MK4 ESCORT CABRIOLET - Fast Ford
MK4 ESCORT CABRIOLET - Fast Ford
MK4 ESCORT CABRIOLET - Fast Ford
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fasttech / BUYING GUIDE / <strong>MK4</strong> <strong>ESCORT</strong> CAB / fasttech<br />
Rear wings and<br />
bootlid are unique<br />
to the Cabriolet<br />
STYLE COUNCIL<br />
Like its brethren, the 1986<br />
cabriolet benefited from smoother,<br />
more rounded styling and there<br />
was also the option of the SCS<br />
Lucas-Girling anti-lock braking<br />
system. The 1.3-litre-engined Mk3<br />
cabrio had never sold well, so in<br />
facelifted Mk4 guise <strong>Ford</strong> offered<br />
just two models — the 90 bhp<br />
1.6-litre Ghia and 105 bhp XR3i<br />
version.<br />
Disappointing sales meant the<br />
Ghia was dropped at the end of<br />
1987 but while this model didn’t<br />
Original wheels were<br />
steels or latticespoke<br />
alloys on the<br />
XR3i. These are from<br />
a later Escort Si<br />
find favour with car buyers, they<br />
couldn’t get enough of the opentop<br />
XR3i.<br />
The cabrio really looked the part<br />
with the trademark XR bumpers,<br />
driving lamps and ‘dogleg’ alloys<br />
and even more pose value was<br />
added in the winter of 1987 when<br />
<strong>Ford</strong> announced the option of a<br />
power-operated hood.<br />
The options list continued to<br />
grow with a Quickclear windscreen<br />
and leather trim. <strong>Ford</strong> amalgamated<br />
these desirable extras into limitededition<br />
models. These cars included<br />
the ‘All-White’, ‘Duo-Tone’ and the<br />
commemorative ‘All-Blue’ model,<br />
which appeared in spring 1990<br />
and celebrated the production of<br />
100,000 cabriolets.<br />
KEEP ON RUNNING<br />
Aside from the optional ABS and<br />
minor changes to the suspension,<br />
the running gear of the Mk4 XR3i<br />
cabriolet was largely unaltered from<br />
the earlier Mk3 1600i.<br />
However, a significant change<br />
came in 1989 when the Bosch<br />
fuel injection was dropped in<br />
favour of <strong>Ford</strong>’s own EEC-IV<br />
fuel injection and engine<br />
management. These later<br />
XR3i cabriolets were easily<br />
identifiable by the EFi logo<br />
emblazoned on the castalloy<br />
inlet manifold, and the<br />
change included revisions<br />
to the cylinder head and<br />
camshaft timing, new plastic<br />
sections to the air intake<br />
induction running over the<br />
rocker cover, altered manifold<br />
and gas-flowed intake ports.<br />
<strong>Ford</strong> did the work in the<br />
interests of emissions and<br />
enabling the Escort to run on<br />
unleaded 95 octane fuel, but the<br />
changes also gave an increase of 3<br />
bhp, lifting peak power to 108 bhp.<br />
The cabby had its flaws — the<br />
boot was relatively small and it was<br />
less powerful than the larger-engined<br />
Golf GTi cabrio — but <strong>Ford</strong> hit upon a<br />
winner with the Mk4.<br />
If you needed any evidence of<br />
just how good the Escort was as a<br />
INFORMATION<br />
HPI<br />
Back in the day, the Escort Cabriolet<br />
was a firm favourite with the illegal<br />
car trade, its high demand and<br />
strong values made it ripe for ringing<br />
and cutting and shutting.<br />
So, avoid getting yourself landed<br />
with a moody example by stumping<br />
up for an HPI check. It’ll cost you<br />
£39.99 if you do it online at www.<br />
hpi.co.uk or £42.95 if you want a<br />
nice operator to conduct the check<br />
over the phone on 01722 422422.<br />
If you’re looking at splashing<br />
nearly three grand on the very best<br />
example, consider an independent<br />
inspection. The RAC’s Essentials<br />
Plus inspection costs £204.95 for<br />
members and £227.95 for nonmembers.<br />
A cheaper option is the<br />
Essentials check, which highlights<br />
any major accident damage and<br />
“Enjoy open-top<br />
motoring for as little as<br />
a few hundred quid.”<br />
complete package, then it’s the fact<br />
that it sold so well without being a<br />
particular bargain. Even the entrylevel<br />
1.6-litre Ghia cost over £10,000<br />
in 1986 and the price continued to<br />
spiral over the years, culminating<br />
in the 1990 All-Blue’s eye-watering<br />
price of £16,500.<br />
It’s a different story 16 years later<br />
though. Values of the Mk4 cabrio<br />
have hit rock bottom and you can<br />
also covers overall mechanical and<br />
structural condition. This check<br />
costs £124.95 for members and<br />
£134.95 for non-members. Call the<br />
RAC on 0870 5333660 or log onto<br />
www.rac.co.uk.<br />
INSURANCE<br />
Paul is 29-year-old mechanic from<br />
High Wycombe. He wants to build<br />
an RS Turbo-powered cabby for<br />
the summer, so to get him on<br />
the right track he’s picked up a<br />
very nice and tidy 1988 E-reg<br />
XR3i Cabriolet.<br />
The Cat 2-alarmed Escort is<br />
well taken care of being garaged<br />
every night and although it’s his<br />
daily driver, the cabriolet is going<br />
to stay in pretty good shape as<br />
Paul’s a very careful driver with<br />
four years no claims bonus and a<br />
clean licence.<br />
Mk4 Ghias were only<br />
made between 1986-<br />
87. Most survivors<br />
are the XR3i version<br />
enjoy open-top motoring for as little<br />
as a few hundred quid.<br />
It’s hardly the height of cool in<br />
2006, but drop the hood during the<br />
summer months and the smiles-<br />
per-pound value of the cabrio is<br />
immense. Don’t forget, having fun<br />
is what owning a fast <strong>Ford</strong> is all<br />
about, but if there’s the opportunity<br />
to enjoy a bit of sun then the<br />
experience is all the more sweeter.<br />
In its current standard spec,<br />
Paul pays £403.20 to insure his<br />
Escort fully comprehensive or<br />
£359.10 for third party, fire and<br />
theft cover.<br />
Quote provided by www.<br />
directline.com.<br />
CLUB<br />
XR Owners’ Club<br />
XROC HQ<br />
9 Cope Place, Earls Court Road<br />
Kensington<br />
London<br />
W8 6AA<br />
020 7937 7595<br />
www.xroc.co.uk<br />
<strong>Ford</strong> Escort Owners’ Club<br />
www.feoc-uk.com<br />
Escort Cabriolet Club<br />
www.escortcabrioletclub.co.uk<br />
TECH SPEC<br />
XR3i <strong>CABRIOLET</strong><br />
ENGINE<br />
Type: CVH<br />
Capacity: 1596cc<br />
Bore/stroke: 79.96 mm x 79.52 mm<br />
Compression ratio: 9.5:1<br />
Max power: 105 bhp @ 6000 rpm<br />
(108 bhp for EFi engine)<br />
Max torque: 102 Ibf.ft @4800 rpm<br />
Cylinders: four, in-line<br />
Cylinder head: alloy<br />
Block: cast iron<br />
Installation: front-mounted,<br />
transverse<br />
Valve gear: two valves per<br />
cylinder, single overhead camshaft<br />
driven by external toothed belt,<br />
rockers, hydraulic lifters<br />
Fuelling: Bosch K-Jetronic fuel<br />
injection (<strong>Ford</strong> EEC IV engine<br />
management/injection from<br />
September 1989)<br />
Injection: <strong>Ford</strong> contactless<br />
electronic ignition<br />
TRANSMISSION<br />
Type: fwd<br />
Gearbox: <strong>Ford</strong> type-B5 five-<br />
speed manual<br />
Internal ratios: 1st, 3.15:1;<br />
2nd, 1.9:1; 3rd, 1.27:1; 4th, 0.95:1;<br />
5th, 0.76:1.<br />
Final drive: 3.58:1<br />
Clutch: 190 mm single plate clutch<br />
SUSPENSION<br />
Front: MacPherson struts, coil<br />
springs, telescopic dampers and<br />
24 mm anti-roll bar<br />
Rear: independent by coil<br />
springs, lower wishbones, radius<br />
arms, and telescopic dampers<br />
STEERING<br />
Type: rack-and-pinion<br />
Lock-to-lock: 3.7 turns<br />
BRAKES<br />
System: hydraulic, with vacuum<br />
servo assistance<br />
Optional Lucas-Girling SCS anti-<br />
lock braking<br />
Front: 9.4 inch (239 mm) vented discs<br />
Rear: 8x1.5 inch (203x38 mm) drums<br />
WHEELS & TYRES<br />
Wheels: 6x14 steel or five-<br />
spoke alloy wheels, steels with<br />
pearlescent trims<br />
Tyres: 185/60 HR14<br />
BODY<br />
Type: pressed-steel mono-<br />
coque two-door Escort Mk4<br />
convertible shell<br />
PERFORMANCE<br />
Max speed: 115 mph<br />
0-60 mph: 9.6 seconds<br />
FAST FORD APRIL 2006<br />
0 1 4 4 APRIL 2006 FAST FORD 0 1 4 5