MK 2 4 door Ghia

Hi everyone I'm new to the forums and getting ready to start my own project a !979 Mk2 Escort Ghia 2.0L Auto which was my first car I bought back in December 2005 and taken off the road in 2011.
I'm finally ready to start making her beautiful again i don't know much about cars so any advice is welcomed.

Hi Ray, welcome to the forums. That's a neat looking 4 door.
What are your plans?

Thanks Deano,

mostly keep it the same so same colour have the vinal roof redone with slight changes like chrome 1/4 bumpers front spoiler rebuild the engine add twin webbers or a 38 webber change it to a manual.

need to change the carby because the standard one could not supply the fuel need for the head and burnt one of the vales so the head need to be redone.

have some original Driving lights to go on it.

I actually hated the colour when i got it but now I love it because it so uncommon.

welcome to the forum, looks like you have a pretty solid base to work from.  Lots of very knowlegable people on the forum so don't hesitate to ask questions- even if you think they're silly ones. We all love to see our little fords brought back to their former glory! Len

Ray561
add twin webbers or a 38 webber change it to a manual.

A Weber 38DGAS is generally considered inferior to the stock 32/36  on a Pinto (no more power, worse drivability and worse fuel consumption), so you may want to save yourself some money and hassle. IMO you only need twin webers if you have a hot enough cam and plenty of money for buying them, tuning them, and keeping them in tune.

Looks like a great car to start with,
 
I did a double take when I first saw your pictures as I had an identical Ghia a couple of years ago only a manual. There is even a Ford sales brochure with an identical car featured in it.
 
Have you checked the inline filter isn't partially blocked on the carburetor where the fuel inlet hose attaches?
I used my Ghia as a daily for quite a while and loved it.
Providing the body is OK I would recommend spending money on shocks and any worn suspension bushes, checking the brakes over, a general service and tune the engine including a kit in the carby. Once in good running order I found mine was very reliable and served me well as a daily including starting first go on cold frosty mornings.
When funds permit a manual conversion would be great. I wouldn't recommend too many modifications to start with till you have the basics sorted and funds permit.
If you don't know much about cars get yourself a workshop manual and ask plenty of questions as you go. The Escort is a good car to learn on.
 

thanks guys, the reason the had has a burn valve is because it's not standard  it's ported polished bigger valves duble valve springs carby could not supply enough fuel it did have a very hot cam in it till it stripped a lobe standard cam now though.
i know the brakes need doing thir crap but it could be because it has been siting there.

I actually have a single side Weber manifold laying there so maybe a single 45 or 48?.

been going over the car finding the rust and what needs fixing more than i though but not the worst i have seen need to fix the drivers side front fender the heater bubble has a little rust spot in the back window and C pillar will post photos soon. 

nice Ghia Blue74.

Hi Ray, I also have a 2.0 (actually 0.0 at the moment) 4 door ghia, and have just done the 1/4 bumpers, round headlight, minilights and front spoiler, and now hitting the rust, plus learning to mig so its fun.
 
You have an advantage in having it all complete and in good cond to start with.
Nice to see another 4 door getting some love.
 
 

so i took some pics of the places that need fixing
front driver side fender 



 
rear driver side passanger door.







 

 
there is also a fair bit of surface rust on the floor of the car.

if its only surface rust a good clean up and some deoxidation will sort it. some primer and paint to seal it .  If holes appear when you clean up there are plenty of rust repair sections to put in new metal if required. 

there is a couple of bubble spots on the c pillars that i know are not surface rust one spot is in the last photo a small spot on the heater bubble I might replace the hole top of it  most of the other stuff is surface rust.
 
I'm just hoping that the driver side fender can be pulled back in to shape and i don't have to replace the hole thing

Welcome! My 2c on carbs
32/36 is very capable. Rejet for use with a mild cam and remove choke butterflies. Being a progressive carb it's very road friendly. The first thing I'd check on yours is the idle jets to see if the threads in carb body have been stripped which would cause the lean running condition.
38DGAS has a sudden throttle response. Back to back with the 32/36 I only gained about 0.2 sec over the 1/4 mile but it does have a sportier feel (and sound) to it.
Twin DCOE's are either for show or for cylinder heads that have been ported, bigger valves, higher CR etc. With a reasonable budget, 130WHP is about the average you'd expect from going down that path. It's easy to get sucked into the idea of getting big power with twin webers but there are pros and cons.
Build a mild, reliable motor with a 32/36  and enjoy many years of trouble free motoring.
Build a highly tuned motor on twin carbs and expect fuel vapours and a strip down with new rings every couple of years lol
 

thanks ratta might look in to a new 32/36 or rebuilding mine or single side webber. 
just gotta source a 4 speed already have the cables and the peddle box sitting there.
also have the original ford repair manual for extra info.
 

Ray561
I actually have a single side Weber manifold laying there so maybe a single 45 or 48?.

The Lynx manifold is good, but the rest are worse than the stock Ford manifold for the 32/36. A 32/36 is good for 130hp too, so again, there's no need to change it unless the camshaft requires it. There's an interesting thread on Turbosport about mods to 32/36s to get them to flow better. From memory, after testing they were found to be mostly bunkum or detrimental to performance, so personally I wouldn't bother with any of them.
 
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=109939

Flighter you must me talking pommie bhp (flywheel hp). There's never been 130whp from a 32/36

also wondering where the best place is to get replacement panels and if everyone thinks i'm better off replacing the front fender.
 

Ray561
thanks ratta might look in to a new 32/36 or rebuilding mine or single side webber. 
just gotta source a 4 speed already have the cables and the peddle box sitting there.
also have the original ford repair manual for extra info.
 

You'd be surprised how much it will cost to go single side draft. Carb, manifold, soft mounts & studs,  linkage kit, cable set up, K&N filter, ram tubes, fuel banjos, fuel line, vacuum line. Then tuning it which will more than likely include the purchase of jets & chokes. Have a look at http://www.weberperformance.com.au/ it's a very good website & business.
I would personally stick to the 32/36 because the cost of doing the aforementioned would outweigh any performance benefit you might get over the 32/36.
The money saved there could go towards practical performance upgrades like wheels & tyres & suspension ;)

I wasn't aware we were speaking rear wheel HP, but even 130hp at the flywheel is a very nice increase over the stock 94hp. I'd be very happy with that on a road car, which the 32/36 is ideal for.

i'll probably look at buying a new 32/36 just hope it will do well once i get a better cam for the 2.0L

finally removed the lower section of the vinyl roof passenger side has a small rush hole nothing to bad smaller than i expected but the divers side is a different story and tip or advice guy's?.
thinking may need to get a read 1/4 panel to replace the parts that need repairing if so wear would i get it.

Ray we are both at similar stages. I have considered just plating up the airflow vent thing totally, it has been suggested on this site before.
If you were going the replace the vinyl roof, obviously it would be easier to do a repair job, as half would be hidden.
 
Re the 32/36, I just purchased a reco one yesterday on ebay, the new copies are readily available.
but have you seen the retroject kit?
Fuel injection in retro std weber body:
 
http://www.webcon.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=957&cat=Retroject

the retroject is very interesting so i may look more in to it enigine stuff is still aways off.

i'm Actually thinking of not re doing the vinyl roof but keeping the two tone effect buy painting the roof the same colour as the vinyl so repair is a must still need to remove the rear window to seen the rest of the damage.

Ran up the RS Shop to get a price on a rear 1/4 panel just as a guide $1725 so i'm better off finding another car to cut up for the parts i need for that price any other suggestions would be welcomed.

got an original Rear spoiler which arrived today only cost $70 it's not perfect but still very good condition.

have you tried Expressed panels, Magnum or SMCKA (Australia) has some panel stocks?
 
 
Freight from Uk is the cruncher, you want to buy a few a few panels its not so bad.
The arch lip, and lower rust repairs are all available, you don't have to do a whole quarter.

the problem is you can just get the c pillar and have to get the whole rear 1/4

Ray561
i'll probably look at buying a new 32/36 just hope it will do well once i get a better cam for the 2.0L

I can fix you up with a lightly used Kent FR32 and followers if you are interested.

Why not fabricate a C- pillar yourself? Theres only a couple of straight forward bends. The herdest bit would be the fold  next to where the boot and window meet. That could be cut and welded... Try making a cardboard template first then move onto steel.
Cheers Drew...

it's not just the pillar it's self but the vent behind it that need repairing as well as the rain rail and panel behind it that need fixing.

this car might make a good spear shame i don't have anyway I could collect it.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bacchus-marsh/wrecking/ford-escort/1135473456

I would need to inspect the driver C pillar myself but it dose look good maybe even to good to cut up.