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The Escort RS2000 was the last car to be introduced to Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) range in June of 1973 and dovetailed nicely with its performance almost comparable to the more complex RS1600, but with the reliability and ease of maintenance of the Mexico.
The car used the same Type 49 body shell as the Mexico and RS1600, however there was a new engine in use at Ford, the 2-litre overhead cam, 100bhp, Pinto design. Ford then had the major problem of persuading the, less than slender, Pinto engine to fit into the engine bay, which was something it had never been designed to do. The only way of achieving this was by discarding the engine-driven cooling fan and replacing it with a thermostatically controlled Kenlowe unit.
The most appropriate gearbox was the German ‘E-box’, which was totally different to the one fitted to the RS1600 and the final drive was 3.54:1. The car was launched in the UK November 1973, priced at £1,586. The RS2000 once again proved to be a quick and delightful car to drive, whilst being more accessible to buy and still offering customers a great choice in terms of colours and options.
First registered in April 1974 and finished in the seldom seen and striking Sebring Red. A matching numbers AVO example that benefited from a full ground-up restoration in 2015, carried out with meticulous care to ensure total authenticity. The restoration made use of numerous new/old stock parts, carefully sourced from around Europe ensuring that no compromise was made in returning the car to its original glory.
The history file is impressive and highly comprehensive and there are a number of photographs of the whole body restoration process. The body in our view wasn’t excessively corroded unlike many that have been subjected to restoration.
The engine was fully rebuilt as part of the process, with the work thoroughly documented in a dedicated file containing photographs within the history file.
The seats were professionally refurbished using original Ford Beta cloth. New carpets have been fitted and the headlining and door cards present in excellent condition.
Five new Pirelli Cinturato CN36 tyres were fitted, reinforcing the car’s attention to correct and high quality detail, it also comes complete with a period correct jack and tool sack.
A genuine, matching numbers, Sebring Red AVO car with such superb provenance, history and thoughtful restoration, this example represents a fabulous opportunity to own one of the finest presenting RS2000s available today.
A new MOT will be conducted pre-delivery.
