Lude Generation

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-FORD-ESC ... 28047181e8


So that's an Escort RS1600i, which were unique because of their engine (yes, trim was different, yadda yadda yadda, but the engine was what was really unique about the car and gave it its name)
This one has had a Zetec lump stuck in it.
The owner thinks it needs a re-shell.


So it doesn't have the engine that makes it an RS1600i.
It then won't have the original shell either...



Come on, accept it... It's not an RS1600i, is it. It's just another rotten Mk3 Escort...

Totally agree with that wurly. I think a car stops being that car once a majority of body panels/chassis gets swapped.

This is the interesting thing I came across with my bug, as it's built from 2 different beetles, a UK and a Mexican import. The chassis, doors, bonner and engine were from the UK. Shell, gearbox, suspension, interior, and front axle were off the mexi. When I checked with VOSA about it, especially with doing the volksrod project, they said it's very difficult, especially on cars like beetles where parts are easily obtained and changed.

They said that the principle which applied to my bug, and will do to this Escort too, is the Ship of Thesus principle (also known as Trigger's Broom).

My beetle is still a beetle, it may not much resemble a beetle, but you can look at it and straight away know what it is. If I had changed the body design to say, a sand rail, where it is no longer obviously a beetle, then that becomes difficult as legally, there's enough beetle to be beetle, but not enough beetle to be recognised as a beetle.



I think I just broke the record for the number of times saying beetle in a post on a non VW site

Yep, all well and good - yours is still a beetle. I was saying this is still an escort, but no longer an rs1600i...

Btw, there haven't been any updates on your fleet in ages... What's been happening?

We had this in the mustang club too - you can now buy a brand new shell, dynacorn IIRC, and of course buy your chosen crate engine, all the rest of the repro parts from mustangs unlimited et al and build yourself a....Mustang?...

Phony Pony?

They just need to add the suffix "Rep" in teeny tiny letters

2p from me, anyone? No? Tough..

I think it comes down to the VIN plate because pretty much everything else is replaceable as it wears out.

If the new shell has it's own VIN then it's a different car.

What if it's replaced with another RS1600 shell?

Are there actually any different characteristics between a RS1600 shell and a regular 2 door Escort of the same era?

Basically it's the engine swap that's causing the authenticity issues.