I’m using this article as an excuse to declare my appreciation for the first and second generation Ford Escapes (the second gen, which came out for 2008, was just a facelifted first-gen). Sure, they are unibody crossovers with fully independent suspension that doesn’t do the greatest job at keeping the wheels on the ground at all times, and they lack a low-range transfer case to get those wheels torque to handle really technical rock crawling, but early Escapes did have decent overall geometry. Ford’s specs say the first-gen model has an approach angle up to ~29 degrees and a departure angle around 22 degrees, while the facelifted model has an approach angle somewhere between 19 and 24.5 degrees and a departure angle of over 28 degrees. Looking at the two vehicles, it’s surprising that one has a great approach angle and one has a great departure angle, but I bet we can attribute this to small parts of the bumpers hang a bit low in the planes that make up the approach and departure angles; the actual body itself and vulnerable hardware all appears to be out of the way of danger. The overhangs are short. This is important, because when it comes to off-roading, geometry is king. Just watch this Escape, equipped with what appear to be slightly oversized tires, navigate this downhill grade:
Anyway, it may not be a hardcore off-road vehicle, but I’ve always liked the way it looks, and with short nose and butt, I’ve always thought the body would make for a great off-road platform if only one could get a real transfer case in there and some solid axles for a bit more articulation. Well, apparently I’m not the only one who’s had these thoughts, because look at this madness:
Check out that absurd ground clearance, and how it meshes with the Escape’s short wheelbase and short overhangs to yield humongous approach, departure, and breakover angles. Plus, behold the solid axles held to a real frame via a long-arm suspension; this thing must flex for days! And, if you look closely between the frame rails, you can see a real transfer case:
Finally the Escape, whose geometry I’ve always thought had so much off-road potential, gets the drivetrain and suspension it deserves. As for the powertrain, under the hood, replacing the excellent Duratec 25 (which is based on the Mazda MZR 2.5-liter engine — a genuinely reliable engine), is what appears to be a Cummins 4BT turbodiesel:
With probably somewhere around 105 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, the thing won’t be quick, but it should be a monster off-road, especially with the proper gearing; plus it should score decent fuel economy and never die.
I wish I had a bit more info on this machine (I’d love to know how they mated the frame to the unibody. I see one mount that appears to go to the Escape’s main unibody rail. How’d the builder get to the inside of the rail? Did they utilize the subframe mounts as well?). For now, all I know is what I have from the photographer, Pete Matesevac, who told me he spotted the vehicle at a car show in Pennsylvania. “The photos were taken at the monthly Motor Menders Cruise Night at a place called the Markets of Shrewsbury, which is conveniently about halfway between Harrisburg, PA and Baltimore, MD,” he told me over Facebook Messenger. “It is not unusual to have 1,000+ cars here every month, and everything from traditional muscle cars to exotics to weird little British stuff.” Matesevac, a Chevrolet S10 enthusiast who runs the pages “Pete’s S10 Page,” told me it’s normal to see wild custom cars at the event, but that this Escape stood out to him. “I’m watching all the classic hot rods, trucks and customs coming in and then I see a Ford Escape, which already has me scratching my head because it’s sitting really high,” he told me. “Then I can hear it drive by with the unmistakable sound of a diesel. As it passes by, I see a very glossy frame and a solid axle, neither of which should exist.”
Strangely, nobody was looking at the masterpiece. “I was surprised that I was the only person at that moment because everything was done very well. This looked like a high end shop built it. All the hardware looked fresh, all the metal looked freshly painted. It had an AC compressor with a belt. It looked well executed and complete,” he continued. “This definitely wasn’t a couple drinking buddies hacking up a nasty Escape, the Ford itself was in nice shape.”
Incredible. I must see what this thing can do off-road.
All Images: Pete Matesevac
Frankly… most of the images look like a bad Photoshop job. I’m happy to be wrong… and kudos to the builder if I am. But it just doesn’t look right.
Fun side note, the first gen was sold in Europe and (I think) China as the Ford Maverick. It’s come full circle!
It has a distinctive wedgey look that says futuristic in an alt-reality Blade Runner sorta way. I just can’t resist that.
The Bronco Sport seemed a return to that form factor and had me sorely tempted until Ford really reeled me in with the Hybrid Maverick.
The bronco sport really does follow on with that original escape idea and that’s awesome, but I agree. Now if they’d only hurry up and release the awd hybrid maverick
I barely knew they existed ( they blended into traffic then like a Nissan Rogue does today) but anytime someone I knew had one I would have to step back and appreciate them a little more.
It was a solid choice for a vehicle at the time.
And damn that’s a nice build!
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I have this “like new” Escape with blown rear shock tower mounts. Now what the hell do I do with it? Part it out? No. Everyone else around here has bad shock towers, too! Nobody wants parts for a car that’s on the way to the boneyard… Hmm…
The rear shock tower. They rust out at the top long before they should, just like old Ford Escorts used to. The rest of the car can look good, but hit a big enough bump and you lose your rear suspension.
I’ve seen about a dozen ten to twenty year old Escapes with this problem while deciding never to buy a used Escape. It’s bad enough that Dorman makes left and right patch panels specifically for this problem, but welding them in for you is something that most body shops won’t do.
I don’t know how Ford overlooked the chance of severe corrosion in that area after how bad the Escort was. It’s like they never learned anything from their own product.
It looks like that was exactly what the builder was going for. They took a vanilla bean car and turned it into an offroad monster while retaining a factory look. What’s even better, is many people would take one look at a lifted Escape, and write the owner off as a poseur, only to be embarrassed on the trail. I love these sorts of builds!
It was a practical and rugged vehicle. The body shape meant you got the most from its modest exterior dimensions, and the interior was cheap and easy to clean. Pretty easy to work on too as long as you didn’t have issues with the parts you can’t put a wrench on. It also kicked ass in the snow even though I had a FWD version.
Nice fabrication ????????
