Ok, an unusual question, but is it possible to tell from various Ford part numbers etc, whether my Dutton Phaeton was built using a mark 1 or mark 2 Escort?
I need to know before I order the wrong parts from Rally Design.
Please take pity on someone who should have known better, but Dutton's are low cost too!
Any help would be appreciated....

The only thing i can think of is that they swaped from imperial to metric between the Mk1 and Mk2, the old chestnut being that Mk2 track rod ends(metric) wont fit on a Mk1 rack(imp), could you try a Mk 2 trackrod end on your rack?, of course all this is out of the window if anyone has changed the rack in the past!

Some parts are date marked (RS/Laser alloys come to mind), the change over date will be '74 -'75, the first MK2's coming off the line on the 2nd of December 1974 for the 75 model year (launched 4th March 75 in the UK (N reg))

Front anti roll bar size went up from 20 to 22 mm but it might be difficult to judge on rusty (or painted)suspension parts.

HTH

Cheers

Chris

Check the letters on your engine number

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1970 KL KY KS KT KJ KU KM KP KB KR KA KG
1971 LC LK LD LE LL LY LS LT LJ LU LM LP
1972 MB MR MA MG MC MK MD ME ML MY MS MT
1973 NJ NU NM NP NB NR NA NG NC NK ND NE
1974 PL PY PS PT PJ PU PM PP PB PR PA PG
1975 RC RK RD RE RL RY RS RT RJ RU RM RP
1976 SB SR SA SG SC SK SD SE SL SY SS ST
1977 TJ TU TM TP TB TR TA TG TC TK TD TE
1978 UL UY US UT UJ UU UM UP UB UR UA UG
1979 WC WK WD WE WL WY WS WT WJ WU WM WP

Thanks for that, according to the engine number it was made in October 1979. So a late Mark 2.
Cheers

i like your chart above perhaps you could help me with mine engine is a 711 block came out of 1.6 ghia 79 but the number starts aa. any ideas? Following the logical progression or the numbers i think it might be from about 1894 (perhaps one of henrys prototypes)

Sorry for the late reply, but I've been taking eldest daughter back to uni.

Uncle Henry and his crew reverted back to the prefix A in 1980, I dont know the month from memory, all my decoders are at work so I will post the next bit of the chart Monday. The charts relate to all fords, I put the '87 to '93 bit in the photo section a few months ago.

Your engine came from a car that left the production line in March 1980.

Try this site http://www.capri.lt/ford_vin.htm

Thanks mate very helpfull, thought for a sec that the engine had been transplanted before i got it.