1972 Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico

The car presented here is a UK-supplied 1972 Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico correctly finished in Sunset Red with white stripes and currently owned by one of the foremost Ford collectors and experts in the UK. This is as good as you’d want any Mexico to be. Built in May 1972 at Ford’s AVO factory in Aveley, it was supplied by Ford Rallye Sport dealer, Broadspeed Ltd. of Leamington Spa to a Mr C.G. Blake at a total cost of £1,199 including seat belts and Ziebart protection and first registered on the 14th of June 1972. With just four former keepers since, all of them Ford enthusiasts including the AVO Owners Club RS1600 Registrar, William Arnold, for 13 years, there is much provenance to back up its condition. An accompanying comprehensive history file contains two large booklets spanning the entire life of the car from the initial Order Form in 1972 through to the latest service using Ford Motocraft items in July 2024. There are also historic MOT Certificates, the original service book, maintenance invoices and many AVO Club Valuations, including an early one from Mexico Registrar, Andy Percival, for £2,750. Also present are many photos of the meticulous restoration carried out in the late 1990s, which is also magazine-featured, and is a testament to how well the car presents today over two decades later. Such was the standard that, when completed in April 2000, and on the cars first outing to AVO National Day, it achieved a Third in Class and was invited onto the AVO Club Stand at the Classic & Sports Car NEC Show in November 2000.

Resplendent in one of the three original launch colours, Sunset Red (Code J), this early-production L-specification example retains all the correct period-details (such as the rear stone deflector held in by eight bolts in the boot floor and strengthened AVO workmanship). Panel fit is excellent, many still protected by the Ziebart rust protection applied when new and the rear arches are correctly rolled. The lens units are FoMoCo and the front Carello headlamps are protected by clear dome covers. The contrasting Mexico stickers are in fantastic condition promoting the iconic rally look, with all glass being the genuine Ford Triplex items including the front screen.

Inside, displays the correct Black PVC upholstery (Code AA), as fitted to ‘L’ specification early cars. Fitted with the factory 140mph speedometer and 8,000rpm rev counter, all gauges, controls and switches are fully operational. The original black one-piece rubber floor mat is also present and in excellent condition.

The boot area has the early Mexico’s battery-in-boot setup meaning the spare wheel is mounted to the boot floor. The boot mat is original and incredibly the rear cardboard boot spring protector is present along with black light protectors undamaged. The jack and wheel brace are within the original fawn muslin bag held down by the correct rubber band.

Under the bonnet, resides the matching-numbers 4-cylinder 1600 GT crossflow engine with the 711M block, quoted in the sales brochure at 86bhp, offering 100mph with little effort and 0-60 in under 11 seconds. Correct specification throughout from the AC oval metal airbox finished in silver to the Weber 32/36 DGV-FA carburettor will also please marque enthusiasts. The top-plate reveals the chassis number and the original VIN plate and AVO ID plate remain fixed to the slam panel.

Fitted with the correct pressed steel wheels with the cooling slots measuring 5.5 x 13in and immaculate chrome hubcaps, and a matching set of Goodyear GT Sport 175/70 R13. The remote servo-assisted brakes powered by the early Girling Powerstop AHV 550 Mk2A help grip the front discs and the rear drums more than adequately.

Interest in Performance Fords from the 1970s and 1980s shows no signs of abating and this remarkable Sunset Red Mexico would be an asset to any enthusiast of these era-defining, characterful, sporting Fords.