"The squarer-styled Escort Mk. II appeared in January 1975 with the first production models having rolled off the production lines on 2nd December 1974. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed ‘Brenda’ during its development, it had the same mechanical configuration as its predecessor; the estate and van versions even used the same panel-work as the Mk. I but with the Mk. II front end and interior. The car used a revised underbody which had, in fact, been introduced as a running change during the last six months of the life of the Mk. I. The car was a success with just four body styles competing in a variation of market niches where rival manufacturers had multiple models. The ‘L’ and ‘GL’ models were mainly purchased by the private sector; the ‘Sport’, ‘RS Mexico’ and ‘RS2000’ in the performance market; the ‘Ghia’ for an untapped small car luxury sector and ‘base’ models for the fleet market. The Escort continued to prove hugely popular with buyers in Britain during the second half of the 1970s, but production slowed and after an incredibly popular model run, ended in Britain in August 1980 with other countries following soon after.
Originally registered on 23rd May 1980, this Escort has a particularly poignant story to it. The car was purchased by Scott Stacey in 2010 in its standard guise of 1300 and in need of total restoration. Scott decided to turn the car into a full-on rally replica. After suffering from Crohns disease from a very early age, things took an unfortunate turn for the worse in 2016. In 2017 he closed his business due to failing health and proposed to his girlfriend in the December. Following surgery in 2018 Scott was feeling well and planned to finish the car and use it for his wedding. However, there was too much work to do and the car did not make the wedding day in July 2019. Unfortunately, early in 2020 Scott’s health once again seriously deteriorated and he was given just a few months to live. Without telling him, his friends set up a GoFundMe page and embarked upon a Car SOS style mission. They managed to take the car without his knowledge and finished the project. The bodywork needed not much more than a good machine polish. Fuel problems and a host of electrical issues were addressed, and the drivetrain refreshed accordingly. The result of this heart-warming act of kindness Scott and his wife were able to enjoy during his final few months. Presenting now in stunning condition, this Escort Mk. II is fitted with a 1700 Kent engine, performance camshaft and 40 DCOE carburettors. The gearbox is a Type E and is fitted with ‘Rocket’ ratio gears, the rear axle is a Quaife limited-slip-diff unit. The suspension is via GAZ shock absorbers all-round and stopping power is by four-pot calipers and vented front discs, the rear brakes have also been converted to discs. The result of all this hard work and commitment is a car that not only looks great but has performance to match and it is a true credit to everyone involved.
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