The newest automotive addition!!

Welcome my 2003 Ford ZX2. This car is another one of my small list of odd-ball Fords I've owned. The ZX2 went through its production run basically unchanged from 1998-2002. For 2003 only, the front bumper, wheels, interior cloth pattern, radio, and engine tuning were changed. There may have been as few as 20,000 sold. This car is a base model with a 5 speed manual transmission, manual locks, and crank windows. However, it does have cruise control. I got the car for a good price and am happy with it. I need to really brush up on my 5 speed skills though. I am self-taught and driving it daily has shown I have much to learn! Here's 2 photos:

The Escort gets a new engine!

Well, the band-aid patch I did to the old engine last fall didn't work out. The previous owner didn't do regular oil changes and the block was severely worn- to the point that the pistons could wobble back and fourth in the bores! So it was time for a replacement. I had several options, but I decided to go with a Ford remanufactured engine since it carries a 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty and it was installed by factory trained technicians. If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right! Here are a few pictures of the new, shiny engine that replaces the worn 105,000 mile boat anchor: