The Escort is a PCM!!!

Ok guys (especially Tim and Joe) I just got off the phone with Chuck Thermine the pres. of PCM.
At GL, I was talking to Dave regarding the Escort and he didn't know anything about it but did ask me to email him with the pictures and any details so he could run it past Mr. Ralph. I did email him and Ralph called me this last Monday. God be with him at 90 and still at work doing what he loves! The last time I spoke with Ralph was about 1976 when I purchased my Atom looking for whatever info he had to restore (original!!) the boat! Well anyway getting back to the subject, Ralph really didn't have all the history and his memory isn't what it used to be but he had already called Chuck at PCM to set me up to call.

With the Interceptors and the Chryslers pulling out of the marine engine business, there was a real shortage of engines. Waukesha was there but they got into a big law suit which was so costly that they made a decision to stop the small engine division. A engineer from Ford saw a opportunity to marinize the ford engines so he moved to Columbia S.C. and started Escort in 1975. Being under capitalized, he was in trouble in less than 2 years. PCM bought out Escort in late 76 and continued making the brand (with PCM engine tags Tim) for several more years until it was completely dropped. Chuck Thermine was a Escort employee through the short life span of the company and went with PCM along with the buy out. Chuck did mention that PCM still has parts for the engine although he did admit that there really aren't many "Escort only" parts.

Joe, good call on the bell housing looking like a Waukesha. Chuck couldn't remember the supplier but it was the same one both used.

Tim, Yes the front end plumbing looks like a PCM because some of the castings (Chuck seems to remember it was the "J" tube) came from Escort!!

One last thing Tim, Remember that beer I bought you at GL??

There were escorts at GL?
Huh, that sleepy town sure has changed with the influx of Illinois people over the last 20 years.

RainDog wrote: There were escorts at GL? Huh, that sleepy town sure has changed with the influx of Illinois people over the last 20 years.

Steve, You may have not noticed them. They were your typical Wis. escorts: Their wardrobe only has two colors - green & gold and they appear to have been raised on butter fat and brats!!

Hello gents,

Brand new to the forum as a participant but a reader for a short while.

I wanted to ask those in this string if you knew anything else about the Escort engine. I have a '76 Martinique with a an Escort motor. I do not have a great deal of details but it seems to be unique as I have not seen anthing that looks like it in all the pictures on this site. It has a 255 emblem on it and I understand it is a 351 Windsor block. It has black wet headers on it with 'Correct Craft' painted on a metalic name plate (looks to be origonal).

Any thoughts or direction on where to find more info?

Thanks in advance.

Peter, Thanks for your quick response. I'm really looking to learn more about the specifics of my boat (correction, my wife's boat - she had it when I met her) starting with the engine. I'll get some pictures up soon but before that I notice a few things right off after looking at your picture.
First off it looks very similar except mine is painted white. I have noticed that the oil pan has blue under the white some maybe the white was not original. With regard to the headers, mine look very similar to the ones in the picture - front cap and rear elbows are identical. Mine have a metal (aluminum?) name plate on top running almost the entire length with the Correct Craft script logo on them. The valve covers are the same shape but the Escort/255 emblem is much smaller. The engine mounts are slightly different but things like front engine accessories and plumbing look the same from what I can see in your picture.

The boat is out at the lake (summer here in the NW) and I'll get some pics up soon.

One thing I have noticed is that no two boats of a given model/year seem to be the same (from looking at pictures). Is this a proper impression? Did Correct Craft have a plethora of renditions? Differences are slight (pylon/no pylon, vented windshield/no vent, 3/4 front seat/full seat, etc.

A little background as I know it on the boat... 1976 Martinique (seems to be a less popular version of the 17'9" hull) in red trim, original CC trailer, 351 motor, electric air horns, glove box standard mirror, pylon,. The pictures will tell the rest of the story when I get them. (any hint on what resolution and size works best?)

Thanks

I have looked at the reference section; great stuff and where I got the impression that the boats were outfitted differently. I have the original (I think) engine tag and it is almost all unreadable except for ESCORT/GT and the serial number. Any ideas on resource to trace the serial number?

I'm headed to the lake and will return with Pics.

Later

Tom, I've got to say that it looks like the white was the Escort color. The blue on the pand may be just the Ford blue when Escort got it and did the marinization.
It looks like the boats in good shape and I'm sure you're enjoying it.