MotorWeek | Retro Review: '83 Ford Escort GT

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[scandawarrior]

5 digit odometer, back when car makers didn't expect the vehicle to hit 100, 000 miles

[skidrowoffroad]

My first new car was a 1984 Escort GT. It was black with orange pinstripes and had a factory flip-up sunroof. Until this video I'd never seen those opening rear, side windows. I'd have loved to have those on my car, but I don't think they actually went into production. Despite this review it was a fun car to drive and surprised plenty of people with how quick it was... at least at that time. Unfortunately, at about 45k miles that car was destroyed by thieves who stole the custom Alpine stereo system I'd installed, and then set the car on fire to cover their tracks. Its replacement was a new, white 1988 model Escort GT which I still own and which is still a blast to drive. Some folks will no doubt scoff, but that's been the best car I've ever owned. It went back to the dealer ONCE for a warranty repair and never needed more than routine maintenance in over 120k miles.

[RenoEdits]

I don't recall seeing this version as a kid when they were new. They basically took the taillight setup from the Lynx for this, but it worked.

[mit]

"Remote" rear vent quarterwindows?! Shut up and take my money

[jcdenton]

0-60 in 14 seconds! Damn this thing would give a GT-R a run for it's money!

[BobJohnson-nftv]

I just put a 76, 000 mule motor in my 91 white Escort with red interior I did most of the wrenching myself and enjoyed every minute of it. The car only has 64, 000 on it. The original engine was ran dry of oil by the Original owner. Not to bright of a guy lol. I really like the simplicity of the car. I put a fake hood scoop and chrome hubcaps on it and removed all badges. The young guys have no clue what it is but keep trying to buy it. Maybe a car ahead of its time, lol.

[frankburns]

No rattles after 7, 000 miles, wow! Really a high bar back in those days. Honestly, though, these things were fun to drive, and pretty reliable.

[dcanmore]

far removed from the 1983 Euro Escort XR3i: 1.6 105hp, 0-60 9.5sec, 115mph. Also came as a convertible and 1600 turbo 132hp versions.

[trekinseattle]

I used to buy these things every Sunday out of the Seattle times. Grab the paper early in the morning and make calls on my Nokia cellular flip phone lol as I ate breakfast. Usually 100-300 bucks depending on year miles and condition. Usually I'd get them because the cam seal would leak severely around 120k and kill the belt. The early 81-83 would bend valves so I only purchased those for different reasons... At 17yo my parents yard was full of them.... 40 bucks and 3 hours to replace the seals, brake clean everything and slap a timing belt. I had waiting lists of people that regularly saw them parked on our corner lot for sale lol. Did about 50 of them, until I discovered Japanese cars... Mazda 626 LX / GT, civic, Accord, protege, 929, 200SX, 310, Maxima, Corolla FX16, etc etc... Way way better cars that needed less real mechanical work, I'd buy those cheep for things like Clutches, breaks, accidents, etc... Fix them and sell them... Drive the ones I liked... The good old days.

[MrTaxiRob]

I knew a guy who had one of these and he took out the rear seatback and filled the hatch with a concert amp connected to a cassette Walkman. Sitting in the back seat meant resting your back on the amp. It was all in mono but it was so insanely loud that other people's higher end stereos were quickly forgotten about. And Justice For All was very popular that summer.

[ClassicTVManX]

When Ford first came out with the U.S. Escort in 1981, the GT model was then known as the SS, but since that nomenclature was long associated with Chevrolet, Ford wisely renamed this particular sports trim package to GT for '82.

[JimHalpertFromTheOffice]

My dad had an Escort GT (not sure of the year, I know it was the 1st gen '81-90). I own a '96 Escort LX hatchback 1.9L 4 cyl. 4-speed auto. Not the nicest cars to look at, but in my experience they're reliable, comfortable, and fun to drive. 159K miles and still going strong.

[ohguy]

We went thru some dark times in the 70's and 80's for cars

[beerman]

From the eighties. I had a Mercury ln7 in 1985. They were fun cheap cars that got great gas mileage. Easy to drive and park. Brings back great memories.

[matth]

My sister had an 84 Mercury Lynx which was the sibling to the escort. It got fantastic gas mileage but it needed repairs often.

[kevinwoodard]

Despite its GT name, this was made for economy rather than speed.

[chriscon]

I had an '86 Escort "Pony" with a 1.9L & 4-speed manual. I put 145K on it; after 8 years the rear strut mounts rusted out. It was slow & not too refined, but decent for its intended purpose...a $6K economy car.

[ChuddleBuggy]

I love the next gen Escort GT. It had Mazda's 1.8 DOHC coupled to 5 speed with a super low 1st gear. Loved that tranny.

[robertsise]

I recall those 85 mph speedometers were widely hated. People would buy new Mustang GTs and then replace the 85 speedo with the Canadian metric and a speedometer gear change to covert it to mph for a 140(Ithink or possibly 160 nnever did it myself) speedometer.

[thetreblerebel]

I love the looks of this model Escort GT, if only it had a true GT engine that made it go fast