Brand New Mk2 Shells

[Chrisbo]

Sorry Guys if anyone got excited.

All the divided opinions over Pauls GL made me wonder, Who thinks it would be a good idea for Ford to reproduce MK2 Escort shells. I'm not talking about the RS shell which could possibly devalue the RS's on the road and stop the origionals being restored. I'm talking Bog standard shells for the rally boys etc because they don't want tramp bar mounts and heavy duty strut tops as it makes extra work for them to cut them off! That way (Hopefully) they wouldn't keep buying up all the decent cars, destroying them and pushing up the prices.

I know it's a no go'er as Ford like to sell their new rubbish and couldn't admit that folk actually prefer older, more affordable rally cars but just out of interest your opinions


Chris.

First attempt at a poll so I hope it works!!!!!

[Chrisbo]

Ahh FECK! Goan somebody tell me how to put up a Poll Please


Chris (Technophobe)

[dasadrew]

Ok, so whilst we're in never-never-land, let's just fantasize that you could get a small company or team together of 10 people for 6 months.

They would scour the country for panels, get forms made for existing presses, fettle old dies, fettle the forms taken off Hadrian Panel moulds etc. (ever seen how many individual panels an Escort has?)

Then they would design and build the welding jigs, templates etc.

All materials would be free of charge. Ford would allow use of presses free of charge (why, I don't know)

Or some benevolent British Motoring Heritage Factory (should probably be German Motoring heritage!!! LOL!) have generously donated all factory equipment and even the steel to build the cars.

So the only factor in the equation is professional manpower which runs at a company rate of about £100 per hour (don't confuse this with the paid wage!)

So now we're up to about £1,000,000.-

Now you're going to sell about maybe 100 of these shells for zero profit or return-on-investment. (don't forget, there's going to be no cable looms, dash pads, carpets, trims, glass, seals etc. available so the interest will be limited)

Now that works out at about £10000.- per naked shell even in the completely utopian environment depicted. And you'd still prefer that to an Escort Cossie ?

Now what was the question again?

Try another exercise:

Add up the retail price of ALL replacement panels currently on the market.

BTW, ever remember the MGB-RV8? The fantastic BL idea to revive a great car?

[RS2000&MEXICO]

lol....

[RS2000&MEXICO]

if anyone remembers the new shell that was forsale on ebay with a £6k bid then you know what they will sell for
that one did sell and it was an rs imported shell
i don't think it will be good to remake the shells as it will make the genuine one fall in price after all you can get all the bits new or second hand to make a mint car

[Chrisbo]

Ok, so whilst we're in never-never-land, let's just fantasize that you could get a small company or team together of 10 people for 6 months.

They would scour the country for panels, get forms made for existing presses, fettle old dies, fettle the forms taken off Hadrian Panel moulds etc. (ever seen how many individual panels an Escort has?)

Then they would design and build the welding jigs, templates etc.

All materials would be free of charge. Ford would allow use of presses free of charge (why, I don't know)

Or some benevolent British Motoring Heritage Factory (should probably be German Motoring heritage!!! LOL!) have generously donated all factory equipment and even the steel to build the cars.

So the only factor in the equation is professional manpower which runs at a company rate of about £100 per hour (don't confuse this with the paid wage!)

So now we're up to about £1,000,000.-

Now you're going to sell about maybe 100 of these shells for zero profit or return-on-investment. (don't forget, there's going to be no cable looms, dash pads, carpets, trims, glass, seals etc. available so the interest will be limited)

Now that works out at about £10000.- per naked shell even in the completely utopian environment depicted. And you'd still prefer that to an Escort Cossie ?

Now what was the question again?

Try another exercise:

Add up the retail price of ALL replacement panels currently on the market.

BTW, ever remember the MGB-RV8? The fantastic BL idea to revive a great car?

O.K. so maybe I should have put "As ford would like to sell you all their new rubbish AND because it's probably not financially viable"!!!

God Das man your so pernickety!!!!! Like I said out of interest and I think you'll probably find more than 100 Rally drivers who would like/need a new shell at some point!!


Chris.

Oh Eye, Big Thanks to whoever fixed my Poll

[dasadrew]

Not really pernickety! Just food for thought! Still, as even the people who did the Chunnel didn't do any calculations like that, I know I'm in the minority!

I'd be happy enough if Ford remanufactured carpet grippers!

As for modern stuff being rubbish compared to an Escort Mk2 ? Are you serious?

I thoroughly enjoy working on my 30 year old car but I'd never go as far as to say that it's better than e.g. a Cossie (which is really the 'newest' Escort equivalent).

I'd still be interested to know what all the available panels would cost as a starter!

[Chrisbo]

Going by my rough calculations, and using the prices on expressed panels website, All the panels that they have listed that you would need would cost £5737.50 and you would have all the parts to make a shell, Less a bootlid doors and a few of the internal parts that they don't make!!

As for the comparison between Cossie and Bog Std MK2 shell????? All I said was Ford would rather sell you their new rubbish meaning roadcars. I.E. Ford Ka's with there self destructing top shock absorber mounts and soft as sheet crossflow engines,Fiesta's,Focus's,Mundanoes, etc, etc, and not who would rather have a WRC Escort Cossie as opposed to a new MK2 shell to make their own rally car.

It's a poll to satisfy my curiosity Drew not a lets get a petition together and bully a major car giant into remaking a popular antique and demonstrate outside Fords factory gates thread!!!!

Jeez, Do you go around telling little children that Santa doesn't exist too ya Old Stick In The Mud!!


Chris.

[dasadrew]

[GAZ W]

LOL

[Frosticles]

Love the pic Das, Pure class. better keep my daughter away from this.

[Robb]

If someone can ship a shell out to China they'll knock up a batch for a few hundred pounds each lol

[Chrisbo]

LOL! I knew it was true Drew!