Ford EXP coupes are generally extinct, so finding one is tricky. Finding one that’s claimed to be in daily driver grade condition is downright impossible, generally, but the seller of this clean brown example in Rhode Island claims his is at that level courtesy of lots of recent maintenance work. The body looks shockingly clean for the snow belt, and as a resident of the Ocean State, I can’t recall ever seeing this one on the roads – and I think I’d pull a 180 in traffic if it did go cruising by me. Find it here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,800, or the seller will swap for an air-cooled project.
The seller doesn’t include many photos, but the ones we do have show a very clean body with no indication of rust on any of the panels. The picture of the EXP parked among hot rods and Mustangs at a local car show makes you realize how rare this car is – I can remember the last time I saw a 30s or 40s hot rod, or Shelby Mustang, but I can’t say the same for an EXP. The wheels look like the ones found on the rare V6-equipped Ford Tempo, and are a nice OEM+ upgrade for this rare coupe.
The one photo of the interior shows a minty cabin with virtually no signs of age-related damage. The ad lists mileage as being a mere 52,000, which would explain why this EXP remains in such fine shape. Door panels appear to be in excellent shape, with no soiling on the light-colored materials, and details like the subtle silver strip around the HVAC vents and lower binnacle shows you how well-preserved this EXP is. The seller says this EXP is good enough to be a daily driver, which is high praise – but there’s nothing in these three photos that’s giving me any reason to doubt that claim.
I have friends in other parts of the country who have these, in various states of decline. Otherwise I haven’t seen one in person in years, let alone one in reasonably good shape like this example. Despite the odd styling and packaging and their low-budget status, I kind of liked them, perhaps for their quirky-ness.
I give the current owner a ton of credit for bringing it out to mingle with (much) more popular vehicles at a car show. Doubly so since it is brown with an automatic transmission. But you know, if I walked into a local show with an EXP, it would be the first car I looked at.
That first pic of it up at the top? Roll outta bed, rub the eyes, a smudge or two on the phone screen and I’d swear it’s the side profile of a little 86 T-Bird. Of course the frog eye headlights give it away. I never noticed that before though. Neat car, my friends Dad had one on its last legs, he painted it black with a roller and house paint. No car deserves that. This one looks good in brown.
Wow – don’t see these often anymore. The wheels to me look like the ones that came on the later EXPs a few years later when they came out with the Escort GT (same wheels too).
Having owned a number of Escorts, I would drive this sharp little beauty (even w/ the auto!) in a heartbeat! GLWTA! :-)
At 52000 miles better change the timing belt or it will go bang.
Around 50K the head would develop cracks between the valves , its the main reason the first gen cars disappeared from the roads so fast .
Trippy little car! Couple of questions- is that an aftermarket steering wheel, and is the trunk/rear window a single piece hatch?
That’s the stock wheel, and yes, that’s a notchback hatch similar to the hatchback Fox-body Mustang. The sibling Mercury LN7 and later EXPs got a bubble-back hatch similar to the Fox-body Mercury Capri.
That is the stock wheel for a 1988 or later Escort GT not an 1982 EXP this old. It may have had the TRX wheels which are hard to get tires for.
A great concept with typical American carmaker execution of a compact. I really wanted to like these but Honda set the bar & the domestics decided they didn’t want to participate in that segment.
Those wheels are off of a 1987-88 Ford Escort GT.
@mike b… The steering wheel is factory and the hatch/rear window is one assembly.
When I was a kid, I had a Hot Wheels version of this car in silver. Loved that HW. Lost of course through the years. 🥴
It is pretty ironic seeing this car after spending the last couple days reading about them and the Mercury LN-7. I have a old auto trader from 1989 and count 4 for sale in it
I do remember seeing the odd one and was always kinda fascinated by them.I must admit I like them as well as the Escort Gt.
In the 90’s my dad wanted a car for my mother, who was in her 70’s, to drive to the “beauty parlor” which was about two blocks away. He got her a used EXP like this, strange choice, but it served her well for all of the 75 or 80 miles she put on it.
I guy down the road from me has three of these. He has a blue one that is as nice as this. Takes it to the local shows, it gets a lot of attention at them. People just love these everyday cars you no longer see anymore. Muscle cars get looked at, but not for long. People gather around his little Ford. Fun fact, the guy is only 19 years old! See, there might be a future in this hobby yet.
Cool. A (very) young guy has found a niche collector car which brings him attention and, I’m sure, enjoyment. His tastes will undoubtedly evolve and change but hopefully he will be involved in the hobby for a long time.
justa mazda but I like it better than the nxt iteration the probe. The escort seats’ll bolt in the back if U want a 4 seater, same motor too, look for 1 yr (mid-way in production but still w/these hdlght style) model w/blk wheel flairs’n “Turbo” on the back for a ‘hot hatch’ (for back in the day -’84). 86/7/8 had several models but the hdlghts were back in the hood. Mom hada lght blue (baby?) one.
I’m not positive, but if you are trying to say “it is just a Mazda,” I don’t recall the first generation Escort being a joint development with Mazda.
The original Escort, Lynx, EXP and LN7 are Ford developed and built and had nothing in common with Mazda. It wasn’t until much later that the escort was platform shared with Mazda
My nickname for these. The EXPire.
Is that leather seating in white? Was such an pption in 82 let alone any model EXP year? Those seats look like they were hijacked from my 89 Mustang GT. The door cards are original too? Albeit nice and clean interior, suspect for original. Nonetheless a fine specimen of the Frog Car. Would love to take a drive up to RI to see.
Used to see a lot of these, kinda looked like a baby Mustang. Saw one some years ago at a drag strip, someone had put a 351 c in it. I don’t remember how fast it was, but I’m sure it would have scared me.
God bless America
My buddy had 2 of these cars they was later 80s the headlights didn’t look like the ones on this car. They was also hatch back cars and the rear ends didn’t look like this one either. He sold them to my other buddy and he sold 1 to our other friend after a little. He sold the other 1 also I don’t know to who though.
they went thru a restyle around 85 or 86. EXP gained the bubble back window from the discountinued Mercury LN7 and got escort front end. I much prefer the first gen exp with the frog eye headlights. I personally own an 84 Ford EXP Turbo myself.
What size i4 did the have the turbo with?
I forgot to add the car my buddy sold to the person that I don’t know had a custom exhaust manifold that made it dual exhaust on a 4 cylinder engine. Cylinders 1 and 3 had the exhaust exiting the exhaust on the driver’s side and cylinders 2 and 4 was the passenger side.
The Bob and Etta version was THE
EXP. Can’t get better than that.
JohnnyB:
1.6 CVH (8# of boost)
Thanks. I’m a child of the 80s and would like to fine a frog EXP to complement my 87 turbo coupe and 88 5.0 gt. Take care.