thought id start an on-goer......................

[lathamescortmk2]

its not really a resto diuary as such, more of a log of what gets done, how its progressed since ive owned it etc.
its not an RS so i dont wholely fit in, but its still an escort :)

i brought about 2 years ago from sutton, south london in april 2004. the ad in the back of classic ford magazine read:

1979 mk2 escort, 1300 ghia.
half in primer, with 3 months mot and no tax. solid as ziebarted from new. half in primer and needs some tlc. with rs alloys and rs bootspoiler £400 ono

went to look at it on the same night, south london, in the dark, and it was exactly what i was after; cheap, rwd, and solid :?: managed to get it for £300 :?:

i got it looking like this 8)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/11.jpg

wasnt 'as' solid as i first thought, but having a dad as a welder was a great help:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/10.jpg

a week later it looked like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/1979_ford_escort0006.jpg

and 3 weeks later it looked like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/1979_ford_escort0054.jpg

rebuilt:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/1979_ford_escort0065.jpg

once rebuilt, the headlights got binned for something round, crystal and from a mk1 golf:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/DSCN0312.jpg

engine swapped - still a 1300 replacement
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/DSC02954.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/DSCN1259.jpg


and thats how it went, for quite a while, the odd change of wheels, and faffing with stereo and stuff was going on, up until a few weeks ago, when the bonnet came up at 50mph:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/1979_ford_escort0028.jpg

not one to be upset, i driv it round for a while like it was (got some looks), before getting a new 'un and going all satin black 8)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/underground_resized_0001.jpg

i managed to go through 3 gearboxes before i finally got my arse out and swapped it for some type 9 5 speed power :?:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/gearboxconversion0005.jpg

during the last few weeks ive -

gearbox in / done / finished

RS prop

indicators in headlights

sidelights in indicators

spotlights fitted, and wired up, cept i keep blowing the fooz so ium gonna put them on a relay (about to go out and do that now)

boot rack brought, refurbed, and polished - then realised it didnt fit but can modify it so it does

water bottle relocated to the boot (Well, wired in, just waiting on the water bottle )

crystal crosshairs converted from a X to a + (see pic)

capri clocks with blue bulbs

and thats about it tbh. i started poking about at the wings and they are are nicely rusted the **** up, so i need to get them on asap

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/capridash.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/atnightlights.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/indicatorsresized.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P1010021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P101000667.jpg



:) :) :) :) :)

[phantom_r32]

Very nice progress :)

Obviously your mk2 has come to life :D

Cheers

[Frosticles]

I like the use of the tree trunks!!!:eek: Done some good work there Lath. Are we going to get to see it this year then at any shows? Like the old school VWesque boot rack.

[RabC-RS2-77]

refer'n to those logs, is that what you call log'n on......lol.
surprised you've not already met kev. with you two having same intrests.like

[vinny]

nice work m8, you sure got stuck into her :thumbright:

[RS2000&MEXICO]

looking good m8....i like the golf gti in the background...:D

[rs2000_gb]

Whats the crack with the number plate? motor looks nice:thumbright:
Cheers Graeme

[Banishit]

Whats the crack with the number plate? motor looks nice:thumbright:
Cheers Graeme

German Style plates same as Frosty has on his golf :camp:

I'll give you something, well done for doing all that on your driveway :thumbright:

[lathamescortmk2]

yeah, about the logs - if you look axle stands are not an option, as theyd sit half on half off the gravel - not exactly ideal. the logs were solid and had chocks and the handbrake was on too :) :) :D :D

the paint was only really a bit of a blow over to get it on the road, this was 2 years ago now and i can see if going a bit scabby around the edges, on the wings etc. plus using it everyday ive had 2 people run into me - both women.

one in a sierra, smacked me hard from behind, proper smashed her car up, mine had a few scratches on the bumper!

and theres a crease on the rear arch where a bint ran into me in a supermarket car park - told her to give me a ton and that was that ;) which i spent on beers :D :D

getting another respray come august (i get a student loan :D :D ) in Audi Nimbus grey - im sure kev will have heard of that one before. and this time ive got a whole heap of new parts ready to go on - new wings, new sills, new front panel,, new doors new boot.

so it should be a minter :) :) :)

[lathamescortmk2]

as for the plates, ive got a mate who sells them, his website is * http://theplateman.com/ * goes live at the start of the financial year. pm me for a discount :)

[Frosticles]

MMMmmmmmmm. Nimbus grey....:D

[GAZ W]

good work there chap, well done

[superden]

Still looking ace Mr L :D

Now all I have to do is get myself that Mk2 estate ...

... mmm, beige ... :D

[lathamescortmk2]

a leetle update

the resto has officially started



today is a hot day, very hot indeed.

iso i decide to get all mucky and sweaty and remove the heater bowl

it started off like this -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/DSCN1260.jpg

had a bit of a pokey around, found a hole :pinch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P10100ddd02.jpg

not to be set back, i got the drill out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P1010003.jpg

and now it looks like this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P1010hhh004.jpg




might get the mig out in a bit, but i think its too hot to be wearing a big ol mask

[lathamescortmk2]

done enuff and now i cant be assed

gotta strip out some of the bodged wiring int he biege shitheap and put my sub and amp in it

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P1010002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/P101gf0001.jpg

i can safely say theres no rust there any more, just a gaping hole where rust used to be :D

[lathamescortmk2]

musta moved the pictures :o :o :o

from that
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/DSCN1260.jpg


then i took out the spotwelds
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl07.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl13.jpg

then i had a goosey inside
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl06.jpg


nice hole, nothing a badboy welder like myself cant fix
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl07.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl04.jpg


few more holes -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl08.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl12.jpg


then i got carried away and took it all out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl11.jpg


then got busy with the wire brush and drill
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl02.jpg


then attacked it with some kurust
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl03.jpg

inbetween all of this ive rewired the beige shitheaps wiring as it was bodged in about 1984 and never been put right (cellotape connecting cables and unfused 8 gauge cable direct from the battery to power a clock!) and then took it for an mot to which it passed without a hitch

nearly done

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/heaterbowl15.jpg

[lathamescortmk2]

well, the heater bowl is all done and dusted, ive started looking at other stuff i could get on with

so out came the wiring loom - yes, all of it, thats all the lighting, all the ignition, heater, stalks, speedo etc
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/latham/car%20pictures/wiringloommodding001.jpg

plans for that include
new modern fusebox with blade fuses instead of shitty oldskool ones
headliamps and spots on a relay within the fusebox
all the vdo's, ipod charger, sub, rear water bottle, cutout switch ran into the original loom, within the shrink wrapping
renewing of a few scabby bits of wiring and connectors etc


isnt actually as confusing as it looks. ive pretty much had to deal with every part of that loom seperatley over the years, and i can remember what every plug does even without the labels (which i added to be on the safe side )

[phantom_r32]

Great work :thumbright:

Cheers