The Ford Escort arrived on the American market in late 1980, for the 1981 model year, as the front-wheel-drive replacement for the aging Pinto. It was initially developed alongside the Mk. 3 European Escort with the idea that it would be a common design sold on both continents. By the time they were ready for launch, the European and American versions looked similar in shape but shared very few parts. Unsurprisingly, the American version was slightly larger, heavier, and adorned in chrome trim. That didn’t stop Ford from emphasizing the Escort as a “World Car” in its American advertising campaigns and it ultimately proved to be one of the best-selling American vehicles of the decade. This well-preserved 1985 Ford Escort wagon available here on eBay in Littleton, Colorado is equipped with the Squire trim package with fake wood paneling, for a quintessentially American look.
Seeing a first-generation Escort in this condition is like stepping back in time; few remain on the roads, and those that do are usually on their last legs. This wagon’s light blue paint shines nicely, and the imitation woodgrain paneling is all there, though the seller points out there is some flaking. It has sealed beam headlights and a chromed eggcrate grille that would be replaced mid-year with composite headlights and a more aerodynamic black plastic horizontal grille. 1985 was also the last year for the woodgrain Squire package. This one has all available options, including air conditioning, cruise control, tailgate wiper, rear defrost, dual remote mirrors, and styled steel wheels.
The interior looks nearly new and is finished in blue vinyl door panels and cloth seats. The instrument cluster includes a tachometer, and the odometer reads just under 44,000 miles which is said to be original. The new owner will have a few things to sort out, including the and inoperable air conditioning system, a non-working horn, and dead hatch struts. A newer AM/FM cassette stereo has been fitted. There is a decent amount of cargo room and a retractable cover to hide it all.
Under the hood sits a 1.6-liter CVH engine that in carbureted form would make around 80 horsepower. This small amount of power is delivered through a three-speed automatic transmission, so don’t expect to win any races. Worth noting, this engine and transmission are the only major components that were shared with the European Escort.
With three days left to go, this Escort wagon is up to $5100 with 20 bids placed. Not surprisingly, Hagerty doesn’t even list the Escort in their valuation tool so it’s hard to determine what one might be worth. There seem to be plenty of folks interested in this one, however. There is something undeniably cool about seeing a nearly perfectly preserved example of a once common vehicle, where most of them were used up and thrown away decades ago. Would you put this old Escort into service a practical daily driver, or save it for weekend drives and Radwood gatherings?
I’m trying to remember if I have ever seen an Escort with the Squire package. My grandma would have loved this one but she would never part with her 74 Pinto with the Squire package. Her oldest son got the Pinto when she passed. It only had 25K on it. It saw regular use after that and I’m sure he ran it into the ground. This may be the nicest Escort in the country with all available options.
This car also has the rare vent window option as well. I had an ’86, 1.9, 5 spd Escort wagon that replaced an ’84 one. I upgraded it by cannabalizing parts from a Pull-A-Part Mercury Lynx. I added the vent window doors, split seats, and rear window air deflector, and the styled wheels. I also would have liked to have swapped in the gauge cluster, but didn’t get that far. This one’s a beauty, but it would have to be a manual to really get me interested! GLWTA!! :-)
1.9 EFI/manual would be decently drivable, even fun. 1.6 carb/auto (0-60 in 5 to 7 business days), much less so.
Good job Jonathan. I agree with alphasud, I’m not sure I have ever seen an Escort Squire. This one is well-equipped and looks great. (And, nice car Moparman.)
This would be a cool thing to do: find a friend with a full-size Squire wagon, and park them side-by-side at Cars & Coffee. I’m pretty sure you two would get lots of smiles from the participants and spectators.
Had a 86 escort wagon….auto….I hated that car…it never failed to start, never broke down, never left me stranded, gave me 100k of trouble free use…it was like a disease you can’t get rid of….I hated it….
My folks bought a Mercury version new when I was a kid. Every option, including the woodgrain and the 1.9 (no matter what car they bought, they always checked the box next to the biggest engine available). But with a stick, they seemed to enjoy it. I think the only trouble it ever gave them was a leaky valve cover. Pretty cool to see one of these in nice shape.
I was at an East Coast AACA car show/rally at a museum with which I volunteered at the time about ten years ago.
At this show, they placed a family with four Fords together: a Model T, a Model A, a ’57 sedan, and the teenager of the family with THIS (model) CAR, only it was the orange with wood paneling or whatever, complete with orange-and-brown plaid upholstery! The four generations were line up side by side, almost like some family photo.
As can be imagined, this car took a lot of verbal abuse throughout the day–it appeared one step removed from Clark Griswold’s National Lampoon vehicles among all the other cars that showed up. Even VW Beetles got more respect, maybe a Yugo had one shown up.
The teenaged owner, sitting next to it in what would now be a “vintage retro” lawn chair with web straps, would look up from his magazine and calmly reply to any mocking:
“This car has been rented for two movies, four TV episodes, and two indie shorts so far. Paying for the car and its restoration work. Now, how many have YOUR car been in?”
That story hits a nerve because I still remember being mocked at a car show for my car’s flawed body work (’41 Ford street rod) when I was 17. At least those guys didn’t know I was listening. As for the Escort, I was a confirmed Ford guy until 1980 when I drove an Escort and became a confirmed Japanese import guy (at least for daily drivers). My dad, a WW II vet, was not amused but gradually warmed up to them. I felt the Escort had a crude transmission and a front end that didn’t inspire confidence.
I guess I should thank my parents for never buying something like this to drive me and my brothers around town in. Or imagine being used to take family vacations in like the roomy full sized truckster this thing is supposed to resemble. Why even put a roof rack on this when it can’t even hold the weight of Aunt Edna?
Nice looking car. I haven’t seen a Ford Escort in a long time. I remember when the Ford Escort was introduced in the USA. I thought it looked like a miniature version of the Ford Fairmont. I found it at the time way better looking than the Fairmont.
I have to admit to signing into Barn Finds today just to read about this car. It takes me back to my childhood. My Mom bought a brand new 85 wagon in 84, sans the wood grain. Nothing exciting about the car what so ever, but I haven’t seen one in person in years. I would feel zero shame bringing this to cars and coffee.
Where have all the Escorts gone, long time passing?
Where have all the Escorts gone, a long time ago?
Gone to junkyards every one.
The 1.9L engine was notorious for cylinder head failures. That’s probably what killed most of them.
My mother in law bought a new Escort wagon (late ’80s) with EFI that gave her years of trouble free service. She bought it on the rebound after her brother in law went with her to a local auto auction where he lives in the next state over.
Bought a very clean 1982 Delta 88 with the 260 V8. Motor ran a bit rough, was told it ‘just needed a tune-up’. Brother in law was useless. Long story short, she barely made it back home, parked it until she nearly gave it away to buy the Escort Wagon.
@Joe Sewell
Funny about the Delta. My Grandma also bought an 82 Delta 88 with a V8 from a used car lot around 87-88. My Grandpa was furious that she bought it without having him look at it. The car was a headache from day one, I was too young to remember all the problems it had, but it was never ending. Finally in 94-95 it had been handed down to my cousin. Under his watch it very appropriately caught fire and was sent to its final resting place.
Oh my goodness….
My 1982 Escort qualifies as THE WORST car I’ve ever owned!! That it beats out an Audi and a Chevette is really saying something. Not that I’ve only owned automotive losers, it just took me a while to learn and since then I’ve had Alfa, Aston-Martin, BMW, Bentley, Citroen, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Porsche and Rolls-Royce in my ownership history. But another Ford? Not unless it’s from England and the 1950s with a little flathead four-banger (yes, I loved the old Anglias I’ve imported over the years.)
I bought a used 1982 Escort L wagon ($5,200) with mint metallic green paint, and white vinyl interior in 1983. It had a 4 speed on the floor that sounded like a sports car when downshifting (or just shifting in general). It was a head turner, along with being a very reliable car.
A Buddy had a job that was 2hr drive to work & 2hr home. With regular maintenance, he got 320.000 miles and it was still going when he sold it. That car was amazing and never left him stranded. I would buy this if someone wanted a driver and just a driver. Tint the windows and gooooooo.
Would love to rest-mod this with a Ford 1.0L 3 cyl Turbo with 5 speed. Would still get great milage, and be drivable on todays Interstates.
Never in a million years would I consider a 1985 Escort with faux-woodgrain panelling a candidate for a vintage car on Barn Finds. It just proves that every car can eventually be collectable.
pop’s got one (2nd gen?) after his wife of 51 yr died (me moms). He left NE w/it & moved to Fla. Drove it a decade when remarried (75 y/o?). They took a small trip fr a wedding (left Fla drive to ME then onto Alaska for the wedding). I think it hada FALF4EAT w/OD (as it wuz a 4 speed). He & ‘the new wife’ went to Great Britain for a yr. Used that as base camp and drove all over europe in it returning to GB when needing to (book nxt adventure on the continent). On their last trip on the continent they sold the escort and flew home. Even tho over 300K they said the europeans were clamoring for a sale well B4 he was ready to unload it.
I’d say “durable”. However, now in his 80’s he got something bigger “to B able to get in’n out of easier, son.” an escape.
I wouldn’t pull into a biker bar, with a car that looked like this.
My Dad had one.
It had overheat problems that never ended.
Ah the 80s,my teen years,and the decade of lots of boxy,slow,junky cars,I had an 84 mercury lynx 2 door beater with the 1.6,only paid $150 in early 90s,and that’s all it was worth,sold it to the junkyard a few months later for 50 bucks,could not keep oil in it,and lucky it was stick….had to rev at red lights to keep it running.