Detroit made some special intros of American-built front-wheel-drive tiny vehicles throughout the late 1970 s and also very early 1980 s, starting with the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Perspective inthe 1978 model year That vehicle was made with the help of Chrysler’s European operations, and also Ford went with a comparable strategy with its new subcompact made to change the aging Pinto in the North American market. This was the Escort, that made its launching right here as a 1981 version. After much junkyard browsing, I have actually discovered among those first-year Companions, lastly retired after 42 years.
Ford of Britain started making use of the Companion name early, with an affordable variation of the Ford Squire estate getting Escort badges starting in 1955.
The 1955-1961 Companion had not been a huge vendor, yet the following European Ford to birth Companion badges showed to be a marvelously effective moneymaker: the Mark I Companion. This vehicle debuted as a 1968 version and also swiftly turned into one of one of the most cherished vehicles in the UK. It was a straightforward rear-wheel-drive device, maintained appropriate with the Mark II upgrade for1975 A front-wheel-drive follower would certainly be required for the 1980 s, therefore Ford of Europe started developing such an automobile. On the various other side of the Atlantic, Dearborn required a substitute for the late-1960 s-design Pinto, so American designers dove right into the Companion Mark III’s style procedure. The last version year for the Pinto and also the rear-wheel-drive Companion wound up being 1980.
The “Globe Automobile” Companion made its launching as a 1981 version, and also the North and also european American variations looked fairly comparable at a glimpse. They shared a basic framework style and also were powered by participants of the very same engine family members, yet there sufficed transformative aberration in between both that they ought to be thought about relatives instead of brother or sisters. The very early North American Companion rode on the very same size wheelbase as the European Companion, yet was larger and also larger.
The cam-in-head CVH four-cylinder engine was created especially for the front-wheel-drive Companion, and also it was the only engine offered in North American Companions till a Mazda diesel alternative stood for 1984.
In 1981, the only engine offered in the North American Companion was this 1.6-liter ranked at 65 horse power and also 85 pound-feet. The Companion wagon scaled in at concerning 2,100 extra pounds that year, to ensure that engine power was excellent sufficient for travelling. The list below year, an 80- steed “HO” variation appeared.
This vehicle is extremely, extremely harsh, having actually invested several years resting outdoors with missing out on glass. 1981 Companions are so uncommon in junkyards since I really did not wish to wait years for a better one to turn up.
Any kind of automobile being in an area in country Colorado for enough time is bound to grab a couple of bullet openings.
Many thanks to the five-digit odometer, we can not understand the number of overall miles got on this vehicle when it quit driving.
Ford’s official name for the 1981 Escort wagon was “Escort 4-Door Liftgate.” There were 5 trim degrees: base, L, GL, GLX and also SS. This vehicle is a mid-grade GL, which had a market price of $6,318(concerning $21,847 in 2023 bucks).
The transmission is the basefour-speed manual For an added $366($ 1,266 today), a three-speed automated was offered. A five-speed handbook showed up for the 1983 version year.
Typically, when you see the base transmission in a budget-friendly vehicle, you anticipate to see couple of expensive choices. That’s not the situation with today’s Junkyard Gem; this vehicle’s initial purchaser spent 530 dollars for a/c ($ 1,833 after rising cost of living).
Really couple of American subcompact customers agreed to spend for cruise ship control in 1981, yet this vehicle has it. The price: $132($456 currently).
General Motors started offering its brand new front-wheel-drive compact, the Chevrolet Cavalier and also its J-Body brother or sisters, beginning with the 1982 version year. The Cavalier was a fair bit larger and also much more pricey than the Companion, however, so GM needed to use the obsolescent rear-wheel-drive Chevette as a Companion rival till the Suzuki-built Sprint and also Toyota-designed Nova appeared for the 1985 version year.
The Companion was the best-selling car in the United States for much of the 1980s, with yearly sales in the 300,000 s and also 400,000 s for every year of that years. With the F-Series the very successful vehicle at the very same time, Ford was flying high.
For model year 1991, the Companion switched over to a Mazda system, making it relative to the 323 and also Protegé. Manufacturing of Mazdafied Companions for the American market proceeded via 2003.
Promoting the Companion Liftgate’s gas economic situation versus the bigger and plusher Toyota Corona wagon is ripping off a little bit. Possibly Ford’s marketing professionals were relying on customers blending the Corona with the Corolla and/or Corolla Tercel.
Keep an eye out, globe!
The SS trim degree consisted of some relatively rad graphics.