why did I sell it?....I know I wanted to live.