They Used To Be Everyware

I haven't seen an early Escort in years.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/4248153520.html

 

They are around, but obviously not as many as there once was. This one's an '83. Thinking about it now, I just don't see that many vehicles built prior to 1990 or so. Most of them have gone to Japan or China - in tiny little pieces.

 

Pretty decent cars actually considering the wrong wheel drive.

mike

 

We can thank ca$h for clunkers, for that.

 

I had -- or thought I had -- a line on one of these with the Squire package a few years ago. It was on one of those little used car lots with a trailer as the office, and I had some friends of mine try to check it out. They could never get the owner to show up to let them check the car out, until finally after the car disappeared, he told them he'd sent it to an auction. He'd had it priced at $800, and, if I recall correctly, it, too, was an '83.

Interestingly, another friend of mine bought an '83 Escort Squire a couple of years ago. He actually showed the car at Hershey last year.

Usually, if you take any wagon to a car show, yours is the only one of that model there (not always, though, we took our '68 Country Squire to a large local show one year and another '68 CS parked right next to us). I'm pretty sure that if whoever buys this car takes it to a show, he won't see another on there.

 

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/4245481044.html

 

Head gasket,timing belt issues that bent valves.

also rust

 

A friend have one that has very low miles, but very big rust problems.

 

That was the early 1.6L engines. The 1.9L were free-flowing engines. The timing belt issue was that they failed right around 60k miles. If you change them every 50k you won't have a problem.

I do however question the claim of 32MPG out of a wagon. I had a 1991 hatchback (quite possibly the best car I ever owned) that could do as well as 40MPG on long trips at 60 MPH, but most of the time was closer to 34. I think getting 32 on a regular basis out of the wagon could be tricky.

 

I've written this many times. I bought a 1987 white Escort hatchback in probably 1988. Used to tow it behind the motorhome and drive it to work or on vacations when moteling. I believe it was first year throttlebody but ours had a special experimental carb. Got a consistant 50MPG. No that was not while being towed!

 

Good set of dual exhaust and muffler bearings you would get 60mpg uphill both ways!


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OOPS, thought this was a different thread

 

On a side note, I remember these sitting on the lot new.....



Does anyone have any info on them, were they turbo etc? I never looked twice at them back in the day.

 

I didn't know that back then. After retiring I traded the Escort for a van to move with. Sure could use it now at these fuel prices.

 

No, the GT in the picture was not a turbo. It did, however, have the Mazda engine, not the Ford. Oh, it also had the Mazda back brakes, as a pal of mine found out the hard way when he needed to do them. With his uncle's employee discount the parts alone came to $800 for back brakes alone. A routine back brake job at that!

 

I believe the GTs still have a pretty loyal following and club.