Just looks so much cleaner when the dome heads (no offense to anyone lol) are deleted.
My blue van got the treatment and so did the orange Mex mk1, but the chrome was starting to rust thru after a year.

Hi Drew,
Must have missed your reply on the aircon- the main question is did you use a Later model small compressor in the engine bay-brand ? and the the underdash evaporator? cheers, Len

NQRS
Hi Drew,
Must have missed your reply on the aircon- the main question is did you use a Later model small compressor in the engine bay-brand ? and the the underdash evaporator? cheers, Len

Hey Len, using the original underdash evaporator, its plumbed into the dash and eyeball vents with some neat ducting. Can't see why an aftermarket one couldn't be adapted to the facia though.
 
Using the original compressor, you can still buy them new. The thing I'm still playing with though is the mounting.
There were a couple of different types mounted on the drivers or passengers side. I'm going with the drivers side as its looks alot neater. The mounts I'm using are from a TD Cortina and are a bit close to the brake booster for my liking <10mm or so, its not a big issue I just need to reposition the mounting points a little but its turning into an unfinished galleon and is still on the 'one of these days' list.

Very nice all round Drew.  Thats a beautiful Escort you have there. Perfect colour too.
Amazing how much we can get done when we put our minds to it, COVID or not!
Helps if we've got family who are sympathetic to our "addiction" and will keep them and love them long after we can no longer drive.
Merry Christmas Drew ..............  and to all "who drive herein"

I've been driving the car for a few years now, ironing out bugs as I go and getting a good tune on the carbs. 
So its finished right... thats what I thought
The engines been getting noticeably tired of late, fair enough its over twenty years old now. I gently drove around the issue for the summer cruising season but with winter here its time to kick this project off again. 
So here I am with a big hole where the engine used to be and an awful mess in the garage.
 

 
The whole driveline will be getting done. I'm working on one piece at a time so I don't end up with a garage load of unfinished and pending parts.
 
Diff is first, went with a Quaife ATB and an alloy carrier (just because) built with a 3.54 crown and pinion.
I've found an old school diff and trans guru, he eats, sleeps and breathes this stuff, literally, he lives upstairs in the workshop It was a 24hr turnaround at a cost of $250, for that kind of service it wasn't worth having a go at it myself.
And here it is all done and fitted.
 

 

 
Next on the list is the gearbox, I'll be using an alloy casing and bellhousing for that aswell. The parts list is nearing completion I just need to go back and do a stocktake with him before ordering and having it done.
 
I've found a builder for the engine, specs are still under review at the moment. Another block and head have been sourced and the matching numbers engine will be left on the stand and dressed with all of its original gear, carb, manifolds, pollution gear and a/c compressor should I ever change my mind.
 
After 26 years of ownership I'm still excited about moving onto the next phase with this car.

Good work Drew.
Empty engine bays look good for a while but wear thin quickly. I can attest to that.
The diff is a good choice and the alloy 'pumpkin' saves some weight.
Are you still running the 4 speed?
Pity we all did not keep the original running gear in the back of the shed back in the old days when they were not worth anything

I just read the whole book from the beginning, you must be so proud of your RS having owned for so long , evolving as you go. They are never finished, it's temporary .
I remember working at quickco Motorsport in the 90s when we bought in a couple of those ally pumpkins, they were as pricey as lsds at the time !! Yours is the 1st time I seen one used in Aus lol.
I've owned my mk2 1yr more than you, bought from a wrecker in 95 for $300 as a shell , restored it 3 times and never going to sell it.

Geeze Drew, $250.00 is a steal..
I'd be putting a ring on that guy.
 
I look forward to following your rebuild, where once again you show us how to do things fastidiously.

Thanks for the positive feedback guys.
Yeah its still a 4 speed, I've had the opportunity to change it out over the years but haven't really felt the need. Its just the way the cars always been and how I like it and remember it.
 
This will be the 4th build/ incarnation of the car. I was on a tight budget as a teenager and barely afford an RS sedan as it was. We picked it up cheap with a failing head gasket and Dad helped me change it over. I drove it, like it was stolen for a while, then did the engine and paint. After a few years a daily came along and I built it again as a racer and I did a fair bit of Motorkhana in it. After that the house got in the way but after watching Eric Banas Love the beast with the mrs one night she finally understood the old thing that was rusting and leaking oil in the shed and the blessing was given to do whatever I needed to do to it. I took that and the last build was started and finished.
Now, fourth time around, its the time to make it 'My Ultimate Beast', the way I always wanted.
 
Hers a couple of pics from its history with me.
 
This one would have been the from the first week I had it.
 

 
And with a mates HQ GTS, we had some ding dong battles in these two. He sold it for a deposit on a house.
 

 
And another mates XC GS once again sold to buy a house.
 

 

Awesome news and good luck on the new build, id imagine the build fund has built up over the years. How did you find the alloy case with install?

When i was did my lsd upgrade i found myself looking at alloy cases etc. Strangely enough i missed out on a heap of primo escort parts in outback SA - had AP calipers, disc, alloy diff and gearbox gear, straight cut gearset etc all for 800bucks. I was devo that someone got up there a day before me.