Rust, rust, glorious rust…

…to paraphrase Flanders and Swann. Except the corrosion on The Special’s Escort 55 isn’t anything to laugh about.

Those familiar with Escorts (or indeed any Ford) of this era won’t be surprised to know it’s been afflicted – BIGTIME – by the tinworm. But just how quickly it spread between MoT tests was almost a source of wonderment if it didn’t bring with it plenty of expenditure.

Welcome to The Special’s Escort 55. It’s been with us for eight years and has seen plenty of work during that time, including moving house. It’s pounded the M4, explored the lanes of West Wales and generally been pretty good, although being the non-turbo version it isn’t exactly quick.

But now it’s time for some serious out-of-sight re-newing. Put bluntly, there’s little left of the floorpan or the rear wheelarches. Fist-sized holes in the external sills merely compound the amount of work that’s to come. Even the windscreen (cracked) will have to come out to tackle rot at the front of the roof.

Let’s be optimistic: All that metalwork, plus mechanical re-commissioning after 15 months standing should be worthwhile as these last-of-line Escort haulers are rapidly disappearing.

Meanwhile let’s fire up the gas axe and get to it…