Early text dismissing model of Ford Escort (9)
I believe the answer is:
chaperone
'escort' is the definition.
(chaperoning is a kind of escorting)
'early text dismissing model of ford' is the wordplay.
'early text' becomes 'chapterone'.
'dismissing' suggests deleting specific letters.
'model of ford' becomes 't' (Ford Model T car).
'chapterone' with 't' removed is 'CHAPERONE'.
(Other definitions for chaperone that I've seen before include "Look after" , "child-minder?" , "Duenna" , "Guardian" , "Companion" .)