Hi guys,

I’m new to this forum and to Australia, I moved out here last winter and have just settled and bought myself a Mk1 Escort.
Coming from Scotland it’s difficult to find Escorts or any old ford for that matter that are not rotten. I managed to find a solid shell in Canberra and took a 2000KM trip to pick up a 1300 Auto that was complete and solid.

Planning on a rally replica with a zetec lump but current goal is to get the car on the road and the body work sorted.

Looking forward to this project and still amazed to have found a Mk1 Escort that’s in such good shape.

So bought this as a non-runner.
Pulled a plug and found it was giving a nice fat spark, fuel reeked of varnish and was not flowing properly.
After cleaning the carb and removing all the dirt and varnish from the bowl, it still didnt run. Not even a glimmer of life, was running on easy start no problem but plugs were still bone dry.  
Dropped the fuel tank out which was blocked and hooked up a line to a fuel can and she burst into life.
 
Now that the tank is out, i suppose its a good excuse to upgrade... 
 
Thinking this is what i will go for....
 

Looking good Mike , 
It still amazes me the condition of some of these old fords over here .
Just be careful if modifying things as the rules here are very different than the UK . 
No longer can you just change out engines and whatever you like without having it approved by an engineer if you want to register it. 
For example the tank you propose is the same as the one i have to go in mine but the engineer I use wont allow me to open the boot to fill it like in your pic so I am having to make a hose to connect to the original fill point. 
The rules around modifying cars here are painful and restrictive compared to the UK but a small price to pay for finding cars not destroyed by tinworm . 
 
Bruce