97 ESCORT

I HAVE RECENTLY RE-AQUIRED A HIGH-MILEAGE 1997 ESCORT 4DR. ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO SOME MODS? THANKS.

turboboosters

Aside from the obvious, turboboosters, what are you looking to gain from your mods? Fuel efficiency? Power? Handling, Da Ladies? What are your goals with your car?

Be careful... all that shouting causes interior rattles.

Check the caps lock key... they sometimes get stuck.

maybe hes just really excited

escort it off a shipping dock?

Did you ever hear about the guy who strapped two Jatco(?) rocket boosters to the roof of his Impala? Some call it an urban legend but that might be the best way to get a '97 Escort to perform. YMMV

Stick a coffee can...the big ones you buy at Sams Club...on the exhaust, get some spinner hub caps from Pep Boys, make a 4' tall rear wing from left over scrap wood, and cover it with stickers. You'll be amazed at how much of a difference it makes....

To actually answer the question, I'd say just drive it. It's not a performance car and you'll spend a fortune just trying to get it to be "respectable". Save your cash and drive the Escort until it hits the ground...which may be next week, so save fast.

Klayfish wrote: Stick a coffee can...the big ones you buy at Sams Club...on the exhaust, get some spinner hub caps from Pep Boys, make a 4' tall rear wing from left over scrap wood, and cover it with stickers. You'll be amazed at how much of a difference it makes.... To actually answer the question, I'd say just drive it. It's not a performance car and you'll spend a fortune just trying to get it to be "respectable". Save your cash and drive the Escort until it hits the ground...which may be next week, so save fast.

Weren't you just looking at Escorts for your track car? You should know better, sir.

Ok...

I like old escorts (one of the few FWD cars i'd consider driving, strangely)...but there was a model change between '96 and '97, right?

Is the '97-up pretty much the same chassis with updated styling? Or did they change a lot more?

I'm just curious and thought we should make this thread productive somehow.

I'm surprised by all the escort hate also...they're good little Mazdas, IMO.

Clem

ClemSparks wrote: Ok... I like old escorts (one of the few FWD cars i'd consider driving, strangely)...but there was a model change between '96 and '97, right? Is the '97-up pretty much the same chassis with updated styling? Or did they change a lot more? I'm just curious and thought we should make this thread productive somehow. I'm surprised by all the escort hate also...they're good little Mazdas, IMO. Clem

You are correct. It's PRETTY much the same chassis with updated styling, and different motor choices.

Lots of potential there, honestly, though most people tend to ignore it because it's not as easy as making a honda fast.

More aftermarket than most people think, though.

But really...

Step 1: Buy an MX3 GS V6.
Step 2: Buy KLDE from MX6 V6/Probe GT
Step 3: Remove motors from both cars
Step 4: Insert motor mounts, trans, and wiring harness from MX3, insert motor from MX6.
Step 5: Insert mx3 suspension bits for an increase in track width
Step 6: HOON!!

I was thinkin' b6t personally. I haven't called Cam Waugh's shop in a while......

mndsm wrote: I was thinkin' b6t personally. I haven't called Cam Waugh's shop in a while......

Wouldn't be my swap of choice in a 3rd gen. Lots of hassles to end up with similar power you could get out of just boosting the motor that's in there.

But still an idea, and i'm always FOR boost.

Of course... could always boost the KLDE after swapping? 350whp from a boosted KLDE would be a whole lot of HOLY E36 M3 in a 3rd gen escort.

Honestly the best bang for the buck would be to buy the FoMoCoTo struts from Jegs for under $200, slap on the S/R springs and hit the autocross.

93celicaGT2 wrote:

Klayfish wrote: Stick a coffee can...the big ones you buy at Sams Club...on the exhaust, get some spinner hub caps from Pep Boys, make a 4' tall rear wing from left over scrap wood, and cover it with stickers. You'll be amazed at how much of a difference it makes.... To actually answer the question, I'd say just drive it. It's not a performance car and you'll spend a fortune just trying to get it to be "respectable". Save your cash and drive the Escort until it hits the ground...which may be next week, so save fast.

Weren't you just looking at Escorts for your track car? You should know better, sir.

Ahhh....touche' Yup, but the EGT is a whole different animal. Actually, I'd say the old Escort sedans were pretty good "transportation appliances". Nearly bought one back around '99 when I working in the field, driving 30k+ per year.

Some of these cars roll on pizza cutters; +1 wheel & tire upgrade using junkyard rims might be a nice little improvement.

Wondering how choked up the intake piping from the airbox to the throttle body is, might be a good place to focus and should be cheap to do with the right pieces of hose & a drop-in K&N.

Klayfish wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote:

Klayfish wrote: Stick a coffee can...the big ones you buy at Sams Club...on the exhaust, get some spinner hub caps from Pep Boys, make a 4' tall rear wing from left over scrap wood, and cover it with stickers. You'll be amazed at how much of a difference it makes.... To actually answer the question, I'd say just drive it. It's not a performance car and you'll spend a fortune just trying to get it to be "respectable". Save your cash and drive the Escort until it hits the ground...which may be next week, so save fast.

Weren't you just looking at Escorts for your track car? You should know better, sir.

Ahhh....touche' Yup, but the EGT is a whole different animal. Actually, I'd say the old Escort sedans were pretty good "transportation appliances". Nearly bought one back around '99 when I working in the field, driving 30k+ per year.

The motor is really the only thing different. That said, they're still way cooler.

Carson wrote: Honestly the best bang for the buck would be to buy the FoMoCoTo struts from Jegs for under $200, slap on the S/R springs and hit the autocross.

Yes. OE ZX2 S/R dampers--made by Tokico work nicely with something like Eibach (ZX2 S/R OE) springs. Also, take off the OE 13mm RSB--and go to a junkyard and find a RSB from any 91-96 hatch (19mm hollow), or from an Escort GT/Protege LX (21mm solid). I belive that wagon bars were also 21mm.

The chassis is a Mazda Protege BG--so any ZX2/MX3 coilovers would work too. Koni makes inserts (MX3) in the old "Red" style--but for the money the S/R stuff is good.

Brake upgrades are junkyard fare as well--again, EGT and ProLX...get you rear discs.

Wheels--are common 4x100, and the hub is a 54.1 (small) so nearly anything works. 15x7 ET 40 wheels are a dime a dozen--all over CL or Ebay.

In reply to maroon92:

thanks for your helpful suggestion...why didn't I think of that?

In reply to Carson:

Ummmm....obviously not "Da Ladies" (With and escort? Really?)

In reply to mndsm:

Maybe so, but at least the rattling partially obscures the voices in my head.

I like the new guy...

In reply to fastmiata:

Seriously, I do not have the financial wherewithall to be able to afford the rocket boosters. Would you like to contribute, or shall I continue development on my ignition device for my intestinal flatulence?