DT 5.0 Best 5-lug Swap: 2000 Ford Escort

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Lug swaps from 4 to 5 or 6 to 5 aren’t all that uncommon but usually are done as part of a quest for more stopping power. But who cares about stopping anyway when you’re trying to go fast? Find this 2000 Ford Escort for sale in Camden, SC for $11,000 via craigslist.  This post is part of DT’s 5th Birthday Celebration.

What’s most surprising about this build is that it’s not junk. Clearly constructed with far more attention to detail that one might expect from a backyard back-half conversion, it retains the stock Escort steering wheel instead of the obligatory horn button-less Grant GT and has as much of the stock body metal as possible.

The constructor avoided the temptation of the SBC as he’s clearly a loyalist judging by the Galaxie under the car port. The under-hood details are super clean and the motor appears to have the chops to substantiate the typical ‘runs 10’s’ craigslist mantra. Usually with carport drag builds, the bill of materials is split between Lowes and Jegs but this seems a bit more legit.

Even interior details are quite good. Usually the dash consists of some sharp-edged flashing from Home Depot with light, gauge, and switch holes randomly drilled and hole sawed into the facia. In this case, our builder has taken the time to cover the whole panel in upholstery, which arguably makes it look better than the standard millennial Ford egg and frog inspired interior shapes.

See an Escort you’d rather take? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com

Matt, a self-proclaimed bottom-feeder of the classic car market, spends half of his time buying cars, half of his time retrieving them, and the remaining third on keeping them on the road.