MK4 ESCORT CABRIOLET - Fast Ford

fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / MK4 ESCORT CAB / fasttech
BUYER’S GUIDE
MK4 ESCORT
CABRIOLET
Summer’s on the way: grab yourself a drop-top bargain
now in time to cruise the shows al fresco-style.
Words: Blakey
Photos: Gerard Hughes
ENTHUSED
by the fantastic reception to the
original Escort Cabriolet concept
at the 1981 Frankfurt show, Ford
announced the arrival of its
production version in December
1983. The finished model didn’t look
much different to the concept and
truth be told, Ford was much further
down the line with production
plans than it had let on, those in
the know spotted that the concept
was expertly finished with wellengineered
details.
Considering it was ‘almost
there’ at Frankfurt, two years
might seem a little long to realise
the specification of the completed
cabrio, but Ford’s SVE department
and co-builders Karmann knew it
had to be right.
Unsurprisingly, much of the
development work revolved around
restoring the loss in structural
rigidity when the roof was removed.
So, a pair of rails was added
beneath the floorpan alongside the
sills and extra metal was grafted
into the rear bulkhead area, the
latter making a shelf for the hood
as well as strengthening the shell.
The front and rear crossmembers
were braced together with the
front bulkhead and door upright
mounting posts.
A chunky roll-over hoop added
extra rigidity and passenger safety,
while the cabrio also featured
unique rear wings and speciallymade
bootlid. In fact, Ford claimed
that 80 per cent of the cabriolet’s
sheet metal was new.
IN DA HOOD
The double-skinned hood was
particularly noted for its quality and
fit and through clever design,
Ford was able to avoid a massive
hood ‘hump’ when the roof was
lowered down.
And despite the decent-sized
rear side windows though, Ford
couldn’t avoid the inevitable blind
spots that were produced when the
hood was raised.
Under the cabriolet’s bespoke
bodywork was the running gear
from the rest of the Escort range,
the initial line-up comprising of
1.3 and 1.6-litre carb’d versions
and the XR3i-influenced and
engined 1600i.
While Volkswagen stuck with
its Mk1 cabriolet when the model
evolved into the Mk2, Ford chose to
update the cabriolet when the Mk3
Escort gave way to the Mk4.
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fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / MK4 ESCORT CAB / fasttech
Rear wings and
bootlid are unique
to the Cabriolet
STYLE COUNCIL
Like its brethren, the 1986
cabriolet benefited from smoother,
more rounded styling and there
was also the option of the SCS
Lucas-Girling anti-lock braking
system. The 1.3-litre-engined Mk3
cabrio had never sold well, so in
facelifted Mk4 guise Ford offered
just two models — the 90 bhp
1.6-litre Ghia and 105 bhp XR3i
version.
Disappointing sales meant the
Ghia was dropped at the end of
1987 but while this model didn’t
Original wheels were
steels or latticespoke
alloys on the
XR3i. These are from
a later Escort Si
find favour with car buyers, they
couldn’t get enough of the opentop
XR3i.
The cabrio really looked the part
with the trademark XR bumpers,
driving lamps and ‘dogleg’ alloys
and even more pose value was
added in the winter of 1987 when
Ford announced the option of a
power-operated hood.
The options list continued to
grow with a Quickclear windscreen
and leather trim. Ford amalgamated
these desirable extras into limitededition
models. These cars included
the ‘All-White’, ‘Duo-Tone’ and the
commemorative ‘All-Blue’ model,
which appeared in spring 1990
and celebrated the production of
100,000 cabriolets.
KEEP ON RUNNING
Aside from the optional ABS and
minor changes to the suspension,
the running gear of the Mk4 XR3i
cabriolet was largely unaltered from
the earlier Mk3 1600i.
However, a significant change
came in 1989 when the Bosch
fuel injection was dropped in
favour of Ford’s own EEC-IV
fuel injection and engine
management. These later
XR3i cabriolets were easily
identifiable by the EFi logo
emblazoned on the castalloy
inlet manifold, and the
change included revisions
to the cylinder head and
camshaft timing, new plastic
sections to the air intake
induction running over the
rocker cover, altered manifold
and gas-flowed intake ports.
Ford did the work in the
interests of emissions and
enabling the Escort to run on
unleaded 95 octane fuel, but the
changes also gave an increase of 3
bhp, lifting peak power to 108 bhp.
The cabby had its flaws — the
boot was relatively small and it was
less powerful than the larger-engined
Golf GTi cabrio — but Ford hit upon a
winner with the Mk4.
If you needed any evidence of
just how good the Escort was as a
INFORMATION
HPI
Back in the day, the Escort Cabriolet
was a firm favourite with the illegal
car trade, its high demand and
strong values made it ripe for ringing
and cutting and shutting.
So, avoid getting yourself landed
with a moody example by stumping
up for an HPI check. It’ll cost you
£39.99 if you do it online at www.
hpi.co.uk or £42.95 if you want a
nice operator to conduct the check
over the phone on 01722 422422.
If you’re looking at splashing
nearly three grand on the very best
example, consider an independent
inspection. The RAC’s Essentials
Plus inspection costs £204.95 for
members and £227.95 for nonmembers.
A cheaper option is the
Essentials check, which highlights
any major accident damage and
“Enjoy open-top
motoring for as little as
a few hundred quid.”
complete package, then it’s the fact
that it sold so well without being a
particular bargain. Even the entrylevel
1.6-litre Ghia cost over £10,000
in 1986 and the price continued to
spiral over the years, culminating
in the 1990 All-Blue’s eye-watering
price of £16,500.
It’s a different story 16 years later
though. Values of the Mk4 cabrio
have hit rock bottom and you can
also covers overall mechanical and
structural condition. This check
costs £124.95 for members and
£134.95 for non-members. Call the
RAC on 0870 5333660 or log onto
www.rac.co.uk.
INSURANCE
Paul is 29-year-old mechanic from
High Wycombe. He wants to build
an RS Turbo-powered cabby for
the summer, so to get him on
the right track he’s picked up a
very nice and tidy 1988 E-reg
XR3i Cabriolet.
The Cat 2-alarmed Escort is
well taken care of being garaged
every night and although it’s his
daily driver, the cabriolet is going
to stay in pretty good shape as
Paul’s a very careful driver with
four years no claims bonus and a
clean licence.
Mk4 Ghias were only
made between 1986-
87. Most survivors
are the XR3i version
enjoy open-top motoring for as little
as a few hundred quid.
It’s hardly the height of cool in
2006, but drop the hood during the
summer months and the smiles-
per-pound value of the cabrio is
immense. Don’t forget, having fun
is what owning a fast Ford is all
about, but if there’s the opportunity
to enjoy a bit of sun then the
experience is all the more sweeter.
In its current standard spec,
Paul pays £403.20 to insure his
Escort fully comprehensive or
£359.10 for third party, fire and
theft cover.
Quote provided by www.
directline.com.
CLUB
XR Owners’ Club
XROC HQ
9 Cope Place, Earls Court Road
Kensington
London
W8 6AA
020 7937 7595
www.xroc.co.uk
Ford Escort Owners’ Club
www.feoc-uk.com
Escort Cabriolet Club
www.escortcabrioletclub.co.uk
TECH SPEC
XR3i CABRIOLET
ENGINE
Type: CVH
Capacity: 1596cc
Bore/stroke: 79.96 mm x 79.52 mm
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Max power: 105 bhp @ 6000 rpm
(108 bhp for EFi engine)
Max torque: 102 Ibf.ft @4800 rpm
Cylinders: four, in-line
Cylinder head: alloy
Block: cast iron
Installation: front-mounted,
transverse
Valve gear: two valves per
cylinder, single overhead camshaft
driven by external toothed belt,
rockers, hydraulic lifters
Fuelling: Bosch K-Jetronic fuel
injection (Ford EEC IV engine
management/injection from
September 1989)
Injection: Ford contactless
electronic ignition
TRANSMISSION
Type: fwd
Gearbox: Ford type-B5 five-
speed manual
Internal ratios: 1st, 3.15:1;
2nd, 1.9:1; 3rd, 1.27:1; 4th, 0.95:1;
5th, 0.76:1.
Final drive: 3.58:1
Clutch: 190 mm single plate clutch
SUSPENSION
Front: MacPherson struts, coil
springs, telescopic dampers and
24 mm anti-roll bar
Rear: independent by coil
springs, lower wishbones, radius
arms, and telescopic dampers
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion
Lock-to-lock: 3.7 turns
BRAKES
System: hydraulic, with vacuum
servo assistance
Optional Lucas-Girling SCS anti-
lock braking
Front: 9.4 inch (239 mm) vented discs
Rear: 8x1.5 inch (203x38 mm) drums
WHEELS & TYRES
Wheels: 6x14 steel or five-
spoke alloy wheels, steels with
pearlescent trims
Tyres: 185/60 HR14
BODY
Type: pressed-steel mono-
coque two-door Escort Mk4
convertible shell
PERFORMANCE
Max speed: 115 mph
0-60 mph: 9.6 seconds
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fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / MK4 ESCORT CAB / fasttech
CHECKLIST
ENGINE
It’s not particularly willing or refined, but the cab’s
1596cc CVH is tough and relatively powerful. Treat
it right and it’ll happily soldier on to six-figure
mileage, but skimp on the basics and it’ll expire
in a hot and oily mess.
Regular oil and cambelt changes are the
key to keeping the CVH alive. Ignore the oil,
and the hydraulic lifters sludge up. If the
cambelt breaks it can trash the whole head.
Plumes of blue or white smoke are bad
news — blue is oil being burnt in the
combustion chambers while white usually
indicates a blown head gasket.
The majority are fuel-injected but
you might find a rare carb-fed Ghia
model. Both fuelling methods are
reliable but will cost to put right if
they’re running rough, and any
glitches in the injection will need
sorting by an expert. Of the two, it is
the later EEC-IV set-up that can prove
troublesome, suffering from a rough idle.
TRANSMISSION
BC gearbox is longlasting
in the Cab
The five-speed BC isn’t Ford’s slickest
shifter but it’s a hardy unit that comfortably
copes with the power of the cabriolet’s
1600 CVH, whether in carburettor or
injected form. But, while it can shrug off
the grunt of the motor, the transmission
can do little about the wear that escalates
as the miles pile on. Expect a bit of whine
and some slop in the linkage of higher
mileage cars, but if gears need to be forced
home and there’s any noticeable rumbling
then something is amiss.
The synchromesh can also break down
over time and the obvious indication is
crunching between gears, particularly on
the second to third gearshift. Check for
clutch slip too as the majority of cabriolets
will be showing at least 70K miles, making
them ideal candidates for new clutches. A
simple test is to try and pull away in third
gear from a standstill, if the car stalls then
the clutch is working as it should.
Carb-fed Ghias are rare:
most use fuel-injection
INTERIOR
BODYWORK
The Mk4 Escort loves to rot and the
cab is no exception. Rust is likely on
the front wings and rear arches, while
the bootlid and door edges go as drain
holes get blocked. Look at the panel
below the hood, as this often rots out.
Inspect inner wings and suspension
turrets, bulkhead, battery tray, sills,
chassis rails and the floorpan. Genuine
Ford panels are hard to source, but
remanufactured aftermarket parts
are readily available.
An ill-fitting hood will write-off an interior in doublequick
time, so look for signs of water damage to the
trim. Check for staining on cloth or leather seats and
feel the carpet for dampness — a sure sign that
water is cascading into the interior.
Trust your nose too, if it smells musty and damp
then the likelihood is that the hood isn’t sealing as it
should, ideally there will be a gap between a raised
hood and windows of no more than 1 mm.
Seats can suffer from water
damage: check closely
Less than £200 will buy a new vinyl
roof and around £250 will secure a
mohair replacement, but fitting isn’t
easy so think twice about a car with a
mullered hood. If you’re lucky you’ll
find a car where the hood has hardly
been lowered, keeping it taut and
retaining its proper shape.
As well as the exterior of the hood, don’t forget to
check its headlining as this can cost over £150 to
replace. Good news is that the trim and plastics are
hard wearing and because so many cabriolets were
made, finding replacement trim isn’t difficult or
expensive.
Of course, if you need new leather trim for an
All-White or All-Blue edition then it’s an entirely
different matter.
IDENTITY
The all-important VIN numbers can
be found in Ford’s favourite places
— on the slam panel and stamped
into the floor, the latter hidden under
a flap of carpet between the driver’s
seat and the sill. Inspect them
carefully for signs of messing and
make sure that they tally with
the V5.
ELECTRICS
The ingress of water into the cabriolet’s
interior is all too common; so double check
that things like the powered windows and
central locking still work. Second-hand motors
are readily available but it’s extra hassle if you
need to replace them.
Inspect the front spotlights for cracks and
see if they work OK as sourcing genuine Ford
replacements can take time.
The biggest thing to check — if fitted — is
the operation of the power hood. It will only
work when the car is stationary and the
ignition key needs to be switched to the
‘off’ position. Once it’s activated to go
either up or down it should move smoothly
into place in a matter of seconds. Any
choppy movements or groaning from the
motor are bad signs, but second-hand
assemblies can be found through eBay
and various Ford breakers.
Check the VIN numbers are
the same for peace of mind
Check the power hood goes
up and down smoothly
BRAKES
Even though they’re the same as
those fitted on the S1 RS Turbo,
the performance of the cabrio’s
vented discs is pretty poor.
Whereas the RS had the power to
kill the discs, the cabriolet relied on
its extra weight to up the strain on
its undersized brakes.
Warping is the biggest problem
but it’s easy to spot, as there will be
judder through the steering wheel
when the brakes are applied. Give
the discs a visual once-over too;
symptoms of worn items are
reduced thickness, scoring and a
pronounced lip on the edge. Rear
wheel cylinders can fail and a
pulling to one side under braking is
a sign that one of these is shot.
Pay special attention to any
car that boasts the optional SCS
SUSPENSION
The cabriolet’s extra weight and
its lack of a metal roof make it
harder on its suspension than a
comparable tin-top Escort. A
sound cabriolet will give a firm-ish
ride and although you’ll experience
a little bit of a scuttle shake, a
ride which rattles everything
from the dash to the rear view
mirror indicates that the car’s
damping is well past its
best.
The effectiveness of
the gas dampers can be
checked by pressing
down hard on each
corner — a good
condition unit will level
the car after little more
than one bounce. If the car
looks to be sagging then it’s
Standard brakes are the
same as the S1 RS. Oh dear
anti-lock braking system. Check
its operation by simply stamping on
the middle pedal — obviously, the
brakes shouldn’t lock, but also feel
for the characteristic pulsing
through the pedal as the callipers
clamp on and off the disc. Don’t
worry if it seems a harsh action, it’s
meant to be like this.
the springs that are usually at fault.
Uneven tyre wear, clonking from
the front end and the car
wandering all over the road point
to the TCA bushes being shot.
Suspension has a hard life,
but at least it’s easy to sort
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BUYING ONE
Keep your wits about you, and it’s
all good when it comes to buying
a cabrio. Not only are there loads
about — Ford sold approximately
30,000 in the UK from 1986 to 1990
— but they won’t break the bank
either, even the best examples cost
less than three grand.
But, be careful as there is an awful
lot of rubbish out there. Once it was
a highly sought-after car with a bit
of yuppie appeal, but over time and
as the rust has hit many examples,
values have plummeted.
Consequently, plenty have been
bought as a bit of cheap flash and
caned to death. It’s these cars that
you need to avoid, unless you’re
after a cheap project or want a
beater for some budget summer fun.
Sometimes the really cheap cars
aren’t worth bothering with as only
500 quid can separate a snotter
from a tidy car, but you need to be
exceptionally careful as the wow
factor of the cabrio makes it easy
to pay over the odds.
People are real suckers for a
spot of open-top motoring and the
trade are well aware of this fact.
Where it would turn its nose up at
a normal F-plate Escort some still
retail the cabrio, dropping the hood
to attract punters and slapping
on a nice price tag. Generally, the
trade only deals with the nicer cars
but it’s not shy when it comes to
optimistic pricing, particularly in the
summer months.
And that’s another reason to buy
now. The current climate means
no-one wants one now but as the
temperature rises so do the asking
prices. Because of their availability,
you’ll find cabriolets for sale
everywhere from eBay
There are plenty of CVHs
about, so buy on bodywork
“ Plenty have been
caned to death”
to your local paper, but if you’re
after a stock minter then search
the XR Owners’ Club website and
Auto Trader.
At the bottom end of the market
we found a couple of smokers for
under £500, the cheapest being
£395 and in need of an MoT. The
middle ground for a nice example
was around £1000-1500, depending
if you bought privately or through
the trade, while the most expensive
was a mint 47,000 mile 1989 G-reg
cabrio for £2950.
A late H-plate Duo-Tone in silver
and metallic red with leather and
power hood looked a good buy at
£1795, but our money would have
fasttech
Original details like these
add £s to the asking price
gone on another 1990 car. With an
asking price of £1495 the metallic
blue cabby had the end of the line
‘90-spec lattice rims and bumpers
and also the optional ABS. The real
bonus was that it had covered just
29,000 miles.
If you’re looking for a car to hold
its value then we’d suggest the
better spec’d cars made around
1989 and 1990 and the limited
editions like the All-White and Duo-
Tone. The pick of the bunch though,
is the option-laden and RS Turbostyled
All-Blue limited edition. If you
manage to lay your hands on one
of the 600 made, we salute you.
Fancy a Cab? Buy now as
prices will go up once the
sun starts to come out
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fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / MK4 ESCORT CAB /
...AND FINALLY
THIS ONE’S MINE
It’s hard to believe that Ian Southam
and Paula Batchelor’s cab has ever
been anything other than mint, but
two years ago it was a shadow of its
current condition.
A friend in the trade originally
unearthed the rare 1600 Ghia but
after driving it for a few short miles
from the vendor’s home, Ian
decided he had to have it and
persuaded his mate to let him buy
it for Paula instead. Although he
admits to picking the D-plate Escort
“up for a song”, the cabriolet
needed plenty of work to reach the
meticulous standards that he and
Paula have when it comes to their
Fords. Unsurprising really as both
are into cars in a big way — Ian
works in parts for a bodyshop and
Paula is a semi-qualified mechanic.
HOW MUCH?
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Between them, the couple have
owned everything from an Escort
XR3i to a twin-cam Sierra and a V6
Granada and over the years they’ve
also amassed a massive stock of
NOS parts.
The spares stash donated a
complete, genuine Ford front end
and pair of brand-new XR3i
bumpers for the cabrio and the
completed bodywork was
resprayed in the original and rare
shade of Paris Blue. The finishing
touches are a mohair hood, late
Escort Si rims and a Mk5 Escort LX/
XR3i spoiler.
So now all the hard graft is done,
are Paula and Ian happy with their
cabriolet? “It was a lot of work but
we’d never done a cabrio before
and I could see that this one had
plenty of potential,” explains Ian,
who together with Paula is a
member of a number of Ford clubs
including the Cabriolet Club and the
Ford Escort Owners’ Club.
“It’s amazing how many people
look at the cabriolet, and as well as
being completely reliable it really is
great fun to drive. We’ve had it on
the rolling road and it made 101
bhp, but it’s not for going fast
and we’re only going to use it
for the shows this year.”
The only downsides that Ian
can see to cabriolet ownership
are that you can’t leave it
anywhere and there is a bit of
scuttle shake. Overall though,
he’d certainly recommend one,
but he does have some wise
words for anyone considering
£300-500
Snotters, or ‘project cars’. The
hood will be in tatters but there’s
a fair chance of finding one that’s
got a valid MoT.
£500-1000
Roadworthy cars that shouldn’t
fall apart, although they will
have high miles and are likely to
need new panels rather than
just a polish. Cars which are
approaching a four figure price
should be presentable.
the open-topped Escort. “There are
plenty around but there are far too
many wrecked cars,” he says. “As
well as checking the obvious places
like the hood and interior, you really
need to inspect them thoroughly
for structural rust and previous
accident damage.”
£1000-2000
Ian and Paula
did a total resto
on their Cab
Tidy to really nice examples. Mileage
should be under 100K and there will
be a decent service history. MoTs
will be long and the bodywork,
especially that on top price cars, will
be sound and straight.
£2000+
The very best and latest cars,
including the desirable All-Blue
edition. Rust should be non-existent
and you want to see less than
70,000 miles on the clock and a full
service history.
FACTS
The power hood option was
quite quick in operation: raising
or lowering the hood took just 15
seconds.
Mk4 cabs sold best in 1989 —
21,052 were registered
worldwide, 7433 of those
finding homes in the UK.
Back in October 1986, prices
for the cabriolet range
started at £10,189.
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