MK2 Ford Escort rebuild with Zetec/MX5 Turbo and RX8 gearbox
Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine
Read the full write-up at Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine ↗
Photo: Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine1979 Mk2 Escort rebuilt with an MX5 turbo engine and RX8 gearbox
A 1979 Ford Escort Mk2 1600 Sport is stripped to a bare shell, swapped onto a donor shell with existing cage and four-link rear end, then rebuilt with a turbocharged Mazda MX5 1.8 engine and RX8 six-speed gearbox in place of an originally planned Zetec. The thread follows the owner, mrknifey, through suspension, brakes, fuelling, wiring and a trip to a specialist for paint, ending with the car running and painted.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- Mazda MX5 Mk1 1.8 engine, turbocharged
- Turbo
- TD04L turbo with G19 manifold and downpipe
- Fuel injectors
- Bosch 640cc injectors
- Fuel pump
- Sytec 979 fuel pump
- ECU
- Link ME221 standalone ECU
- Gearbox
- Mazda RX8 six-speed gearbox
- Propshaft
- Custom propshaft with heavy duty ends
- Front suspension
- GAZ coilovers with new stubs
- Rear suspension
- Four-link, Watts-linked axle with GAZ rear shocks
- Rear axle
- English axle with limited slip differential
- Front brakes
- Wilwood calipers
- Rear brakes
- Sierra Cosworth calipers
- Wheels
- Minilite-style wheels, 13 inch
- Windows
- Plexiglass side windows, one-piece door design
- Underside protection
- Raptor coating on underside
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 1
- Mazda MX5 Mk1 1.8 engine
Fitted complete from a donor MX5 as the turbocharged engine for the build
In the shops
MK1/MK2 Escort Mazda Gearbox Crossmember Kit ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £165.87 GBPMK1/MK2 Escort Ford Zetec to Mazda Gearbox Crossmember ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £136.33 GBP
N7 Mazda MX5 Five Speed Gearbox (Used) ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £453.85 GBP
Fuel & Ignition 4
- G19 turbo manifold and downpipe
Installed with the TD04 turbo and oil/coolant feed and return lines
In the shops
Manifold to Downpipe Stud ↗James Paddock Ltd· £2.10 GBP
Manifold Flange Gasket to Downpipe ↗
Exhaust Manifold Stud (to Downpipe) ↗ - TD04L turbocharger
Fitted as the turbo for the MX5 engine conversion
- Bosch 640cc fuel injectorsBosch
Installed in place of standard injectors to support turbo fuelling
In the shops
Genuine Bosch Green 412cc Injector ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £86.39 GBPBosch Fuel Pressure Regulator ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £73.17 GBP
Bosch Aerotwin 26" Wiper Blade ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £19.00 GBP - Sytec 979 fuel pumpSytec
Part of the fuel system feeding from the injection tank to the fuel rail
In the shops
Sytec Out-Tank Fuel Injection Pump 979 ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £81.80 GBP
Sytec Fuel Pressure Gauge 0-15 PSi ↗Rally Design· £14.84 GBP
Sytec Fuel Pressure Gauge 0-15 PSi / 0-1 Bar ↗
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Mazda RX8 six-speed gearbox
Fitted with matching mounts, adapter plates and propshaft for the engine swap
In the shopsN7 Mazda MX5 Five Speed Gearbox (Used) ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £453.85 GBPMK1/MK2 Escort Mazda Gearbox Crossmember Kit ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £165.87 GBPMK1/MK2 Escort Ford Zetec to Mazda Gearbox Crossmember ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £136.33 GBP - Custom propshaft
Built to order with heavy duty ends to suit the new driveline
- English rear axle with limited slip differential
Fitted as a complete four-link, Watts-linked rear end assembly
In the shops
Quaife Ford 7 Helical Limited-Slip Differential (Escort Cosworth) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £926.90 GBP
Rear Limited Slip Differential ↗
Motomobil· €563.00 EUR
Limited Slip Differential, rally 45/45, Evolution ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £834.25 GBP
Suspension & Steering 3
- GAZ coiloversGAZ
Fitted at the front with new stubs as part of the suspension rebuild
In the shops
Gaz 13" Open 9" Closed Coilover Shock ↗Gaz Coilover Shock 13" Open/9" Closed ↗Gaz 13" Open 9" Closed Coilover Shock ↗ - GAZ rear shocksGAZ
Fitted to the rear axle alongside the four-link and Watts link setup
In the shops
Escort MK1 (Early) 68-74 Rear Shock (Gaz) ↗Gaz 13" Open 9" Closed Coilover Shock ↗Gaz Coilover Shock 13" Open/9" Closed ↗ - Panhard rod kit
Added on the opposite side of the exhaust to locate the rear axle
In the shops
Panhard Rod Kit Spare Bar ↗
Panhard Rod Kit Axle Bracket ↗
Complete Panhard Rod Kit (Minus Tower) ↗
Evans & Son Rally Spares· £63.63 GBP
Brakes 2
- Wilwood front calipersWilwood
Fitted at the front once wheel clearance was resolved
In the shops
Wilwood Caliper Piston Seal Square Ring Kit (6-Piston Front) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $21.99 USD
Wilwood Caliper Piston Seal Square Ring Kit (4-Piston Front, 1.38") ↗Flyin' Miata· $12.49 USD
Wilwood Flexline Kit for Forged Dynalite Front Caliper - Black (90-99 Civic) ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $79.94 USD - Sierra Cosworth rear calipersFord
Used at the rear after the Wilwood handbrake mechanism failed to clear the wheels
In the shops
Sierra Cosworth Solid Handbrake Caliper Carrier ↗
Sierra Cosworth Style Handbrake Cable for Escort MK1 & 2 ↗
Ford Escort/Sierra Cosworth Outer TCA/Roll Bar PolySport Bush ↗
Wheels & Tyres 1
- Minilite-style wheels
Ordered with correct inner diameter to clear the front calipers
Body & Trim 2
- Plexiglass side windows
Fitted as one-piece door glazing for a larger opening
- Raptor bedliner coatingRaptor
Applied to the underside of the shell before it was sent for paint
Electrical 1
- Link ME221 ECULink
Fitted as the standalone engine management after modifying the engine loom
Other 1
- PARC Garage paint workPARC Garage, Pontypridd
Shell sent to this specialist for exterior paint
Photos
118 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
mrknifey · Sep 22, 2019 at 6:35am 6this post at Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine ↗
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How it was done
Starting condition
The car began life as a 1979 Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport, badly painted and fitted with a 1600 crossflow engine on a Pinto gearbox. The owner planned to repair the shell, clean and paint the underside, and leave the exterior for later. Early inspection revealed worse than expected rust, including the offside A-pillar, boot floor and chassis rails, and a modified transmission tunnel.
Shell swap
Rather than pay a large quote for welding and panel work on the original shell, the owner acquired a different shell that already had the welding and metalwork completed, with a full group 4 specification, four-link rear end and roll cage fitted. This replacement shell became the basis for the rest of the build.
Engine and drivetrain change
Plans initially centred on a 2.0 Zetec, with sump, mounts and a water rail kit ordered. The owner later switched to a turbocharged Mazda MX5 Mk1 1.8 engine paired with an RX8 six-speed gearbox, citing lower cost for similar power. The engine and gearbox were fitted, requiring bulkhead and tunnel clearance work.
Suspension, brakes and wheels
GAZ coilovers and stubs were fitted at the front, with a panhard rod kit added on the opposite side to the exhaust. A four-link, Watts-linked rear axle with a limited slip differential and Wilwood calipers was installed, though the handbrake mechanism did not clear the 13 inch wheels, so Sierra Cosworth calipers were used at the rear instead. Wheel and tyre sizing issues were resolved after ordering replacement wheels.
Fuel, wiring and turbo installation
A fuel system was built using an injection tank, filter, Sytec 979 pump and braided lines to the rail. Much of the wiring reused MX5 charging, ignition and fuse components to simplify the conversion. Turbo parts including a G19 manifold, downpipe, TD04L turbo, Bosch 640cc injectors and a Link ME221 ECU were installed, and the engine was run briefly before a fuel line leak halted testing.
Paint and finishing
The car was set at its intended ride height, then stripped down again for paint preparation. The underside was coated with Raptor protection before the shell was sent to PARC Garage in Pontypridd for paint. The finished car, described by the owner as the beige bomber, later appeared in Classic Ford magazine.
Progress so far
Updates slowed after the car reached a painted and largely assembled state. The owner later became occupied with another vehicle and a separate Mk2 Escort project, with this build's thread ending without confirmation of full completion.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Retro Rides — 1979 Mk2 Ford Escort with MX5 Turbo Engine ↗
Worth knowing
- Check wheel inner diameter against caliper fitment before ordering wheels, since Superlites and Minilites differ in clearance
- Building braided fuel lines for the first time proved difficult and time consuming
- Fitting a handbrake mechanism behind small diameter wheels can be impossible, forcing a caliper change
- MX5 engine and gearbox swaps are inexpensive, straightforward and quick to wire in compared to alternatives