1983 Ford Escort RS1600i

Highlights

• One of 8,659 RS1600is built between 1981 and 1983
• Bare metal body restoration carried out, including strip and respray in factory colour
• Engine rebuilt to fast road specification by Grace Engine Developments
• Retains the increasingly rare original twin coil ignition setup

The Appeal

With just 8,659 examples produced over a three-year run, the Ford Escort RS1600i was a purpose-built homologation special that paired the lightweight Mk3 shell with electronic fuel injection, bespoke suspension and a close-ratio five-speed gearbox. As a final-year example from 1983, this car represents the last of the line, and surviving examples in sorted condition are becoming ever harder to find.

This RS1600i has benefitted from a bare metal body restoration, while the engine was rebuilt with a faster cam and forged pistons, all internal modifications that leave the engine bay looking entirely standard. Crucially, the original twin coil ignition setup has been retained, a feature that many cars lost to distributor conversions over the years. The gearbox has also been overhauled, and the running gear was refurbished. Inside, the seats have been retrimmed to original specification, and the dashboard is reported to be crack-free.

Stored in a humidity-controlled environment and used sparingly, the car has nonetheless proved its reliability on longer journeys abroad. A well-sorted RS1600i that is ready to be shown, driven and enjoyed.

Key Information

• Mileage: 82,187 miles (indicated)
• Country of registration: United Kingdom
• Technical inspection status: exempt
• Technical specs: 1,597cc four-cylinder inline petrol, five-speed manual
• Paperwork: V5 present; owner’s manuals; some documentation and invoices from current and previous ownership, including invoices and valuation report

The Detail

• Mechanical rebuild including bushes, bearings, rubbers, belts, alternator, starter, water pump, radiator and more
• Engine rebuilt by Grace Engine Developments with a faster cam and forged pistons for a reported increase in power
• Engine appears standard externally; all performance modifications are internal
• Gearbox overhauled
• Fuel cut-off and economy lights repaired by the vendor
• Interior seats retrimmed to original specification by Aldridge Trimming
• The vendor reports no cracks to the dashboard
• Parcel shelf reported to be free of holes or speaker cut-outs
• The vendor reports no known faults and states the car starts, goes and stops as it should

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