The Ford Escort Mk1 might not be red and Italian but it’s a performance car icon. Generations of drivers wanted this car, and for many it was their first taste of a quick motor. Mike finds the search for an Escort is hard going – prices for rust-free original cars are high. The car he finds is a great as a base, and Mike wants to gently customise the Mk 1, to give it a compassionate retro refit, improving the handing and breaking but to also spruce up the face of a much love 70’s classic.