New MK2 Escort Shells

[KeithRobinson]

It's been known for a while, but they have arrived now for viewings. Higgins car dismantlers have had branch new MK2 escort shells made in China and shipped over. £7000 for a complete shell with all panels, which IMO is a fair price given the work involved in restoring rotten cars.

So, who's going to be the first to buy one? Could you build it as a kit car and register it as new?

 

[Rocko]

Look @Paul RS and @Mark King an old, not rusty Ford.

 

[Paul RS]

Look @Paul RS and @Mark King an old, not rusty Ford.

Made in China.... You sure about that?

 

[Paul RS]

It's been known for a while, but they have arrived now for viewings. Higgins car dismantlers have had branch new MK2 escort shells made in China and shipped over. £7000 for a complete shell with all panels, which IMO is a fair price given the work involved in restoring rotten cars.

So, who's going to be the first to buy one? Could you build it as a kit car and register it as new?

You can transfer a cars ID legally if you use a brand new shell. Every component from the original car is worth points, engine, transmission etc. If you can accumulate enough points by swapping parts from the original car, the shell can take that cars ID

 

[KeithRobinson]

The china thing wouldn't put me off, 90% of consumer products are made in China and these days the factories are state of the art. Fresh paint, pumped with wax, these would be an awesome alternative to using 1.3GL shell's and a legal way to re-shell.

 

[gary87]

Prime for putting a more modern engine if you wanted a ground up build without the gamble of buying an older car and it not being completely rotten.

 

[Dave..]

You can transfer a cars ID legally if you use a brand new shell. Every component from the original car is worth points, engine, transmission etc. If you can accumulate enough points by swapping parts from the original car, the shell can take that cars ID

A lot of people try this with Series 1 Land Rovers, buy one and add a defender to the chassis and its now tax and mot exempt. It can be a minefield and be very hard to get the approval required.
Might be easier with a rebuild using old original parts but not sure if you used new parts?

 

[Ben]

So basically, in the case above, you could have a fairly new defender that is MOT and tax exempt?

 

[Mr.Mint]

You can transfer a cars ID legally if you use a brand new shell. Every component from the original car is worth points, engine, transmission etc. If you can accumulate enough points by swapping parts from the original car, the shell can take that cars ID

Or you could just transfer them across and say nowt

 

[Coog]

So basically, in the case above, you could have a fairly new defender that is MOT and tax exempt?

Gives you more money for the constant repairs I guess.

Heritage shells available for quite a few old British sports cars too.

 

[Eager]

Seen these on bakebook. Curious about quality but cool all the same and I am sure def suitable for rally use

 

[Dave..]

So basically, in the case above, you could have a fairly new defender that is MOT and tax exempt?

Only until you get caught, there used to be a few on ebay every week.

 

[mckeown]

would there be any restrictions on how these stand up in an accident?

 

[Eager]

I imagine most will be chassis number swaps overnight. So no issue there. Not sure if you were making a car from scratch how that works. Bit like a kit car I guess ?

 

[Paul RS]

A lot of people try this with Series 1 Land Rovers, buy one and add a defender to the chassis and its now tax and mot exempt. It can be a minefield and be very hard to get the approval required.
Might be easier with a rebuild using old original parts but not sure if you used new parts?

That's a bit different though? Treating the shell as a spare part means it should be easy enough. It's how the Reyland escort Cosworth was able to be rescheduled and retain the first shells ID.

 

[Paul RS]

The china thing wouldn't put me off, 90% of consumer products are made in China and these days the factories are state of the art. Fresh paint, pumped with wax, these would be an awesome alternative to using 1.3GL shell's and a legal way to re-shell.

Disregarding the China thing - when have you ever seen aftermarket panels fit like OE ones? If I was in the mark for one of these I'd need to see one being built to make sure everything bolts up where it should.

 

[Eager]

I imagine first ones might be ok. But as time goes on and people try drive price down quality might start to wonder a bit.

 

[seanbob]

There would be no way that Id's could be legally swapped over. These shells are not tested/approved nor supplied by an authentic car manufacturer. Plenty will get the vins bolted straight onto though as said above.

So is it Steven or The Buck that's selling these @marcusplowman? I'm home this weekend so might just take a scoot up to see these men as its a great idea if the quality/fitment is there.

 

[Dave..]

That's a bit different though? Treating the shell as a spare part means it should be easy enough. It's how the Reyland escort Cosworth was able to be rescheduled and retain the first shells ID.

Fair point, I think it is great that mk2 shells are available, the last new ones I saw were in Ophir Motors at Dundrod, many years ago.

 

[AMG]

There would be no way that Id's could be legally swapped over. These shells are not tested/approved nor supplied by an authentic car manufacturer. Plenty will get the vins bolted straight onto though as said above.

So is it Steven or The Buck that's selling these @marcusplowman? I'm home this weekend so might just take a scoot up to see these men as its a great idea if the quality/fitment is there.

It's The Buck that took to do with it all as far as I know. Work with his brother in law, he has been telling me about them for ages. Think he had to send over 4 or 5 shells to China so they could copy them!

 

[davecoupe]

Fair point, I think it is great that mk2 shells are available, the last new ones I saw were in Ophir Motors at Dundrod, many years ago.

There have been men importing shells from SA for a good while now, I have a feeling some of them are new but not 100% sure.

There is a Mk2 shell on the roof of the filling station at the Dry Arch Roundabout on the way into Letterkenny that came all the way from South Africa.

 

[Dandy]

Was talking to him about these last week. Didn't say a whole pile about them. Be good to see how well built they are and how strong there made.

 

[richie_mck]

He'll need to shift a fair few of them to even get his money back and in terms of panel prices it's not like he's any more compatible than any of the other suppliers

 

[garyo]

There is a Mk2 shell on the roof of the filling station at the Dry Arch Roundabout on the way into Letterkenny that came all the way from South Africa.

Always wondered about that one, thinking to myself it was an awful waste.

 

[pedenjohn]

Sure they would be nothing like the real thing. A genuine mk2 escort, built in England in the late 70's, 43 owners from new, through 6 hedges, on its roof once, a wonkey chassis, rolled up newspaper in the sills. Sure you'd never match the panel gaps of one of those..... I think they 'appear' good value, certainly id rather bodywork one of those than trying to repair a real one.