FOR SALE An award winning AVO MK1 Ford Escort Mexico last RS Owner for 36 years. EQUIPMENT Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) Type 49 heavy-duty body, front quarter bumpers, strengthened chassis rails, strengthened flitch plates, reinforced front suspension strut top mounting plates, rear radius rods, six pod sports binnacle, two speed wiper. Factory Options: Reversing lights, hazard lights, cigarette lighter, heated rear window, centre console with clock, Winguard door mirror. Specification/Accessories: 1660cc Supersprint upgrade – see Engine & Transmission’, 4-Branch exhaust manifold with full stainless steel system, CD8 road springs, Koni dampers, 2” lowering blocks, AVO bushes, Custom Pack console, Radiomobile, roof aerial, Kinzie clock, central door locking, Laser Line alarm, immobiliser. EXTERIOR Finished in unmissable Modena Green, (Code M), exactly as it left the AVO factory in 1973. Discreetly modified, this Escort has dominated the show circuit with at least 30 awards from the ‘Best Mk1 RS Escort’ at Ford Fair in 1991 and ‘3rd Mexico’ at AVO National Day in 2006. Scrutinising the car it is unbelievable that the documented and photographed restoration was carried out over 34 years ago, such is the stunning condition today. With a tiny split to the rear window rubber and some touched-in marks, this is no freshly restored and unproven machine covering 14,000 miles since complete. So many original features remain fitted from Ford Triplex glass to FoMoCo rear light lenses and importantly, the car is registered and is well known with the AVO Club and still has its factory Type 49 heavy duty body. INTERIOR Still upholstered in the original factory Black Beta cloth, one can forgive a few tiny nicks, much preferred over aftermarket retrims. The black looped-pile carpet and black headlining are unmarked and the door cards are not warped. All instrumentation within the dished six-dial dash is operational along with switchgear. Benefiting from a RS2000-type full height console housing a period and working Radiomobile and inoperative Kinzie clock. Discreet luxuries such as central locking and door speakers have been added. The boot area is spotlessly clean housing the spare wheel, jack and wheel brace in the original fawn muslin bag. ENGINE & TRANSMISSION Nestled between the AVO Escorts inner front wings is the original matching numbers and rebuilt Kent XFlow bored out and honed to 1660cc Caterham Supersprint specification. In brief, it has a Stage 2 skimmed and ported cylinder head, bronze valve guides and lightweight heavy duty Duplex valve springs. Pocketed 1300 GT pistons are fitted along with a performance Kent camshaft and steel crankshaft pully. Twin Weber 40 DCOE carburettors with a K&N air filters and full stainless steel exhaust system sounds fantastic and essential components such as an uprated an electric fuel pump, high pressure and capacity oil pump, Bosch distributor and Lumenition ignition all enhance the driving pleasure and reliability. The engine presents fabulously with the chassis number on the strut top and even the delicate cardboard lower engine cover in situ. A rebuilt and strengthened 4-speed gearbox with a complete upgraded clutch assembly drives the rear wheels through a 3.54 crown wheel and pinion from the RS2000 to allow better cruising speeds. WHEELS, TYRES, & BRAKES Spoke-style sculptured steel wheels measuring 5.5x13 inch with genuine RS centre caps are immaculate and finished in the correct two-tone with metallic Pearl Grey centres. Sticky Yokohama 185/60 R13 tyres have ample tread. Ventilated front discs are gripped by uprated calipers and Mexico rear drums which have RS2000 back-plates and shoes, do a fine job of stopping the car. Goodridge brake lines and a relocated Lockheed remote brake servo also help ensure safety under hard braking. HISTORY FILE Built at Fords Advanced Vehicle Operations factory in Aveley in October 1973, this vehicle was first registered on the 14th February 1974. A very well-known car within club circles, this genuine article has only had five former keepers from new and the last for 36 years! Michael Lloyd-Jacobs is a perfectionist, a Rolls-Royce and Bentley technician by trade and when he bought this Escort Mexico in August 1989 he intended it for everyday use rather than a concours winner! That is why it features many discreet modifications to the engine, suspension and brakes that do not look out of place, in fact and being a stickler for detail, when complete in the Spring of 1991 the car was able to enter both concours and modified classes – and win! With a huge box of trophies, rosettes and certificates and a list of all the awards from AVO National Days, Ford Fairs, RS National Days and many more, the provenance of this car is unrivalled. Two huge files of neatly presented invoices, AVO Club valuations and a letter from the owner make wonderful reading. MOT April 2026, HPI Clear.