1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo | Projects

1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo

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The Project

This 1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo arrived at our Carrosserie workshop in December 2023. It’s in for works to the rear of the car due to corrosion damage. This includes a new back panel which will be installed and some fabrication repair work is also required.

Updates

11th April 2024: The back section has been cut away to make way for the new back panel. There is some fabrication work required to both corners of the rear quarters due to corrosion damage before the new panel can be fitted.

30th April 2024: Work continues on the back section to repair areas of corrosion. The right rear quarter section and wheel arch is next on the list to be repaired and fitted.

3rd July 2024: Back panel and new rear wheel arches have been fitted, but there is still some fabrication works still to do to complete the backend.

22nd July 2024: Fabrication repairs have been carried out to both inner and outer sills due to extensive corrosion. Both front floor pans have needed repair work too.

17th October 2024: Fabrication works continue to front chassis legs. N/s outer sill fitted. Test fit of the doors and front wings has been carried out, and now adjustments need to be made. In primer ready for wings to go back on. 90s alarm system removed and then wiring under dashboard fixed and tested.

20th November 2024: Both doors and front wings have now been fitted. Fabrication repairs to the windscreen frame and the front of the bonnet have been carried out. The body kit has also had a test fit.

15th January 2025: Interior has been prepped for paint, sound proofing installed and then a final coat of white paint applied. It now looks like a brand new interior.

6th February 2025: Prep for Epoxy – Vents spot blasted, old paint removed, panels treated with Jenolite rust remover masked cleaned ready for epoxy primer. Epoxy Primer – Outer shell and arch’s into Novol hybrid epoxy primer. Rear quarter panels filled and shaped and spray filled and blocked small dents and imperfections filled, prepped and masked ready for primer.

4th April 2024: Epoxy primer has been applied to the underside of the car, then sealed and painted. The next job was to apply a final coat of white paint to the outer bodywork of the car, followed by minor fabrication work to the NS door. Paint from the doors and bonnet was then stripped and an epoxy primer applied.

1st May 2025: The paintwork on the car is complete and is now being reassembled. Panels, doors, windows, lights, and wheels have all been fitted. The interior refit has also started.

18th June 2025: The bodykit is ready to paint and rear bumper split repair carried out. Top coat has been added to all of the body kit parts. Heater matrix found to be leaking through a hole, so this will be need to be repaired. Reverse lamp switch is inoperative. Investigation found the switch was found to be loose in the gearbox housing. Horn connector to steering wheel broken and will need to be repaired. Finally, the wheels are to be refurbished.

26th June 2025: The bodykit has finished being painted and is now being fitted to the car.

> More updates to follow.

History

Fast Ford icons don’t come much more affordable and attainable than the Escort RS Turbo. The 1980s’ road racer that’s now becoming a classic.

February 1986: Escort Mk4 range launched, including XR3i with fuel-injected 104bhp 1.6-litre CVH powerplant plus upgraded suspension, 6x14in steel wheels, spoilers and sports seats with Daytona cloth. Optional dogleg 6x14in alloy wheels. Colours available: Diamond White, Rosso Red, Black or Nimbus Grey.

15 July 1986: Escort RS Turbo Series Two becomes available, featuring revised version of Series One’s 1.6-litre CVH (130bhp) and gearbox. Closely based on the XR3i, the RS Turbo adds 6x15in alloy wheels, driving lamps, bonnet vents, wheelarch extensions, side skirts, colour-coded rear spoiler and window surrounds. Optional Custom Pack includes electric front windows, central locking and tilting/sliding glass sunroof.

January 1987: Recaro front seats in Daytona cloth become part of Custom Pack.

July 1987: Custom Pack becomes standard on all RS Turbos. Radiant Red replaces Rosso and Mercury Grey replaces Nimbus.

September 1988: Heated windscreen, revised decals, Zolda upholstery and grey headlining are added to the specification.

September 1989: Facelifted RS Turbo (now referred to as ’90-spec) arrives with deeper front bumper, wrapped-over rear spoiler, extended centre console, rear-seat courtesy light and variable-speed intermittent wipers.

October 1990: Escort Mk4 discontinued, after UK RS Turbo sales of 22,108. Escort Mk5 launched with no RS Turbo replacement.

Friendly, helpful, extremely knowledgeable, patient enough to explain the processes and reasons for doing things and highlighted even more how approachable the team are. They tried to accommodate our needs and requests to get our beloved old riley back on the road as soon as possible despite the ups and downs that were thrown our way and into the teams path! We could not have wished to deal with a more personable company after encountering some other teams that really made a botch of stuff, seemed uncommitted and were not professional at all. Carrosserie as a team were totally the opposite . . would we recommend them ? ABSOLUTELY !!! We would not go anywhere else now, THANK YOU TO Steve, Neil, Graham and Nicola . . Oh and Karen who spilled the beans about the the birthday surprised to my partner (whose car it is ) . but made the experience all the more special when a bottle of wine was presented as well as a treat to Simon for his birthday AND made it all the more worth dealing with the team ! THANK YOU AGAIN !!!

My car was the subject of some body and paint repairs here in Spring 2024, to address corrosion plus some substandard paintwork. An annual service was also carried out. There was good responsive communications, advice, and attention to detail throughout, to ensure a high quality, durable result, with the final paintwork being indistinguishable from factory finish, and easily better than any franchised dealership repairs. If you are invested in your classic car, want to make it last, with an exemplary finish to be proud of, then you need look no further.

I can't recommend Carrosserie highly enough, the service was exemplary from start to finish and the workmanship is second to none. I highly recommend giving the team a call for any work you need doing to your classic car, no matter what it is, you will not be disappointed!