MKIII ESCORT XR3 AND XR3i - Fast Ford

fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / ESCORT XR3 & ’3i /
...AND FINALLY
THIS ONE’S MINE
You need a bit of luck when it comes
to finding top-notch fast Fords and
few know that as well as Phil
Birchall, the owner of this ultra-tidy
Titan Blue XR3.
Having a Y-reg XR3i restoration
project already, Phil wasn’t looking
for another XR until he stumbled
across the 1982 XR3 on the XROC
website a couple of months ago,
which he just couldn’t resist. In fact,
it was his mate who saw it first but
when he passed it by, Phil stepped in
to snap up the five-speeder for £500.
“It was a great buy even without
an MoT,” explains 32-year-old Phil, a
lifelong fan of all things XR related.
“The Escort’s had just one lady
owner, has a full history for its
102,000 miles, and never been
welded.”
HOW MUCH?
Muck on strut tops is in
fact Ziebart — good stuff!
0 1 5 6 FEBRUARY 2006 FAST FORD
While the majority of surviving
XR3s need a little tlc from a Mig,
Phil’s happy to say that there’s not
even a bubble on it, no doubt having
something to do with the XR3 being
Ziebarted from new and still having
the factory wax protection evident
on the inner wings.
Phil’s smitten with the Escort
and even a busted clutch ratchet
has done little to dampen his
enthusiasm, even using the car
every day while his Escort Si is off
the road.
“I can’t say I’m a massive fan of
the Cloverleafs but the whole car is
great and I love the shape and
character of it,” he adds. “When I
was younger this was the car to
have and it’s nice that you can work
on it yourself, there’s no complicated
chip and if it won’t start then you
know it’s just a problem with the
fuel or the spark.”
Aside from a few period mods,
Phil’s plans for the Escort revolve
around showing it next year and
taking it along to any meets
organised by the North East XR
division. At the moment his is the
only XR3 in the group, but he’d
certainly recommend anyone
considering the car to join him in
the XR ownership experience.
“Everyone stares at the XR
when I drive it around out as
you just don’t see them any
more, but if you’re buying one
then check it thoroughly for
rust, especially around the
battery tray as this is the first
area to go,” Phil advises. Phil’s Titan Blue minter
£250-500
XR3s can be found for less than
this but generally these will only
be fit for spares. Worthwhile
project material starts at around
£250 and, if you’re lucky, you
might find a poorly but MoT’d
example for a couple of
hundred quid more.
£500-1000
Shop around as only a few
pounds separate a tatty car
from a good one. Don’t
Good condition cars
can be had for £1000
cost him just £500!
consider anything without an MoT
and if you’re spending a grand then
you should be driving away in a very
tidy motor.
£1000-2000+
The best XR3s and ’3is — especially
near the two grand mark. Rust
should be non-existent but the
service history should be extensive.
Concours cars might command a
higher price tag but if you’re
considering this kind of expenditure
then expect nothing less than A1
condition and low miles.
FACTS
The XR3i came with steel
wheels as standard, albeit with
Pepperpot-look trims, but the
vast majority of owners specified
the optional Cloverleafs. Nicer
looking, but the alloys were
strangely half an inch narrower
— 5.5x14 inch to the steel 6x14s.
Own a 1985 XR3? Then hang
onto it as according to official
sales figures, only two were sold
in this year.
At launch a standard XR3 retailed
for £5123, excluding road fun
licence, delivery and
numberplate charges.
The XR was a sales
phenomena — 11581 were
sold in 1981 and the model
accounted for over eight per cent
of the year’s total Escort sales.
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