1995 Escort GT information needed.

I never owned one but helped a team that raced one in Lemons and another team that used the BP motor & trans. The engines are good and an easy HP improvement is to swap in a later Miata cyl. head which has better ports and a higher lift solid lifter cam. The down side is you have to modify the stock intake manifold to make it fit. I did this by welding some extra aluminum plate to the bottom of the intake flange, filling in all of the stock mounting holes and then re-drilling new holes to line the intake ports up with the ones in the head. If you can weld aluminum it's not a hard mod and it will net you an easy 15 HP or more. The engine I did this for made nearly 130 HP at the wheels! with only exhaust and porting mods.

So... how hard are these to find in the non-rusty states? I haven't seen a non-rotted/ratty one in a long time.

In reply to BlueInGreen44:

An escort gt, or any BG chassis?

WildScotsRacing wrote: That chassis can REALLY be made to handle like a gokart and generate tremendous latteral grip!!! You want the rear end about 25% higher spring rate than the front. All available spring sets are stiffer in the front, so coilovers are a must. Check out http://www.piercemotorsport.com/ for lots of really fun ways to make that car faster and handle better. Look at both the Escort parts and the Mazda Protege parts since they all interchange. Pierce Motorsports is extremely familar with the Escort/Protege.

I run a ZX2 in SCCA FSP...same chassis, Ford Engine instead of Mazda...same transaxle.

Most BG based autocrossers are running in Street Touring or Street Prepared. Having been through a number of setups, we have found that the F/R ratio works best at around 1.2 to 1.1/1 when measured in in/lbs (750/650 for example, is 1.15:1). The note above suggesting stiffer in the rear is the first time I have seen that suggestion--and I've been pretty wired-in to the BG autocross community for a while. I do know that the ZX2 came with a "trunk kit" for Showroom Stock back in the day, and it had stiffer rear springs--but the ZX2 also came with a piece of linguini for a rear sway bar, whereas the EGT has a more properly sized 21mm bar. We run 15/16" custom bars F/R, with the rear being a 3-way adjustable. BG and K-Sport are the 'easy button' for coilovers. I run Ceika custom double-adjustable, remote reservoir units...which are very similar to the BC, except for more adjustability.

Pierce makes some nice items--get all the chassis braces (upper strut, lower tie bar, lower rear tie bar). We found that using front camber plates as caster plates works well too. This will give you about 5 caster, and most coilovers have slotted lower mounts to allow for static camber at the knuckle...2-2.5. You can fit 10" wide wheels and 275mm tires in front (Hoosier 275/35-15) and up to 225 in back on 9" (225/45-15), though 205's on 8" seem to work better because they heat up more evenly.

The G-Series transaxles are a bit weak with open differentials (spider gears shear), but with a LSD seem to hold up well.

Happy to help in any other way...just ask.

photo courtesy of Andy Seipos

Pierce tiebar set

I have nothing of value to add aside from the fact that Team Mshiny happy people run a ZX2 in lemons. That thing has had the absolute snot beat out of it and they have been very successful with it in that avenue.

captdownshift wrote: In reply to BlueInGreen44: An escort gt, or any BG chassis?

Escort GTs, specifically

What a outstanding amount of information. Thanks gents!

I'm tied up tonight, but plan to take a look at it tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted.

I will be selling a cheap one shortly. $850 for a GRM'er

On the ZX2SR the spring balance favored slightly stiffer in the rear compared to stock. So stiffer bar for street was not thought to be needed.

. 19mm and 20/21mm bars could be found on various Escort models.

anyone want a full set of stock strut assemblies (spring an struts) low mileage. FREE

FYI, the BG body shell is fairly twisty without good roll bar or (better) a six-point cage welded in.

In reply to WildScotsRacing:

They're an absolute ruckus once stiffened up though. If Toyman would be interested in an astoundingly cheap BG chassis 323, there's one for sale in MD for $500. It's B6 powered, not BP, but the swap is cheap and easy.

STAHP POSTING CHEAP BG'S!!!

I already have one God damn it, and you guys are making me want to make some very poor life decisions

golfduke wrote: I have nothing of value to add aside from the fact that Team Mshiny happy people run a ZX2 in lemons. That thing has had the absolute snot beat out of it and they have been very successful with it in that avenue.

And there's Hong Norrth with their MX3s, which are also the same chassis.

Matt_the_Wolfe wrote: STAHP POSTING CHEAP BG'S!!! I already have one God damn it, and you guys are making me want to make some very poor life decisions

I know... you all are making me miss the Escort wagon.

petegossett wrote:

mndsm wrote: If you can find sf1s old build thread.....all shall become clear. Car has been crushed, but the information lives on.

He crushed it?

Yeah. After he blew up the kl within about 3 min of firing, he decided he finally had enoughis of it, stripped and crushed the shell, because it was really really bent.

I tried to get ahold of him yesterday, but no luck. We will try again in a bit.

Any links to the build thread?

Still no luck contacting him.

What ever happened to him?

Love these little cars! I don't have a GT but I did upgrades on my PONY with poly bushings, 3rd gen sway bar and added lightness for an absolute hoot of a pizza delivery car. I told my brother that I wanted a wagon for a daily driver that had all the factory GT goodies and a turbo 1.8 in it. Gotta be Purple or "Dusky Rose" (pink) and I can drive as a happy man!

Bruce

$600 egt in PA

Someone do it!

I would if I were closer!

egnorant wrote: Love these little cars! I don't have a GT but I did upgrades on my PONY with poly bushings, 3rd gen sway bar and added lightness for an absolute hoot of a pizza delivery car. I told my brother that I wanted a wagon for a daily driver that had all the factory GT goodies and a turbo 1.8 in it. Gotta be Purple or "Dusky Rose" (pink) and I can drive as a happy man! Bruce

I can't vote this up to eleventy billion?

I had a 95 Escort 5 Door LX hatch. Best $500 car I ever had. It had ZX2 S/R Springs, rear bar from an Escort Wagon. The comfortable seats to get are Recaros out of an Mazda Mx-3. The rear bar from the Escort Wagon is one of the better rear bars to get besides the Escort GT one if I recall. Also, yank those electric belts out. I yanked mine out and put in regular seat belts from a VW Golf. Much more comfortable.

The wagon rear bar is exactly the same or at least very close in diameter to the EGT on IIRC (for reference the EGT rear bar was 20mm).

And +1 on the MX3 recaros, we have them in our car and love em.

And yes the electric belts are horrible. Luckily ours already had them removed