hi guys
just thought its time to put my 73 mk1 escort in the projects section as i have started working on it.
i bought my escort from a bloke in penrith who told me that the pinto had spun a bearing.

i found a second hand re-co 2 litre pinto that i had planned to do a straight swap just to get me on the road.

anyways i ended up doing a compression test with the motor that was already in there and pistons 2 and 3 were low.
my dad who used to be a mechanic at jubilee ford at five dock and has experience on pintos predicted that it could be a blown head gasket. and after taking it off he was right.
we checked for scores in the cylinder and found everything to be ok.
we discovered it had 40 thou over pistons and a differnt cam which im trying to work out what it is.
we changed the head gasket put her back together and started her up and she runs good! just gota do another compression test and timing and go for a spin.

so with this other motor i plan on bulding up a high performance motor. i was thinking of turboing but i think im goin going n/a as turbo would just munch up more of my money. i would like to put a hilux lsd diff, celica gearbox etc

i plan to respray the whole car and install bubble arches as im a panel beater and spray painter.

interior needs redoing except the seats.

anyways guys thanks for listening
here are some pics

looking good mate, need any help let me know always willing to lend a hand.

tidy mk1 anthony, ive got some new fibreglass bubble arches that I was going to put on my car if you want them, im asking $350 they cost me $400

thanks neale but i have already got a pair thanks to paul

I wouldn't massacre the car as it looks to good to f with....[xo]

agreed, everything youve planned sounds good except the bubble arches, thats a seriously clean mk1.

thanks guys
the car needs a respray as it looks as the previous owner as done a bodgy backyard job and is starting to craze and has humidity blisters.

as for the bubble arches seeing i am a panel beater i thought of taking advantage. i would like to modify the back arches to make them more round as im not too keen on the flat box shape.

but for now im focusing on getting a blue slip and rego so i can drive it for the time being.

ps. only rust found was a little spot on the drip mold and a bubble behind the rear screen.

as for the bubble arches seeing i am a panel beater i thought of taking advantage. i would like to modify the back forest arches to make them more round as im not too keen on the flat box shape.

Still don't agree [?]

ps. only rust found was a little spot on the drip mold and a bubble behind the rear screen.


Shut up about the tiny bit of rust

Nardo you're not making too much sense when you speak of bubble arches and "not keen on the flat box shape" in the same sentence. Bubble arches are a rounded shape and fitted to mk1 Escorts. Flat box shaped arches are "forest" arches and were designed for Mk2 Escorts. I hope you have the right ones.

Do the bubble arches. You'll love it.

hmm i have these arches see picture below
i think they are bubble arches must of goten mixed up

i just dont like how the rear look flat. i would prefer the same shape as the front more rounded.

has anybody modified the rear or used the front ones for the rear?