SORRY NOW SOLD – SIMILAR WANTED
Possibly the rarest colour AVO Club registered Mk1 Ford Escort RS2000.
EQUIPMENT
Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) Type 49 heavy duty body, front quarter bumpers, strengthened chassis rails, strengthened flitch plates, reinforced front suspension strut top mounting plates, rear radius rods, safety glass, anti-burst locks, black painted aluminium grille, quartz iodine headlamps, six pod sports binnacle, leather rimmed sports steering wheel, heater fan, two speed wipers, courtesy light, washable plastic headlining, push-round ashtray, steering lock, cigarette lighter, hazard warning flashers.
EXTERIOR
This incredibly rare Ford Escort RS2000 is finished in Marine Blue, (Code G), and presents impeccably thanks to a recent and painstaking rebuild by RS renowned, CWC Restorations. Many original items were retained where possible like the 7” diameter round Cibe IODE H4 headlights, Ford Triplex glass and even glass rubbers, some showing aging. For those enjoying the show circuit the underside is finished in body colour and is factory perfect with all Type 49 body features, nuts, bolts and pipes spotlessly clean. The critical eye will be impressed with panel fit and gaps throughout and two tiny paint imperfections to the nearside wing and front panel are barely noticeable. All work has been catalogued and photographed to prove the expensive and detailed works undertaken. From factory the car was fitted with a black vinyl roof but this was not replaced at the preference of the owner. Truly astonishing in all respects.
INTERIOR
Body hugging, reclining and luxurious RS seats trimmed in Black fabric, (Code A1), are immaculate in appearance and without the optional headrests. All of the interior is spotless and fully equipped with an immaculate dash. The perforated black headlining is tight and along with the door cards, undamaged with attention to detail seen throughout, even down to the Ford badge on the passenger sill only. The sports instrumentation functions perfectly including the correct 130mph and 7000rpm speedometer and tachometer and all switches and controls are bright and vibrant. The boot area houses the spare held at an angled position with the correct rubber strap and the boot mat is still the original item. A wonderful Ford RS interior.
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
This rare RS2000 is a matching numbers example that has been fully rebuilt with the 2.0 factory Ford ‘Pinto’ unit performing faultlessly. With a quoted 100bhp, a top speed of 110mph and 0-60mph in 9 seconds is despatched with a sporty exhaust note. The immaculate engine bay is detailed to a high standard for those wishing to exhibit the car with the bonnet up. The original VIN plate and AVO build plate are a welcome sight and prove the cars specification when built at Aveley. Short snappy gear changes are provided by the factory standard Ford Type-E 4-speed gearbox which is an absolute delight to use.
WHEELS, TYRES & BRAKES
Correct factory standard spoke-style sport steels measuring 5.5×13 inch are finished in Silver Fox with metallic Pearl Grey with genuine RS centre caps. New and period correct Pirelli Cinturato CN36 175/70 R13 tyres are fitted to all five rims. The dual-circuit brake system with Girling Hydrovac direct vacuum servo mounted on an extended bracket bolted to the bulkhead works perfectly.
HISTORY FILE
Rallye Sport Escorts including the Mexico, RS1600 and RS2000 were built at Fords Advanced Vehicle Operations factory in Aveley, all practically handbuilt. This stunning example was built in May 1974 and is one of just a handful produced in Marine Blue. According to the AVO Club database of 1073 cars, only 4 Marine Blue cars were known to exist, of which two now remain. This particular example was purchased by Derrin James, serial car collector and previous owner of Brian James Trailers, in May 2013. His extensive hunt for a Marine Blue Mk1 sporting Escort was fuelled by a passion to have a car similar to his first ever vehicle, a Marine Blue Mk1 Ford Escort 1300 Sport! He even kept the aftermarket alloys fitted to his Sport to place on this car! Purchased from a dealer in Perth after a vehicle inspection to confirm the credentials, the car was entrusted and extensively restored by CWC Restorations with catalogued documentation throughout. Invoices totalling tens of thousands prove the desire to have a near perfect example where cost was very much a secondary consideration! With little use since the restoration and the realisation that one’s first car is viewed with rose tinted spectacles, the decision to sell was made. Now offered after having performed a running-in check by KGF Classic Cars this example is ready for the Blue Oval enthusiast.
HPI Clear.