MK2 FE-DOHC with ITB's...

After buying the escort and driving it round till i finished school the world of BDA escorts and Zakspeed cars really began to get my attention.
I had big ideas of 6 linked and fully adjustable suspension, large diff and trans tunnels and stripped interior. This coupled with me joining the army has lead to the escort sitting lifeless for the past year and a half while ive gathered parts.
 
1) Diff conversion
 
I chose a Ford Courier/B1600 diff from a 78 model gave it a test fit and all seems well. The spring saddles are near identical and it ends up being 20mm larger Escort being 1350mm and Courier/B1600 being 1370mm.
 

 

 

 
I then proceeded to take the diff apart to inspect it and was pleasantly surprised to find it has huge grease packed semi floating hubs
 

 

 
I then had to get the big 6 stud face machined down to accommodate my sierra cosworth rear disks with my Laser TX3 rear calipers.
Next up was the 4.1 LSD diff head from a later model courier with the 2600cc G6 engine.
It required some mods to fit... well maybe just a kiss to the housing with the angle grinder.
 

 

 
Time then came to put it back together 
 

 

 
Grease her up.
 

 

 
Wack her back together then done
 

 
Its nice and tight and diff head turns freely and as it should.
 
J-W-G

3) New engine
 
I settled on the engine conversion i wanted to do start of last year after being in awe of Low n Slow's FE3T escort since seeing it on the tarmac at the 2011 nats. Accept i really wanted the dooort sound of ITB's or carbs...
 

 
Next was to find a gearbox to suit.
Mx5 to the rescue, i found a really cheap rebuilt box with not even a drop of oil. I then had to get a Courier/B2000 box to change the bellhousing to suit the FE3. Also going to change the gearset over to the smooth case to remedy some fitting problems with the escort tunnel.
 

 
With decent carbs these days demanding top dollar i went with a set of silvertop itb's to hang off the side of the head.
 

 
Next was to assemble a mix n match of mazda bits to make a hybrid BP/B6/FE3 Crank angle sensor. It runs the BP/B6 cas body with the FE3 guts and top cap.
 

 
In my giddy excitism i promptly put every thing together to test bolt holes etc
 

 
After doing some research on the engine i found Kia had used it in their first gen sportage. I liked the look of the cam cover so had a go at making my own BDA inspired cam cover.
 

 
All im waiting on now is for a Courier/B2000 FE Flywheel, engine mounts, sump + pick up, spigot bearing and new clutch
 
J-W-G
 

5) Suspension
 
I managed to pick up a full set of brand new Gaz adjustable dampers for the front and rear and managed to treat myself to a new set of coilovers which suited way better to my needs.
 

 
This was the front set up before welding. Specs are 220lb springs, followed with keeper springs and adapted Cusco Evo strut camber plates.
 

 
Struts after welding. Vern had to machine out the spring tops to accept the Gaz inserts, then lathe up some spacers to take the camber plates. Further the camber plates had the be redrilled to the Escort "small hole" PCD of 95mm.
 

 
After a small bit of massaging the bolt holes i got the strut tops in followed by...
 

 
The TX3 Turbo rotors were a bolt on fit and take up the whole pad of the Princess calipers which is bloody great, also the rotors are a **** ton cheaper then Capri vented ones at $50 for two.
 
The rear ended up looking like this...
 

 
The spring plates needed a quick weld up and redrill to accept the larger Courier/B1600 U-Bolts.
 

 
Plans from now.
 
Right now the car is nearly rolling. I just need a set of wheel studs to get it on some wheels so i can move it outside to do some work on it while having a beer and getting a tan. Just waiting on a shipment from the UK with some flash new parts for the front end. For the rear just waiting for the new year to get the leafs reset for a 2inch drop, sand blast and powdercoat (Suggestions?).
 
Stay tuned for what ive been doing to the engine, its getting there but its got some cool stuff to do with itb manifolds and a lush stainless octopus hanging off the side...
 
J-W-G

Goodness
 

Oh hi there...

Hope everything transferred all good over from Oldschool.co.nz. This is everything ive done over my ownership with more to come, stay tuned!
 

Hi Mate,
 
LOve it.  What wheels are they and what sizes etc...
 
Matt