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A local auto disrepair/stealership has a pretty rough 93 escort wagon for sale with 700 on the windshield, I think I can talk him down some.
What has me thinking about it as a challenge project is because it's a 5 speed, a beater, and I love wagons. I know that there's all sorts of swappabilities possible.
So I ask of you, if you were building this thing as a challenge/cheap runabout with some fun factor, WW92celicahalftracD?
Step 1: Talk them down. Talk them down some more. I paid $700 for my clean-ish 93 GT, and i overpaid.
Step 2: Remove motor/trans/engine harness/ecu
Step 3: Put something else in there. 
KL 2.5 V6, FE3 2.0 i4, BP 1.8 i4, whatever you want, really. None are hard.
Step 4: Make it handle. Don't bother going as full stupid as i did with mine, just get some good bushings in there, strut bars (they work in these cars), springs and struts of your choice. You won't get much wider than 205s under the stock bodywork. Stick with 15" wheels.
Step 5: Make it stop. If it has drums in the back, grab a brake setup off of a GT. If it has the smaller brakes up front, grab the setup off of a GT. You'll need the hub to go with it, as the "large" and "small" brakes both use the same calipers, just spaced for bigger rotors in the case of the large.
If it were me personally doing this thing... I'd be heading to a junkyard looking for a 2.5 V6 from a Millenia (KLG4), transmission from a V6 Probe GT or MX3 GS, transmission crossmember and all four motor mounts from said MX3 GS, and then building a megasquirt. Boost optional. Should dip 13s without boost without much work.
Either depower the stock rack, or swap for a 323 manual rack. Save weight, space, and the steering ratio of the stock rack is ridiculous anyways. I'll be running a depowered MX3 rack in mine, but that may be a bit too tight in the end.
Then i'd talk to CGHstang and see how his experiment in fitting MX6/Probe struts to the Escort worked out. If that worked well, i'd be grabbing some Tokico Illuminas for the front, and HPs for the back, throw on some Megan Racing Springs. Go have a blast. 
$700 for a rough escort is way too much. My rallyx beater EGT was $400 and the '91 pony that I drove for a summer was $275 plus auction fees.
Gut it thoroughly, get creative with a welder and some chassis bracing, bolt on suspension, and DSM turbo on the stock engine if it's healthy enough.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:Step 1: Talk them down. Talk them down some more. I paid $700 for my clean-ish 93 GT, and i overpaid.
cghstang wrote:$700 for a rough escort is way too much. My rallyx beater EGT was $400 and the '91 pony that I drove for a summer was $275 plus auction fees.
Hee hee, I guess that is why it is called a stealership :P
$2012, or Lemons, or chumpcar?
On the other hand... pretty much anything that runs and drives these days is "worth" $1000.
If it's solid, but ugly, i wouldn't balk at $500 taking into consideration today's used car prices.
Keep in mind, southern kentucky isn't too bad about rust either.
Are you actively looking for an Escort? Or just really... anything?
If you were two months earlier, i passed up a 94 LX in nice shape, was that awesome purple, had a dead motor. Could have had it for scrap value, i passed, it went to junkyard.
Seriously, for these purposes, would be worth looking for one that ran out of oil. Get it for $100, get crackin'.
MILLER CYCLE! Do it. Supercharged!
mndsm wrote:MILLER CYCLE! Do it. Supercharged!
Dear lord NO.
No I just stumbled upon this one and it piqued my interest for being a manual trans wagon
Somewhat common, actually...
Get it! I want to start a revolution!
You guys are not helping my boosted wagon pipe dreams here.
Appleseed wrote:You guys are not helping my boosted wagon pipe dreams here.
Do you want to go quick, fast, or "holy E36 M3 let me out of this thing?"
Is the FE3 really that easy of a drop-in for BG chassis cars? Where are the mounts and stuff coming from, and what trans?
pres589 wrote:Is the FE3 really that easy of a drop-in for BG chassis cars? Where are the mounts and stuff coming from, and what trans?
Depends how "right" you want to do it.
I believe it needs one custom mount, though i think they figured out on ClubProtege where you could get it, and someone else is/was working on getting one of the vendors to make the swap mount in case you couldn't find it in a junkyard.
A lot of guys are running it using BP harness and ECU. I don't agree with this, so go megasquirt.
The trans, they're using a G-series. I'd have to look up which one, exactly.
cghstang wrote:Gut it thoroughly, get creative with a welder and some chassis bracing, bolt on suspension, and DSM turbo on the stock engine if it's healthy enough.
That. I'm in the market for an Escort to rally with. I'll likely leave it stock with some sawzall modifications and welder braces.
You want some rally-spec control arms for it? 
http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Categories?category=91-96+Ford+Escort%3ASu...
He makes fronts, too. I have a set. 
BoostedBrandon wrote:No I just stumbled upon this one and it piqued my interest for being a manual trans wagon
Ive had two 5 speed wagons.
Joey
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:You want some rally-spec control arms for it?
http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Categories?category=91-96+Ford+Escort%3ASu...
He makes fronts, too. I have a set.
Your search for "91-96 Ford Escort%3ASuspension" did not match any products that we carry.
Failed. Just click the Escort section on the navigation bar on the left.
We will just put that in our pocket and check it out when we are at a computer.
Gak!
jstein77 wrote:Gak!
LOL!! That's the identical setup that he runs on his road race car... it's not off the shelf KSport stuff, for the record.
His prices on his custom-spec Kontrol Pro setups are pretty reasonable.
Love me some Escort wagon! Paid $250 for a blown motor well maintained 95 wagon and spent $312 making it a great road car. Traded it to a drummer friend for a 97 Mountaineer (Explorer) that had flamed out on him. Got a 97 Aurora in the deal too.
Do you think I could make the Aurora stuff fit in the back of an Escort wagon?
$700? If it runs well, good tires, street legal and air blows cold, you might have a problem getting him down much. Rough? If he didn't bother to spend a few shekels to clean it up, start at $350!
Agreed with the bushings, strut bars, good shocks and tire/wheel combo. Might go with a stiffer front sway bar and some lowering. Can't tell you about balancing the front to rear bars and springs, but my 91 likes soft springs and big bar up front and stiff springs with stock bar in the back. Change the shifter bushings first..they are always shot so make sure the dealer sees your sour face when you wiggle the shifter.
Can be a hoot to drive, but power only be adequate unless you turbo or swap in more motor.
Bruce
P.S. Pink, purple or blue are the fun colors..red and white are sleeper cars but the red buffs out wonderfully!
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:Appleseed wrote:You guys are not helping my boosted wagon pipe dreams here.
Do you want to go quick, fast, or "holy E36 M3 let me out of this thing?"
Yes.
