My 1994 Ford Escort aka The Trusty Escort

[johnunit]

Neat little car. don't get the modifying bug on this!

[87gtVIC]

Hehe thanks guys.

I doubt anything engine or exhaust wise would ever be touched besides necessary maintenance and replacement parts and such, but I do love changing the look of cars...interior and exterior. Escort GT grille on the way...who knows what else..gonna have to make a trip to harry or ezpull or both to pick up some alloy wheels because I hate having hubcaps...I need to tires soon anyway because the cheap tigerpaws are beginning to dry rot. If I find an Escort GT there I just may grab the body kit off of it. I really would like to have a spoiler as well.

Before all that though I need to bring the paint back to life once I have a nice long day to do so. Bumper covers need a good compounding as they are heavily oxidized.

Car made its first real trip under my wing today. To school! God it was nice to not take the bus. lol. Way slow on the highway trying to pass another car but it is a fine car once you get up to cruising speed.

The stereo I installed is too powerful for the stock speaker though...with little bass and the loud function off the speakers still shake like crazy...I enjoy it though.

Also..my car feels like a race car compared to this one. Made me feel as if I dont need to do any upgrading on the Crown vic as long as I own this slug.

[sly]

the door speakers are probably rotted out and the rear deck is probably about half way there. The foam surrounds on those front speakers usually didn't last past 5 years... and the rear speakers (if 5x7) are paper all the way. If the rears are the 6.5"... they're probably the in the same shape as the front. Still... any generic in that car would sound decent.

at least this was the case in the 93 wagon my mom had and the 93 lx hatch I sold off recently.

[87gtVIC]

Had the door panels off last year to replace the dew wipes. They looked fine then. I think they are just cheap, cheaper than the cheap radio I threw into it. No idea on speaker sizes other than the rear deck ones look round. i really don't want to put money into it for speakers. I will deal with it.

What I have to do though is pull the headliner as water is getting into the car near the rear window. Making the headliner wet in the area..dripping a little on the seat (very little..like a drop when it rains) but some more water is accumulating on the headliner retainer surrounding the back window. Gonna have to pull it all down and see what is up.

Oh I also want to remove the original dealer sticker from the trunk...That is where my dad used to work and where my grandparents picked up the car back in 95 (was a left over model from 94).

[grandpaslincoln]

Nice car mang. My mom had a 93 Escort wagon with the 1.9. I need to do some work to it since the exhaust manifold gasket leaks and it runs like shit, but it's a good motor.

[87gtVIC]

Thanks Jon. Takes a bit getting used to from driving my Crown Victoria for so many years. Today on the way home from school I really felt at home in the car. Pretty comfy inside..I sorta got the radio into a setting that works with stock speaker and I just had a smile on my face because everything was going smoothly. Felt like it was really my own car and not my Grandparents at that point. I was really happy.

[gadget73]

entry level Fords got really horrible stereo stuff. The stock radio and speakers in those things just suck. It makes stock Vic stuff sound like a McIntosh system by comparison. I once put a Pioneer cd player in a 94 Escort for a friend and it did the same thing. Her original stereo was totally dead, and she just wanted something that would play.

[87gtVIC]

Speaking of fog lamps...I may be able to get away with doing something like this! Plus this means I wont need an EGT bumper cover! Sweet!




Now I just need to find an Escort GT (EGT) Fog lamp switch. I have the black spot for it next to the dimmer switch...just gotta find an actual fog lamp switch to keep everything looking nice.

[rick99601]

maybe youll have to bite the bullet and actually put in a generic rocker switch *gasp*. lol

[87gtVIC]

No. I found one already. If it is still available it will be mine. I want stock looking things.

[87gtVIC]

Picked up some a complete set of mudflaps, a pair of fog lights as well as a factory 1994 Escort GT Fog lamp switch.

Also purchased some self etching primer and trim paint to redo the rain gutters on the car..may even do the one effed up dew wipe trim on the p.side rear door.

Already have rusty metal primer for the wiper arms (still will get them down as clean as possible) then paint them with trim paint and I have a can of filler primer for my EGT grill that is ready for paint as of now.

[sly]

the roof rails (rain gutter rails - the black things on the roof... whatever they're called) on the 93 I had were plastic coated, not painted. I had to grind off the plastic and just continued to grind the rails to get the rust off. then painted them up nice with some flat black. $5 in dremel supplies and $1 in paint... 3 hours of prep work (grinding, masking) and about 5 minutes of spraying. wasn't professionally smooth, but I was going for rust free... which it is now.

[gabegt90]

what fog lights did you get dave?
hows the mp3 player working out for you mang?

[87gtVIC]

the roof rails (rain gutter rails - the black things on the roof... whatever they're called) on the 93 I had were plastic coated, not painted. I had to grind off the plastic and just continued to grind the rails to get the rust off. then painted them up nice with some flat black. $5 in dremel supplies and $1 in paint... 3 hours of prep work (grinding, masking) and about 5 minutes of spraying. wasn't professionally smooth, but I was going for rust free... which it is now.

Yep same here. Peeling plastic with rusty metal underneath.

what fog lights did you get dave?
hows the mp3 player working out for you mang?

Some 21 dollar ones from Pepboys..glass fascia metal casing. Look near identical to the ones I have on my Vic. And near identical to the ones on the escort posted above.

Player is good Gabe. Only thing it is missing is a shuffle function.

[gabegt90]

Yep same here. Peeling plastic with rusty metal underneath.




Some 21 dollar ones from Pepboys..glass fascia metal casing. Look near identical to the ones I have on my Vic. And near identical to the ones on the escort posted above.

Player is good Gabe. Only thing it is missing is a shuffle function.

I have the same style lights on my box. For the shuffle I think you have to hit menu while in mp3 player mode