1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Custom
Exhaustively restored and presenting fabulously!

Registration No: KWV 819W
Chassis No: GCATAG002780
MOT: Exempt

• Exhaustively restored to a ‘concours’ standard by ASM Classics Ltd. of Brands Hatch
• Presented in its original colour combination of Nordic Blue with Chocolate interior upholstery
• Retained in first ownership for some 32 years, and just four keepers from new
• Surely, one of, if not the best example currently available?

Developed in conjunction with Ford of Cologne and launched during January, 1976, the Escort Mk. II RS2000 was based around a two-door monocoque bodyshell equipped with MacPherson strut front suspension, a leaf-sprung ‘live’ rear axle, rack-and-pinion steering and disc and drum brakes. Powered by a longitudinally-mounted two-litre four-cylinder engine allied to four-speed manual transmission, the RS2000 was credited with 110bhp and a 110mph-plus top speed. Many were visually distinguished from other Escorts by a fibreglass snout housing quad headlamps, however, the model could be had in ‘Custom’ trim with a non-coned front. Weighing in at around 2,000lbs., the Mk. II RS2000 benefitted from lightweight construction, paired with sport-tuned suspension that enhanced its cornering ability. The car enjoyed considerable success in motorsport, contributing to Ford's dominance in rallying during the late '70s!

With an estimated 10,000 produced between 1976 and 1980, there has never been a time when the top performance of Escort of the ’70s has been anything other than highly desirable. That is not to say they have necessarily always been appreciated—when they were still fairly new, the RS2000’s boy-racer appeal meant that many were worn-out through hard driving, and they vanished seemingly overnight. These days, demand for RS2000s rather outstrips supply, such that many enthusiasts have turned lower-specification Escorts into copies with varying regard for authenticity, but this end-of-the-line, top-of-the-range 1980 RS2000 Custom is the real thing and surely ranks among the very best survivors.

While many RS2000s suffered the fate of most cars, whereby they were eventually neglected by their second, third or fourth owners, this one was rather more fortunate. Finished in Nordic Blue with a Chocolate interior, it was bought new by a gentleman from Crawley, in whose care it remained until 2013. It then passed through two family members, before it was purchased by the present owner in 2016. Although it had been somewhat preserved by the previous family, it had been off the road for over a decade and was showing its age in places, so the vendor set about commissioning a full restoration but with a brief to keep the car as original as possible.

Some idea of the Escort’s general condition may be gleaned from the fact that it did not take very much work to get it running for an M.O.T. test in July, 2016, which it passed with no advisories. Indeed, based on the condition of its original interior, it seems very likely that the 83,028 miles displayed on the odometer at the time of the test was the genuine mileage from new. The firm chosen for the restoration was ASM Classics in Kent, near Brands Hatch. A specialist in the restoration of classic Jaguars and Fords, ASM is well-known for its work preparing Escorts, Cortinas et al. to road, race and rally specification; its other recent projects have included concours-standard restorations of a 1974 Mk. I Escort RS2000, an extremely rare 1980 Escort Mk. II Harrier, and the ex-Perry’s Ford (Mick Briant/Peter Robinson) Mk. I Escort Twin Cam rally car.

Where our Escort was concerned, ASM started by stripping it back to the bare shell, fitting new panels only where necessary, and putting it back together using original parts wherever possible, the entire process being photographically documented. It is difficult to overstate the attention to detail of the restorers—they even went to the trouble of recreating the quality-control paint marks on the underside, which would have been present when the car was new. The exterior was beautifully finished in a fresh coat of Nordic Blue, but because the original Chocolate interior had survived so well, it has very pleasingly been preserved. Everything from the dash to the door cards has been described as “100 per cent. original and in impeccable condition,” with the seats still retaining the fishnets in their head supports. Altogether, the work performed by ASM Classics totalled £55,000 but, to look at the car now, we think it is fair to conclude that not a penny was spent in vain.

As it presently stands, this car would not be out of place in a Ford concours where, judged on condition or originality, it could easily be a winner. As enthusiasts, we don’t believe that any car can be ‘too good to drive,’ but this is certainly one to be cosseted. It is offered for sale with the current V5C, previous V5s, a D.V.L.A. ownership history print-out, and the photographs from the restoration.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452