Specifically from the perspective of beater motorsports specifically rallycross. I know it would be a fun car to toss around but would it have potential to be competitive down the road? What dominates fwd classes these days?
Also specifically, from that perspective, can anyone comment on the differences between the last year of production and the earlier Escort ZX2s. Wiki and hearsay tells me that the only difference was a different looking front end and a better CD player. How true is this?
That is the truth. The engine was also retuned in that timeframe to have a little more bottom end. Not that the chassis needs even more bottom end.
The "radio change" was basically Ford putting an aftermarket DIN adapter in the car, instead of using the goofy non-DIN radio/HVAC controlset unit. Probably most older cars have the adapter in them by now, it was very common.
The '03 nose is very hard to come by used. This is important if you are running in Stock or Prepared and aren't allowed to have modified body panels. Ziptie-stitching a bumper into place is legal but looks really bad.
I had several friends with ZX2s, one of whom had one of the last '03s available. A deer killed it. Twice.
Knurled wrote: The '03 nose is very hard to come by used. This is important if you are running in Stock or Prepared and aren't allowed to have modified body panels. Ziptie-stitching a bumper into place is legal but looks really bad.
So your saying it's a more difficult problem if the nose gets damaged?
Harder to come by the parts.
Not that the earlier ZX2s were all that easy. So many ZX2s got into front-end collisions that front peel-offs for them were double the value of regular Escorts. Lots of kids bought them, lots of kids wrecked them.
No, a sedan nose won't fit. Side shape is all wrong.
There are a lot of ziptie stitched bumpers in Stock and Prepared. Probably Modified too, this year, with the appearance rules in place. Find zipties in your car's color so they are less obvious, in other words 
Ah, makes sense. Going to look at one tomorrow, maybe. The chances of it not being rusted out are slim though.
I used to belong to Team ZX2 forum and bumper covers were the least thing talked about. So what does rally cross have to do with them ? In ten years of my ZX2/SR I ran autocross, couple of rally cross, hill climbs and lots of ice racing and it still had the original bumper cover.
There was a version that came with a limited slip iirc. The chassis is great for rallycross and zetec in stock for should be better than other factory options that came in bg chassis. If you opt to go to modified class later you'll have a world of options.
captdownshift wrote: There was a version that came with a limited slip iirc. The chassis is great for rallycross and zetec in stock for should be better than other factory options that came in bg chassis. If you opt to go to modified class later you'll have a world of options.
I didn't think an Escort with a factory limited slip was ever a thing?
The ZX2 S/R limited edition came with a lot of good stuff, but no LSD as far as I can tell.
The optional S/R package adds stiffer suspension parts (Eibach springs (M-5560-Z2), Tokico struts (M-18000-Z2) and Energy Suspension brand polyurethane suspension bushings), more power (through a Ford Racing PCM (M-12650-Z2)), more efficient intake (Roush or Iceman), rear disc brakes (M-2300-Z2), a stronger clutch, Centerforce dual friction (M-7560-Z2), a short-throw B&M manual-transmission shifter (M-7210-Z2), an S/R-unique shift knob (M-7213-Z2) and boot (M-7277-Z2), unique seats for 2000 models, a unique blue valve cover for 2000 models, a different speed cluster that goes up to 150 mph (240 km/h) and a unique tire/wheel package with Goodyear ZR1 tires. Engine power was increased 10% over the base Zetec engine used in the ZX2 to 143 bhp (107 kW; 145 PS), courtesy of a recommended premium fuel re-calibration, new air inlet system, the performance PCM, improved Borla muffler and pipe (M-5230-Z2). All ZX2 S/R have a special "S/R" badge on the back, either silver (on a red car) or red (on a yellow or black car). Some S/R went out of the assembly plant without some of the performance mods (example: missing the Centerforce clutch).
No limited slip. I put a friction device , forget what it was called. seemed to help.
Speaking of ZX2s, I have a left over complete stock suspension assy. Just bolt in. about 32k miles. This will fit any ZX2, '97 later Escorts and Proteges. I have complete ZX2 exhaust with Borla muffler. All is free. All you have to do is come and get it. I could be persuaded to deliver a reasonable distance.
I've auto- and rally- crossed a stock ZX2, and it was surprising (in a good way). With a suspension refresh and an Escort GT rear sway bar, it was tons of fun to toss around - 10/10ths everywhere. Lots of torque from that engine, and great gearing with the 5-speed. Might actually be competitive in rallyx.
On the downside, lots of NVH, and not much aftermarket.
I have heard that a limited slip diff from an '86-88 nonturbo RX-7/1.8l Miata will work in the ZX2 trans, you just won't have a working speedometer unless you machine the diff case to take the G5M diff's speedo gear.
I have yet to get a G5M diff in my hands to check dimensions, although an Escort stub staft does spline right in to a 26-spline RX-7/Miata differential. '89-up RX-7 have a weirdo diff with odd axle inputs, '84-85 RX-7 probably don't have grooves for the axle retention circlips.
One of my ZX2-having friends went through something like three or four transmissions in 30,000mi after shearing the diff pin, which causes all sorts of internal mayhem. (He was kind of an animal - I remember him once driving the length of a 1/2 mile long bridge at full throttle, 3rd gear, and a quarter steering lock due to the tire spin) So I would consider some form of limited slip to be mandatory.
Well, all of this helpful information makes me want one. Sadly it turns out that an Escort ZX2 (at least one with a sunroof and stock seating position) does not have nearly enough headroom for me with a helmet on my head. There might be ways around that... Also the rocker panels on the one I was looking at had mostly disintegrated. So, letting this go... For now 
MX3 seats and rails are the ticket for a lower seat (I think you can even mix and match bottoms and backs to keep a mostly stock look.)
ZX2's are so cheap and so rusty that it would almost be worth it to have one shipped from a non-rust belt state. I happened to get mine from a recent transplant from the south. The killer rust (besides the rockers) is where the rear trailing arms mount in front of the rear wheels. That area tends to rust away to nothing. Could be shored up with a welder, but probably not worth the trouble.
When I was looking for a limited slip I did find one from Mazda that would fit with some grinding. I think you had to change axles. different splines.
When my differential pin came adrift, it did no harm to the transmission gears. It just put a groove and small hole in the case. Fixed with JBWeld. The pin hit some part in the shifter which made shifts hard to do. Still could get all the gears.
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