There is a 2l Ghia down the Gold Coast (eastern side of Aus) i know you are in WA... needs work but its a 4 door auto.... i reckon you could pick it up for $1500? its on Gumtree? worth a look online at least? its still for sale... http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/burleigh-heads/cars/1979-ford-escort-ghia/1003635471
 
 

What about a 4 door RS, you might get that for the right money and you have a list of what needs to be done to get it licensed.
 
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11371715

So far everything is going to plan...
 
picked up a 2L motor for the right price - thanks Carlos!
he also threw in the crossmember and steering rack so its a good start...
 
so now into cleaning and stripping the block and understanding what i need to get her going again... will post pics of progress soon...
 

Ok, so the motor is on the hoist, crossmember and steering rack off...
some pics whilst i continue to strip down everything and give it a good clean / degrease...
 

when it arrived to its new home...

on the hoist
 

started the strip down, and setup the garage...
 
some small bits missing from the block (anyone have a spare dipstick? or know where to find one?) but pretty happy with how its all coming apart at the moment.
 
no major corrosion or broken anything like bolts yet (yep probably jinxed myself now)... will get the shopping list completed once stripped and move on from there...
 

Matt75
P.S.  You will struggle with arches on a 4 door not to say it can't be done though. 

 
Has been done -
 

 

 

 

 
Not to my tastes, but is possible
 

thanks James - yeah that is the look i am going for.
but thats step 12 in the 12 step program...
 
progress last night was to strip down the front casing, etc...
sump off tonight after work.
 
then i will know what the real damage is...

mostly stripped down now...

note the valve on the left doesnt have a chip in it, its just wet and the cr*ppy phone camera picked that up
 

Head all cleaned up

bottom end exposed
 
and got bored and cleaned and painted the rocker cover and sump cover... like the colour?


 
hahaha - its just the undercoat... horrible pastel colour for a motor
 
 

Looks like a banana!
 
Matt

yeah - when i showed some friends this pic, they thought it was a cake?
 
i mean - who makes a cake of a sump only?
 
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhfEGKc7PLQ
 
why stop at the sump? why not go the whole car?
 
mmmm... cake...