2nd generation Escort GT (1991) Wheels & tires?

[yellow41]

Hello Escort Racers,

This is my first post & I can use some guidance.

This may not be the best car for it's class but it is the one I have and the one I want to take racing. Currently it's just stock, so it has a long way to go.

Due to the tight fit of wheels and tires your advice on what size wheels and tires would be extremly welcome. Help please?

Thanks,

David Ford
Phila Region SCCA

[LOBSTA1]

David, Us Ford guys run whatever we can Joe in No cal runs a 1st gen Capri, and I run a PINTO don't laugh, (just getting back into after a few years off) Anyway I would suggest a good cheap steel wheel for your Escort or run your stock one at 1st. Also are u going to biuld it to IT specs and what do u hope to do with it?
FFR (Fellow Ford Racer) Glenn

[joeg]

Welcome--You can use ford or Mazda Protoge wheels.

They came with 14 or 15 inch. A 205-55 in the appropriate diameter will fit.

Good luck!

[yellow41]

Originally posted by joeg:
Welcome--You can use ford or Mazda Protoge wheels.

They came with 14 or 15 inch. A 205-55 in the appropriate diameter will fit.

Good luck!

[yellow41]

Thanks Joe,

Mine has 15" x 5.5. Can you squeeze a 205 onto a 5.5" rim?

In your experience will a 6.5 wide wheel fit?

Thanks for your reply.

Dave

Originally posted by joeg:
Welcome--You can use ford or Mazda Protoge wheels.

They came with 14 or 15 inch. A 205-55 in the appropriate diameter will fit.

Good luck!

[yellow41]

Hi Glenn,

Thanks for your reply. 1st gen's have a 4x108 bolt spacing, 2nd's are 4x100.

Yes it will be built to SCCA IT specs. I expect to be out mid season 2004.

I'm hoping to use a 15x6.5 w/ Hoosier 205/50's. Think they'll fit?

Thanks,

Dave

Originally posted by LOBSTA1:
David, Us Ford guys run whatever we can Joe in No cal runs a 1st gen Capri, and I run a PINTO don't laugh, (just getting back into after a few years off) Anyway I would suggest a good cheap steel wheel for your Escort or run your stock one at 1st. Also are u going to biuld it to IT specs and what do u hope to do with it?
FFR (Fellow Ford Racer) Glenn

[tderonne]

Escort GTs only cam with 15" wheels. Until they allow the Escort LXE, that came with 14" wheels, you have to run 15".

Originally posted by joeg:
Welcome--You can use ford or Mazda Protoge wheels.

They came with 14 or 15 inch. A 205-55 in the appropriate diameter will fit.

Good luck!

[yellow41]

I'm fine with the 15" part as shown in the GCR.

It's the wheel width I need advice on.

Thanks!

Dave

[jericker]

It's the wheel width I need advice on.


Dave, I have an '88 ITB Escort GT and I run the 15" wheels that came with the car. I also bought an aftermarket set of BBS's which are lighter and have a little bit more offset. As far as width, in ITB or ITC, you can only run a 6" wide rim, so your idea of 6.5" won't cut it. If your car is ITA which I think it is then you can run up to a 7" wide rim and the Hoosiers would fit on there fine in the 205/50/15 size and you might even be able to jack hammer a set of 225/50/15's on there as well. The Hoosier 205/50/15's (which is what I run) barely fit on the 6" wide rims. I think you would be asking for some sidewall trouble if you went any smaller rim width than the 6.0" Also, the GCR says you have to use 15" rims. With my generation of EGT, I can run 13, 14, or 15" rims, so you might want to look into using different diameters at some point. Good luck and welcome to the EGT family (of dummies I might add), Jon

[WIZARD Racing]

Dave, welcome to ITA. I run a 91 EGT in New England Region. You are in a small crowd. Tim (tderrone) owns Wayne Henry's old 91 EGT ITA car.

205/50/15's will fit on the stock wheels. If you use Hoosiers, they will be almost too wide, but they will work (had 1 set once). I run Kumhos. I have 15x6.5 rims that are pretty cheap ($79 per rim) and light (13 lbs?). I can get the rim info if you want.

Feel free to email me at: [email protected]

------------------
Buddy
# 58 ITA

[joeg]

Jon--What's going on with the car??

[yellow41]

Jon & Buddy,

Thanks for the good info!

Dave

QUOTE]Originally posted by WIZARD Racing:
Dave, welcome to ITA. I run a 91 EGT in New England Region. You are in a small crowd. Tim (tderrone) owns Wayne Henry's old 91 EGT ITA car.

205/50/15's will fit on the stock wheels. If you use Hoosiers, they will be almost too wide, but they will work (had 1 set once). I run Kumhos. I have 15x6.5 rims that are pretty cheap ($79 per rim) and light (13 lbs?). I can get the rim info if you want.

Feel free to email me at: [email protected]

[/QUOTE]

[jericker]

Originally posted by joeg:
Jon--What's going on with the car??

Joe, you don't want to know. I'm getting ready to put in my third motor of the year already. My killer motor which was going to be the answer lasted 4 laps in its first race and my second effort went 11 laps! I'm putting the last hope in this weekend (I hope) and have it ready to go for the Mid Ohio weekend over July 4th weekend. Needless to say, it hasn't been the year I had last year. I'll tell you though, I have the car running great if I can just get it to last. I assume you'll be at Nelson this weekend, correct?

[joeg]

Yes Jon, we'll be at Nelson.

Me thinks you need to run full race gas and to see how much advance is coming out of that ignition--just some thoughts on keeping motors alive.

[Racescort]

Speaking of advance? How much do you guys advance your timing? Should you only advance if you run race gas?

Sorry to hear about your engine Jon. Hope it works out for you.

I installed you guys rear suspension on the back of my car and it works great! I put some camber plates on the front, and thats really great! Going to tryout a lower strut bar I made for it at the next race. Its a little crude, but I think it will work. Im adjusting to the way it drives and getting faster....hopefully.

I have 205/50/15 Kuhmos on mine too.That does seem to be the limit.

I'll be at the WOR Games this year for sure. I might be at the race weekend just before also but not sure. Hope to seeya there.

------------------
Doug
ITB Escort
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Racescort (edited June 11, 2003).]

[joeg]

I have a Weber carb and a Duraspark distributor, so my method of advancing timing (turn the distributor clockwise and read the light for 38 to 40 degrees at 4000 Rpm--a power time--may not work with your EFI cars.

[Joe Craven]

Is the Escort head that inefficient?

Here is the timing I've found that worked best for various cars I've raced.

Ford Capri 2 liter (iron head)36 deg total advance. At 38, it definitely lost power and ran hotter.

VW GTI - 1.8 liter, 36 deg total.

1980 Nissan 200SX NapZ 2.0, 27 deg total advance. It was a two valve but the burn rate must have been really fast. Car had great power but car was heavy so net result was that the acceleration was the same as the Capri.

[joeg]

Joe--All I know is that my CVH at 36 degrees total runs like a dud.

[jericker]

Hey Joe, good luck at Nelson. I use Citgo 110 octane race gas and run about 30 degrees of timing. We messed with the timing some and really couldn't get it to a comfortable level. Gail was never happy with where it was. We are going to change a few things around on this next one including using a different spark plug which is cooler and a copper head gasket. I have no idea whether this will last either. We'll be putting it in the car while you are about on turn 4 at Nelson, again good luck. Joe Craven, don't know how inefficient the EGT head is, but mine apparently doesn't like what I'm doing. Doug, see you at the WOR games this year, good luck with the rest of the season. I'll be looking forward to seeing how are EGT's compare. See ya', Jon

[Racescort]

Jon
Wont be much of a comparison, you'll beat up on me, but I'll be enjoying it the whole time anyway.

------------------
Doug
ITB Escort
[email protected]