|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 12, 2023 12:36:29 GMT
Many thanks for that post Gene! An original concours, numbers matching MK2 RS Escort of one of those models is worth incredible money now. That must be an early advert from early 1976 (just after the MK2 Mexico and the beak nosed RS2000 were launched) due the Mexico's chrome door handles, shortly changed for the black ones. The RS1800 had been launched about a year earlier.
The RS1800 model had a more sophisticated BDA engine for competition whereas the OHC "Pinto" engine for the Mexico and RS2000 was the basic design of engine from a more mundane American compact hatchback car called the Pinto - hence the name. Probably why the RS1800 was faster as it was already developed from the 1600 BDA engine of it's predecessor the MK1 RS1600.
The RS2000 was the most successful model of the 3, selling approx 10,500 units as opposed to the 2,500 approx of the Mexico and 109 RS1800 road cars with apparently around 75 survivors. The RS2000 was around the longest too, from 1976 to the end of MK2 Escort production in 1980.
Interesting stuff Gerry. Take it a RS1800 find is a bit like finding a priceless work of art, suppose they weren't that cheap when new!
|
|
|
Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Jun 12, 2023 17:55:01 GMT
Yep the RS1800 weighed in at £2825.15 for a basic model then £2990.12 for the better equipped Custom pack model as per June 1975 launch prices. In todays money that is about £35,031.686 or £37,077.49 respectively.
On their January 1976 launch the MK2 Mexico was £2443.50 (£30,299.40 today) and the RS2000 at £2857 (£35,426.80).
Interesting that the 2023 equivlant figures would be roughly the right prices for good examples to day although I have seen mint examples go for more than that at some auctions!
|
|
|
Post by Gene Hunt on Jun 27, 2023 19:47:53 GMT
|
|
Cartman
Producer
Posts: 4,028
Online Status:
|
Post by Cartman on Jun 27, 2023 20:27:32 GMT
Always thought the 1950-56 Mark 1 Consul/Zephyr looked like scaled down versions of the American 1949-51 Fords.
|
|
|
Post by Gene Hunt on Jun 29, 2023 4:57:01 GMT
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,907
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Jun 29, 2023 8:40:13 GMT
I've never seen one of these Snipe estates out on the road. According to how many left, there are 238 total (includes 70 SORN) of all the Snipes from Mk II to V, so the estate is indeed a rare sight.
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 29, 2023 10:14:21 GMT
These finds are brilliant Gene certainly rare vehicles I've never really seen or known about. Keep them coming mate.
|
|
|
Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Jun 29, 2023 18:21:44 GMT
Thanks Gene for these, always interesting old car adverts! The drawings on the Ford advert as with so many British car ads at the time, exaggerated their size and some British car adverts had occupants in the illustrations which made them look tiny and the car huge! (BMC and Rootes adverts).
Those MK1 Consul and Zephyrs were very up to date for the time and I think still look nice now, if a little overshadowed by their snazzier MK2 and MK3 successors.
The 1.5 litre Consul was the middle of the road car for a while, between the small 100E's and then upmarket straight 6 Zephyrs. Always loved the convertible versions! I remember on a visit to the Science museum London in 1982, in a glass cabinet at the transport section was 2 exquisite large scale models of a MK1 Consul convertible in cream with a black hood and a 2 tone green and cream MK1 Zephyr Zodiac saloon. (The only generation of Zodiac to be know as that). When I last visited in 2015 they were gone but I bet they're out there somewhere in a collection. The models were specially commisioned by Ford UK to a model maker in the UK for publicity at dealers and in Ford UK executives offices then probably were moved on to families of Ford employees when the models were of out of date cars. (Models of the later cars of the 60's survive and I've seen the odd couple at classic shows).
The MK2 launched in 1956 was bigger of course and so were the new car's engines which widened the gap too much between the Anglia/Prefect/Popular models and the Consul so Ford knew an interim car would be needed. After a "tryout" with the slow selling Consul Classic (which had the same rear window style as the Anglia 105E), the definitive interim car for that market eventually arrived in the shape of the Cortina MK1 in 1962 and the rest is history.......
That is a rare Humber model now, that Super Snipe Estate - I did see a metallic silver grey painted one at the NEC one year at the classic show. The advert illustration makes it looks like the La Salle hearse chasing James Bond in Dr No, which then goes over the cliff........
There's one featured here driven by a character in this clip from an old 1957 British B movie (not sure what it is called, maybe somebody here can identify it)
|
|
|
Post by Gene Hunt on Jun 29, 2023 21:15:53 GMT
Interesting stuff Gerry and great clip too Gene.
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jul 1, 2023 9:45:45 GMT
Thanks for the clip and the background on it all Gerry.
|
|