Silver Escort Harrier

[BarneyGumble]

Here is my Escort Harrier in Silver. I previously had an Escort Cosworth but was lucky enough to find a fellow enthusiast who was happy to do a part exchange!



I think offering him an Escort Cosworth was the only way to get him out of the Harrier!
















As you can see it is overall great condition and was completely rebuilt about 8 years ago. So feel a little guilty posting in the Restorations and Projects section, however I have a few ‘improvements’ and ‘modifications’ planned!!!

Tech Spec :

LUE 492V
Registered 14th February 1980
4 Previous Owners
Completely restored with many new parts at 104k miles.

Engine
2.0 16V ZETEC ‘Silver Top’
Twin 45 DCOE Weber Carbs
Facet Red Top High Flow Fuel Pump and Pressure Regulator
OMEX Electronic Ignition with Coil Pack conversion
Retroford Oil Cooler
Retroford 4 Branch Manifold
Retroford 2 1/4” Exhaust System

Transmission
Type 9 5 Speed Manual Gearbox
Quick Shift Gear Lever
Zetec Flywheel adapted for Type 9 Paddle Clutch
Single Piece Propshaft
RS2000 English Axle with RS Anti Tramp Bars
Trans X (Quaife) LSD (3.54 ratio)

Steering
RS2000 Rack

Suspension
Spax Adjustable Coil Overs
Fully poly bushed
Front : RS2000 hubs (Adapted for Coil Overs)
Aluminium Adjustable top mounts
Anti-Dive Kit
Rear : 2” Lowering Blocks and de-cambered leaf springs.

Brakes
Bias Pedal Box with braided lines
Front : AP 4 Pot Calipers
Vented and Drilled discs with EBC Green Stuff Pads
Rear : RS2000 9” drums

Wheels & Tyres
6x13 RS 4 Spokes (Centre of spokes painted Ford ‘Dove Grey’)
175 70 R13 Tyres

Bodywork
Stratos Silver with Unique 3 tone Blue body stripes c/w bonnet and boot decals.
RS Boot Spoiler
Remote control driver’s door mirror in black
Bronze Triplex tinted glass
Front black quarter bumpers

Interior
Recaro Fishnet front seats in Black Beta cloth with matching rear seat
RS Steering Wheel
Dashboard clocks incorporating rev counter (Orange Needles)
Centre console c/w P21 LW/MW Ford pushbutton radio and analogue clock.
Sports gear knob


Hoping to tax from May so got a month to do the following.

New battery, it is in the boot so wanted a fair size one to ensure it always starts. Get a good deal on the trade batteries at work :





Service Parts:
Oil and Filter change
Brake fluid change
Cam belt and tensioner change
Coolant change
Ordered the parts from Ford online so also went for a genuine first aid kit and a warning triangle…..just in case!







Then….fit an air filter! Went for the Retroford one





Still not sure what to do with the wheels, keep looking at the 15” RS 4 spokes. Will of course retain the originals if I do go down this route.



Also need to get some rear belts fitted so the kids can go in.



Other things to do which will probably happen after May is refit the original spot lamps and wire them in and still thinking what to do with the radio.

….Oh and I really like the BDA style cover and I also want some black hoses!



During the cold dark days of winter I spent many hours on Ebay and managed to get a couple of original brochures to go into frames for the garage and also eventually found a silver Trofeu Harrier!

So I’ve now got the Trofeu Harrier in Silver and White and also the Corgi one as well!







Other things I bought were a couple of Haynes Manuals….1 for the Mk2 Escort and 1 for an early Mondeo so I can do the timing belt!

[Duffer]

Go on Paul, you know you want to fit the 15" wheels....

Seriously amazing condition of car, looking forward to seeing this at a show or in a magazine over the summer

[Blower]

Nice example youve got

... 15" wheels

[spanner1]

Mine from back in the 90s !!

[BarneyGumble]

Well after the positive comments for the 15"s I decided to order a set!





Would love to get them redone in dove grey like the originals. But a bit short on time and cash and seems a shame to redo a brand new set of wheels.
A good friend of mine has got me some Avon tyres 195 50 R15s

[BarneyGumble]

So yesterday as the weather was so nice I put the Harrier on axle stands to replace the wheels, change the brake fluid and give it a good wash in preparation for a polish in the garage this week.

Also gave it a wash underneath and under bonnet, not that it really needed it!

This was my first real look over it since I bought it! Pleasantly surprised, didn't find much work, just had a couple of brake nipple rubbers missing.

Take off in a Harrier.....


Brake Fluid change





Wheel change





Planning on giving it a polish in the week and fit the air filter and then next weekend is oil filter, spark plugs and cam belt change.

Hopefully will be already to tax it for the 1st May!

[DANGERDAVE80]

Thats a cracking looking motor mate, fair play!

[donnie]

What size are the wheels as they really fill the arches

[BarneyGumble]

What size are the wheels as they really fill the arches

Yes, they do fill the arches....! Just how I wanted it!

Wheels are 7x15 and the tyres are 195 50 R15

[BarneyGumble]

Thats a cracking looking motor mate, fair play!

Hello mate.

Thank you, just been reading your thread on your car.....little more involved than mine!!!

[DANGERDAVE80]

Cheers dude, I'm about ready for the road too, next couple weeks! It's only took me 8 1/2 years��

I'd love an original like yours, use it as a daily driver, really nice car mate!

[donnie]

Should have read the full thread rather than go straight to the end. Wheels look good on it and car is something else, must admit I think a Zetec looks right at home in the bay

[BarneyGumble]

Cheers dude, I'm about ready for the road too, next couple weeks! It's only took me 8 1/2 years��

I'd love an original like yours, use it as a daily driver, really nice car mate!

It is quite original on top but of course underneath and under the bonnet it is all modified. I think it offers the best of both worlds, old school looks with a bit of modern engineering.

Not to sure about being the daily driver. It doesn't have some of the creature comforts that I require from a daily such as a radio, electric windows and a normal clutch!

It will however see quite a bit of use through the summer. I live about 12 miles from work and a good mix of A and B roads a bit of motorway and a few lanes. So will take it when the weather is nice. Also hoping to use it at the weekends as well.

[DANGERDAVE80]

Im the same, ill use it as often as i can i.e. nice days and weekends, plenty fruity roads near me!
I think ill take it on the odd track day too but don't want to end up binning it cause of some fanny in a Corsa's rear ended me

You planning on having a little shot on a track with it?

[Duffer]

Wow, that looks very smart now with the new wheels!

[robrs2]

195/45 tyres a better size. Mine just catch with the suspension on compression and steering lock on, but my wheels have about 10mm more offset than yours. I have just ordered some 185/45R15 tyre to see if there better

[Duffer]

195/45 tyres a better size. Mine just catch with the suspension on compression and steering lock on, but my wheels have about 10mm more offset than yours. I have just ordered some 185/45R15 tyre to see if there better

What wheels did you put on yours, Image? Pic? Link?

[BarneyGumble]

195/45 tyres a better size. Mine just catch with the suspension on compression and steering lock on, but my wheels have about 10mm more offset than yours. I have just ordered some 185/45R15 tyre to see if there better

Hello Mate

I used a tyre calculator to try and keep the rolling resistance the same.

http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php...th=7&offset2=5

I did consider the 45 profile for clearance but I also I'm not keen on the rubber band look on these old cars. I think the 15"s on a 50 profile still have enough rubber showing.

Cheers

[BarneyGumble]

Im the same, ill use it as often as i can i.e. nice days and weekends, plenty fruity roads near me!
I think ill take it on the odd track day too but don't want to end up binning it cause of some fanny in a Corsa's rear ended me

You planning on having a little shot on a track with it?

I've never tried a track day but a few friends seem to enjoy them. Agree that it is the others on the track that would worry me. Doubt it will ever get driven in anger with me behind the wheel.

[robrs2]

Image split rims

[BarneyGumble]

Managed to get a few more jobs done at the weekend.

Plugs changed - Used the same NGK ones:


I was impressed that the Vauxhall ECOTEC special tool spark plug remover actually seemed to fit the ZETEC better!:


Oil and filter changed - Used genuine Ford Oil and Filter, however the old oil still looked pretty yellow on the way out:


Fitted seat belts and a new parcel shelf from Aldridge:


Old shelf:


All fitted:


Then turned my attention to the boot, when I bought the Harrier, the battery was in a box in the boot and it came with a boot carpet although not fitted.
So stripped it out, cleaned the floor and then fitted the carpet and then managed to screw the box through the carpet....took a bit of time to get the holes lined up!


Then fitted the battery box and also found another suitably sized black box at B&Q to put all my stuff in....tow rope....jump leads.....fuses etc.....I like to be prepared!


Got some old school Escort stickers from Ebay to put on the 2 boxes:



Was at the CV show at the NEC last week, spent a bit of time on the Ford stand and saw they had some spare Ford pens, so grabbed one for the console. Also added some anti slip mat there and in the glove box to stop things moving around:


Then managed a quick spin with the wife and kids. Did about 20 miles, car was faultless. Passengers commented on the loud carbs! diff whine and asked where the electric windows were???

Next jobs are to replace the cam belt and rollers now the tools have arrived and figure out what to do about an air filter after giving up on the RetroFord one.

Cheers

[needboost]

Those 15" rims look good... Will the 15x8 ones fit under the arches without modifying the fenders ?

[BarneyGumble]

I did change my mind a few times on whether to order the 15"s or not. But glad I did now! I was impressed with the ride quality as well. Thought it was going to be a lot worse.

I wouldn't think 8x15 would fit on my car, there isn't much room left on the rears at the outside between the tyre and the arch but I suppose you could play with off sets? Mine is quite a bit lower than standard which of course exaggerates the problem. I reckon there is probably only 10mm gap there.

[escortinadriver]

I'd normally think someone was mad to trade in a cossie....

However, you've done well.

Shaun

[BarneyGumble]

Well as the weather has been nice I've had the Harrier out a few times. Getting used to it now. The kids love being in the back.

Took it to the Vauxhall Heritage Centre Open Day on Sunday, got quite a bit of attention.



Next job is to sort the air filters out!

[Duffer]

Lower...
getrempic34.jpeg

[kizza]

Looks killa mate

[SMIFFYRS2000]

Nice to see its still alive and looking good still, I'm the guilty party that built it. Do still have loads of pic's of it when it turned up and know some of it's past history before i bought it if your interested at all. Paul.

[BarneyGumble]

Nice to see its still alive and looking good still, I'm the guilty party that built it. Do still have loads of pic's of it when it turned up and know some of it's past history before i bought it if your interested at all. Paul.

Hello Mate

Well I hope you like the recent modifications? I'm looking after it! It was all cleaned at the weekend and is now in the garage so I can do some more under bonnet tidying up. Hopefully it will be even better next year!

It would be great to have a chat and see whatever history you have on it. I have now compiled a fairly comprehensive history file but anything you can add would be great.

Cheers

Paul

[BarneyGumble]

Nice to see its still alive and looking good still, I'm the guilty party that built it. Do still have loads of pic's of it when it turned up and know some of it's past history before i bought it if your interested at all. Paul.

Hello mate. Any update on this? Be great to add to the history file!

Cheers

Paul