Ford Escort 1968 - 1975
At the end of 1967 the replacement for the Ford Anglia went into production and was launched at the Brussels Motor Show in 1968 as the Ford Escort. Simultaneously produced in several European countries and Israel, the Escort was launched as a 2-door saloon with either 1,098cc 'Kent' engine or 1,298cc version of the same engine. In March 1968 a 3-door estate car was added to the range, and then a Van version and finally a 4-door model in 1969. Sporting models began with a 1300 Sport, and a 'luxury' version of this marketed as the Escort 1300E. In 1968 Ford also launched the Escort Twin Cam, using the AVO bodyshell and the 1,558cc Twin Cam engine from the Lotus Cortina. In 1970 the RS1600 with the 1,600cc BDA 16valve engine took over from the Twin Cam, and was soon accompanied by the Pinto-engine RS2000. Alongside the RS cars was the cheaper 1,598cc crossflow-engined Escort Mexico, built to commemorate the 1970 World Cup Rally victory. In 1975 after 2-million Escorts had been built the Escort Mk1 gave way to the Escort MkII.
aa Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe badge
Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe - badge on bootlid
aa Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam badge
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam - badge on front wing
aa Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam badgee
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam - badge on bootlid.
aa Ford Escort 1971 Mexico badge
Ford Escort 1971 Mexico. The Escort Mexico was an Escort 1600 GT, the 'Mexico' branding was optional.
aa Ford Escort 1971 Mexico decals
Ford Escort 1971 Mexico. The 'Mexico' branding was optional on the Escort 1600 GT model.
aa Ford Escort 1973 1100 L badge
Ford Escort 1973 1100 L - badge on front wing. From 1970 the 1100 L was the cheapest Ford Escort.
aa Ford Escort 1974 1300 L badge
Ford Escort 1974 1300 L - Badge on front wing. From 1970 'L' and 'XL' badging replaced 'Deluxe' and 'Super'
aa Ford Escort 1974 1300 XL 4-door badge
Ford Escort 1974 1300 XL 4-door - badge on bootlid
aa Ford Escort 1974 1300E badge
Ford Escort 1974 1300E - crown badge on c-pillar
ac Ford Escort 1971 Mexico head
Ford Escort 1971 Mexico. Ford 'Kent' 1,600cc engine mated to a Cortina 2000E gearbox to produce a '1600 GT' selling between the Escort 1300 GT and the Escort Twin Cam. Ford deliberately used the less sophisiticated 'Kent' engine for the Mexico Rally cars because they wanted reliability, and thus the Escort Mexicos had the same power unit.
Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe front
Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe, fitted with 1,100cc engine
Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe rear
Ford Escort 1968 1100 Deluxe. The Ford Escort was announced as a 2-door saloon and the '1100 Deluxe' was the cheapest model.
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam Alan Mann
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam Alan Mann, with 1,558cc Lotus Twin Cam engine
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam front
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam. Taking over from the Lotus Cortina, the Escort Twin Cam took the the 1,558cc dohc 110bhp Lotus engine and put it in the strengthened AVO shell that was 30 kilos lighter than the Cortina body.
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam rear
Ford Escort 1968 Twin Cam. The Twin Cam Escort used an AVO shell (Type 49) which was a normal Escort shell sent to the AVO plant at Halewood for seam welding and the addition of strengthening plates and enlarged arches. This added around 70kilos to the bodyshell
Ford Escort 1970 8cwt Van front
Ford Escort 1971 Mexico side
Ford Escort 1971 Mexico. Ford 'Kent' 1,600cc engine in an AVO body to commemorate the 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally. The 'Mexico' branding was optional since the car was an Escort 1600GT
Ford Escort 1971 RS1600 Broadspeed
Ford Escort 1971 RS1600 Broadspeed
Ford Escort 1972 1300 DL Panda
Ford Escort 1972 1300 DL Panda. Many Police forces bought the Escort as a Panda Patrol car.
Ford Escort 1972 1300 XL Elba frontg
Ford Escort 1972 1300 XL Elba, A Dormobile conversion by Martin Walter
Ford Escort 1972 Mexico front
Ford Escort 1972 Mexico. A special edition model to commemorate Ford's 1970 London to Mexico Rally win. Given a strengthened AVO shell, but a lowly 1,598cc 85bhp Ford Pinto engine, nevertheless it was a good foundation for competition cars.
Ford Escort 1973 1100 L front
Ford Escort 1973 1100 L . After 1970 the 1100 Deluxe was replaced by the 1100 L and the 1,098cc 'Kent' Crossflow engine was uprated to 48 bhp.
Ford Escort 1973 1100L 4-door front
Ford Escort 1973 1100L 4-door. The Escort was offered as a 4-door mopdel from 1969
Ford Escort 1973 RS2000 racer37
Ford Escort 1973 RS2000. The broad colour band was an optional choice for the RS2000
Ford Escort 1973 RS2000 racer714
Ford Escort 1973 RS2000. The RS 2000 was launched in 1973 carrying a 1,993cc 100 bhp Ford Pinto engine, mounted in the strengthened AVO body already used for the Escort Twin Cam and RS1600.
Ford Escort 1974 1300 L front
Ford Escort 1974 1300 L. A mild revision was given to the Escort in 1970, which included a blacked out grille and a new bumper without the starting handle hole; Engine power also went up with higher compression
Ford Escort 1974 1300 XL 4-door front
Ford Escort 1974 1300 XL 4-door. XL versions replaced Super versions from 1970
Ford Escort 1974 1300E front
Ford Escort 1974 1300E. The 1300E evolved from the Escort 1300 Sport with tuned 1,298cc ohv engine, but the 1300E was trimmed up with false wood and extra comforts.