The Mark I Escort became one of the most successful rally cars of all time. The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Perhaps the Escort’s greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally, driven by Finland’s Hannu Mikkola and Swedish co-driver Gunnar Palm. This gave rise to the Escort Mexico (1598 cc crossflow-engined) special-edition road versions in honour of the rally car. Introduced in November 1970, 10,352 Mexico Mark Is were built using bodyshells with additional strengthening panels in high-stress areas, making them more suitable for competition.

This particular car is from a Deceased Estate and was undergoing restoration but was not completed. It is about 90% done

The car still needs the interior carpeting to be carried out. The drivers and rear seats are in the car however the passenger front seat is missing. The rear seats will benefit from a re trim. There are a few other minor things to be done to complete the car. The car has the 711M 1600 Kent engine running side draught Weber carbs. A pair of Cibie Spotlights are mounted in front. Minilite type wheels are fitted and the tyres are new. The correct instrument cluster is fitted and has the extra gauges. The battery is in the boot. The underneath of the car is as clean as the rest of the car. Just about everything on this car has been replaced with new items or has been refurbished.

The car has the Ford UK chassis plate as well as an AVO plate showing the MEXICO name. Research on the vin number starting BFATLS …….. according to the Registrar of the Ford RS 1600 and AVO club UK shows the car as a 1971 Mexico and the number on the AVO plate 3318 shows the car being the 318^th Mexico built. The chassis plates appear to be remanufactured items according to info obtained from the UK, they have been made as per the original plates. The car has the correct front fenders with wider arches as well as the correct instrument cluster, reinforcing plates on front shock towers as well as the gussets on the inner shock mount area. Rear anti tramp bars are in place. Unfortunately, there is no proper history on this car to identify it properly to verify authenticity. As the Ford Escort Mexico was never sold in SA it is not known when this car was imported.

In any event a MK1Ford Escort 2 door  is a highly collectable car.

This car when completed will be a nice addition to any collection and be a fun car to take out for a blast on some twisty roads.