The Ford Escort and Maltese ingenuity were a perfect marriage, says Jules Christian.
When I first came to Malta back in the early 1990s, it was a time when there was no problem finding a parking place and you could leave your car keys in the ignition and no one would even think of stealing it. If you bought a new car then (very expensive) and kept it immaculate, you could probably get your money back after a year and, unlike today, when every other car seems to be a BMW, the most popular model on the streets was undoubtedly the Ford Escort.
The Mark 1 Escort was the first of five generations of Ford Europe’s bestselling car of all time, selling over two million cars worldwide before the second-generation model was introduced in 1974. Replacing in 1968 the zany back-windowed Ford Anglia, its simplistic design and realistic pricing made it an instant hit. It had rack and pinion steering, MacPherson strut suspension and a beautifully slick gear change making even the most basic 1098cc version, good to drive.
The wide range of models had something for everyone: 1.1-litre, 1.3-litre basic, super and deluxe versions as well as a 1.3-litre GT. There were two- and four-door saloons, a van and a three-door estate both with upgraded heavy-duty rear suspension.
The Escort was to become one of the legendary World Rally successes of all time
Initially the top of the range was the 1.6-litre twin cam eight-valve, using the proven engine from the Lotus Elan which was then superseded by the Cosworth 16-valve RS1600.
The Escort was to become one of the legendary World Rally successes of all time and was renowned for strength and reliability. Specially-tuned versions dominated rallies all over the globe including the Monte Carlo, Safari, RAC, and the London to Mexico World Cup Rally of 1970, which led to the, now highly collectable, limited edition Escort Mexico road car.
But it wasn’t just tuners in the UK who knew how to tweak a Ford Escort. Back in the late 1960s in Malta, cars with large engines were heavily taxed and expensive to run. This meant that the majority of Escorts that were sold locally were the 1.1-litre and 1.3-litre engined cars, which in basic form only produced from 40bhp up to 71bhp with the 1.3GT. In Malta, of course, that is not acceptable. We needed far more power than that...
Remember, in those days, mechanics were mechanical engineers, not guys who by necessity with today’s more complicated motors, are more car part replacers. Those early mechanics knew how to get every ounce of power out of the engine and, with handmade replacement parts and ingenuity, could achieve unbelievable bhp ratings. This ability was not just respected locally. A highly impressed top American Ford executive, after visiting Malta, was quoted as saying: “Boy, when it comes to small Fords, no one can cook the engines like the Maltese.”
Ford Escort estate
Ford Escort four-door
Ford Escort Mexico
Ford Escort Mk1
Ford Escort RS1600