Having owned about 15 of these versions of Escorts I approve!
when I buy one it seems like one of the first things I must address is the shifter bushings.Napa part number
ATM0771303
These really give a great feel if yours are worn.
Might need to check the rear upper spring mounts to protect them from the elements too.
Easy to work on and cheap parts are a plus...unless we are talking about the heater core!
Some of the great reasons for a 20 year old car is that stuff will be on the verge of wearing out...then you can replace them with upgrades!!
http://www.feoa.net/
Good site for anything you need.
Bruce
It's a beautiful day in Escort land I had time to wash it. I also decided that it's time to fix some spots of surface rust. For a Michigan car, rust is normal. Most of these cars that I see driving around are beat to hell with fenders/rocker panels that have all but dissolved. I know it's just a Ford economy wagon but I figure at least one of these little cars should get a little love.
So today involved some sanding, application of rust stopper, and now I'm waiting for evening when I will (hopefully) have shade and a cooler temperature to do primer. Here's what it looked like before I got started.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-5_zpse30ff804.jpg)
The paint likes to start flaking around the edges of the fenders and then the corrosion starts under the loose paint.
How long does a fix like that last in Michigan? I swear half of your potholes are from the salt.
In reply to ssswitch:
How long will it last? I guess I will wait and see. I'm hoping this will help it get through a couple extra winters before body panels start disintegrating in earnest.
While waiting for primer coats to dry I followed a tip from the June '07 issue of GRM and hit the wipers with a handy black spray can. Before and after:
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-7_zps9c8cbfd5.jpg)
Snazzy. The window trim and roof rack bits will get the same treatment.
The_Jed
UltraDork
6/28/14 9:08 p.m.
It's amazing how little things can make a big difference!
Is that road salt on your tires right now?! It's June! ![](/media/img/icons/smilies/crazy-18.png)
In reply to sethmeister4:
That be dirt. Specifically it's dust from crushed limestone gravel. It does look a lot like nasty salt.
Well, the goal was to make it look pretty good from a few steps back. I maybe accomplished that.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-9_zps33f8197a.jpg)
All y'all can be the judge of that I guess.
I have the week off. That means lots of time for car stuff when I'm not helping my parents get their house ready for little brother's graduation party. Whee.
I had started hearing a clunk from the back right corner. Afraid that a Something Bad had happened I looked over everything. When I pulled out the interior plastic back there to check the strut mounts I found this hanging out down there. Looks like a bolt from the seatbelts but those were all in place. I'm still not sure where it came from but that's one more rattle eliminated.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-2_zpsc1e2e267.jpg)
Here we have new rear sway bar links from Moog. The bushings look like space marshmallows. Getting them on was an uneventful process until the part when I was under the car and the socket wrench decided to punch me in the face. Yes, I bled. Yeah, I'll have a good scar right above my eyebrow.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download_zpsfde6299a.jpg)
And finally, this happened today.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-1_zpsc604c8be.jpg)
The sloppiest bumper sticker application ever. That's what I get for trying to put a sticker on a car that's been sitting in the sun on an 85degree day. Didn't really think that one through but hey, it's a GRM sticker so it goes faster now.
Bolt is for holding down the spare tire.
Bruce
It was starting to feel like a pillowcase full of bricks going down the road. Time for new shocks.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-1_zps7dc760ad.jpg)
And springs! I was lazy and just got preassembled KYB sets f.or the front. Old out and new in no problem thanks to PO's liberal use of anti-sieze.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download_zps4f7e2080.jpg)
I love the complete transformation. It feels like a whole new car. Except during the process I realized the soft brake lines near the hub will need attention soon.
Nice work! Amazing how much just restoring performance to factory can do to how a car feels.
Brake lines. The other side was exactly the same. Glad I caught it in the garage. Brakes feel so much better with new less squishy lines. The appliance mobile is one step closer to being winter-ready.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download_zpsa357c673.jpg)
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-4_zpsa8114916.jpg)
Winter shoes! Altimax Arctics in 175/65 to go on the 14 inch steelies that came with the car.
Storz
Dork
10/2/14 6:24 a.m.
A friend of mine in highschool (in MI!) had one of these, in that color...that was a 5spd. We called it the Rally'scort
Should be a fun winter machine!
Mudflappys look cool. Hopefully will also give a little protection from winter salt.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-5_zps246f12f5.jpg)
Recently fixed: exhaust leaks, sticky throttle body, noisy brakes, brake lines
Still to do before winter: Rear struts, snow tires mounted, and sometime in between last winter and yesterday the rear window defrost stopped working. That's gotta change.
Yesterday I messed around with the intake and throttle body trying to find out why there is a random clicking noise coming from, near as I can tell, the intake manifold. It's like a bit of something is rattling around in there.
On this episode of "Fixing Little things on the Mule Wagon" we cross the line from "grassroots ingenuity" to "straight up hackery"
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-1_zpse370ea8d.jpg)
^ This is tin foil and wire on a leaking egr hose. Should last a week or two ![](/media/img/icons/smilies/crazy-18.png)
v The rear window defroster works now too. Yay!
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download_zps8068ad9f.jpg)
chiodos
New Reader
11/24/14 9:12 p.m.
A cut up beer can and some hose clamps made a great temporarily permanent exhaust leak fix. I'm envious of your beater
mndsm
MegaDork
11/24/14 9:50 p.m.
Its that grocery life... It gets us all.
Opti
Reader
11/24/14 10:08 p.m.
I have no reason to like this car, but I do. I really like reading about these old cheap car resto/rebuilds. I will be checking back for updates, hoping you break down and rally it.
It has a new clutch now. Here's the old one. Just a bit worn out
The shift linkage is wonky now though. Seems like it's hitting something when I go between 5th/4th gear. That will get my attention over break. One of the few perks of being a school teacher is the two weeks off when Christmas rolls around.
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download_zps5ace7bed.jpg)
New snow tires are on. The mule wagon looks kick butt with mudflaps and Altimax Arctics on old steelies.
Before I can do any rally shenanigans it needs the following:
Rear suspension, struts and sway bar links/bushings
Exhaust that isn't on the verge of falling off
Parking brake fixed so it won't stick on when used
Update: The Escort is moving on. And I'm replacing it with this:
![](http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/skyscraperj/download-5_zps1tauo1rl.jpg)
I'm sad to see it go. It's been brilliant beater wagon.
I'm selling it to my younger brother (with one caveat: If he ever rallycrosses it, I get to drive it too
) since he needs cheap transportation to and from college now. Maybe I'll buy it back when he gets done with it.
Cool! New build thread coming soon? ![](/media/img/icons/smilies/laugh-18.png)