XWC's MK1 Ford Escort Mexico restoration
Ford Escort Mk15-page write-up
my MK1 MEXICO
Photo: my MK1 MEXICOA Mk1 Ford Escort Mexico rebuilt from a bodyshop corner find
Jerrytom161 documents a multi-year restoration of his 1970 Mk1 Escort Mexico, XWC, covering a full bare-shell rebuild, engine rebuild, suspension and brake overhaul, and later a second full engine rebuild to fix a persistent oil pressure fault. The thread is a long-running personal log with detailed parts lists, suppliers and lessons learned, ending with the car being sold years later.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- Crossflow block bored and sleeved to 1700cc, GT valves and hardened seats, later rebuilt back towards original spec
- Gearbox
- Fitted with a Milton race short shift and a re-engineered standard Mexico gear knob
- Rear axle/diff
- Quaife ATB diff fitted, replacing the TranX plated LSD
- Ignition
- Aldon ignitor electronic ignition fitted to an original motorcraft distributor, with Aldon flamethrower coil
- Carburettor
- Standard 32/36DGV carb, stripped and serviced
- Front suspension
- Struts overhauled with new Gaz strut inserts replacing original oil-filled units
- Rear suspension
- New rear leaf springs fitted after originals fell apart
- Brakes
- NOS Girling servo and NOS Girling brake master cylinder fitted during the later rebuild
- Wheels
- Standard 5.5J x 13 steel wheels that came with the car
- Steering
- Steering rack stripped, overhauled, shot blasted and repainted with new balljoints and gaiters
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 2
- GT valves and hardened valve seats
Fitted to the standard crossflow head once it was found not to be a GT head
In the shops
Valve Spring Seat, Hardened ↗
Good Parts· $6.00 USD
Exhaust Valve Seat, Hardened ↗Good Parts· $7.00 USD
Hardened Valve Seat for Unleaded Fuel ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $8.93 USD - Correct Mexico inlet manifold
Fitted to correct an earlier wrong part
In the shops
Inlet Manifold Gasket ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.45 USD
Inlet Manifold Stud Fibre Washer ↗James Paddock Ltd· £0.45 GBP
Inlet Manifold Gasket (NC Models) ↗
MX5 City· $24.96 USD
Fuel & Ignition 3
- Aldon ignitor electronic ignition
Fitted to an original motorcraft distributor built to correct Mexico spec
In the shops
Pertronix Ignitor II Electronic Ignition ↗bpnorthwest.com· $237.99 USD
Pertronix Ignitor II Electronic Ignition (22D6) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $237.99 USD
Electronic Ignition Kit Ignitor 1 Renault Ducellier ↗
Kelvedon Lotus (Kelsport)· £142.75 GBP - Aldon flamethrower coil
Fitted alongside the new electronic ignition
In the shopsFlamethrower 2 Coil (Oil Filled) ↗Kelvedon Lotus (Kelsport)· £81.85 GBPFlamethrower 1 Coil (Oil Filled) ↗Kelvedon Lotus (Kelsport)· £77.85 GBP
Flamethrower 2 Coil (Epoxy Filled) ↗Kelvedon Lotus (Kelsport)· £88.95 GBP - 32/36DGV carburettor service kit
Used to overhaul the standard carb assembly
In the shops
Carburettor Service Kit ↗HD8 Carburettor Service Kit (Single) ↗Angloparts· €217.84 EUR
Carburettor Service Kit for HS8 Pair ↗
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Milton race short shift
Already fitted when bought, kept in the rebuilt gearbox with a re-engineered original gear knob
- TranX plated LSDJwe Engineering
Came fitted to the back axle, reset by Jwe Engineering, later replaced
- Quaife ATB diff
Fitted to replace the noisy TranX LSD
In the shops
mFactory Helical LSD for Nissan R200 (Longnose) ↗
Silvermine Motors· $1,270.00 USD
Quaife Ford Escort/Sierra 6.5 Front ATB Differential ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £935.00 GBP
Suspension & Steering 2
- Gaz strut inserts
Fitted in place of original oil-filled strut inserts during front suspension overhaul
In the shops
Front Strut Inserts Pair, GAZ ↗
Front Strut Insert ↗
GAZ Front Strut Set ↗bpnorthwest.com· $499.99 USD - Rear leaf springsRally and Competition Equipment
Replaced originals which fell apart on removal
In the shops
Leaf Spring, rear ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £223.25 GBP
Leaf Spring, rear ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £223.25 GBP
Rear Leaf Spring (Mk I-III) ↗
Brakes 3
- Brake servo and master cylinder overhaulPast Parts
Original servo and master cylinder sent for rebuild, master cylinder bore sleeved
In the shopsSingle-Line Non-Servo Master Brake Cylinder - Land Rover ↗
Tandem Brake Master Cylinder (Spitfire 1500) ↗
TRGB· £71.45 GBP
Brake Master Cylinder (Spitfire MK3 Onwards) ↗TRGB· £60.45 GBP - NOS Girling servo
Fitted during the later engine-out rebuild to correct earlier parts
In the shops
Girling Mk IIB Brake Servo Kit (NOS) ↗
Sports & Classics· $249.95 USD
Lotus/Ford Girling Rear Wheel Cylinder Kit (NOS) ↗Sports & Classics· $49.95 USD
Volvo P1800S/122S Front Brake Pad Set (Girling/Mintex NOS) ↗Sports & Classics· $49.95 USD - NOS Girling brake master cylinder
Fitted during the later rebuild
In the shopsGirling Mk IIB Brake Servo Kit (NOS) ↗Sports & Classics· $249.95 USD
Girling Tandem Brake Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit ↗Sports & Classics· $79.95 USD
Brake Master Cylinder Seals Repair Kit (Ford Escort Mk1 Twin Cam, Mexico & RS1600) ↗
Other Classic Car Parts Wolseley 1500 Saloon Car Parts· £9.00 GBP
Electrical 2
- Original Ford rocker switchesBogdan (eBay)
Refurbished including re-chroming and new pictograms
In the shops
Genuine Ford Escort MK1/2 Interior Courtesy Light Switches (Pair, NOS) ↗
Evans & Son Rally Spares· £72.72 GBP
Original Steel Rocker Cover ↗MGbits4U· £66.10 GBP
- NOS rear heated window loom
Fitted during the later engine-out rebuild
In the shops
Rear Window, Heated ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,261.35 USD
Heated Rear Window Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $59.95 USD
Heated Rear Window Harness ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
Tools & Workshop 1
- Gateros plating kitGateros plating
Used to zinc plate small parts like door strikers
Other 1
- NOS Ford Mexico speedo cable
Fitted as a correct replacement part
In the shops
Ford Escort Mk1 Door Repair Panel (Mexico, RS, Twin Cam) ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £19.09 GBPAutomec Copper Brake Pipe Set Kit (Ford Escort Mexico Mk1, RHD) ↗Motorsport-Tools· £131.12 GBP
Automec Copper Brake Pipe Set Kit (Ford Escort Mexico Mk1, RHD) ↗
Photos
400 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from my MK1 MEXICO. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
Jerrytom161 · 2017-01-28T10:46:49Z 23this post at my MK1 MEXICO ↗
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Jerrytom161 · 2019-10-30T20:19:17Z 1this post at my MK1 MEXICO ↗
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How it was done
Starting condition
The Mexico was found in a corner of a local bodyshop and bought as a restoration project after the owner was persuaded to sell his MGB GT. The engine, said to have been overhauled, turned out to have badly scored bores, and many parts such as the heater casing, wiper switch and brake servo were damaged or missing.
Drivetrain and chassis rebuild
The gearbox was rebuilt with a new main shaft, bearings and seals, keeping a fitted Milton short shift. The back axle's TranX LSD was reset, later replaced by a Quaife ATB diff. Struts were overhauled with new Gaz inserts, rear leaf springs renewed, and the steering rack and pedal box fully stripped and refurbished.
Engine rebuild
The engine was stripped down and found to need boring and sleeving due to score marks, with the head skimmed and fitted with hardened seats and GT valves, a reground balanced crank, and a mild road camshaft. It was mated to the gearbox and refitted along with a serviced carburettor.
Body, interior and finishing
Bodywork pieces including wings, bootlid, bumper and fuel tank were refitted, along with the interior, dashboard, instrument binnacle and rocker switches, many of which were repaired or professionally refurbished. The car passed its first MOT after three and a half years of work and was reclassified to historic tax.
Second engine rebuild
Years later the car developed worsening oil pressure problems despite trying different oil pumps. The engine was removed and sent for a full strip and rebuild, during which it was returned closer to original specification, with NOS parts fitted including a Girling servo, master cylinder, heated window loom and Mexico inlet manifold.
Later use and sale
After the second rebuild the car passed another MOT and was used on dry days. The owner later researched its history, learning it had been an AVO promotional car, but due to a back injury limiting his ability to drive it, he eventually sold the Mexico through KGF Classics.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at my MK1 MEXICO ↗
Worth knowing
- An engine previously described as overhauled should still be fully inspected before trusting it, as scored bores were found beneath a claimed rebuild.
- Chasing high oil pressure with different oil pumps did not fix an underlying engine fault, a full strip down was needed instead.
- A sportex exhaust system with high-routed headers caused excess heat in the engine bay, melting a rocker cover decal.