Want To Buy Help support a K2-edition tribute Merkur XR4Ti, 80s K2 5500s (or others)

[vociferoussky]

Happy March '24 all!

I spent the last 15 years of my life in the PNW, while also realizing a junior high dream of owning one of these oddball cars. I have decided to recognize the history of K2 at a unique point in Ford's history by recreating a K2-edition 1987.5 Merkur XR4Ti. There's very few artifacts, and no known examples of this co-branded car. So...because I have to be different, I'm creating one. I'm a rank amateur skier because I grew up with little money and few hills in ND/MN/SD/IA, but did get a second chance in WA to improve my skills, as well as learning to snowboard (forced to, because daughter!). Anyway, to my point...

I've got vinyl door graphics created, and have a Yakima, gutter-mount ski rack (as a substitute until I find what kind of ski rack in the picture below). The missing piece here, clearly, is two sets or K2 5500s. While I've been told by collectors that these K2 skis are common, I've been struggling to find them. Having two pair would match the picture, and would be fun to match, but in reality, I'm looking for one pair, and another 80s-era K2 set of skis to throw on the top for the 80s/90s car show, "Radwood" that happens around the country on an annual basis.

Happy to share pictures of the car, once I get the graphics on. Really looking forward to having some fun with this car with the 80s/80s and K2 references/call outs.

Chris Grant
Fargo -> Minneapolis -> Seattle -> New Braunfels TX

 

[pipestem]

Im not ready to part with my k2 comp 710, but, ..... I well remember the XR4Ti from the pages of R&T. Are you saying there really was a co branded show car about 1987 ?

 

[bbinder]

Almost bought one. Glad I didn't.

 

[fatbob]

Interesting so it's basically the Ford Sierra XR4i. At the time the most stolen car in the world.

 

[vociferoussky]

Im not ready to part with my k2 comp 710, but, ..... I well remember the XR4Ti from the pages of R&T. Are you saying there really was a co branded show car about 1987 ?

Yes, there's a few pictures of the proposed co-branded car, and one very old, very rotted picture of one example. And, the one picture of the car used at the 1987 Chicago Auto Show. But none in recent memory.

 

[vociferoussky]

Interesting so it's basically the Ford Sierra XR4i. At the time the most stolen car in the world.

Yep, The shell was reinforced and deeper bumpers were added to meet US crash regulations, and a new engine/transmission was sourced, to meet US emissions regulations. It uses the same 2.3l "lima" turbo inline 4-cylinder the Mustang SVO and Thunderbird TurboCoupe of the same era used. Here's a picture of a mostly stock engine bay. The valve cover wasn't blue, from the factory, but that's how it was/is all laid out. By comparison, the European XR4i came with an anemic, carbureted V6, as I understand it.

 

[vociferoussky]

Almost bought one. Glad I didn't.

Back in the day, dealers didn't understand them, mechanics loathed to work on them, and no one could pronounce Mare-coor, and XR4Ti was a mouthful. Doomed to fail. These days there's a small but dedicated fan base that keep as many on the road as we can.

 

[fatbob]

Yep, The shell was reinforced and deeper bumpers were added to meet US crash regulations, and a new engine/transmission was sourced, to meet US emissions regulations. It uses the same 2.3l "lima" turbo inline 4-cylinder the Mustang SVO and Thunderbird TurboCoupe of the same era used. Here's a picture of a mostly stock engine bay. The valve cover wasn't blue, from the factory, but that's how it was/is all laid out. By comparison, the European XR4i came with an anemic, carbureted V6, as I understand it.

But then the Cossie came along which reimported bits of the XR4Ti

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[vociferoussky]

But then the Cossie came along which reimported bits of the XR4Ti

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The XR4Ti was raced (and won) first, then came the Cossie and it took podium after podium. And sounded great doing it! Videos of BTCC and rally racing are amazing to watch.

 

[Philpug]

You can also do a K2 Golf.

 

[jyl]

I had a Merkur XR4Ti back in the day! Everything about the car was great except the drivetrain, which was IIRC the main thing changed when the car came from Ford Europe to Ford USA. Not that it didn’t move ok, but it broke down a lot. A lot. Like sitting on the side of the 10 freeway in Watts waiting for a tow, or worse. I put a “carphone” in the Merkur specifically so I could call for a tow. And then Ford dropped Merkur and orphaned the car, parts were hard to get, resale value evaporated. When the last payment was made, I drove to a local high school auto shop and donated the car to them. I asked the teacher to remove my fancy Sony head unit. He gestured to one of his kids, who handed me the Sony 10 seconds later. Hmmm.

Then I bought a used lease-return Audi 5000 because 60 Minutes had run its “unintended acceleration” segment and no-one was touching Audis. I offered the dealer a ridiculously low price, he said it was a ridiculously low price, I said hey I’m the only person who is going to offer you anything for that car for the next year, and he sighed and took the ridiculously low price. That was a very nice car.

 

[Tom K.]

1987.5 Merkur XR4Ti

What a cool project! I had the Scorpio. Underpowered by today's standards, but perhaps the quietest, most serene cruiser I've owned. And a hatchback for mtb and skiing practicality! Slapped on a set of adjustable Konis and I was good to go.

Bought with ~6,900 miles for exactly 45% of MSRP including a 100k extended warranty. I ran it up to 140,000 and had to replace the A/C switch. That was it (but it took two months to arrive).

Have fun with your quest!

 

[Even_Stevens]

The next time there is a PNW Radwood, I am absolutely going if this car will be there.

As for finding 80s K2 skis I’ve seen a few pairs on eBay or Goodwill’s marketplace. I’m sure you’ve already looked there though.

 

[BullMcCabe]

I had a Merkur XR4Ti back in the day! Everything about the car was great except the drivetrain, which was IIRC the main thing changed when the car came from Ford Europe to Ford USA. Not that it didn’t move ok, but it broke down a lot. A lot. Like sitting on the side of the 10 freeway in Watts waiting for a tow, or worse. I put a “carphone” in the Merkur specifically so I could call for a tow. And then Ford dropped Merkur and orphaned the car, parts were hard to get, resale value evaporated. When the last payment was made, I drove to a local high school auto shop and donated the car to them. I asked the teacher to remove my fancy Sony head unit. He gestured to one of his kids, who handed me the Sony 10 seconds later. Hmmm.

Then I bought a used lease-return Audi 5000 because 60 Minutes had run its “unintended acceleration” segment and no-one was touching Audis. I offered the dealer a ridiculously low price, he said it was a ridiculously low price, I said hey I’m the only person who is going to offer you anything for that car for the next year, and he sighed and took the ridiculously low price. That was a very nice car.

Great post & very accurate from what I’ve heard elsewhere. Geographic update though: the 10 freeway doesn’t run through Watts. Watts is quite south of the 10. It is the 105 freeway that runs closest to Watts. The 10 runs through west LA and then downtown LA & the southside of East LA. That said, breaking down in any of those areas is not fun. But you had the car phone!