Somebody is buying all the Escorts in WA!

In the past two days I've made two attempts to see two different Escorts just advertised for sale, only to find that they are sold already sight unseen.  My guess is that they are being sent overseas, where condition doesn't matter.  How disappointing for my son, who is keen to get into the Classic Ford scene himself, only to find that, like home ownership, he seems to have no chance from the outset.  If anyone in WA has a van for sale, either now or into the future, do PM me.

Hope they are being sold and the owners not scammed?

Pretty similar story anywhere with 2dr RS2000s, except I think most are atleast staying in AU. Its quite competitive if the cars fairly priced.
 
Depends on the seller too, some would not think twice about selling from beneath you even after a deposit if they get a better phone offer. To me it doesn't make sense why you would not give a local first preference rather than go through the hassle of a sight unseen sale.
 
 

Unfortunately people do get greedy especially when there is a market for these desirable old cars. eg a car that was worth about $2000 40 years ago can get advertised and sold for up to $30000. A neat 1500% net gain.  We are victims of our own greed. I bought my first MK1 Escort 1300 XL in 1978 for $1000. Pristine nick with Vermillion Fire paint and white trim. Id hate to think what someone would try and sell something like that today.Another example is a MK2 Rs2000 Escort steering wheel you could have bought for $50 from a wrecker in the '70's but now on Fleabay $650 WTF Rant over

The value in the Escorts has increased because of the demand from Europe and the UK.
Their cars are rotted.
Aussie cars are seen as good reliable starting points.
It is the law of supply and demand.
The dollar value is not only reflected in the rarity and demand of a particular model, but also on the amount of time and dollars to restore it.
The reality is anyone doing a high end "cheque book" resto these days is looking at over $40,000 plus the initial purchase cost of the car.
The price includes labour, materials and parts which cannot be driven down.
 
Re: the price of the RS2000 steering wheels.
In the '70's there were heaps of them in good condition, so $50 was a reasonable value.
Today most have perished, or damaged, or been destroyed.
Today I buy in rotten RS2000 steering wheels for $90 each plus freight, completely restore them to "as new" and make them available for much higher.
Why?
Because that is the manufacturing and production costs to make the steering wheels "as new" and commercially available.
Bare in mind the gentleman advertising the genuine steering wheel advertised on eBay for $650 does not mean it is of that value.
It is his asking price.
It may not be a realistic selling price.
He has been advertising it for a long time with no buyer, and he has a long track record of very high selling prices for any of the goods he is selling.
 
(my rant is longer than yours.. )

Good rant Peter. It still doesn't stop scrupulous persons from jacking up prices to unreasonable levels. Its like the current housing market in Sydney. The market is driven by demand so much that the price of the product is driven way beyond the means of the average person therefore catering to the fat wallets of overseas or local fat cat purchasers.

The Sydney house and commercial property price rises are due to increasing demand.
But the government is limiting supply of new development areas, which inturn forces up prices.
 
Also the government is in a win/win situation because by forcing up the land value price directly forces up the amount of taxes owners and renters are forced to pay (extortion) the fictitiously created high amount of taxes.
 
The problem will get worse as the owners and renters are paying more and more taxes on limited incomes and soon many will not be able to cope and will default.
 
Unfortunately our country is run on lies, and smoke, and mirrors. 
 
Interesting to learn that the original Australian Constitution (before the goons got to it and unlawfully changed it)stipulates no government is permitted to charge any type of tax on privately owned land. Hence the term "Free Hold" land.
 
 

Thankfully I have a lovely house in the burbs with no mortgage and a MK1 Escort in the garage

Some good deals to be had on Jet Skis and HSV's in WA at the moment as the mining jobs get axed

Its not just WA but everywhere there is strong interest in escorts. I just sold a 2 door with rust in under a week with huge interest here in Brisbane. The fact that people will buy a rusty shell means there is a serious shortage of good shells.
Its also good to see that young blokes are into it as well ( mid thirties).

 
There are also several small fords being offered back to the UK with shipping back to the UK included in the price.
 
By chance did anyone see this one get listed locally???? Would have been a great base.
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Escort-MK-1-GT-2-Door-Australian-Delivered-2dr-Shipping-included-/231586240028?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35eb9d961c 

Part of me is now regretting of cutting up two 2 dr shells 10+ish years ago. One was a L with a smashed rad panel, the other was a GL or Ghia with no floor. Though I did have fun with an axe and various power tools...
 
I guess with the classic Falcons being hard to get, people are going else where for their classics.

1300_super
 
There are also several small fords being offered back to the UK with shipping back to the UK included in the price.
 
By chance did anyone see this one get listed locally???? Would have been a great base.
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Escort-MK-1-GT-2-Door-Australian-Delivered-2dr-Shipping-included-/231586240028?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35eb9d961c 

Looks like I was out by one letter (SA not WA) - this guy has 5 cars on eBay at the moment for delivery into the UK market.  Ought to be a law against it I say!

They're being pillaged from South Africa too. these pics up on facebook yesterday

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/coopersclassiccars/m.html?item=231586240028&hash=item35eb9d961c&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562
 
wow. there goes our scene.
 

Its interesting all the Australian cars are 4 doors but all the SA cars are 2 doors. I read an old article recently on falcons written by a yank and me was amazed that our muscle cars were mainly (but not all) 4 door sedans. 
 

Womat I'd say there's plenty of 4door sedans in Sth Africa as well. But unlike Australia, there appears to be an abundance of coupes there!

wombat2509
I read an old article recently on falcons written by a yank and me was amazed that our muscle cars were mainly (but not all) 4 door sedans.

Very true - Americans simply do not associate 4 door cars with anything remotely sporty.

I could never understand why anyone would ever buy a 2 door car, if there was a 4 door version available.
Nor could I understand why anyone would ever pay MORE for a less door (2 door) than a (more) 4 door.
And exactly why would any sane person pay a Kings ransom for a car that has NO roof.
All a bit of a con I think....

From speaking to a South African colleague who has recently joined our firm for a long term project, the Escorts are selling for crazy money over there, specially the coupes! The buyer is shipping them to Europe apparently.
 
He is also a fan of classic Fords and owns a Perana Capri and a MK1 Coupe in 'ok' condition needing a little work. He'd had been offered AU$ equivalent  $17'000 for the MK1 just recently!!!!  He declined.
 
Only a matter of time before the crazy prices reach our shores.

PeterM
I could never understand why anyone would ever buy a 2 door car, if there was a 4 door version available.
Nor could I understand why anyone would ever pay MORE for a less door (2 door) than a (more) 4 door.
And exactly why would any sane person pay a Kings ransom for a car that has NO roof.
All a bit of a con I think....

Not everyone was bestowed the virtues of having 2.5 children and therefore did not require the ease four door vehicles have to offer family life. Two doors were aimed at single persons ie the bachelor life all of us once had lol.Mine reminds me of a life bygone before children sigh. Although I'm reliving it now thanks to being an empty nester

Agree with Laurie , why would you want the extra weight and rattles of a four door with a big muscle car... heck it's one step closer to owning a wagon !
Bring on the silly prices for the small fords. .. By the time I've emptied my shed out of 8(maybe 10 all 2drs) mk1s and mk2s I'll be rich !!

You have to remember, before kids when most of us were younger, most of 2 doors were the budget models. I can't say before kids I had the cash to buy from the showroom let alone consider an Rs or other sports variant new. Same is still true today with 3 door hatches cheaper than 5 doors and although the new cars don't seem to rot as quickly as our old girls, I can't see too reaching their 1st rebuild let alone their 30 birthday.

I read an article a while back that attributed the boom in Falcon GT prices to the baby boomers re-living their youth.... It'd be interesting to know the average age of most Escort enthusiasts.... Are we now in the position to do the same as those baby boomers? It's a yes for me, I'm late thirties and what would be referred to as a CUB, cashed up bogan, no morgage, dual income tradesman (not to be mistaken with the WA miner, they normally sport faux hawks or styled mullets and have the hsv's and jetskis) I'm finally in the position to build the car I wanted as a teenager, make no apologies for what I pay for things and don't keep any of the receipts for it.....
So whats next? Most of the young fellas at work lust over SS utes and Wrx's, might be worth buying some old bodies or stocking up on nos parts if you want to make a buck in the future.....
Cheers Drew.........

I'm one of those baby boomers turned empty nester. Grew up with mark 1 cortinas and anglias.  The RS came through 2 younger members of my family and I couldn't stand by and see it rot. was working at the mines until last year and thought This would probably only chance to do something like this.  I have got some feelers out for another small ford as I really need more of a daily driver so the RS doesn't get knocked around as much.
Len

Yes hard to get one these days. Got my 1 owner 2 door 18 months ago advertised for $4000 had to bid $6000 to get it and fly to QLD the next day to make sure. Before I left the owner had a phone call with an offer of $7500 so you need a lot of $$$ and be quick, the other bid was from an Irish guy wanting to sent it OS.
 
chris

I'm 47 and I got hooked on Escorts and rallying by chance when a Southern Cross Rally stage went by near my house when I was a kid. The sound of the BDA off in the darkness, the sweep of spotlights getting closer and closer, till finally bursting out of the darkness and leaving us in a cloud off dust.
Who'd have know that moment was going to end up costing me so much time and money!

mud
I'm 47 and I got hooked on Escorts and rallying by chance when a Southern Cross Rally stage went by near my house when I was a kid. The sound of the BDA off in the darkness, the sweep of spotlights getting closer and closer, till finally bursting out of the darkness and leaving us in a cloud off dust.
Who'd have know that moment was going to end up costing me so much time and money!

Well I am 55 and use to go to Canberra in the 70s & 80s and watch Greg Carr rally in the dark and cold boy those were the days.

Nukem , i hope ur aware of the video Forty Split Seconds with Gregg Carr and Colin bond take on the world champ Ari Vatanen . I remember watching it on ch2 on a sundy rvo. .i was 10yrs old in 1980.
The end footage of them going 3 wheeling thru the corners and massive revs got me hooked ever since , that and my older brother owned a Lotus Escort at the time too...... Those definitely were the days !

Just downloaded it from youtube yes it was just like that when I was down there, long hair tight pants body shirts and dust, loved it.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oIKAozVI6c
 
chris

I was at that rally we stayed in the same motel as the Masport team.
 

Just watched the youtube clip.
Amazing how English we all sounded 35 years ago.
These days we sound so American.
 
 

With all the hype on our Ford Escort,
every time I see a wanted to buy Ford Escort any condition advertisement
I look to see how long they have been a member of that forum
and most of the time its like 3 days or a week , I am very sceptical on these people,
These might be your exporters looking to fill their container UK bound.

Nukem
Just downloaded it from youtube yes it was just like that when I was down there, long hair tight pants body shirts and dust, loved it.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oIKAozVI6c
 
chris

Hey... couldn't see even one four door Escort in that video! No wonder the two doors are the preferred Escort!  

Here is one of your W.A. cars on UK ebay selling from South Aust.
type this in to ebay search 231596068716
buy it now 6900 pounds or just $13903.00
4 UK bids at the moment sitting at 2100 pounds or $4231.00

Well, my RS is gonna end in WA later this year, so there is gonna be an addition to the scene there 
 
As for the age thing mentioned earlier, I do feel a little out of place being a younger guy compared to most Escort owners (I'm now 27), along with the fact I'm single without children, while at meets/shows everyone is usually married and well into theirs 30s. 

Jeez, judging by this website, the South Africans are losing all of their classic Fords at an alarming rate too!
 
http://mscimporters.co.uk/
 

Wonder where this sweet looking Escort coupe will end up? On eBay ATM...
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Escort-78-MKII-Coupe-manual-MINT-CONDITION-Capri-Cortina-Anglia-/271999638591?hash=item3f54711c3f
 
Looks to be in very good nick. What would it be worth? Going on the pic's alone, I would say 15-17 G's.

Wow! really? What would you offer for mine then? 20K and it's yours lol.

Wonder where this sweet looking Escort coupe will end up? On eBay ATM...
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Escort-78-MKII-Coupe-manual-MINT-CONDITION-Capri-Cortina-Anglia-/271999638591?hash=item3f54711c3f
 
Looks to be in very good nick. What would it be worth? Going on the pic's alone, I would say 15-17 G's.

 
According to the seller, this car is sold and could be heading to Ireland!
Another mint Aussie Escort leaves our shores!

Personally I thought the term "mint' was used rather liberally by the seller.