There aren't many of us that would say no to owning a MK2 Escort again. This is your lucky day and a chance to slip back behind the wheel of the 70s classic, but this time it's the more sought after Harrier model.

Restored approximately five years ago by the previous keeper, the Harrier was treated to a full repaint and a rebuilt engine with some subtle improvements, which you will shortly learn about. The car is a wonderful example of the Harrier model, of which only 1500 were produced. 

The vehicle was purchased from a gentleman who had brought it from a relative and is said to have owned it for 30 years. The car then received a level of restoration before being sold to the seller.  The Escort has been with the seller for the past four years. Whilst he has enjoyed owning the car, the time to use it has become less frequent over the past few years, and with a house move on the cards, the decision has been made to sell the classic Ford. 

Inside the Harrier, the fishnet Recaro seats have been retrimmed whilst in the seller's ownership by his local vehicle upholsterer. The material is thought to be as close to the original specification as possible, and was purchased from Aldrige Trimming in Wolverhampton. As you would expect, with the retrim carried out not so long ago, the seats are in excellent condition, with no damage or wear to point out. 

In the driving seat, you are faced with a three-spoke RS steering wheel which is in good order, and the instruments are reported to be working as they should, with the odometer reading 93,778 miles.  The dashboard is in good condition, with no splits or cracks, and the heater controls and switches have some light patina but are working as they should.

The carpets are in good condition, with minimal signs of wear, and the headlining is clean with no staining and is free from any sagging. Into the boot, the original boot material is in place. Lifting this shows the boot floor, which is excellent and presented as well as the exterior. Unfortunately, the spare wheel is missing.

Finished in Diamond White with the correct Harrier decals, this 1980 MK2 Escort is in superb condition. Starting with the front of the car, the classic MK2 front end has a set of spotlights mounted to the small quarter bumpers, which are in excellent order, and is the perfect look for any Escort of this era. The spotlights themselves are in good condition with no chips or cracks to mention, and have a set of Cibie covers which can be used to keep them protected. The headlights and indicators are also in good order. The grille is straight, with no broken slats, and the correct valance is fitted; this does have a few small stone chips. 

Around to the sides and as mentioned, the Harrier decals run down the length of the Escort, emphasising the swage line making it easier to spot if something is misaligned, which it isn’t. The doors align as they should and open and close with ease. The black window surround and seal is in good condition, and there are no notable scratches to mention on the glass. A set of mudflaps fitted to each corner protects the paintwork from unwanted stone chips. 

The rear is in the same condition as the rest of the Escort. There are no scuffs to point out, the light lenses are free from any splits, the bumper is in good order, the badges are in place, and the boot spoiler is fitted which has no splits. 

The RS four-spoke wheels are in excellent condition, and these are shod in matching Yokohama A539 tyres which have only covered a few hundred miles. 

The Escort looks amazing, and to top it off, the engine hasn’t been left out. The previous keeper has had the bottom end bored out to a 1700cc which has had new pistons and been fully balanced with a polished crankshaft. This is coupled to a CNC Rick Wood big valve group 1 head, which is fitted with a Newman Steel fast road 244 Spec camshaft and steel cam followers, and ensuring everything is as lubricated as it should be is a high-pressure oil pump. Fueling has been taken care of through a set of twin 40 Weber carburettors which get ignited by a set of NGK spark plugs powered by the electronic ignition. 

  

With the turn of the key, the Harrier fires into life, clearing the fuel/air mixture through the twin 40s, and comes to an even idle. The car drives as it should with the distinct sound of the straight cut gearbox. The gear change is reported to be precise, and the car pulls well through all of the gears, helped along by the addition of a lightened flywheel.  

With the power sorted, the car needs to handle well, which it does courtesy of a set of Bilstein dampers. 

The car's underside has been coated in black stone guard, which has been applied with an even coating, thick enough to just see the floor seams without hiding anything untoward. 

Taking you back to your early 20s, the MK2 was indeed a car to be seen in and won’t fail to turn heads today. It’s been given an extensive restoration with an engine rebuild taking the CHV engine to 1700cc, coupled to a straight cut gearbox; the Escort is reportedly an enormous amount of fun to drive, as you would expect.