Born in the USA: 1986 Ford Escort GT

The Ford Escort was a small family car that was legendary for its durability, performance (relatively speaking) and general awesomeness...but that was in Europe and around the world in places that Ford deemed worthy like Australia and New Zealand...but in the US of A, we had to wait until 1981 when a "for us, by us" version was released into the American market and it was a front-wheel-drive pile of plastic garbage.  It was a fake, an improperly labeled pile of disappointment, a con, a $1000 check from the US treasury that  bounces, an N95 mask pre-worn by an active coronavirus patient, a Kardashian sex tape starring Rob Kardashian. Nobody, and I mean, NOBODY wants a first generation US Escort.  Despite that introduction, I sorta think this could be a fun car to thrash for a few weeks before rolling off a cliff. Find this 1986 Ford Escort GT offered for $700 Marina, CA via craigslist. Tip from Matt V.

Burn It With Fire: 1984 Mercury Lynx

The lynx rufus (commonly known as the North American bobcat) is a medium sized wildcat that hits the scales at somewhere in the sub 40lbs range and can top 30 mph in sprint.  The Mercury Lynx is a small sized econobox that hits the scales at 2200 lbs and can hit about 86 mph...but I'd guess that having a real live bobcat in your garage would be far less dangerous than a Mercury Lynx.  Find this 1984 Mercury Lynx offered for $999 in Placida, FL via craigslist. Tip from Dascpcu.

Not Just Another Beater: 2002 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R Clone

There are beaters...and then there are cars that love to be beaten.  Some cars will tolerate being bangshifted and put away wet -- and other cars thrive on a severe drive cycle.  I'm thinking this next car will fall nicely into that latter category and the price is throw-me-away-if-something-breaks cheap. Find this 2002 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R Clone offered for $500 in Ann Arbor, MI via craiglist. Tip from Nicholas.

DT 5.0 Best 5-lug Swap: 2000 Ford Escort

Lug swaps from 4 to 5 or 6 to 5 aren't all that uncommon but usually are done as part of a quest for more stopping power. But who cares about stopping anyway when you're trying to go fast? Find this 2000 Ford Escort for sale in Camden, SC for $11,000 via craigslist.  This post is part of DT's 5th Birthday Celebration.

Thursday Twister: Bottom Lined

Today's Thursday Twister is a challenge for all of the craigslist wizards out in the world -- find me the CHEAPEST car that is running/driving and you could take home from craigslist/ebay classifieds/cars.com wherever.

4WD Turbo From Down Under: 1991 Ford Laser TX3

The name Ford Laser doesn't ring any bells in my head, but one look at the car, and I'm sure I've seen one before.  It looks similar to the Mazda 323 2-door liftback or a Ford Escort, but in truth this thing is a restyled version of the Mazda Familia built and sold for the Australian market. Find this 1991 Ford Laser TX3 offered for $8,200 AUD ($6253 USD at time of printing) in St Andrews, New South Wales, Australia via gumtree.com.au.  Tip from Michael.

Charged Up: 1981 Ford Escort Jet Electrica

The US version of the Ford Escort was not as well loved as the European version, which is a cult classic over on the other side of the world...but the US Escort was about as forgettable as a mild case of hand, foot and mouth disease.  Find this 1981 Ford Escort Jet Electrica here on eBay for $1,000 buy-it-now or make-offer, located in Hamilton, OH.  Tip from SeanT.

Auction Watch: 1968 Ford Escort Mk I 1300

Take a look at this 1968 Ford Escort Mk I 1300 Two-Door via Historics at Brooklands with auction on March 12, 2016, estimate £11,000 - £15,000.

Now, I Really Want A Ford Escort Mk II

The man, the legend, the original American hoonster, Mr Ken Block just announced his latest Gymkhana car, a 333 horsepower rear-wheel-drive European built Mk II Ford Escort that is inexplicably part of something called the Stars & Stripes collection.  Watch it shred tires below.

European Export: 1975 Ford Escort 1600 Sport Mk II

Mentioning the name Ford Escort will typically incite fear and loathing from the American automotive enthusiast, but ask a European petrolhead and they will regal you with great stories about a little Ford built in Britain and Germany. That is because the European Ford Escort was not a pathetic little crapbox that ate headgaskets like a tween eats Twizzlers, but instead it was a capable rear-drive saloon with a rally credentials and decent built quality.  Find this 1975 Ford Escort Mk II offered for $16,500 in Redding, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Kaibeezy. 

Marve's Do-Over Drive: The $1,000 Challenge

This next feature comes from Marve Harwell, who raised his hand when we recently asked for contributors.  Take it away Marve!

What if your life suddenly became a country song; you lost your job and your dog drove away with your wife and pick-up truck, leaving you with nothing but bad credit. You have to start over in a new town with just a bag full of bitter memories and thousand bucks to secure transportation.  I have assembled for your consideration four examples of what one G can buy in various parts of this land of opportunity. I'll offer my own observations but which one of these wagons of woe would you choose if you were starting over?

2k: Grandpa Car: 1986 Ford Escort

The term Grandpa car gets tossed around a bit, but today's feature is described by the seller as a Grandpa car, so we mean not harm when we use it today.  Actually, this is the kind of car your Grandpa would drive because no one with his facilities intact would ever have purchased this car new or driven it for a few decades.  Find this 1986 Ford Escort with 65k miles on the odometer offered for $1,999 in Novato, CA via craigslist.

1k: Apple Pie Coupe: 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R

What we have here is not a homologation-required road car or even a performance-division special like the SVT Focus or AMG R63. Nope, it's Ford's "me-too" answer to the Sentra SE-R and Civic Si and others. And while it was never popular enough for a role (or even a mention) in the Fast and Furious franchise, it makes for a rousing and economical daily driver today. Find this 2000 Ford ZX2 S/R for $1,350 in Little Rock, AR.   Words by DT contributor slowcarSLOW-MPGlol.

5k: Fresh Lab Coat Clean: 1993 Ford Escort GT

Do you pine for a car with the esteemed title of nicest 1993 Ford Escort GT available on the market? No need to answer that - of course you do. With a claimed 14,000 miles, this Escort has showroom-quality paint and upholstery to elicit memories of Nirvana, the first Clinton administration, and the hi-top fade. Find this 1993 Ford Escort GT for $3,495 in Detroit, MI. Words by DT contributor slowcarSLOW-MPGlol.

10k: Macedonian Domestic Market: 1970 Ford Escort Mk I 1600 GT

The European built Ford Escort Mk I was the replacement for the long in the tooth Ford Anglia, also built in Europe for the European market.  The Escort was the first Ford to be equipped with a rack-and-pinion steering system (years before the Mustang II was launched only to be stripped/parted for all manner of hot rod front ends) and it was renowned for its handling prowess.  Find this 1970 Ford Escort Mk I 1600 GT for sale in Baltimore, MD currently bidding for $7,900 reserve-not-met with 1 day to go.

2k: Forgotten Gem: 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R

The North American Escort was Ford's compact replacement to the Pinto, predecessor to the Focus, and has long since been forgotten by anyone who doesn't have wheels on his home.  The European Escort is a fantastic car and earned the praises of pundits and drivers...the American Escort...not so much.  However, in response to the sport compact fads in the late 1990s, Ford Racing teamed up with the Ford Small Vehicles Group to created a limited edition of the Escort ZX2, called the S/R.  Find this 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R for sale in Fairmont, WV for $2,500.