Wheels/Tyres

The important thing to do here is not go to wide (regardless of the clearance you have on your wheel arches).  6J wheels are fine making Mk 2 RS 4 spokes/Capri laser wheels perfect for the job.  Just use good quality tyres and you will have good grip without all the steering problems associated with wider wheels.  Obviously, Minilites are the ultimate, just don’t go to wide.

Unless it is a pure track day/race car don’t fit wide tyres, 185 or 195s are fine.  Any wider and the tyres will never get warm enough so they will just be drag and as the escorts are so light your car will tram line and jump about on bumps.   If you get the suspension right, you will be more than fine with 185s on the road.

I have become a big fan of Bridgstone Potenzas and have them fitted to my XR4i.  I bought them from TJ Motorsport as they were the cheapest supplier I could find. 

I have initially fitted Goodyear NCT5s to my Escort as they were cheap and will be fine until I get my suspension fully set up and adjusted, there is no point wasting good tyres is there.  The rubber sits on a set of minilight replicas that I picked up off e-bay for £50, another bargain.