[Custom] '70 Ford Escort RS1600

RS: It can be the abbreviation for many things but in the case of the Escort it’s the first letters of Rally Sport. So rally it is.

This is another great cast from Hot Wheels. Cars from my childhood are the ones I tend to like rather than the modern cars. This is one I remember watching competing in off-road rally races on TV growing up (never actually grew up) So making a rally version of this little car was something I’ve wanted to do since I first saw this cast. The “love em or hate ‘em”spotlights up front are just the icing on the cake.

The roof rack is a slightly modified part from a MBX Dune Dog. I removed the rear clips, fitted the spare wheel and added some minor paint details. The antenna is a bristle cut from a small broom, probably horse hair by its feel!

The wheels are from a MBX FJ40. Fitting them required careful deepening of the slots for the axles. For that I used a hacksaw blade very very carefully, the risk of making the base a two piece set up is great. Once the slots were as deep as I could get them I fitted the stock wheel/axle sets from the FJ40. Then filled the slots with ABS glue. When the glue is set the base becomes very solid again.

Also some careful reshaping of the lower sections of all wheel arches was needed to allow the cast to roll. You can see the slight difference between stock and modded in the side by side shots. It’s not much but was needed.

Also fitted a four point roll cage for safety reasons. That was removed from a HW Jeep Cherokee.

Some shots without the roof rack, I think it needs it?

Excuse the crude black sharpie please. I’ve put this shot in to show how close the deepened axle slots are to going through. At the front (non blackened end!) the plastic has turned white and is almost cut through! This is dangerous work. :)

Grey glue globs. If you are new here or missed a way earlier post of mine on the glue used let me know in the comments and I’ll find the related post.

Trimmed ares can be seen at the corners of the wheel arches.

Ok, that’s it. Thanks for looking.