Project 55 returns

And lo, on Easter Sunday the mighty Escort 55 rose from its pit of corrosion and general mankiness, to appear again as a Daytona Yellow vision of late Escort goodness…

Project 55’s been a long time in the making, but from that day a few years ago when it failed its MoT-test on serious underside corrosion the plan to bring it back beyond to its former glory kicked in.

And here is the result: A whole new floor, the front wings fitted a few years ago replaced with brand new, better-fitting ones, rear arches replaced, the sills and area around the fuel cut out and new metal let in.

All this topped-off with Daytona Yellow paint. Mrs Special had no truck with anything other than a Ford yellow and, in her eyes, there was only yellow – the one with the Daytona moniker.

So who to thank? The boys at Ferryside Garage, that’s who: other paint shops went through the motions of saying they’d do it (and never came back to us) and at one paint shop the boss wouldn’t even step out of the door for a look. Ferryside willingly took the job on, – so much so that within 48 hours of dropping it off the body was in bare metal and the doors off.

This being an early 2000s Ford of course there was the demon rot to deal with, and it’s been done more than admirably. But Chris the sprayer, being the perfectionist he is, refused to let this be a half-baked number and as well as painting the bodywork re-painted the roof rails and arranged for the wheels to be blasted and re-painted black. The trim rings were polished, the dog dish hub caps painted too.

Meanwhile the engine bay didn’t escape and that’s been painted and supremely tidied-up too. And the details are worth noting, Ferryside guv’nor Jed anodising the door and bonnet latches.

It’s been a long time coming, but we must also thank our mate Kenny for tackling the arduous underside welding and Richard at Oklahoma Motors for sorting a few niggles out before Christmas. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s been worth it.

Or, as Mrs Special says, “top banana!”