1987 Ford Escort RS Turbo |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1987 Ford Escort RS Turbo

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Mileage~84,400
TransmissionManual
Engine1.6L
LocationNottingham

AUCTION CLOSED

1987 Ford Escort RS Turbo

Introduction

Josh Sharples

Professional Consigner

Fully restored to excellent condition, this turbo driven Escort certainly deserves the famous RS badge.

Ford was a latecomer to the turbo revolution of the 1980s, but by taking this calculated risk, Ford were able to escape the development problems that other manufacturers encountered. An evolution of the original MK3, Ford's progressive year-on-year improvements meant that their flagship Escort model, the RS Turbo, simply got better during its 4-year production run. The electronically regulated Turbocharger installation was noted as one of the most civilised of the era, but that’s not to suggest that the performance was in any way muted. The wild acceleration and flexible engine mated up with a chassis known for its slightly uncouth handling with a positive level of grip provided the RS Turbo with plenty of admirers, yet its sensible packaging, Ford mechanics and practicality made it something of a controllable firecracker.

This car comes to market from 2 years ownership from a "Fast Ford" enthusiast. After driving the car some ~100 miles, the nut and bolt restoration started. An already good car, bought from a friend in the "RS Owners" club has been improved to what is arguably a concours standard. The owner has experience in this, this being his 4th restoration to this standard, previous cars he's completed having won awards. The car has been restored to arguably better than factory standard, originality a key factor in the work, presents beautifully as well has having had an engine and gearbox rebuild as part of the process. If you're in the market for the best quality, this car deserves a lot of attention.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Josh after meeting Andy the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I've owned Fast Fords for many years now, probably over 20, and this is my 4th restoration of an RS Turbo.

Andy tells us he has owned Fords his whole life. His first "Fast Ford" was an Escort Xr3i back when he was just 13! He tells us that alongside the RS Owners Club, he was a regular in concours events across the country, with his previous RS Turbo winning almost everything!

Andy purchased this car in April 2020 off a friend in the RS Owners Club who had known of the car since new. He tells us "It is great to drive, with respect following the car everywhere you go". However, he doesn't tend to drive his cars much (more time spent cleaning), and as he is midway through a house renovation, has decided to sell this RS Turbo. “Hopefully I’ll be able to get another one day” he tells us. He will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments below.

Andy

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

A nut and bolt restored example, finished in the factory colour of Diamond White, this car is stunning.

Wheels and Tyres

Similar to the rest of the car, the 15” RS alloys have also been fully refurbished in the correct shade of silver, and are in excellent condition.

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 wrap all 4 wheels, and both were fitted very recently. We have captured high resolution images of all four wheels, so feel free to browse through these images to see the condition of the wheels for yourself.

Bodywork

Now presented in excellent condition, this car was by no means a bad example when purchased 2 years ago. However, to get it to the level Andy goes to, it was stripped down to a rolling shell and had the following works action; 2 genuine Ford front wings, inner and outer rear arches, rear sill sections, battery tray fitted and a slight repair patch on the passenger side inner wing (in the engine bay). All aluminium parts were aqua blasted, and every nut and bolt which wasn’t new was re-plated in zinc at Derby Plating. Brand new old stock rear mud-flaps and rear spoiler were also fitted in the restoration process. f

The result is amazing, panel gaps and shut lines all look even and correct. We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The car underwent a full glass-out respray whilst being restored, including the door shuts, all in the iconic "Diamond White". At this point, the engine bay was also painted, along with the underside was painted in "Dove Gray" with a 'Diamond White' overspray, to return it to the original manufacturer finish. New old stock Escort RS Turbo decals and Ford badges were also fitted, as well as period engine bay decals. Andy tells us that the car has been garaged throughout his ownership, ensuring the quality of the paint remains to a high standard.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass on this vehicle looked in great condition, and we didn’t notice any chips or cracks on our visit. The seals were in great condition too and looked in line with the condition of the rest of the car.

New chrome top Carello headlights have also been fitted, and the rally lights appear in excellent condition. The sunroof is still in good condition, and Andy assures us this functions as expected.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The iconic Recaro bucket seats offer the driver the perfect combination of both performance and comfort.

Seats and Carpets

Fitted with the original cloth Recaro sports seats, they have been re-foamed on bolsters during restoration, returning them to a former glory. We noticed that the fitting of the cloth was a little bit loose on the driver’s seat, however you had to look for this to see it.

The headlining has been untouched and all carpets are original, which have been thoroughly cleaned to appear in excellent condition. We have taken high resolution images of the condition of the seats and carpets - please have a look through the gallery for a better understanding of the condition.

Dashboard

Andy tells us the dashboard of the Escort RS Turbo is all original, it had no major damage or scuffs to note. The dash has a quality black-plastic finish, which is in excellent condition, including the centre console.

On our visit, the only warning light visible was for the handbrake, but Andy assured us this would be fixed by the time of purchase. Please look at the gallery for more detailed photos.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The original steering wheel appears in excellent condition, with minimal wear visible on our visit. The same can be said about the 5-speed manual gear stick with rubber gaitor.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

This car comes with a rebuilt engine, gearbox, new suspension and running gear, and an engine bay you could eat your dinner off.

Engine and Gearbox

Powered by the reliable and robust 1.6L Ford block, with the real punch coming from the Garrett T3 Turbo. Listen out for raspy exhaust notes from the stainless steel Scorpion exhaust kit that is fitted.

The engine was removed during restoration and completely rebuilt. The head was separated off the block and recommissioned, with new seals fitted during this process. All anciliaries were replaced, for example there is a new airbox and the fuel metering unit was refurbished, and all brackets zinc plated. The turbo was fully rebuilt at Midland Turbo, so listen out for that iconic whistle in the "On the Road" video. The gearbox was stripped and rebuilt, and all casing was aqua-blasted. A new fuel tank was fitted, as well as a new fuel pump cradle.

On our visit, the car started from cold with no issue, as seen in the cold start section, take a look through the media gallery for a closer look of the engine and underside, the engine bay looks sublime.

Suspension and Brakes

During restoration, new suspension struts and springs were fitted, and all bushes replaced as pictured. All suspension and anti-roll bars were powder coated, protecting them for years to come.

Brand new brakes and callipers were installed, alongside a brand new steering rack. The brake lines were all re-plated in zinc, and painted in the correct green, the underside pictured and pictures of the restoration in the "History" gallery are well worth a look.

The Drive

Not only does the 80s aerodynamic body kit look great, but wait till you hear the noise the engine and turbo make, it'll blow you away. Built purely with motorsport in mind. With all the new running gear on the underside, and the rebuilt engine and gearbox, this car is in fine fettle.

Electrics and Other

Andy tells us that all of the standard electrical fittings are said to be fully functional. The car is fitted with its original radio too.

While being restored, the wiring loom was fully inspected and re-taped, and genuine grey Motorcraft ignition leads were fitted. The alarm and immobiliser were removed for reliability purposes, as these were made back in the 1980s. The car comes with two keys, which work for both the doors and the engine, which is rare to see in these 80s cars.

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History and Paperwork

A nut and bolt restored example, engine and gearbox rebuilt along with a refreshed suspension, seeing is believing so ensure you've looked through the extensive restoration images.

Coming to market from a "Fast Ford" enthusiast, it was purchased from a friend in the RS Owners club, and a full nut and bolt restoration as pictured actioned. The previous owner had known the car from new, and it has been recorded as off road (SORN) for number of years before Andy’s ownership, hence the lack of MOT records throughout this period.

After returning the car to excellent condition after many hours of hard work, Andy has decided to sell the vehicle to help fund some house renovations. Please find the photos provided by Andy of the restoration in the media gallery.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.