REGRETFULLY WITHDRAWN 1968 Ford Escort 1600 2 dr Saloon

By November 1969 approval for a new facility had been given by the Ford Management and Advanced Vehicle Operations was set up to design, develop and build specialist cars. The idea was simple. Escort two-door bodyshells, already painted, trimmed and built to strengthened Type 49 specification, were shipped in directly from Halewood. Once at AVO, they were placed on an overhead carousel which ran around the factory. As the cars moved around, the engine, transmission and suspension were fitted from below. When the completed car was removed at the end of the line, a new body was loaded onto the carousel and the process started again.

We are informed by the vendor that AOO 177G is quite possibly a very early prototype Escort MK1 1300GT originally in Mauve that was purchased new by the Police or similar body and then sent to the Ford Aveley works to be converted into a vehicle fast enough to catch villains of the time. First registered in 1968 with correct type 48 shell identification the vendor believes the car to have the following specification: Early type compression front strut suspension with no anti roll bar, locking push button bonnet release in the grill, door lock in handle on drivers side, window washers fitted to bonnet, protruding petrol tank filler, diamond crest pattern on headlining, GT seats, 6 pod instruments, and early GT badging. The vendor believes the car would originally have sat on 12'' wheels but was upgraded to 13'' 5.5J Lotus steel wheels, (the spare wheel carrier in the boot is only designed for a 12'' wheel).

The engine upgrades include a 28/36 single Webber carburettor sat on 'CT' (Conversion and Tuning) inlet manifold opposite a four branch exhaust. The 1600 Xflow engine is described as being stage 3 with modified pistons, head, cam, and a lightened and balanced fly wheel. Although needing some recommissioning the engine, gearbox and back axle are offered here as generally good. The radiator is twin cam spec with larger header, cable clutch modification, 9'' rear brakes, decambered rear springs with strengthened Spax shocks and even sits on its original G800 tyres

The car is fitted with a 140 mph speedo and 7000 rpm rev counter, the 'OO' registration mark is common with the works cars that came out of the Aveley factory at the time. We are informed that the modifications to this vehicle were not generally seen until the release of the later type 49 body shells. The vendor informs us that this is a 3 owner car with the first owner having owned the car for 45 years, the car has been completely Wax oiled, displays a mileage of 62000 and was in long term storage up until 2014. AOO 177G appears totally un-restored and is a unique MK1 Escort. Any Ford aficionado will confirm that a genuine GT Escort is now rarer to find than a twin cam, Mexico or RS.