1977 Mk2 Zakspeed Escort. Rebuilding my pride and joy.

[Zakspak]

Fuse box
Got a few of these stashed away. The one fitted with the loom is good but has a chip out of the plastic flange underneath. This one was really manky with some corrosion, dirt and grime and rusty stains on the clear plastic cover ( not sure how that happened) but undamaged.
Little bit of TLC and it’s come up nice.
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Found a set of original screws and spacers that are in good condition to so this will be fitted tomorrow.
Got a couple of black plastic covers so I’ll clean up one of those to finish it off.

[Zakspak]

Found a problem with one of the wings whilst moving things around. A little blister, but after digging into it was left with this. Seems some of the filler not bonded properly. Maybe reacted to the original paint, or maybe poorly mixed, not sure. Glad we went to primer only for fitting out/building because this would have been a bigger pain in the arse if it was fully painted.
I’ve dug the filler out and sanded back to where it’s all solid then a little further just to be sure. Taken all the paint off to the primer and then a coat of resin just as belt and braces. I’ll leave this to go off for a couple of days before a skim of filler and primer
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I’ve had a couple of little blemishes pop up on the nose cone too, nothing like this though, again better now than after top coat paint.

[Zakspak]

Started cleaning inside of the bonnet frame to remove the old ziebart/wax oil coating. Probably should have done this earlier
It was all in primer from the body shop. The outside had been bare metalled and zinc primed, I couldn’t remember what I’d done with the inside. I noticed a little blister like blemish on part of the frame and having a poke at it found unprepared white paint underneath. Not good.
Not sure why this has happened but it can’t be ignored, so out with the wire discs and surface conditioning pads. Seems it was just one small patch where the primer hadn’t bonded, however Ford had included thier surface rust package hidden underneath the factory seam sealer
All cleaned up, sanded back, the paint in the centre of the panels is totally sound so left that, excess seam sealer removed along with any surface rust spots. Belt and braces coat of rust converter. Ready for a new coat of primer some point over the next few days

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[Zakspak]

Day spent doing 2k primer.
Bonnet done, much happier with this now.
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Wing repair done
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Plus some touch ups on the nose cone and other wing. Thinking of refitting the wings, nose cone and bonnet in the next week, and painting the visible inside surfaces of the doors. Seems to make sense as the cabin is done in 2k white rather than the base and clear for the exterior. I’ll probably do the same on the inside of the boot lid. The bonnet will have to be base and clear to match the engine bay.

[Zakspak]

Little update. Not managed a great deal. Bonnet is painted inside. I used 2k in the frame and base and clear across the panel. The 2k is easier to paint in the frame. Initially I brush painted into the awkward areas the spray wouldn’t reach.
There’s a few nibs in the clear which I’ll polish out once it’s had a week or so the harden. It’s been a time consuming job but I’m pleased with the result.

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Hope to have the doors finished this week and I can get them and the bonnet refitted.

[alladdin]

do the strait 2k and the base / clear look obviously different ?

[beeRS]

You did a good job getting paint inside the frame openings like that.

[Zakspak]

do the strait 2k and the base / clear look obviously different ?

Hi Aladdin,
Not obvious. If you painted 2 panels next to each other than yes, mainly because of the finish. That’s the reason I’ve used the base and clear under the bonnet, because the engine bay is base and clear, as the outside of the car will be. In the cabin through to the boot it’s 2K. So on the doors I’ve used 2k but taken it to a natural break along the seam sealer where the door skin is folded. I’ll highlight this when I post the next update with pics.
Because the 2k is in the frame it doesn’t really stand out other than being not as shiny. Doing a decent job with clear and base in the frame would have been well beyond my skill level and I wanted full coverage in there including the places you can’t see, which is why a fair amount of the frame interior was first done by hand using brushes and pads adapted onto steel wire to get the angles.

[Zakspak]

do the strait 2k and the base / clear look obviously different ?

Hi Aladdin,
Not obvious. If you painted 2 panels next to each other than yes, mainly because of the finish. That’s the reason I’ve used the base and clear under the bonnet, because the engine bay is base and clear, as the outside of the car will be. In the cabin through to the boot it’s 2K. So on the doors I’ve used 2k but taken it to a natural break along the seam sealer where the door skin is folded. I’ll highlight this when I post the next update with pics.
Because the 2k is in the frame it doesn’t really stand out other than being not as shiny. Doing a decent job with clear and base in the frame would have been well beyond my skill level and I wanted full coverage in there including the places you can’t see, which is why a fair amount of the frame interior was first done by hand using brushes and pads adapted onto steel wire to get the angles.

[Zakspak]

You did a good job getting paint inside the frame openings like that.

Thanks beeRs, it’s been very time consuming but I’m happy with it. Looking into all the frame you have to have a sharp eye to catch any areas that aren’t white. As per my previous hand painting and then spraying was the key after hours of prep.
Looking forward to get the doors and bonnet done and fitted and I’ll be able to drive it out of the garage for the first time since I drove it in back in September 1993. Then it’s sorting out going for paint

[Zakspak]

Doors done.
This has taken far longer than I expected, although it’s been done along with the bonnet and the initial job evolved from just painting the inside of the doors.
Paint is 2k both white and black. I’ve put in a good few hours of flatting and polishing
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There’s been a lot of masking and if I’d planned to do all this from the get go it probably would have been quicker doing things in a different order
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The satin black has come out shinier than I expected.
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Not sure why, played about with air pressure and times between coats. The separate upright frames that I painted previously have a better sheen. Not going to worry about it anymore now. Can always use a satin clear coat to match it all in when the exterior paint is done.

Next up, put some extra sound deadening in the doors, fit the looks, then get the bonnet, wings, doors back on. I may not fit the drop window mechanisms yet and do that after it’s back from paint. ?? Still got the inside of the bot lid to paint but I might not have enough white left for doing it all, but can get the inside of the frame done.

[Zakspak]

Door sound deadening fitted, definitely made a difference even with the factory pad still there. I’ve put a strip along the top of the door and 2 extra pads each end of the factory pad.

[GrahamU]

should stop the rattles a bit

[Tom escort mkii]

With the front suspension fitted it’s time to turn back to the engine bay.
1st fit the dipstick tube. This took a bit of work. It’s in 2 parts and the main tube should drop into the sump fitting with the last couple of mm being tapped down to make an interference fit which allows for correct positioning, then there’s the top support bracket that’s supposed to pull up and apply a little tension to the tube… simple. Unfortunately the bottom of the top tube was all interference fit. So out with the fine file and emery cloth and work the tube down to fit the way it’s supposed to. Then the top bracket, it’s been folded the wrong way, so straighten it and fold it correctly, but the fold point is critical so it needs some thought and care. A 10 minute job takes 2 hours.
Attachment 89022
Next fill up the engine oil. I’m moving to another major moment !!
Connect the ignition switch plug to the loom…. Bugger fitted the ignition plug wrong way round quick fix to swop it around.
Check all electrical connections, remove tape from inlet ports, remove bungs from spark plug sockets, final check for free movement of the engine with socket and ratchet on the main pulley. Check check check, prep for an electrical fire, just in case
Connect battery.

Ignition on
Attachment 89023
Engine spun over fine.
There’s a video but unfortunately despite my best efforts I can’t upload it here.
I thought I had an issue with the ignition barrel/switch as the engine turned over before the ignition light came on, fortunately a simple fix, I accidentally switched the ignition live and the starter motor feed pins around when I turned the plug around.

המצלמה

Hear it again Tom, an amazing project! Waiting to see him at the end! My father's Escort also has progress, all the lights on the dashboard work, including the signals, and we did half a turn, the drive makes a stunning noise, the next step is to drive it after 20 years

[Tom escort mkii]

With the front suspension fitted it’s time to turn back to the engine bay.
1st fit the dipstick tube. This took a bit of work. It’s in 2 parts and the main tube should drop into the sump fitting with the last couple of mm being tapped down to make an interference fit which allows for correct positioning, then there’s the top support bracket that’s supposed to pull up and apply a little tension to the tube… simple. Unfortunately the bottom of the top tube was all interference fit. So out with the fine file and emery cloth and work the tube down to fit the way it’s supposed to. Then the top bracket, it’s been folded the wrong way, so straighten it and fold it correctly, but the fold point is critical so it needs some thought and care. A 10 minute job takes 2 hours.
Attachment 89022
Next fill up the engine oil. I’m moving to another major moment !!
Connect the ignition switch plug to the loom…. Bugger fitted the ignition plug wrong way round quick fix to swop it around.
Check all electrical connections, remove tape from inlet ports, remove bungs from spark plug sockets, final check for free movement of the engine with socket and ratchet on the main pulley. Check check check, prep for an electrical fire, just in case
Connect battery.

Ignition on
Attachment 89023
Engine spun over fine.
There’s a video but unfortunately despite my best efforts I can’t upload it here.
I thought I had an issue with the ignition barrel/switch as the engine turned over before the ignition light came on, fortunately a simple fix, I accidentally switched the ignition live and the starter motor feed pins around when I turned the plug around.

Hear it again Tom, an amazing project! Waiting to see him at the end! My father's Escort also has progress, all the lights on the dashboard work, including the signals, and we did half a turn, the drive makes a stunning noise, the next step is to drive it after 20 years

[Zakspak]

Little update, finally got the doors, bonnet and nose cone back on and set her down on wheels again.
Had a little issue aligning the bonnet, but not sure what is off, it’s only 1-2mm, the only thing that’s changed is fitting the lightweight hinges
Next step hopefully over the next few days is to drive it out the garage and turn it around. Potentially the first drive since September 1993
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Running out of excuses for not booking her in for paint

[rallyrob]

Looking good.

[beeRS]

Great work . That first drive in 31 years should bring a tear to your eye.

[Zakspak]

Great work . That first drive in 31 years should bring a tear to your eye.

Planning to do the drive out of the garage tomorrow now, and the body shop checked in to see how I was getting on, which is kind of good timing, so waiting to hear back on potential dates for paint.

[Zakspak]

First drive today after 31 years.
Reversed out the garage, 3 point turn and forward and back on the drive and reversed back in to the garage!!
Went around and checked everything before starting. Found several weeps around the brake system, all sorted by nipping up the joints. Everything thing else was fine. Start was ok, but took a couple of goes because of a low idle.
Clutch needs attention as it only needs a very small amount of pedal to disengage
Fuel pump runs with a high pitch that seems louder than the engine at idle and was picked up on the camera in the garage even with the car outside
Car was sitting high on the rear passenger side quarter, but no sure why, so loosened that leaf spring front and back and disconnected the Panhard Rod, put some ballast in the boot and some more back and forth on the drive before retightening everything seems to have sorted it mostly.
Think the inside of the bonnet might need some heat shield lining as it got fairly hot during the running
Camera picked up a really nice exhaust note when the throttle was blipped.
Overall a successful day and a major milestone

[oldskooler]

brilliant stuff....it must have been a great buzz even moving it about after all this time!!

[Tom escort mkii]

Hey friend, wow, amazing trip after 31 years! Soon I will have my first drive after 20 years, hopefully this week

[Paul Finn]

Looks brilliant, Peter and it come along way since I saw it in your garage

[Tom escort mkii]

Great work . That first drive in 31 years should bring a tear to your eye.

Hear it again Tom, an amazing project! Waiting to see him at the end! My father's Escort also has progress, all the lights on the dashboard work, including the signals, and we did half a turn, the drive makes a stunning noise, the next step is to drive it after 20 years

thanks buddy ! Unfortunately, there are no Escort 2-door mk2 left in my country. As of today, the only one that is approved to drive with this legal license of my father's has another one, but it has been rotting in the yard for several years, also xpack

[GrahamU]

Looks great, but how hard was it to resist taking it up the road just once