Classic Escort Cabriolet Show Car

"Catching the rays in style"

Dave bought the car in early 2011, he was a big fan of this car having seen it on the show scene since around 2006. This car went on to win the best in Britain 2007, and was in a music video by Platinum & H20 Love Shy.

As Dave knew the owner, Mark Keeble, and has had some dealings with him in the past, so it didn't take much to persuade him to buy the car. The car had been recently redone with a new engine and artwork and really needed to go to a good home.

Dave has been into modifying cars since he was 19 and always wanted to own a one off show car. The trouble was that his cars had to be used daily so he couldn't afford the off road time whilst work was being done on it.

His first real project car was an escort which went through a few different paint jobs from almost silver fading into 3 types of blue, to a full on Kandy purple. He wasn't happy with the latter spray job so saved up and took the car to a reputable body shop with a good reputation and the car was finished in a House of Kolor Candy Red with silver shimrin. It sported 18" chrome wheels and Dual exhaust with a complete interior retrim.

The Escort Cabriolet is set to become a classic. This is of the best looking modified examples we have seen to date.

One of the big plusses of owning this Escort Cabriolet is knowing that he owns a truly unique car, a bespoke one off masterpiece.

Dave tells us, "The feeling of going to a show with the car, with the amount of people interested in the car and how it has done, shows recognition that it is something with a WOW factor, and bizarrely is a nice feeling."

"Even when driving the car around town, the amount of people who stop to look at it whilst walking and driving is immense. You could call it the ultimate attention seekers car. This would be the best thing about owning the car - that it attracts attention - thus why it's a show car which has achieved its purpose."

History of the car

Originally this car was a black Escort known on the show scene as Black Ice. It really stood out and made quite an impact.

The next phase of the car's development was a stunning green paint job and lots of other custom mods including interior,engine, exterior bodywork mods, as well as high spec brake set up and chrome wheels. This is where the car won most of its awards as it was totally different compared to other show scene cars.
 

 The owner, as is the case with most show car owners, saw the need to push the envelope even further.

The car then changed into the ultimate show car in its blue guise. It has a custom kit, custom front and rear bumper, 18" Lowenhart chrome wheels high spec brake set up, a full Clarion audio set up comprising of over 10 screens, 3 subwoofers and a wide range of components and amps.

The interior was fully custom re-trimmed by D Class in cream leather as well as Mercedes Benz blue carpets to match the paint work. This is when the car won Best in Britain in 2007.

The car then had another transformation. It has custom airbrushing paint work all over the car, with 18 inch custom wire wheels to set it off. The interior has also had custom airbrushing to match the exterior as well as a custom boot build in the boot: comprising of 5 amplifiers and a set of speakers to set it off, all painted in the same blue as the car and smoothed.

Dave then changed the interior to a full Momo set up comprising of pedals, handbrake and gear knob. Blue custom velour mats, Smoked 306 head lights, low rider centre caps 2 bar style. As well as treating it to a full detail by Heavenly Detail.

It's not all rosy owning such an awesomely original show car. The suspension, although on air bags, still causes the car to ground on uneven ground and speed bumps. Thankfully this can be altered with a higher lift airbag but is on Dave's to do list. The engine has also been given an aggressive cam profile and as a result is not very well behaved in stop start traffic.

The cream leather interior is a nightmare to keep clean and maintain but we have to admit it still looks stunning so we take our hats off to Dave.

Asked for his favourite evolution of the car Dave tells us, "[When] the car changed into the ultimate show car in its blue guise. It has a custom kit, custom front and rear bumper, 18 Lowenhart chrome wheels high spec brake set up, a full Clarion audio set up compromising of over 10 screens, 3 subwoofers and a wide range of components and amps."

Tips for other owners.

Be careful when considering buying or creating a show car. It is costly and because everything is custom it is harder to fix, change and upkeep to a show winning standard.

Also after a year of shows, people expect to see changes on the car, so be prepared to change or have plans to change mods on the car each time.

Future plans for the car.

To have some skulls fading from the petrol cap going across the tailgate to the other side of the rear wing.

Underground multi colour neons and hopefully Dave will be sponsored next year with Clarion audio so that the audio equipment can be upgraded to 2011/2012 spec.

Is there anyone or any companies you'd like to thank or plug?

Dave Evans (DRE Autos) for all the help over the years and with this car.
Heavenly Detail for making the car shiney.
Thanks to Leanne Gilshnan, Dave Evans, Wilf Wilson for their help and support, appreciate it loads.
Thanks also to Lawrence aka Kaos for doing the art work. 

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