“A Ford with a license to misbehave.”

Not a well-behaved classic for Sunday drives, but a Ford Escort RS2000 Mk I that has been fully built for motorsport. A car into which thousands of hours of work, knowledge and investment have been poured. Built with one purpose in mind: to enter the corner as fast as possible, get the rear end stepping out and get back on the throttle with a big smile.

Compact, lightweight and rear-wheel drive, the Escort already had all the right ingredients to become one of the most successful and recognisable rally cars of the 1970s.

This RS2000 was originally delivered in Sweden and later found its way to the Netherlands.

The Escort has been completely stripped down and rebuilt from the ground up. Everything that was not essential has made way for weight reduction.

A professional Safety Devices roll cage, rally-oriented suspension and a modified drivetrain immediately make clear what this Escort was built for. The bodywork is finished in white with blue rally decals and sits on 13-inch Minilite wheels fitted with Vitour Formula tyres.

Inside, you will find two black Sparco seats with white stitching, combined with blue QSP harnesses. The Safety Devices roll cage forms the centrepiece of the interior.

A quartet of auxiliary spotlights at the front, a digital speedometer, combined compass and clock, and a Terra Trip computer complete the package.

Just 980 kg. You decide. The Escort follows.

Under the bonnet sits the well-known 2.0-litre Ford Pinto engine, fitted with twin Weber carburettors and a range of performance upgrades. The result is approximately 235 hp in a car weighing just 980 kg.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a modified four-speed gearbox with revised gear ratios.

Perhaps most importantly, the Escort comes with an FIA HTP (Historic Technical Passport) within the Historic Competition Touring Car category, together with the corresponding FIA CT24 documentation, homologation and registration papers.

This makes the car suitable for use in historic rallying, racing and hill climbs, among other disciplines.

The conversion is complete. The documentation is in place. The investment has been made.

This Escort is ready to go.