Well this will probably be the last update for the build on this site, and I am a bit sad that I won't be able to share the rest with you here.

Now that the car is back and all panel work is completed, I am now comfortable to give out who had the car and a full break down of experience. Mark Yearsley of Acclaim in Croydon and his boys did a fantastic job of the vehicle, from start to finish he was great to deal with, professional, communicated well and I wouldn't hesitate to direct any escort or small ford enthusiast in Victoria to his shop to get work done. 



It was always going back for a final check over and to have the nose cone put on, but when I first got it back after a few weeks the tiniest little bubble appeared in the paint on the left hand rear guard, right behind the wheel where the guard skin meets the tub. Mark said get it back to me and we will fix it, at first we both thought it was an imperfection. 

Turns out there was a bigger problem hiding there, rust was between the two panel and reacted with the new undercoat / paint. I was really worried, but Mark was extremely forthcoming and showed me everything to do with the repair from start to finish, including photos etc and I couldn't be happier with how they rectified the issue. On top of that there was no additional charge for the works beyond labour for the metal work - which I thought was extremely fair.

Now on to the future of the car. I have been keeping something under wraps until it was ready but I suppose I may aswell share it now... The pinto wont be going back in the car - I always planned to make this car Zetec Turbo. 

I am currently halfway through rebuilding a VERY low KM 2.0 silvertop Zetec out of a MK1 mondeo, it has less than 30,000 Km on the engine, the old fella undortunately took the side of the car out and I managed to score the engine - Why silvertop? Well ST170 engines are hard to come by in Australia, but I did manage to source a set of good ST170 pistons and rods from the UK when I was there a few years ago. 


 

 
The reason I went Silvertop and not Blacktop you ask? Well while the Silvertop and Blacktop can both take ST170 pistons and rods, the Silvertop has a shorted stroke from factory with a larger piston crown, deeper main caps with a windage tray and oil sprayers. So by adding the ST170 forged pistons and rods - which were made by Malhe for Ford, with the shorter piston crown but larger stroke, you end up with around an 8.5 to 1 compression ratio, a stronger bottom end thanks to the larger caps and the added bonus of oil sprayers (Cranks are all the same - Silvertop to ST170). 

The original bearings were in insanely good condition, and the bores still have a great crosshatch and measure within 0.01 of factor specs with zero taper. The crank also measured up great and looks perfect. Here is a shot of a few of the orginal main bearings and rods. The bores will get a very quick hone and new rings, plus all new main caps and rod bearings, ARP main studs and conrod bolts.

 
 
The head has new valve springs from CAT CAMS, has had a minor port job, and pressure / crack tested and skimmed. It's ready to go.


 
The aim is to have an extremely reliable, responsive turbo motor that pushes out 250hp all day every day. I want it to spool fast, and not have to rev the guts out of it to make power. Hence the choices I've made. I can't wait to get it running and to go on the first drive. I am looking at a GTX2867R or something similar as the turbo.
 
Thanks for all the help over the journey so far fellas, maybe we can catch up at a car meet in the future! I will look at potentially making another thread over at the other forum at some stage.

good on you Mark for going your own way.
I still put up with the cretins in the Small Ford Car Club (NSW of course) that get their noses out of joint because something is not as it left the factory. Think you guys may know how many different combo's I've done on mk2 RS front ends. I mean once you put a non std engine in does it really matter?
 
On Another note, I just got the tarmac car to final ride height. Silly me! The muffler is now about 20mm off the deck. So, hoping I can cut out the muffler, put in some straight and see how loud it is. Steel wool time?
If too loud, I will have to run the pipe out the back (probably under the diff), so I can fit the muffler there. I love doing something for once that doesn't require engineering.

Not sure if you FB Mark, but there are a heap of escort, small ford forums. Bit like charities I reckon, wouldn't it be more efficient just to have one for a given cause instead of fragmentation (and resultant waste of money) we end up with. Sorry I digress. You may have luck asking around there for your ford performance alloy intake?
 
Thanks for the thought on my muffler quandry. I'll see how slim a muffler I can source. My mind went to the old 'hot dog'. Didn't we all fit one of them down the back in the 80's

Thanks Marty, much appreciated.
 
My dream is to have the engine, driveline and suspension be Ford parts or failing that be mostly Ford parts. Like a reimagined MK2 Escort with a more modern drivetrain, suspensions parts, rear discs, an LSD etc.
 
If I could get a Focus MK1 RS turbo exhaust manifold and a Zetec alloy intake I would be in heaven. I know they arent "perfect" parts as far as performance goes, but I would love to point at the car and say "If I designed the MK2 this is what I would have done."


One can dream .

The MK1 Focus RS turbo exhaust manifold was designed to save space and isn't really that great but for the 'look what I got' conversations at shows etc, yeah maybe..
This zetec is a blacktop from a 2003 Focus and has done only 16000kms but didn't stop me going all out with forge pistons and rods, you can see the alloy flywheel with a USA 6puk clutch. This motor should get about 230bhp on throttle bodies. I built it to run lpg so compression went way up, nearly 14:1 . I do want it running soon but it's time and other projects in the way.
Consider this type of exh manifold, it's a Shorty from USA. Also in the pics is a reduction drive crank pulley and Focus Central cam pulleys which I strongly recommend to dowell them to the cam. Also another small trick is to have the small idler pulley next to the crank pulley for the timing belt, it is a WRC thing as the belt at high revs wants to jump teeth and this little pulley eliminates the problem. Your Blacktop might already have one there if lucky.




I'll get the intake pic when I find the intake and I'll double check if it will fit the an escort engine bay

LPG Marty? You'll have to fill portable bottles soon
That really went off the boil after such a big push in the early 2000's.
I never knew it was a thing (besides Ford doing the LPG Falcon for taxi's) to build an engine for LPG solely?
 
Is the turbo mounting flange face is a std stud spacing? 

Marty if that inlet fits in a standard engine bay with standard engine mounts and you are willing to part with it name your price!

For exhaust I currently have an evo cast manifold with the adapter plate so I can run a top side water rail and a evo heat shroud, I want something cast for durability / crack resistance.