If you enjoyed my main event coverage from Malaysia’s Art of Speed show, that’s a good thing. It’s good because I haven’t even shown you my favourite picks from the event yet – I’ve selfishly kept them to myself, but only because I wanted to share them with you in far more detail.
To get the ball rolling let’s take a look at this Fast And Furious 6 inspired Ford Escort Mk1, which as you have probably seen in the opening shot, has given up its factory-spec four banger for something with double the cylinders.
Even the paint scheme isn’t enough to keep your eyes from automatically peering into the engine bay and finding something way too Japanese looking to be powering an old Escort.
The Toyota 1UZ-FE quad cam V8 fills up the space under the bonnet rather well, and with no apparent fitting issues. Even the stock intake plenum and plastic engine cover are retained.
It actually looks tighter than it really is, and both exhaust manifolds still have room to spare from hitting the chassis. Perhaps enough space for a future twin turbo setup?
The exterior of the Escort has been beefed-up with some flared arches front and rear, and classic 8-spoke style wheels running Hankook Ventus TD semi slicks at the front and some radials at the rear. Sounds like a bit of a drift setup, doesn’t it?
The same two-tone colouring scheme has been carried over into the interior, brightening things up quite a lot. But it isn’t the white seats, nor the leather work on the dashboard that grabs your attention – it’s what’s sprouting out of the transmission tunnel.
I’m still rather confused as to why the 1UZ was dropped into the car along with its Celsior-spec 4-speed automatic. It seems to go against the whole feel of a lightweight ’70s rear-wheel drive car, but that’s also what makes it unique I guess.
It all makes for one of the most memorable MK1s I’ve ever come across – albeit confusing due to the transmission choice. But maybe the owner just wanted to build a cruiser with decent levels of torque to play with. What do you guys think?
Dino Dalle Carbonare
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That ride height is pure perfection. So aggressively purposeful. I don't even care about the automatic anymore.
Not a Ford purist but that's one pointless auto install, it looks as if it gets a lot of manual shifting though judging by the scratches. Perhaps its half way through developement as it appears to need some finishing?
Different thats for sure. Shame about the auto, but it is what it is. I don't mind it.
What a shame. Nice tidy escort buggered by fashion - at least the inner panels haven't been hacked about. Halfords seat covers I take it?
Not knowing anything about the roads, laws or car culture in Malaysia, I don't know why anyone would turn an Escort into a cruiser. I wonder what a big, heavy, lazy V8 and 4 speed auto do for the Escorts' legendary wight balance and driving dynamics. If its torque you're after wouldn't a 2.4l Honda F20C stroker be better?
Maybe the owner wanted an escort with a V8 or it's just a Hard Parking show car. That interior is pretty sweet though.
Waits for owner to explain........
So nice to see a escort styled differentley.Here in the uk its the so called south london look that we have shoved down our throats and everyone seems to follow the same like a heard of sheep!!!
It does look like the bulkhead(firewall) has been modded and the slam panel has.
Nowt wrong with a cruiser better the the lumpy cam"d big carbed escorts that so many people over here rave about and have to trailer to the strip.
Trentworth heavy?? lazy?? which v8 are you taking about?
That oldschool air conditioner is the single most awesome feature of this build.
Trentworth IT's about availability of parts. Getting a F20C is almost impossible, whereas any Toyota engine you want is readily available...
@cann I'm talking about the Toyota 1UZ-FE. It weighs about 215kgs, redlines at 6200 and 90% of its torque is available at below 2000rpm. If you've ever driven any of the 400 Lexus cars, you know that they hate revving hard, they're happier sitting at low rpms.
SachaAlbarda I don't know much about the Honda tuning scene, so I thought getting an F20C isn't any particular headache. And out of the Toyota bunch I don't think a 1UZ is the one to have, maybe a 3S out of an Altezza.
I'll tell you why its still a 4 speed automatic; LAZINESS. I swapped a 1UZ into my Datsun 280z and converted the engine to a manual 5 speed, and that was the most expensive part of the build.
That's got "WHOA, SHIT!!!" written all over it.
Noooo thanks. Swing and a miss on the styling, and an auto? Pls
Oh no! What did they do to that poor little Escort
Putaboxinit No headrest ...
Diggin it. Personally would've went with an inline 4 turbo setup, but this is different. Wouldn't mind seeing video of the performance.
Always loved Mk1 Escorts and especially of the Bubble - Arch variety, and this is no exception. Everything about it just screams awesome, but not a major fan of the automatic but hey who cares!
that engine bay is entirely too bright for me.. holy crap..
turbom Agreed, so bored of the samey looking Mk1/Mk2 Escorts in the UK. Same is happening with the Mk1 Fiestas, no one does anything different. You can go to classic ford shows and see lines of basically the same car in different colours, people don't even seem to bother trying to find different wheels, just the same old RS 4 spokes, lotus/mexico steels or minilites.
As for this car though, leaving the auto box I guess is down to laziness/availability of parts? A friend of mine has an AE86 with a 1UZ, running a W57 manual box on an adapter plate, custom lightweight flywheel and MR2 turbo clutch IIRC
Trentworth SachaAlbarda Having been in a lightweight 80's RWD car with a bone stock 1UZ and manual box, it's safe to say they're real lively!
AUTO? Maaaaate that's not cool in a car like this... what a shame
yay! i know you will feature this car dino. i was so amazed seeing the v8 in the engine bay, i end up taking photos of the undercarriage. just curious how things went under there, hehe
curiosityx That skinny little licorice-diff is why they kept the auto!
@bpm curiosityx Yeah good point! Makes more sense now:)
kphillips9936 Yeah want to hear the soundtrack!
econti Hey, it's different!
Nate Spring What transmission did you end up running?
SnoozinRichy LOL
JayPearson turbom It doesn't hurt to be different, that's true, and the reason I decided to spotlight this particular car
the_escape_road Hopefully he'll be along shortly
JayPearson Trentworth SachaAlbarda 3S, yum:)
Maart3n Does sit well yes
speedhunters_dino It is, but different is not always good. With an engine bay that wasn't yellow, a manual box and a tasty sounding exhaust I'd be much more receptive tho
econti speedhunters_dino Dont get me wrong , mate, you described your escort, not theirs (and you`re right to think like that)
Please build it and show us also ! =D
Loved the concept, crazy choice for the auto (that mustang engined RWD caddy wasnt an auto at some point too? that thing was amazing) but i think i might be able to understand it... I dont know why but i always relate big v8 with auto transmissions to american muscle... perhaps the owner wanted to pay this homage too...
Nice but ditch the plastic engine covers. Let's see some bare metal.
speedhunters_dino the_escape_road Im not the owner but ive read the magazine feature.The owner used the stock trans because the 1UZ doesnt come with a manual trans and its easier than rigging a manual trans that cost a lot to install.Uses the Crown Majesta stock drum brakes,Hilux rear axle(famous for being able to withstand a lot of abuse of power) and uses an custom Isuzu Trooper longshaft.Silvia S15 adjustables rear lowering block and Silvia S13 brakes
As someone who has a manual 1uzfe Celica Supra, needs more manual!
I would surely take this Escort for a long drive, thank you very much :))
mbretschneider speedhunters_dino I'm busy throwing money at my E30, but once that's done I might just pick up an Escort.
Exterior of this one is mint, interior I can dig. Just the engine bay colour and auto I'm not a fan of.
But if I was doing mine it'd be a classic racer style, so caged, the vintage Corbeau lowback buckets with headrest pad on the cage crossbar, Superlites, and a YB cosworth to back it up.
One day...
It's not really that heavy even in the absolute sense. For 250 bhp/260 lb-ft you could do a lot worse. The engine is pretty snappy, especially if you have extractors fitted, and it revs cleanly. Granted, it doesn't scream to the limiter like a 2JZGE VVTi, but it's not that slow. I've had both in my Pajero, and I'm not missing the 2JZ at all.
speedhunters_dino econti Tar and feathering the car would e different too.
JayPearson turbom Kinda contridicting my self here but i do like the 4 spokes but only 6" ones not those awful copys that every man and the post man has on his van too.Have a mk1 myself and a fiesta mk1 in the family so a bit of a ford head but love to see the jap engine transplants my mk1 has a little 1.8 zvh turbo to go in it,different from the usal cossie turbo.
Samiur Rahman a 2JZ Pajero?! My brother you are mad in the best possible way.
FORD fans might not like this idea! LOL
speedhunters_dino, here you go...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC2rvBE8VkQ
video of this escort start up...old video
https://www.facebook.com/RetroHavocMalaysia/videos/551766404943363/
speedhunters_dino curiosityx Yikes... rough. Brake lines and fuel lines just hanging out.
Hope your not saying my 7.5 four spokes are copies mate ,the ones on my blue mk1 are pure 100%genuine 1975ford pack alloys . It's easy to spot the fakes no lettering in the spokes
This was with the 2JZ. A bit of a tight fit if I'm honest
This is post 1UZ transplant. Need to clean it up a bit. Buy it's running.
AprilexHK speedhunters_dino the_escape_road in the picture posted in the comments it's running a standard Mk1 Escort axle
Trentworth 3S is awkward to fit because of it's sump layout and overall height, I was going to do it as I have 1 spare but it was too much hassle
mk2glenn im not sure whether he used a stock MK1 axle or a toyota hilux axle but in the magazine he told that it used hilux axles but physically the axles just look the same or im wrong..
Trentworth because owner already have his red gtr to run faster, he just use this ford to cruising town and joining events. he got various of cool machines. celica ta28, datsun 240z, toyota ke30 coupe with n2 bodykits, and he already sell his evo 7 convert to evo 9.
the car was very good
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StreetStatik I read an article about this Ford on a local tuners' magazine, and the reason why the owner has decided to put the automatic in is simply because the owner doesn't want to deal with the headache of finding a suitable manual gearbox that would fit the V8, since the 1UZ-FE was never available with a manual.
kphillips9936 some owners here did that. Usually that would be the Nissan CA18DET and SR20DET.