Rally Escort conversion

1789 Views 17 Replies 9 Participants Last post by PTMD, Dec 16, 2002

TooSlow

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2002

Does anyone know where to find a Rally-worthy suspension for a first-gen Escort? I am looking to compete (or attempt to compete) in SCCA RallyCross. I have a friend who dropped a Bilstein Stage 4 suspension into his ´83 VW Golf. That got me to thinking, since Escorts met with great success in Cosworth trim in the WRC.

Any tips?

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

egtdude

· #2 · Oct 18, 2002

as far as I know your looking at custom fabbing suspension. koni used to make some inserts but that was about it.

Pimp_scort_89_GT

· #3 · Oct 18, 2002

As soon as you find something out TooSlow, let me know. I would love to ralley my car. Especially since there is so much open desert around my house. I defenatly need to get a bit more ground clearance though. People tend to laugh a little hared at my Scort when it is high centered on an ant hill.

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TooSlow

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 28, 2002

Thanks for your input. I wonder if there is any way to find a supplier for Cosworth parts...Any help y´all can give me on finding Cosworth parts for Escorts built on this side of the pond would be greatly appreciated.

StreetGT

· #5 · Oct 28, 2002

I´m currently running a Tokiko Package under my 92 EGT and am very impressed with it. I would check Stillens web sight for some other custom stuff. Also, check with: www.corksport.com for custom escort products.

R´s - Mark

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Diane

· #6 · Oct 31, 2002

2G´s are *completely* different and I doubt Stillen has anything for the 1G. As a matter of fact, while they were more than happy to sell me a kit for my 1G back in 1995, their knowledge (and the kit itself) were no good.

Leda can custom make you something, anything you get will cost you.

For a rallyx you will likely not need as much ground clearance as a real rally but that depends on the lot and the course layout. You should be at stock height or higher.

Higher = coilovers which equal $$

If I ever come up with something *durable* I´ll let you know.

Diane

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spooki

· #7 · Oct 31, 2002

i feel you
im prepping a 91lx to rally race and haveing trouble finding a suspention setup.

spooki

· #8 · Oct 31, 2002

oh yea
try this site www.batinc.net

Diane

· #9 · Oct 31, 2002

BAT doesn´t do Escorts anymore

Diane

spooki

· #10 · Nov 1, 2002

bat still has parts for sale though.
i cant remember the site but i found a ford racing suspention setup that would be alot tougher and dosent lower the car.

Diane

· #11 · Nov 2, 2002

As of June they stopped selling Escort parts. They had little then and I doubt there is much left.

diane

spooki

· #12 · Nov 5, 2002

diane
have you found anything yet.....im tired of looking. and i dont realy want to make a custom suspention setup?

egt89

· #13 · Dec 14, 2002

i am really cheep and i love to "ralley race" but there is no jumps or anything like that where i go its just rough terrain all i did was buy those cheep ass spring deelies and put em in my coils and it made my car not bottom out and stiffer ride . i like it for now till i can find good suspension.

Diane

· #14 · Dec 14, 2002

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%>[TR][TD]Quote:

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On 2002-11-05 11:35, spooki wrote:
diane
have you found anything yet.....im tired of looking. and i dont realy want to make a custom suspention setup?

[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]

[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

No, there is really not anything off the shelf that will work. And even if there was, it would cost a pretty penny. I´m on hold for awhile at this point.

Diane

CosworthWannabe2

· #15 · Dec 15, 2002

You´d have to modify the rear wheel houses if you wanted to put any kind of coilover setup in the rear. literally you´d need to torch out the rear inner wheelhouses from a second gen and graft them in, big job. If you want it to handle better get the KYB AGX 5-Way adjustable shocks for the back. They don´t show an exact application for the first gen but they do have about 50 different shocks that are general measurments. You need to take out a rear shock and take the length, compressed height and what type of ends are on it. Eibach also has a general spring selection, so same thing length, compressed height and find out the rate and go a litlle stiffer. Get some lower control arms for the back fabbed up with spherical rod ends and you´d notice a load of difference. I´m currently making up a set of tubular lower control arms (Fully Adjustable) for the rear of my ´91 GT. BTW 1st gens love rear strut braces.

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Diane

· #16 · Dec 15, 2002

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%>[TR][TD]Quote:

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On 2002-12-15 11:24, CosworthWannabe2 wrote:
You´d have to modify the rear wheel houses if you wanted to put any kind of coilover setup in the rear. literally you´d need to torch out the rear inner wheelhouses from a second gen and graft them in, big job.

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No you don´t. The only thing you have to be sure of is getting them seated into the rear control arm, and then tethering them to make sure the springs don´t fall out at full droop.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%>[TR][TD]Quote:

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If you want it to handle better get the KYB AGX 5-Way adjustable shocks for the back.

[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]

[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

While I have heard good things about the AGX´s - Tim has a set on his street car, I am not sure they will hold up to the stresses of a car-beater prorally. Trust me, if he thought they´d work for me, I´d have them. Hell, he´d probably be using them too. They are a decent price also.

Have you ever competed or crewed for a top team at a pro or club rally? Especially a dirt one? Until you do, it´s likely you can´t imagine the stresses it places on the car.

Diane

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Diane

· #17 · Dec 15, 2002

Sorry.... for IT that´s how we did the rear coil-overs cuz that´s all we were allowed per the rules. But for a true coil-over he´s right, there is not enough room in there in the stock form.

I still do not believe there is a true rally-worthy suspension available off the shelf and cheap (those seem to be everyone´s requirments).

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PTMD

· #18 · Dec 16, 2002

Do you guys think the Tempo awd trans\rear could fit in a first gen?I´ve thought about it alot and I now have both,hmm....

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