What came with the car
Ford's own paperwork for the first S/Rs, transcribed in full. Click any page to read the original.
Window sticker
The Monroney label from a 1999 S/R, VIN 3FAKP1133XR211437, shipped to Dick Ruhl Ford in Columbus, Ohio. It’s the same car as the recall letter below. Ford document
| Item | On the sticker |
|---|---|
| Model | 1999 Escort ZX2 2-door coupe “Hot”, 4-passenger |
| Powertrain | 2.0L DOHC 16V Zetec, 5-speed manual |
| Paint | Zinc Yellow clearcoat |
| Interior | Charcoal cloth, sport |
| Base price | $13,340.00 |
| No-charge options | P205/55ZR15 BSW tires, all-door remote entry with anti-theft, leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual power mirrors, rear window defroster, CFC-free air conditioning, AM/FM stereo cassette, aluminum 6-spoke wheels |
| S/R package | $1,495.00 |
| Vehicle and options | $14,835.00 |
| Destination and delivery | $415.00 |
| Total MSRP | $15,250.00 |
| EPA | 25 city / 33 highway mpg, estimated annual fuel cost $616 |
| Sold to | Dick Ruhl Ford Sales Inc, Columbus, Ohio |
A few things it settles:
- The paint is Zinc Yellow. This is the first Ford document we’ve found that names the 1999 S/R color.
- The S/R was a $1,495 line item on a Hot. Everything it came with that a Hot didn’t already have, like the 205/55ZR15 tires and the leather wheel, shows as “no charge”. The $14,835 total matches the price Sport Compact Car and Automobile quoted.
- The S/R is rated 25/33 mpg, one mpg lower in the city than the standard manual’s 26.
- Ford calls the wheels “aluminum 6-spoke”, where the S/R release says seven-spoke. See S/R specs.
- At least one 1999 car went to Columbus, Ohio, which matches owner reports that two of the 1999 cars were sold there.
Owner documents
© Ford Motor Company. The owner's name and address have been removed from the recall letter. Window sticker and documents: ZX2 Motorsports collection.
Special Notice to Buyers
A one-page yellow flyer that came with the 1999 cars. It’s the only Ford document we’ve found that gives a count for the first run: 110. Ford document It also mentions an exhaust decibel test graph and a “CPH bulletin Number 98-100” on excessive noise that were included with it; we don’t have copies of those.
1999 Escort ZX2 S/R Special Notice to Buyers:
Congratulations for being one of the first 110 buyers of the ZX2 S/R! The S/R team hopes you enjoy driving this vehicle as much as we enjoyed designing and building it.
Here are a few of the points that makes your S/R unique.
The S/R takes handling and maneuvering to the next level… tuned struts, new springs, new sway bar bushings, and larger wheels and tires. In order to provide the enhanced handling, the suspension is stiffer making the ride during day to day driving harsher than a standard ZX2. When you’re aggressively taking corners you’ll absolutely love the stiffer ride.
S/R performance is improved… new air inlet and big mouth exhaust give the S/R a unique exhaust note as well as a performance sound from the engine, VERY different from a stock ZX2, (i.e. it’s louder but not excessive and well within the 95Db Noise limit). To prove it to you and anyone else who wants to know, we’ve included a copy of the Graph of the ZX2 S/R exhaust decibel test and the CPH bulletin Number 98-100 on excessive noise, so keep it with the vehicle. You just never know when this might come in handy.
In order to achieve the max HP, the team changed the engine calibration, updated the exhaust, modified the inlet and air cleaner system to help achieve the higher HP, but we left the final decision up to you. The vehicle HP is optimized with the use of premium fuel. Although regular fuel will not harm the car, when you really want to see what this car is made of use PREMIUM FUEL. Check out the SVO flyer for upgrades and race kits.
If you have any questions or suggestions for us please contact us at zx2sr@hotmail.com
Grab Life by the Wheel and Hang On!
The “SVO flyer” is probably the Ford Racing ZX2 parts page in the press kit. The 1999 email address almost certainly no longer works.
Safety recall 99S31
In November 1999 Ford wrote to 1999 S/R owners because their cars had no shift pattern shown anywhere the driver could see it, which Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 102 requires. Ford’s letter doesn’t say why the pattern was missing; the likeliest reason is that the S/R’s B&M knob doesn’t carry one. Our reading Ford sent each owner an adhesive placard to stick on the console. NHTSA lists the recall as 99V276000, covering 106 vehicles. See Known issues.
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Ford Motor Company has decided that certain 1999 Escort ZX2 Vehicles with the S/R Option fail to conform to the requirements specified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102 “Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect.”
Non-Compliance: The affected 5-speed manual transmission vehicles do not have an illustration of the transmission shift pattern in the occupant compartment of the vehicle. As a result, these vehicles do not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 102 Section 3.2 which requires that in these vehicles the shift pattern be displayed in view of the driver at all times when the driver is sitting in the driver’s seat.
Service Action: A special adhesive backed placard illustrating the shift pattern has been designed for your Escort ZX2. The placard is sized to fit on the console. You may affix the placard yourself following the attached instructions or, if you choose, your dealer will affix the placard. This service and the placard are at not cost to you.
Enclosed please find the Shift Pattern Placard, cleaning pad, and instructions for affixing the placard to your console.
How Long Will It Take For The Dealer to Affix The Placard? Although the time needed for your dealer to affix the placard is minimal, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time due to service scheduling issues.
If you would like your dealer to affix the placard, please call your dealer without delay. Remember to bring your placard with you when you take your Escort to your dealer. If you loose the placard, your dealer will need to order one before your service date. The placard would be expected to arrive within a week after ordering.
When you bring your vehicle in, show the dealer this letter. If you misplace this letter, your dealer will still do the work, free of charge.
Changed Address Or Sold The Vehicle? Please fill out the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us if you have changed your address or sold the vehicle.
If you choose to have your dealer install the placard and the dealer doesn’t perform the service promptly and without charge, talk to the dealer service manager. […]
We regret the inconvenience this service may cause you, but we want you to have the work done for your safety and satisfaction with your Ford-built vehicle.
Sincerely,
A. R. O’Neill
Director, Vehicle Service and Programs
The letter is dated November 1999 and was sent by Ford Customer Service Division in Dearborn. Typos are Ford’s.
The placard
Ford’s instruction sheet (dated 10/99, illustration IR99S31A) says to clean the area between the cupholder pockets, peel the backing and press the placard on squarely. The placard shows the five-speed pattern, 1-3-5 across the top and 2-4-R across the bottom, with an S/R logo. A placard in that spot suggests a 1999 car that went through the recall, though owners could also have ordered one. See Identify an S/R.