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100 Articles

THIS ISSUE Out and about with our band of Blue Oval-loving writers and photographers. ANDY SAUNDERS ART EDITOR The Lotus Cortina is a seriously collectable car these days, but that didn’t stop this one being restored at home. See Andy’s photos on page 108. ADE BRANNAN CONTRIBUTOR Ade headed to the south coast for this issue and Scott Stacey’s Mk2 Escort in particular —built to take on the B-road and more. MATT RICHARDSON CONTRIBUTOR Matt’s been back to check up on the progress of the Minder Capri rebuild, and it’s looking good, with repairs well underway. Page 88.…

It’s ironic that the Mk3 to Mk6 Escorts are still considered upstarts of the classic Ford scene, yet the earliest Mk3 versions are now 40 years-old! If ever there was a Ford that has yet to reach its full potential, the late-model Escort is definitely it. There are so many variations and so much you can do to them, that the possibilities for both fans of restored and modified examples are almost endless. Hopefully this anniversary will see the Mk3s to Mk6s gain the momentum and status they deserve, both as part of our scene and the important part they played in Ford-of-Europe’s direction in the 1980s and 1990s. To help cement that status, much of this issue is dedicated to these cars, and we’re looking forward to welcoming more and more…

Car: 1959 100E Start condition: A cheap rusty £300 shell, with many holes in it! Condition now: Rust removed, lowered, roll-caged and with a big turbocharged V8 dropped in the bay! Time taken so far: 18 months Estimated date of completion: Hopefully Summer 2021 Name: Neil Alexander Age: 36 Job: Air compressor engineer Location: Northamptonshire, UK If there’s one thing in the car scene that is guaranteed to both enthral and infuriate in equal measure, it’s an engine swap. Respected and revered by those with the requisite open-mindedness to see the skill and imagination of the engineering exercise, yet blasphemous to those that believe a classic should remain precisely as the manufacturer intended, there’s little else that divides car fans quite so concisely. Just one glance at 36-year-old air compressor engineer, Neil Alexander’s 1959 100E project and you’re instantly…

Welcome It’s ironic that the Mk3 to Mk6 Escorts are still considered upstarts of the classic Ford scene, yet the earliest Mk3 versions are now 40 years-old! If ever there was a Ford that has yet to reach its full potential, the late-model Escort is definitely it. There are so many variations and so much you can do to them, that the possibilities for both fans of restored and modified examples are almost endless. Hopefully this anniversary will see the Mk3s to Mk6s gain the momentum and status they deserve, both as part of our scene and the important part they played in Ford-of-Europe’s direction in the 1980s and 1990s. To help cement that status, much of this issue is dedicated to these cars, and we’re looking forward to welcoming…

GO ON TOUR IN 2021

Our annual Classic Ford Tour, organised by roadtrip specialists, Scenic Car Tours (SCT), takes in a different route and location every year, and for 2021 — postponed from this year — we return to the Channel Islands for the first time in over a decade, and to Jersey in particular for it’s world-renowned International Motoring Festival. Featuring a heady mix of classic motorsport action, top-notch displays and a festival atmosphere, the island gives itself over to the lure of four — and two wheels — over the weekend, and this year we’re forming part of it. As well as superb road runs (this year put together by tour regular and classic Ford nut, Paul Brown), the Classic Ford Tours are above all about getting together with like-minded Ford fans and…

GO ON TOUR IN 2021

your projects: pop 100e FLICKING THE V Your projects: Neil Alexander has no love for keeping things stock, he gets his kicks from stuffing huge potent motors where they don’t belong — and putting two fingers up to the purists. Words and Photos Dan Sherwood Car: 1959 100E Start condition: A cheap rusty £300 shell, with many holes in it! Condition now: Rust removed, lowered, roll-caged and with a big turbocharged V8 dropped in the bay! Time taken so far: 18 months Estimated date of completion: Hopefully Summer 2021 Name: Neil Alexander Age: 36 Job: Air compressor engineer Location: Northamptonshire, UK If there’s one thing in the car scene that is guaranteed to both enthral and infuriate in equal measure, it’s an engine swap. Respected and revered by those with…

GO ON TOUR IN 2021

GO ON TOUR IN 2021 Shake off those 2020 blues with a classic roadtrip to the Channel Islands Our annual Classic Ford Tour, organised by roadtrip specialists, Scenic Car Tours (SCT), takes in a different route and location every year, and for 2021 — postponed from this year — we return to the Channel Islands for the first time in over a decade, and to Jersey in particular for it’s world-renowned International Motoring Festival. Featuring a heady mix of classic motorsport action, top-notch displays and a festival atmosphere, the island gives itself over to the lure of four — and two wheels — over the weekend, and this year we’re forming part of it. As well as superb road runs (this year put together by tour regular and classic Ford…

GO ON TOUR IN 2021

LAST CHANCE TO VOTE!

LAST CHANCE TO VOTE! Not voted for your Classic Ford Of The Year yet? Then hurry, as voting closes on November 9! There are 12 stunning classic Fords to choose from — all featured in the magazine over the last year — and you can vote for your favourite either by text or on our website at www.classicfordmag.co.uk. Turn to page 24 to see all of the 12 nominations, and to find the full details of how you can place your vote. We’ll reveal the winner in the January 2021 edition, on sale November 27, 2020.…

LAST CHANCE TO VOTE!

RUSTY CORNER Terminally-rotten old Fords This issue’s crusty contribution comes courtesy of Jaja Turnbull and the decidedly-ropey-looking, ErmineWhite Consul Corsair Deluxe was snapped somewhere in Kenya. “It was taken a couple of years ago, so would have deteriorated even more by now,” reckons Jaja. “I wonder if it’s still there?” Spotted an unloved Ford on your travels? Email photos and details of your find to classicford.ed@kelsey.co.uk or you can write to us at the address over on page 5.…

Inside the January 2021 issue! Here are four good reasons not to miss the next issue: 1. We’ll be catching up with one enthusiast whose obsession with Mk3 Cortinas knows no bonds. 2. We’ll also be announcing the Classic Ford Of The Year along with a whole host of honours in our special Classic Ford Awards feature. 3. Inspired to buy an Escort XR3i after reading this issue? Then don’t miss our in-depth guide. 4. Plus we’ll be revealing some of the standout cars of 2020! The January 2021 issue of Classic Ford hits the newsagents’ shelves and is available to download from Friday, November 27?. Why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it? Check out our latest offers on page 94.…

ON SALE November 27! COMING UP Inside the January 2021 issue! Here are four good reasons not to miss the next issue: 1. We’ll be catching up with one enthusiast whose obsession with Mk3 Cortinas knows no bonds. 2. We’ll also be announcing the Classic Ford Of The Year along with a whole host of honours in our special Classic Ford Awards feature. 3. Inspired to buy an Escort XR3i after reading this issue? Then don’t miss our in-depth guide. 4. Plus we’ll be revealing some of the standout cars of 2020! The January 2021 issue of Classic Ford hits the newsagents’ shelves and is available to download from Friday, November 27?. Why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it? Check out our latest offers on page 94.…

Vintage Tyres’ Bicester Heritage branch is open again for supplying and fitting its extensive range of classic tyres for cars and bikes. The Bicester Heritage branch opening hours are now 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, and they’ve teamed up with the excellent Classic Performance Engineering (CPE) at Bicester Heritage who will now be looking after the tyre fitting at the Vintage Tyres’ branch there. If you want your next set of tyres fitted at Bicester, call them on 01869 879540. Find out more about the Vintage Tyres range at www.vintagetyres.com.…

SECRET FORDS EXPOSED

Former Ford product designer and marketing guru, Steve Saxty is back with another impressive book looking at how some of our favourite classic Fords were designed and developed. Secret Fords, out next month, is the first of two planned volumes, and reveals how Ford of Europe’s stellar 1970s and 1980s design team created in secret hundreds of prototypes, one-offs and design studies that have been kept under wraps — until now. The 300-page, large-format book includes hundreds of never-seen-before photographs and sketches of prototypes and concepts, each with detailed captions, of secret projects including a gorgeous BMW-rivalling Granada Coupe, Mk2 Escort Coupe and a Sierra-based Capri. As well as giving Steve unrestricted access to its Cologne archives, Ford also opened — for the first time — the Ghia library, handing him a treasure…

SECRET FORDS EXPOSED

OPEN FOR TYRES Vintage Tyres’ Bicester Heritage branch is open again for supplying and fitting its extensive range of classic tyres for cars and bikes. The Bicester Heritage branch opening hours are now 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, and they’ve teamed up with the excellent Classic Performance Engineering (CPE) at Bicester Heritage who will now be looking after the tyre fitting at the Vintage Tyres’ branch there. If you want your next set of tyres fitted at Bicester, call them on 01869 879540. Find out more about the Vintage Tyres range at www.vintagetyres.com.…

A SIGNED COPY OF THE CARS YOU ALWAYS PROMISED YOURSELF

To celebrate the release of Secret Fords, we’ve got a limited-edition copy of Steve’s previous book, The CarsYouAlways PromisedYourself, signed by legendary Ford AVO and SVE engineer, Rod Mansfield to be won. The Cars You Always Promised Yourself is a unique book about Ford’s special vehicles and coupes that covers 50 years of design, engineering and marketing. In the 300-page book, Steve interviews many of Ford’s legendary leaders from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s including former Ford chairman Bob Lutz, design director Patrick le Quément, as well as Rod Mansfield, with the text supported by nearly 500 images — over 85 per cent of which have never been seen before. How to enter To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Cars You Always Promised Yourself, go to…

A SIGNED COPY OF THE CARS YOU ALWAYS PROMISED YOURSELF

SECRET FORDS EXPOSED

SECRET FORDS EXPOSED New book reveals never-seen-before prototypes Former Ford product designer and marketing guru, Steve Saxty is back with another impressive book looking at how some of our favourite classic Fords were designed and developed. Secret Fords, out next month, is the first of two planned volumes, and reveals how Ford of Europe’s stellar 1970s and 1980s design team created in secret hundreds of prototypes, one-offs and design studies that have been kept under wraps — until now. The 300-page, large-format book includes hundreds of never-seen-before photographs and sketches of prototypes and concepts, each with detailed captions, of secret projects including a gorgeous BMW-rivalling Granada Coupe, Mk2 Escort Coupe and a Sierra-based Capri. As well as giving Steve unrestricted access to its Cologne archives, Ford also opened — for…

SECRET FORDS EXPOSED

A SIGNED COPY OF THE CARS YOU ALWAYS PROMISED YOURSELF

WIN! A SIGNED COPY OF THE CARS YOU ALWAYS PROMISED YOURSELF Steve Saxty’s previous, super-collectible book up for grabs! To celebrate the release of Secret Fords, we’ve got a limited-edition copy of Steve’s previous book, The CarsYouAlways PromisedYourself, signed by legendary Ford AVO and SVE engineer, Rod Mansfield to be won. The Cars You Always Promised Yourself is a unique book about Ford’s special vehicles and coupes that covers 50 years of design, engineering and marketing. In the 300-page book, Steve interviews many of Ford’s legendary leaders from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s including former Ford chairman Bob Lutz, design director Patrick le Quément, as well as Rod Mansfield, with the text supported by nearly 500 images — over 85 per cent of which have never been seen before. How…

A SIGNED COPY OF THE CARS YOU ALWAYS PROMISED YOURSELF

NOVEMBER Malvern Drive-In Classic Car & Motorcycle Autojumble November 22 Three Counties Showground, Malvern UK www.classicshows.org Classic Ford January 2021 issue on sale November 27 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/CFD DECEMBER Christmas Cracker at GMTS December 5-6 Museum of Transport, Cheetham Hill, Manchester UK 0161 2052122 www.motgm.uk Newark Autojumble December 6 Newark and Notts Showground, Newark, UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk Transport ofYesteryear Steam and Vehicle Meet December 13 Top O’Town, Dorchester UK www.transportofyesteryear.com Classic Ford February 2021 issue on sale December 24 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/CFD 2021 Autosport International & The Performance & Tuning Car Show January 14-17 NEC, Birmingham, UK www.autosportinternational.com Great Western Classic Car Show February 13-14 Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet UK www.bristolclassiccarshows.com Race Retro February 19-21 Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, UK www.raceretro.com March 26-28 Classic Car & Restoration Show NEC, Birmingham www.necrestorationshow.com Classic FordTour June 3-6 Jersey International Motoring Festival, Jersey UK www.sceniccartours.com Bromley Pageant June 13 Norman Park, Bromley UK www.bromleypageant.co.uk InterClassics Maastricht June 24-27 MECC Masstricht, The Netherlands www.interclassicsmaastricht.nl Is your…

WHERE TO GO IN 2021

Autosport International When: January 14-17 Where: NEC, UK What’s going on: Avoid the January blues and head to Birmingham as Autosport International and The Performance & Tuning Car Show take over the NEC in Birmingham. The show will feature every level of motorsport, from Formula One to the World Rally Championship, and exhibitors range from special competition suppliers to leading manufacturers, keen to reveal their up-and-coming products for the new season. There’s plenty to drool over, with more than enough classic Fords and parts, plus live demos and motorsport celebs to keep you on your toes.. Find out more: www.autosportinternational.com…

WHERE TO GO IN 2021

FRONTEND What’s On All the must-attend classic Ford shows and events around the world for November, December and into 2021. NOVEMBER Malvern Drive-In Classic Car & Motorcycle Autojumble November 22 Three Counties Showground, Malvern UK www.classicshows.org Classic Ford January 2021 issue on sale November 27 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/CFD DECEMBER Christmas Cracker at GMTS December 5-6 Museum of Transport, Cheetham Hill, Manchester UK 0161 2052122 www.motgm.uk Newark Autojumble December 6 Newark and Notts Showground, Newark, UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk Transport ofYesteryear Steam and Vehicle Meet December 13 Top O’Town, Dorchester UK www.transportofyesteryear.com Classic Ford February 2021 issue on sale December 24 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/CFD 2021 Autosport International & The Performance & Tuning Car Show January 14-17 NEC, Birmingham, UK www.autosportinternational.com Great Western Classic Car Show February 13-14 Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet UK www.bristolclassiccarshows.com Race…

WHERE TO GO IN 2021

WHERE TO GO IN 2021 Autosport International When: January 14-17 Where: NEC, UK What’s going on: Avoid the January blues and head to Birmingham as Autosport International and The Performance & Tuning Car Show take over the NEC in Birmingham. The show will feature every level of motorsport, from Formula One to the World Rally Championship, and exhibitors range from special competition suppliers to leading manufacturers, keen to reveal their up-and-coming products for the new season. There’s plenty to drool over, with more than enough classic Fords and parts, plus live demos and motorsport celebs to keep you on your toes.. Find out more: www.autosportinternational.com…

WHERE TO GO IN 2021

STOCKING FILLERS

HALFORDS ESSENTIALS HOME AND GARAGE TOOL KIT £75 Halfords New to working on classic Fords? Halfords’ Garage Tool Kit should get you going. It’s a 92-piece tool kit that includes 72 tooth ratchets, a range of 12-point sockets, combination spanners and screwdrivers, for many jobs around the garage.. Contact: 0330 1359779, www.halfords.com CLASSIC FORD T-SHIRT £15 Kelsey Shop Made from 100 per cent organic ring-spun combed cotton, this limited-edition Classic Ford workshop door-style T-shirt is sure to be an instant classic – so get it while you can. Sizes currently available include small, medium, large, and extra large. Contact: 01959 543747, https://shop.kelsey.co.uk SIERRA COSWORTH ART PRINT £40 Matt Marshall Automotive illustrator, Matt Marshall has produced a new range of art prints based on the Sierra RS Cosworth. Printed on heavy-weight 260 gsm satin photo paper, the large-scale prints measure 70x50…

STOCKING FILLERS

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

THE COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE FORD ESCORT MK3, MK4, MK5 & MK6 £40 Herridge & Sons Classic Ford contributor, Dan Williamson has scored a first with his latest book — as never have the later Escorts been covered in so much detail from the design and development through to the different models produced, and it’s an exhaustive but entertaining journey through the later life of Ford’s most famous model, which also includes detail on the Orion and overseas variants, too. Featuring over 600 images, the 360-page book is worth every penny, and crucially, perfectly complements Dan’s previous books on the Mk1 and Mk2 versions. RS200 - FORD’S GROUP B RALLY LEGEND £47.50 Herridge & Sons You’d think that arch Ford historian, Graham Robson had no more books in him on the Blue Oval, but he’s…

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

RACE-SPEC CLUTCHES From £578.75 TTV Racing New from TTV Racing are these beautifully designed 140 mm racing clutch assemblies. Single, twin and triple plate options are available, and prices start from £578.75. http://ttvracing.com FLOOR-MOUNTED PEDAL BOX £TBC AP Racing AP Racing has launched an all-new floor mounted reverse pull type pedal box. The CP5596 harnesses a unique pull type design, which allows the load through the cylinders to remain in-line during operation. This eliminates the side loads normally present in push type cylinders. Each of the cylinders is mounted under the driver’s feet for optimum space utilisation and accessibility. To minimise hysteresis and balance variation, the box uses needle roller bearings in the centre trunnion, while ball bearing pivots allow for pedal smoothness. The entire pedal box, without cylinders, weighs just 3.9 kg. Adjustable clutch…

STOCKING FILLERS

PRODUCTS THE LATEST, GREATEST BITS FOR YOUR CLASSIC FORD STOCKING FILLERS CHECK OUT THESE GOODIES THAT WOULD MAKE GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS. HALFORDS ESSENTIALS HOME AND GARAGE TOOL KIT £75 Halfords New to working on classic Fords? Halfords’ Garage Tool Kit should get you going. It’s a 92-piece tool kit that includes 72 tooth ratchets, a range of 12-point sockets, combination spanners and screwdrivers, for many jobs around the garage.. Contact: 0330 1359779, www.halfords.com CLASSIC FORD T-SHIRT £15 Kelsey Shop Made from 100 per cent organic ring-spun combed cotton, this limited-edition Classic Ford workshop door-style T-shirt is sure to be an instant classic – so get it while you can. Sizes currently available include small, medium, large, and extra large. Contact: 01959 543747, https://shop.kelsey.co.uk SIERRA COSWORTH ART PRINT £40 Matt Marshall…

STOCKING FILLERS

North Wales Classic Fords

Why was the club founded? North Wales Classic Fords was founded back in 2004 by myself and Aled Hopwood. At that time, there was certainly an interest in the cars but nothing organised or consistent for classic Ford owners in our area. With monthly meetings being arranged by text - this was pre-social media - we wanted to bring people together. We created an online forum, which evolved over time, saw member numbers increase and from there, coordination of events and regular meets started to occur. By 2007 the first of what would be many Snowdonia Tours took place. By 2012, events with 125 cars were common place and places highly sought after. Has the direction of the club changed much since the early days? Over the years, forum usage has dropped off and…

North Wales Classic Fords

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

BOOKS OF THE MONTH THE COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE FORD ESCORT MK3, MK4, MK5 & MK6 £40 Herridge & Sons Classic Ford contributor, Dan Williamson has scored a first with his latest book — as never have the later Escorts been covered in so much detail from the design and development through to the different models produced, and it’s an exhaustive but entertaining journey through the later life of Ford’s most famous model, which also includes detail on the Orion and overseas variants, too. Featuring over 600 images, the 360-page book is worth every penny, and crucially, perfectly complements Dan’s previous books on the Mk1 and Mk2 versions. RS200 - FORD’S GROUP B RALLY LEGEND £47.50 Herridge & Sons You’d think that arch Ford historian, Graham Robson had no more…

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

2020 VOTE Classic Ford CAR OF THE YEAR

A. Popular 100E Owner: Dave Caley Featured: November 2019 Revealed at The Great Unveiling earlier in the year, Dave’s Pop is a proper crowd-pleaser with subtle looks and a 2-litre Zetec swap. B. Capri 280 Owner: Allan Brown Featured: July 2020 Completely restored by Steadspeed, Allan’s rare Turbo Technics-converted Brookie has to be one of the UK’s best. C. Mk1 Fiesta Owner: Ben Gibbs Featured: November 2019 Who would be mad enough to bolt a 500 bhp ST170 turbo motor behind the front seats? Well, Ben obviously, and this superbly-engineered Mk1 is the bonkers result. D. Anglia 307E Builder: Michael Wood Featured: May/June 2020 It looks like a street racer, and with a cleverly-installed hot Pinto, it certainly is, but Michael’s van scores highly in the custom touches arena, too. E. Consul Corsair Owner: Lee Saywell Featured: August 2020 If the Pro Street-style rear wheels don’t give the game…

2020 VOTE Classic Ford CAR OF THE YEAR

PRODUCTS RACE-SPEC CLUTCHES From £578.75 TTV Racing New from TTV Racing are these beautifully designed 140 mm racing clutch assemblies. Single, twin and triple plate options are available, and prices start from £578.75. http://ttvracing.com FLOOR-MOUNTED PEDAL BOX £TBC AP Racing AP Racing has launched an all-new floor mounted reverse pull type pedal box. The CP5596 harnesses a unique pull type design, which allows the load through the cylinders to remain in-line during operation. This eliminates the side loads normally present in push type cylinders. Each of the cylinders is mounted under the driver’s feet for optimum space utilisation and accessibility. To minimise hysteresis and balance variation, the box uses needle roller bearings in the centre trunnion, while ball bearing pivots allow for pedal smoothness. The entire pedal box, without cylinders,…

North Wales Classic Fords

Join the club North Wales Classic Fords If you like to get out and about in your classic Ford, and help others at the same time then this group’s for you, reckons Dave Allmark. Why was the club founded? North Wales Classic Fords was founded back in 2004 by myself and Aled Hopwood. At that time, there was certainly an interest in the cars but nothing organised or consistent for classic Ford owners in our area. With monthly meetings being arranged by text - this was pre-social media - we wanted to bring people together. We created an online forum, which evolved over time, saw member numbers increase and from there, coordination of events and regular meets started to occur. By 2007 the first of what would be many Snowdonia…

North Wales Classic Fords

DIG THE NEW BREED

It’s November 1980 and at a glamorous press launch, Ford is about to announce a new version of the best-selling Escort that will shock its traditionalist and loyal customers. Not only does the latest version feature hatchback bodywork, but it also comes with, the-horror, complicated front-wheel-drive. Were Ford’s marketing and management worried? Undoubtedly. But they needn’t have been — within two years the Escort overtook the Cortina as Britain’s best-selling car. The Mk4 followed in 1986 — more rounded, more refined — then the much-maligned Mk5, and for the first time in almost a decade, the Escort slipped off the top of the sales charts. Ford made amends with a facelift in 1993, introducing a new engine — the Zetec E — and the incredible Escort Cosworth, before unleashing the final version,…

DIG THE NEW BREED

AT THE FRONT: THE MK3

By the mid-1970s, Ford of Europe was forging ahead with expansion, with modernisation, and with technical breakthroughs tumbling over each other: its ambition was to confirm its position as one of the largest car-makers in the continent. We all know, for sure, that they already had secured market leadership in the UK, that their cars and engines were supremely successful in motorsport, and their image was flourishing. Even, so, there were practical limits to what could be achieved, and how quickly that could be done. Maybe it was high time that the original breed of rear-drive Escorts should be replaced, but with major new programmes like those concerning Cortinas, Capris, Granadas and - above all – the birth of the Fiesta to be completed, it could not be done in a…

AT THE FRONT: THE MK3

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK3 ESCORT

SALOON/BASE AND POPULAR ENGINE CAPACITY: 1117cc, 1296cc or 1596cc YEARS PRODUCED: 1980 to 1986 PRICE WHEN NEW: £3375 Ford’s first front-wheel-drive Escorts were launched with a ‘simple is efficient’ tagline, perfectly describing the entry-level saloon — a three or five-door hatchback with front disc brakes and 4.5x13 inch wheels, but vinyl seats and not even a heated rear windscreen. Engine choices were 1.1-litre Valencia (54 bhp), 1.1 CVH (until 1982) or 1.3 CVH (68 bhp); 1.1s had tie-bar front suspension but 1.3 received an anti-roll bar. April 1982 added side stripes and an Economy model with wide-ratio gearbox, then 1983 brought cloth seats and passenger door mirror. A new 1.6 CVH with automatic transmission appeared as the Disabled Driver’s Car. From April 1984 the five-door 1.1 was deleted and the three-door 1.1 rebadged…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK3 ESCORT

2020 VOTE Classic Ford CAR OF THE YEAR

2020 VOTE Classic Ford CAR OF THE YEAR We’ve featured some stunning Fords in the last 12 months, now vote for your favourite! A. Popular 100E Owner: Dave Caley Featured: November 2019 Revealed at The Great Unveiling earlier in the year, Dave’s Pop is a proper crowd-pleaser with subtle looks and a 2-litre Zetec swap. B. Capri 280 Owner: Allan Brown Featured: July 2020 Completely restored by Steadspeed, Allan’s rare Turbo Technics-converted Brookie has to be one of the UK’s best. C. Mk1 Fiesta Owner: Ben Gibbs Featured: November 2019 Who would be mad enough to bolt a 500 bhp ST170 turbo motor behind the front seats? Well, Ben obviously, and this superbly-engineered Mk1 is the bonkers result. D. Anglia 307E Builder: Michael Wood Featured: May/June 2020 It looks like…

2020 VOTE Classic Ford CAR OF THE YEAR

THIS ONE’S MINE KEV KENNEDY

1985 1.6 Ghia To say that Kev is a massive fan of ‘80s and ‘90s Fords would be an understatement. He’s owned RS Turbos since he was 19 and his current fleet includes a Mk3 XR3i, Orion Ghia, Mk3 Cabriolet, RS1600i Mk5 RS2000 and Sapphire and Escort Cosworths. Top of the list though, is this largely-untouched 1.6 Ghia that Kev picked up eight years ago. “My first Escort was a 1.3 Ghia and always fancied another,” he explains. “This one had been bought as an ex-demonstrator from a main dealer by the first owner and she kept it all these years. When she decided to give up driving she sold it to the garage who’d looked after it, and that’s where I found it. It was meticulously maintained and even now it’s…

THIS ONE’S MINE KEV KENNEDY

DIG THE NEW BREED

DIG THE NEW BREED Hello? Is that 1980 calling? 40 years ago Ford launched the front-wheel-drive Mk3 Escort upon the world that changed the direction of its products forever. Your guide to the late-model Escorts starts here. It’s November 1980 and at a glamorous press launch, Ford is about to announce a new version of the best-selling Escort that will shock its traditionalist and loyal customers. Not only does the latest version feature hatchback bodywork, but it also comes with, the-horror, complicated front-wheel-drive. Were Ford’s marketing and management worried? Undoubtedly. But they needn’t have been — within two years the Escort overtook the Cortina as Britain’s best-selling car. The Mk4 followed in 1986 — more rounded, more refined — then the much-maligned Mk5, and for the first time in almost…

DIG THE NEW BREED

FACE OFF: THE MK4

Ford had struck gold with the Escort Mk3. Although today’s enthusiasts might moan about the swap from rear to front-wheel drive, the buying public didn’t agree; by the mid 1980s, the Escort was more successful than ever, and sporting versions had taken the hot-hatchback market by storm. But could the great Blue Oval keep the Escort on top? Of course. All it would take was a mid-term facelift — in Ford terms an update of the Mk3, codenamed Erika 86. But to the rest of us the Escort Mk4. Instead of designing a whole new body over the existing floorpan (like when the Mk1 transitioned into the Mk2), the existing Escort’s structure was still modern and spacious enough to be retained and refreshed. Yet the changes were more than skin deep. Most obvious was…

FACE OFF: THE MK4

AT THE FRONT: THE MK3

AT THE FRONT: THE MK3 Ford’s first front-wheel-drive Escort is now incredibly 40-years-old. Graham Robson recounts how it was a winner right from the start. By the mid-1970s, Ford of Europe was forging ahead with expansion, with modernisation, and with technical breakthroughs tumbling over each other: its ambition was to confirm its position as one of the largest car-makers in the continent. We all know, for sure, that they already had secured market leadership in the UK, that their cars and engines were supremely successful in motorsport, and their image was flourishing. Even, so, there were practical limits to what could be achieved, and how quickly that could be done. Maybe it was high time that the original breed of rear-drive Escorts should be replaced, but with major new programmes…

AT THE FRONT: THE MK3

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK3 ESCORT

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK3 ESCORT SALOON/BASE AND POPULAR ENGINE CAPACITY: 1117cc, 1296cc or 1596cc YEARS PRODUCED: 1980 to 1986 PRICE WHEN NEW: £3375 Ford’s first front-wheel-drive Escorts were launched with a ‘simple is efficient’ tagline, perfectly describing the entry-level saloon — a three or five-door hatchback with front disc brakes and 4.5x13 inch wheels, but vinyl seats and not even a heated rear windscreen. Engine choices were 1.1-litre Valencia (54 bhp), 1.1 CVH (until 1982) or 1.3 CVH (68 bhp); 1.1s had tie-bar front suspension but 1.3 received an anti-roll bar. April 1982 added side stripes and an Economy model with wide-ratio gearbox, then 1983 brought cloth seats and passenger door mirror. A new 1.6 CVH with automatic transmission appeared as the Disabled Driver’s Car. From April 1984 the five-door 1.1…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK3 ESCORT

THIS ONE’S MINE TRACEY ANGUS

1989 1.3 Popular When Mary Prentice — Tracey’s Gran — decided to replace her Mk2 Escort in 1989 with something a bit more modern, she knew exactly what she wanted. “She was very particular,” reveals Tracey. “She told the salesman at Trust Motors, the Ford main dealer in Motherwell, that she didn’t want mirrors on the sunvisors, a cassette player or even a cigarette lighter.” The salesman duly obliged, helping Mary choose a brand-new 1.3 Popular in Burgundy, and for the next 11 years and 9000 miles, the base-spec Mk4 — nicknamed Maggie after one of Mary’s sisters — proved to be the ideal car. Mary sadly passed away in 2000, and the car was passed down to Tracey. Not having her own car at the time, the Mk4 (now renamed Mags)…

THIS ONE’S MINE TRACEY ANGUS

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK4 ESCORT

POPULAR AND POPULAR PLUS ENGINE CAPACITY: 1117cc, 1297cc, 1598cc (derv) or 1753cc (derv) YEARS PRODUCED: 1986 to 1990 PRICE WHEN NEW: £4921 Back by popular demand, the base Mk4 added the new Escort’s smoother body but not a lot else. Buyers could opt for a 49 bhp 1.1 or 59 bhp 1.3 — Valencias — with four-speed transmission, or 53 bhp 1.6 oil-burner; all had servo-assisted front discs. Three-door bodywork was mandatory (hatchback or estate), with grey plastic bumpers and coverless 13 inch wheels. Inside were reclining cloth-covered seats with A-frame headrests, centre console, clock and push-button radio. The 1.1 was deleted in July 1987 (reappearing and disappearing the following year), but August brought a 1.3 five-door, and September added a tailgate wiper. From September 1988 the Valencia was swapped for the 62…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK4 ESCORT

THIS ONE’S MINE KEV KENNEDY

THIS ONE’S MINE KEV KENNEDY 1985 1.6 Ghia To say that Kev is a massive fan of ‘80s and ‘90s Fords would be an understatement. He’s owned RS Turbos since he was 19 and his current fleet includes a Mk3 XR3i, Orion Ghia, Mk3 Cabriolet, RS1600i Mk5 RS2000 and Sapphire and Escort Cosworths. Top of the list though, is this largely-untouched 1.6 Ghia that Kev picked up eight years ago. “My first Escort was a 1.3 Ghia and always fancied another,” he explains. “This one had been bought as an ex-demonstrator from a main dealer by the first owner and she kept it all these years. When she decided to give up driving she sold it to the garage who’d looked after it, and that’s where I found it. It…

THIS ONE’S MINE KEV KENNEDY

NEW ORDER: THE MK5

Question one: how could Ford get a car so wrong? Question two: was the Mk5 Escort really as bad as critics would have us believe? The second answer is easy: no, the Mk5 wasn’t a terrible car, but it was decidedly average. In turn, that answers the first query; even though the Mk5 of October 1990 wasn’t atrocious, we’d become accustomed to Escorts being a cut above the rest. And the Mk5 really wasn’t. Part of the problem was its styling, designed by a committee who’d been battered by the futuristic Sierra’s aerodynamic appearance. Like previous Escorts, there were three/five-door hatchbacks, five-door estates, a four-door Orion, two-door drop-top and van, but designed together for uncluttered lines and uniformity — leading to anonymity. Another issue was poor dynamics: the Mk5 featured stodgy handling, heavy…

NEW ORDER: THE MK5

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK5 ESCORT

POPULAR, BASE, AND L ENGINE CAPACITY: 1297cc, 1391cc, 1392cc, 1597cc or 1753cc (derv) YEARS PRODUCED: 1990 to 1994 PRICE WHEN NEW: £7580 The Popular badge’s final appearance was on the low-rent Escort of 1990, a three/five-door 1.3 HCS (with four-speed gearbox) or 1.8 diesel (five-speed) with plain steel wheels; from July 1991 it became the Fresco, while the nameless Base took over in October 1991, with wheeltrims and clear indicators. A 1.4 CVH was added in March 1992, with a batch of three-doors flogged as the Bonus in July. The L arrived in January 1991, with spec including a sunroof, tinted glass, central locking and wheeltrims, plus 1.4 CVH, 1.4 CFi or 1.8 diesel (three-door auto or five-door five-speed) options. The restyled Mk5A of October ’92 brought an oval grille, new wheeltrims, a…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK5 ESCORT

FACE OFF: THE MK4

FACE OFF: THE MK4 More rounded — both inside and out — the Mk4 was a worthy successor to the Mk3. Ford had struck gold with the Escort Mk3. Although today’s enthusiasts might moan about the swap from rear to front-wheel drive, the buying public didn’t agree; by the mid 1980s, the Escort was more successful than ever, and sporting versions had taken the hot-hatchback market by storm. But could the great Blue Oval keep the Escort on top? Of course. All it would take was a mid-term facelift — in Ford terms an update of the Mk3, codenamed Erika 86. But to the rest of us the Escort Mk4. Instead of designing a whole new body over the existing floorpan (like when the Mk1 transitioned into the Mk2), the…

FACE OFF: THE MK4

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK4 ESCORT

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK4 ESCORT POPULAR AND POPULAR PLUS ENGINE CAPACITY: 1117cc, 1297cc, 1598cc (derv) or 1753cc (derv) YEARS PRODUCED: 1986 to 1990 PRICE WHEN NEW: £4921 Back by popular demand, the base Mk4 added the new Escort’s smoother body but not a lot else. Buyers could opt for a 49 bhp 1.1 or 59 bhp 1.3 — Valencias — with four-speed transmission, or 53 bhp 1.6 oil-burner; all had servo-assisted front discs. Three-door bodywork was mandatory (hatchback or estate), with grey plastic bumpers and coverless 13 inch wheels. Inside were reclining cloth-covered seats with A-frame headrests, centre console, clock and push-button radio. The 1.1 was deleted in July 1987 (reappearing and disappearing the following year), but August brought a 1.3 five-door, and September added a tailgate wiper. From September 1988…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK4 ESCORT

THIS ONE’S MINE JOHN KENNEDY

1994 RS Cosworth Monte Carlo John’s passion for RS-badged Fords runs far and deep, with six currently in his collection including this absolutely stunning, Mallard Green Monte Carlo special edition. “I came across it about 12 years ago,” he reveals. “I’d owned an Escort Cosworth previously and was on the lookout for another when this one popped up for sale. It was owned by a guy who was retiring from Ford and he’d been offered the car at a cracking price as a retirement present. It’s Monte number 2, and the first right-hand-drive one built, but when I got it, it wasn’t in such great shape. Mechanically it had been looked after but the bodywork had a few scratches and the wheels were a mess, so I took it to AP Performance…

THIS ONE’S MINE JOHN KENNEDY

FINAL CALL: THE MK6

Ford knew the Escort had been outclassed by its rivals. It had become middle-of-the-road on a motorway of tough competition, and its image had never recovered from the Mk5’s launch, when even the press department admitted it was a bit rubbish. But, as promised, it didn’t stay that way for long. And by the time of the Mk6’s introduction in January 1995, the Escort was really quite good. Not that it mattered to the Blue Oval, because plans were progressing for the Escort’s world-beating successor, so the Mk6’s job was simply to hold the fort until the Focus arrived. As such, a redevelopment scheme had been applied to the Mk5A, keeping much of the car’s structure but softening the lines using a rounded bonnet, smoother headlamps with integrated indicators, curvier bumpers, and…

FINAL CALL: THE MK6

THIS ONE’S MINE TRACEY ANGUS

THIS ONE’S MINE TRACEY ANGUS 1989 1.3 Popular When Mary Prentice — Tracey’s Gran — decided to replace her Mk2 Escort in 1989 with something a bit more modern, she knew exactly what she wanted. “She was very particular,” reveals Tracey. “She told the salesman at Trust Motors, the Ford main dealer in Motherwell, that she didn’t want mirrors on the sunvisors, a cassette player or even a cigarette lighter.” The salesman duly obliged, helping Mary choose a brand-new 1.3 Popular in Burgundy, and for the next 11 years and 9000 miles, the base-spec Mk4 — nicknamed Maggie after one of Mary’s sisters — proved to be the ideal car. Mary sadly passed away in 2000, and the car was passed down to Tracey. Not having her own car at…

THIS ONE’S MINE TRACEY ANGUS

THIS ONE’S MINE RICHARD KWIECINSKI

1996 1.6 Cabaret The son of two Blue Oval-loyal parents, Richard spent a lot of time in Ford dealerships as a kid in the ’90s — picking up handfuls of brochures in the process — so you won’t be surprised to hear that this isn’t his first late-model Escort. “I had a five-door GTi previously, but it wasn’t anywhere as clean as this one,” he says of the 45,000-mile 1.6 Cabaret. “I saw it for sale in 2018 and the advert said it had never been welded. I was sceptical, but sure enough when I went to view the car and had a good look over it, it was completely untouched.” “The car’s needed nothing doing in the two years since. When I took it for an MoT, the tester couldn’t believe…

THIS ONE’S MINE RICHARD KWIECINSKI

NEW ORDER: THE MK5

NEW ORDER: THE MK5 Savaged at launch, Ford had a lot of catching up to do with the apparently lacklustre Mk5... Question one: how could Ford get a car so wrong? Question two: was the Mk5 Escort really as bad as critics would have us believe? The second answer is easy: no, the Mk5 wasn’t a terrible car, but it was decidedly average. In turn, that answers the first query; even though the Mk5 of October 1990 wasn’t atrocious, we’d become accustomed to Escorts being a cut above the rest. And the Mk5 really wasn’t. Part of the problem was its styling, designed by a committee who’d been battered by the futuristic Sierra’s aerodynamic appearance. Like previous Escorts, there were three/five-door hatchbacks, five-door estates, a four-door Orion, two-door drop-top and…

NEW ORDER: THE MK5

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK6 ESCORT

MEXICO AND CABARET ENGINE CAPACITY: 1597cc YEARS PRODUCED: 1995 to 1996 PRICE WHEN NEW: £10,990 Ignore the blasphemous badge — the Mk6 Mexico of May 1995 was a 89 bhp 1.6L-based three- or five-door hatch with 6x14 inch steels, Si front bumper, body-colour boot spoiler, leather steering wheel, white dials and XR3i-type upholstery. November’s Cabaret repeated the formula but with colour-coded bumpers, additional engine options (1.4 or TD) plus alloys on the 1.6. The Cabaret reappeared in June ’96 as just a 1.6. Other Encore/L-based Mk6 specials included June 1995’s Acapulco (1.4 five-door), June 1996’s Freedom (1.4 with colour-coded bumpers and electric front windows), Masquerade (1.6 four-door with electric windows and heated windscreen) and Serenade (1.6 or TD with electric windows and heated windscreen). May 1997’s Chicane was a 1.6 three/five-door with 14…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK6 ESCORT

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK5 ESCORT

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK5 ESCORT POPULAR, BASE, AND L ENGINE CAPACITY: 1297cc, 1391cc, 1392cc, 1597cc or 1753cc (derv) YEARS PRODUCED: 1990 to 1994 PRICE WHEN NEW: £7580 The Popular badge’s final appearance was on the low-rent Escort of 1990, a three/five-door 1.3 HCS (with four-speed gearbox) or 1.8 diesel (five-speed) with plain steel wheels; from July 1991 it became the Fresco, while the nameless Base took over in October 1991, with wheeltrims and clear indicators. A 1.4 CVH was added in March 1992, with a batch of three-doors flogged as the Bonus in July. The L arrived in January 1991, with spec including a sunroof, tinted glass, central locking and wheeltrims, plus 1.4 CVH, 1.4 CFi or 1.8 diesel (three-door auto or five-door five-speed) options. The restyled Mk5A of October ’92…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK5 ESCORT

THIS ONE’S MINE JOHN KENNEDY

THIS ONE’S MINE JOHN KENNEDY 1994 RS Cosworth Monte Carlo John’s passion for RS-badged Fords runs far and deep, with six currently in his collection including this absolutely stunning, Mallard Green Monte Carlo special edition. “I came across it about 12 years ago,” he reveals. “I’d owned an Escort Cosworth previously and was on the lookout for another when this one popped up for sale. It was owned by a guy who was retiring from Ford and he’d been offered the car at a cracking price as a retirement present. It’s Monte number 2, and the first right-hand-drive one built, but when I got it, it wasn’t in such great shape. Mechanically it had been looked after but the bodywork had a few scratches and the wheels were a mess,…

THIS ONE’S MINE JOHN KENNEDY

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME

The plan was so simple. When Scott Stacey bought this Mk2 sight-unseen in 2010, he intended to press it into daily duties as a ratty runabout. But fate seldom has any truck with that sort of logic. “How wrong I was,” he laughs. “There was all sorts of rot, so the best thing seemed to be to strip it down and see how bad it was. The answer was… very bad indeed.” The outer and inner wings, strut tops, front panel, outer and inner sills, and front floors were more puff pastry than metal, although thankfully the rear half wasn’t too bad. With the amount of work needed, and a full restoration unavoidable, Scott decided to turn the Venetian Red 1300 into a full-on rally replica. In for a penny,…

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME

SECOND TIME LUCKY

THE ESCORT’S POWERPLANT “I’d bought an engine for it years ago,” Scott recalls, “but sadly it was mis-sold to me. Once opened up we realised it was smaller capacity than described and heavily worn — plus, it was an older-style, weaker block. So I bought a new engine! A newer-style stronger block, pre-oversized to the displacement I wanted; the pistons looked fairly new, head looked good, nice large valves and hardly any carbon build-up. The pistons and conrods went off to a machine shop to be lightened and balanced. The only item we changed in the block was a fresh camshaft, to the same spec that came out due to heavy pitting, and new bearings and heavy-duty engine bolts throughout. The engine was built to be a revver — I’m not…

SECOND TIME LUCKY

Body 1980 1300 shell, alloy Group 4 Monte Carlo arches and tubs, alloy Group 4 Monte Carlo front spoiler, quad Cibie spots, fibreglass rear spoiler, fibreglass bumpers, 4 mm mudflaps. Paint: Diamond White with Monte Carlo rally replica decals Engine 1700 Crossflow, Kent Cams 234 cam, heat-wrapped four-branch manifold, twin Weber 40 DCOE carbs, ARP bolts all round, big-valve head, Airtec alloy radiator with electric fan, Facet fuel pumps, Sytec filter and pressure regulator, electronic rev limiter at 7000 rpm Transmission Four-speed Type E gearbox with Rocket ratios, Quaife limited-slip diff Suspension Front: GAZ coil-overs, World Cup crossmember Rear: GAZ adjustable dampers, 2 inch lowering blocks Brakes Front: four-pot callipers with vented discs. Rear: disc conversion. Bias pedal box, fly-off handbrake Wheels and tyres 8x13 (front) and 9x13 (rear) Group 4 Minilite wheels, with Kumho Ecsta tyres Interior Cobra bucket seats, Sabelt five-point harnesses, bolt-in Safety…

FINAL CALL: THE MK6

FINAL CALL: THE MK6 With the Focus on the horizon, Ford pulled out all the stops with the final version of the Escort. Ford knew the Escort had been outclassed by its rivals. It had become middle-of-the-road on a motorway of tough competition, and its image had never recovered from the Mk5’s launch, when even the press department admitted it was a bit rubbish. But, as promised, it didn’t stay that way for long. And by the time of the Mk6’s introduction in January 1995, the Escort was really quite good. Not that it mattered to the Blue Oval, because plans were progressing for the Escort’s world-beating successor, so the Mk6’s job was simply to hold the fort until the Focus arrived. As such, a redevelopment scheme had been applied…

FINAL CALL: THE MK6

EUROPE MEETS ASIA

For centuries, Istanbul in Turkey has had the power of enchanting anyone visiting it: merchants, archaeologists and travellers. Thanks to a massive private vehicle collection that has now become a museum — the Rahmi M. Koç Museum — classic Ford enthusiasts have an excuse to visit, too. Its founder, Rahmi M Koç, CBE explains its genesis. “When I was a child,” the Turkish tycoon says, “my father Vehbi brought me a toy train from Germany. That’s how my collection of mechanical and industrial objects started. With time, this passion grew so much that my houses, offices and warehouses were not enough to contain my collectibles. Then, after a visit to the Ford Museum in Dearborn, I decided to put all of them together under a single roof.” The collection Established in 1994…

EUROPE MEETS ASIA

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK6 ESCORT

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK6 ESCORT MEXICO AND CABARET ENGINE CAPACITY: 1597cc YEARS PRODUCED: 1995 to 1996 PRICE WHEN NEW: £10,990 Ignore the blasphemous badge — the Mk6 Mexico of May 1995 was a 89 bhp 1.6L-based three- or five-door hatch with 6x14 inch steels, Si front bumper, body-colour boot spoiler, leather steering wheel, white dials and XR3i-type upholstery. November’s Cabaret repeated the formula but with colour-coded bumpers, additional engine options (1.4 or TD) plus alloys on the 1.6. The Cabaret reappeared in June ’96 as just a 1.6. Other Encore/L-based Mk6 specials included June 1995’s Acapulco (1.4 five-door), June 1996’s Freedom (1.4 with colour-coded bumpers and electric front windows), Masquerade (1.6 four-door with electric windows and heated windscreen) and Serenade (1.6 or TD with electric windows and heated windscreen). May 1997’s…

DEFINITIVE GUIDE MK6 ESCORT

THIS ONE’S MINE RICHARD KWIECINSKI

THIS ONE’S MINE RICHARD KWIECINSKI 1996 1.6 Cabaret The son of two Blue Oval-loyal parents, Richard spent a lot of time in Ford dealerships as a kid in the ’90s — picking up handfuls of brochures in the process — so you won’t be surprised to hear that this isn’t his first late-model Escort. “I had a five-door GTi previously, but it wasn’t anywhere as clean as this one,” he says of the 45,000-mile 1.6 Cabaret. “I saw it for sale in 2018 and the advert said it had never been welded. I was sceptical, but sure enough when I went to view the car and had a good look over it, it was completely untouched.” “The car’s needed nothing doing in the two years since. When I took it…

THIS ONE’S MINE RICHARD KWIECINSKI

THE TURKISH FORD CONNECTION Ford is an important marque to the Koç family. Rahmi’s father, Vehbi took on franchises to sell Ford cars in Turkey in the late 1920s. After WW2, Mr Koç — who was described by the New York Times as ‘a Turkish version of Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller rolled into one’ — began licenced production of Fords at his own factory, named Otosan. In 1964, after choosing Reliant as a partner, he developed Turkey’s own passenger car. The new vehicle was to have a bodyshell in glass-reinforced plastic, a material the Koç group was already well familiar with, for having manufactured cabs in glassfibre for the D-series trucks. The outcome was the first Anadol. This brand produced seven different models and a few prototypes. These were the…

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME

HOMEBUILT HERO HERE FOR A GOOD TIME With Colin McRae’s immortal words emblazoned upon the dash, this flawlessly finished, rally-rep Mk2 Escort is a clear lesson in the value of seizing the day and, moreover, of friendship. Words Daniel Bevis Photos Adrian Brannan The plan was so simple. When Scott Stacey bought this Mk2 sight-unseen in 2010, he intended to press it into daily duties as a ratty runabout. But fate seldom has any truck with that sort of logic. “How wrong I was,” he laughs. “There was all sorts of rot, so the best thing seemed to be to strip it down and see how bad it was. The answer was… very bad indeed.” The outer and inner wings, strut tops, front panel, outer and inner sills, and front…

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME

CAPRI 2.8i TURBO TECHNICS

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, a discreet Turbo Technics badge on the back of your Ford gave you instant kudos. Unlike the usual XR, RS and Injection badges of which there were plenty around, the name Turbo Technics meant the car in question was something pretty special and not for the feint-hearted. Nigel Ashworth first became involved with Turbo Technics when his friend Ed, was stopped by the police while driving home in his black 2.8i Capri. “He hadn’t done anything wrong, but was stopped anyway,” Nigel explains. “The policeman went on to tell Ed he owned a red Capri Turbo Technics and would he be interested in buying it?” Chances of this unusual scenario occurring are always bound to be pretty slim, (especially if you’re a Capri fan) and without…

CAPRI 2.8i TURBO TECHNICS

SECOND TIME LUCKY

SECOND TIME LUCKY THE ESCORT’S POWERPLANT “I’d bought an engine for it years ago,” Scott recalls, “but sadly it was mis-sold to me. Once opened up we realised it was smaller capacity than described and heavily worn — plus, it was an older-style, weaker block. So I bought a new engine! A newer-style stronger block, pre-oversized to the displacement I wanted; the pistons looked fairly new, head looked good, nice large valves and hardly any carbon build-up. The pistons and conrods went off to a machine shop to be lightened and balanced. The only item we changed in the block was a fresh camshaft, to the same spec that came out due to heavy pitting, and new bearings and heavy-duty engine bolts throughout. The engine was built to be a…

SECOND TIME LUCKY

THE TURBO TECHNICS KIT

PUSHING THE 200 BARRIER Back in the ’80s a standard 2.8i Capri came with 160 bhp and although that would have been ample for most buyers, TurboTechnics offered their conversion kit which pushed that figure to 200 bhp. Comprising a Garrett T3 turbo, matching manifold, intercooler, vacuum capsule, fuel enrichment air cone block, oil feed and return pipes and all other necessary pipes, clips and plumbing the whole conversion was possible for a DIY mechanic.With 247 lb.ft torque on tap even at low speeds, the turbo conversion brought the 0-60 figure down to 6.5 seconds while 0-100 came in 14.8 seconds and maxed out at 143 mph! Sounds as good now as it did back then, doesn’t it?…

THE TURBO TECHNICS KIT

Tech Spec Body 1980 1300 shell, alloy Group 4 Monte Carlo arches and tubs, alloy Group 4 Monte Carlo front spoiler, quad Cibie spots, fibreglass rear spoiler, fibreglass bumpers, 4 mm mudflaps. Paint: Diamond White with Monte Carlo rally replica decals Engine 1700 Crossflow, Kent Cams 234 cam, heat-wrapped four-branch manifold, twin Weber 40 DCOE carbs, ARP bolts all round, big-valve head, Airtec alloy radiator with electric fan, Facet fuel pumps, Sytec filter and pressure regulator, electronic rev limiter at 7000 rpm Transmission Four-speed Type E gearbox with Rocket ratios, Quaife limited-slip diff Suspension Front: GAZ coil-overs, World Cup crossmember Rear: GAZ adjustable dampers, 2 inch lowering blocks Brakes Front: four-pot callipers with vented discs. Rear: disc conversion. Bias pedal box, fly-off handbrake Wheels and tyres 8x13 (front) and 9x13…

Sweeney two The Sweeney Consul GT (November 2020 issue) looks amazing! The Guvnor would have poured a large Scotch to celebrate like he did when he nicked a villain. As for the Minder Capri — oh dear, though I’m glad it’s getting restored. I have the Minder boxset which I watch all the time — in the episode Old Wives Tales, Terry and Arnie are in a scrapyard and in the background are three Mk3 Cortinas in Sebring Red, Saluki Bronze and Sapphire Blue. Oh, to own those cars now. Jonathan Esberger UK Fade to red I enjoyed the article on Auboné Braddon’s Marathon 105E in the July edition. In the mid ’60s I was entranced by a photo in the then Small Car magazine, of a very similar one being rallied by (I…

EUROPE MEETS ASIA

CLASSIC MUSEUM EUROPE MEETS ASIA The Rahmi M. Koç Museum of Istanbul, founded by the tycoon whose group has strong ties with Ford, houses 16,000 objects and over 100 cars, many of which are classic Fords and Anadols. We took a look at some of the exhibits. Words Bruno Cianci For centuries, Istanbul in Turkey has had the power of enchanting anyone visiting it: merchants, archaeologists and travellers. Thanks to a massive private vehicle collection that has now become a museum — the Rahmi M. Koç Museum — classic Ford enthusiasts have an excuse to visit, too. Its founder, Rahmi M Koç, CBE explains its genesis. “When I was a child,” the Turkish tycoon says, “my father Vehbi brought me a toy train from Germany. That’s how my collection of…

EUROPE MEETS ASIA

OTOSAN EMPIRE THE TURKISH FORD CONNECTION Ford is an important marque to the Koç family. Rahmi’s father, Vehbi took on franchises to sell Ford cars in Turkey in the late 1920s. After WW2, Mr Koç — who was described by the New York Times as ‘a Turkish version of Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller rolled into one’ — began licenced production of Fords at his own factory, named Otosan. In 1964, after choosing Reliant as a partner, he developed Turkey’s own passenger car. The new vehicle was to have a bodyshell in glass-reinforced plastic, a material the Koç group was already well familiar with, for having manufactured cabs in glassfibre for the D-series trucks. The outcome was the first Anadol. This brand produced seven different models and a few…

SWEENEY MEMORIES

I was blown away with The Sweeney story in your November issue. Being from south-east London I have fond memories of the show, with my mum telling me stories of when they filmed where she worked in Peckham. The best part was my mum and dad’s friend, Dave Wane, who had his Mk3 Zodiac called The Sweeney. I spent many happy times going to the Chelsea Cruise in it. I even had artist, Ian Guy do me a painting of the famous Consul GT. I had a Mk2 Granada which I did my own Sweeney photo shoot with, but I had to unfortunately sell in 2006 due to the boiler packing up indoors. The good news is I still have a Mk2 Zodiac which I took off the road in 2007 to…

SWEENEY MEMORIES

John Hadland From: UK Car: Capri 2.0S Classic Fords and charity fundraising is the perfect pairing we reckon, and John certainly agrees, as he explains how his Mk3 2.0S will be helping to raise much-needed funds for children with special needs once the shows starts up again. “This car came to us like this in 2009. We got it from my nephew and swapped it for my Honda VFR800. It was a bog-standard 2.0S that looked to have had a light restoration in its past but had been sitting in a garage for a year. “It’s been an evening and weekend hobby fitted in around family life ever since, which has involved a fair bit of welding to the passenger floor, driver’s inner wing, boot area, boot lid and driver’s door. My son, Leo has got…

Jackson Booth From: New Zealand Car: Mk2 Escort “My Estate started out as a five-shade yellow 1300 four-speeder on cut springs, lowering blocks and hot wires when I brought it as a pre-16th birthday present I›d saved up for. I knew the 1300 wouldn’t cut it and that came out along with the ’box and it was decided we wanted to swap it with another old-school motor, so I decided the Toyota 18rgu and W57 ’box a close friend had in his rally car shell would be the route to go down. I rebuilt the engine and converted it to EFi with twin Jenvey sidedraughts, running a Link ECU. It’s matched with an early Hilux diff with a LSD, plus rear discs and I’ve upgraded to larger front brakes with Wilwood callipers. “The wheels…

CAPRI 2.8i TURBO TECHNICS

HERITAGE CAPRI 2.8i TURBO TECHNICS Original classic Fords: After first coming across it in the late ’90s, Nigel Ashworth has now owned this Turbo Technics Mk3 twice. Now fully sorted, he has no intention of letting it go again. Words and Photos Jon Cass Back in the ’80s and ’90s, a discreet Turbo Technics badge on the back of your Ford gave you instant kudos. Unlike the usual XR, RS and Injection badges of which there were plenty around, the name Turbo Technics meant the car in question was something pretty special and not for the feint-hearted. Nigel Ashworth first became involved with Turbo Technics when his friend Ed, was stopped by the police while driving home in his black 2.8i Capri. “He hadn’t done anything wrong, but was stopped…

CAPRI 2.8i TURBO TECHNICS

THE TURBO TECHNICS KIT

THE TURBO TECHNICS KIT PUSHING THE 200 BARRIER Back in the ’80s a standard 2.8i Capri came with 160 bhp and although that would have been ample for most buyers, TurboTechnics offered their conversion kit which pushed that figure to 200 bhp. Comprising a Garrett T3 turbo, matching manifold, intercooler, vacuum capsule, fuel enrichment air cone block, oil feed and return pipes and all other necessary pipes, clips and plumbing the whole conversion was possible for a DIY mechanic.With 247 lb.ft torque on tap even at low speeds, the turbo conversion brought the 0-60 figure down to 6.5 seconds while 0-100 came in 14.8 seconds and maxed out at 143 mph! Sounds as good now as it did back then, doesn’t it?…

THE TURBO TECHNICS KIT

classic ford letters MAILBOX YOUR LETTERS, EMAILS & SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS Sweeney two The Sweeney Consul GT (November 2020 issue) looks amazing! The Guvnor would have poured a large Scotch to celebrate like he did when he nicked a villain. As for the Minder Capri — oh dear, though I’m glad it’s getting restored. I have the Minder boxset which I watch all the time — in the episode Old Wives Tales, Terry and Arnie are in a scrapyard and in the background are three Mk3 Cortinas in Sebring Red, Saluki Bronze and Sapphire Blue. Oh, to own those cars now. Jonathan Esberger UK Fade to red I enjoyed the article on Auboné Braddon’s Marathon 105E in the July edition. In the mid ’60s I was entranced by a photo…

PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES

A clutch has one job in your car — to transfer the power from the engine to the gearbox, via the flywheel. Now, obviously, you’ll be wanting as much of that energy as possible to be transferred across, hopefully without eating your clutch or flywheel along the way. Perhaps what’s most important is the last bit, there’s no point in having any clutch if it explodes every five-minutes… although there’s equally no hero points achieved for having a highly-tuned engine where all the power goes to waste in a huge cloud of smoke and slippage either. The truth is, when there’s any sort of engine tuning or fruity driving thrown into the mix, the extra torque loads and extreme conditions your clutch has to endure can mean it struggles to cope.…

PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES

What’s been done this month: Front wings removed, interior carefully dismantled, front end media blasted, NOS panels sourced, engine stripped for rebuild Next on the to-do list: Rebuild the front end prior to paint Thanks to: Classic Car Restorations 01227 719800 Progress was rapid getting the Capri stripped down to assess the state of the car. It was obvious the bonnet, which bore the brunt of the flames, would need to be changed so that was whipped off and the engine removed to be checked over. The wings, which were singed but didn’t look warped, could perhaps have been left in place, but as the car was heading off for media blasting they needed to come off for access, and later to get fresh rust proofing and paint inside those crevices, so they had…

What’s been done this month: Replaced the termo-time switch, along with most of the ignition system... Next on the to-do list: Sort the rattling trim which is driving us crazy Thanks to: Lancaster Insurance 01480 484860 www.lancaster insurance.co.uk We’re getting there with the Escort but as ever with a car which has been restored and has fundamentally very little wrong with it, the tasks which end up at the bottom of the to-do list are the small but tedious ones – usually the finishing touches which require obsolete parts or a lot of time spent in diagnosis. One such issue with the XR3i is the cold-start system, which has been disconnected ever since we’ve had the car. Being an earlier XR3i, our car uses the regular Bosch K-Jetronic injection system as found on pretty…

SWEENEY MEMORIES

SWEENEY MEMORIES I was blown away with The Sweeney story in your November issue. Being from south-east London I have fond memories of the show, with my mum telling me stories of when they filmed where she worked in Peckham. The best part was my mum and dad’s friend, Dave Wane, who had his Mk3 Zodiac called The Sweeney. I spent many happy times going to the Chelsea Cruise in it. I even had artist, Ian Guy do me a painting of the famous Consul GT. I had a Mk2 Granada which I did my own Sweeney photo shoot with, but I had to unfortunately sell in 2006 due to the boiler packing up indoors. The good news is I still have a Mk2 Zodiac which I took off the…

SWEENEY MEMORIES

readers' rides YOUR CARS John Hadland From: UK Car: Capri 2.0S Classic Fords and charity fundraising is the perfect pairing we reckon, and John certainly agrees, as he explains how his Mk3 2.0S will be helping to raise much-needed funds for children with special needs once the shows starts up again. “This car came to us like this in 2009. We got it from my nephew and swapped it for my Honda VFR800. It was a bog-standard 2.0S that looked to have had a light restoration in its past but had been sitting in a garage for a year. “It’s been an evening and weekend hobby fitted in around family life ever since, which has involved a fair bit of welding to the passenger floor, driver’s inner wing, boot area,…

UNLEADED HEAD? Q I’m about to fit an unleaded head from a Sierra 2-litre to my Mk2 RS2000. I bought the head on the understanding that it’s compatible with my standard carb and manifold, but I’ve noticed that the entrance to the inlet ports have a slight cutaway to clear the injectors — about 3 mm. Is this head OK to use? My main concerns are that it runs normally and is reliable. I’m also interested in what differential ratio Ford would have fitted, had it introduced the Type-9 box into the RS2000. Would it have gone for the 3.77 or a 3.9? Dave Newman UK A First things first. The injection head will fit on your RS’s bottom end with no problems at all and you’ve got the added bonus of hardened valve…

YOUR PROJECTS Jackson Booth From: New Zealand Car: Mk2 Escort “My Estate started out as a five-shade yellow 1300 four-speeder on cut springs, lowering blocks and hot wires when I brought it as a pre-16th birthday present I›d saved up for. I knew the 1300 wouldn’t cut it and that came out along with the ’box and it was decided we wanted to swap it with another old-school motor, so I decided the Toyota 18rgu and W57 ’box a close friend had in his rally car shell would be the route to go down. I rebuilt the engine and converted it to EFi with twin Jenvey sidedraughts, running a Link ECU. It’s matched with an early Hilux diff with a LSD, plus rear discs and I’ve upgraded to larger front…

Rose-tinted glasses are one of the most dangerous concepts in the human sphere of consciousness. We love to reminisce about the good old days, to eulogise about how everything used to be brilliant, and we’re so often proved wrong when we delve anywhere deeper than merely mentioning it in passing in pub conversations. ‘Things were so much better in the 1990s,’ someone might say without apparent irony, as their thumb dances across the screen of their smartphone, ordering themselves a cab home and a takeaway to await their arrival, all while checking their likes and shares. ‘I preferred it when there were only four TV channels, you weren’t overwhelmed by choice,’ somebody may respond, neatly forgetting that it was rubbish having the screen go all crackly whenever it rained or a…

Body Group A-spec, Michelin Pilot livery to replicate Malcolm Wilson’s 1994 BRCwinning car Engine Group A-spec 2-litre Cosworth YB, anti-lag, carbon fibre air box, fuel cell in boot, battery in footwell. Power: 300 bhp Transmission FFD seven-speed gearbox, 7.5 inch front diff, 9 inch rear diff Suspension Proflex ‘jumbo’ remote-reservoir set-up all round Brakes Front: AP Racing six-pots with 350 mm discs. Rear: AP Racing four-pots with 315 mm discs Wheels and tyres 8x18 inch OZ Racing wheels, 215/45R18 Michelin Pilot tyres Interior Full rollcage, Sparco seats, Sabelt harnesses, Momo steering wheel, flocked dashtop, digi-dash, hydraulic handbrake, carbon-fibre doorcards…

THE STUBBORN MULE

By 1988 Ford’s rally programme was in disarray. The RS200, on which so much had been invested, had been outlawed, Group B was dead, and the Group A Sierra RS Cosworth, though fast, lacked four-wheel drive. Lancia was suddenly top of the heap. At one of their regular after-hours meetings at Boreham, Stuart Turner, Peter Ashcroft, John Wheeler and Mike Moreton discussed a long-term solution. A new-type front-wheel drive Escort was on the way. “Why don’t we …?”Turner started, then astonished everyone by suggesting that a shortened Sierra Cosworth 4x4 platform under a re-styled Escort Mk4 might do the trick. Turner remembers the silence, then the embarrassed laughs which followed – but he got his way. It was too complex even for Boreham to tackle in a hurry, so he hired TC…

THE STUBBORN MULE

THE PROFESSIONAL

Although Stuart Turner’s best-selling autobiography was titled Twice Lucky, there was no luck about it. Already famous as BMC’s Competitions Manager in the 1960s, along with Walter Hayes, he was one of Ford’s most influential motorsport characters from 1969 to 1990. Turner initially trained as an accountant, broke into rallying at club level, after which progress as a club magazine editor, works co-driver, and the Rallies Editor of Motoring News (now Motorsport News) was logical. Having won three national Championship co-drivers’ awards, and sat alongside Erik Carlsson when he won the RAC rally of 1960, he then became BMC’s Competition Manager from 1961 to 1967 (when the Mini was at the height of its powers). Headhunted by Walter Hayes to Ford Motorsport in 1969 (where he succeeded Henry Taylor), his ruthless methods, and…

THE PROFESSIONAL

PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES

Know this PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES There’s not point in having an uprated engine, if none of that power can be transferred to the road. That’s why a performance clutch is a crucial part of the spec list for any tuned race or road car… A clutch has one job in your car — to transfer the power from the engine to the gearbox, via the flywheel. Now, obviously, you’ll be wanting as much of that energy as possible to be transferred across, hopefully without eating your clutch or flywheel along the way. Perhaps what’s most important is the last bit, there’s no point in having any clutch if it explodes every five-minutes… although there’s equally no hero points achieved for having a highly-tuned engine where all the power goes to waste…

PERFORMANCE CLUTCHES

How to Understand ECU diagnostics

Engine management may be more of a subject for modern Fords or modified classics with an aftermarket fuel-injection system, but it’s also relevant to a number of stock classics. Ford’s Electronic Engine Control (EEC) computer dates back to the ’70s and by the time version five (known as EEC-V) appeared in the mid ’90s, it was reading data from a wide range of familiar sensors (crank position, mass air flow) to help control fuelling and ignition timing. Plus, it was OBDIIcompliant (on-board diagnostics version two), which was a standard of communication that had to be fitted to cars in the US by law from 1996 onwards to ensure fault codes could be identified and problems could be fixed using a range of universal code readers. Prior to this, communicating with…

How to Understand ECU diagnostics

The fact that Patrick Miles bought this Lotus Cortina for £1300 tells you how long he’s owned it. “I saw it advertised in the Bristol Evening Post in 1980,” remembers Patrick, “and it was in pretty good condition. It’s a September 1966 car so one of the last built. I’d owned Mk2 Cortina Lotuses and everyone told me the Mk1 was the one to have. I was 23 years old and fell in love with the car. It had tinted windows and bucket seats. I drove it for about five years then put it in storage while I worked abroad.” That time in storage wasn’t kind to the Cortina. “When I got it back out,” continues Patrick, “the brakes were seized and I noticed some rot in the A-pillars so in…

FAMILY RACING CAR

RACER FOR THE ROAD Ford developed their ‘Cortina modified by Lotus’ purely for racing. Built at Dagenham with final assembly by Lotus in Cheshunt they were based on the two-door Cortina Deluxe with upgraded mechanical parts. Initially the cars had aluminium front panels until standard Cortina parts were phased in around June 1964. Once 1000 examples had been constructed, or claimed to have been to satisfy homologation requirements, the price was reduced from £1100 to £992. In October the Aeroflow ventilation model brought a new grille and sidelights plus revised dashboard and steering. After an estimated 1700 Lotus Cortinas were built the coil springs, trailing arms and A-frame rear suspension was replaced with GT semi-elliptic leaf springs, radius arms and anti-tramp bars. Seats and trim were revised and cars got closer…

OUR CARS Minder Capri Classic Car Restorations are working at a cracking pace, with the TV-star Mk2’s rebirth well on the way, as Matt reveals. What’s been done this month: Front wings removed, interior carefully dismantled, front end media blasted, NOS panels sourced, engine stripped for rebuild Next on the to-do list: Rebuild the front end prior to paint Thanks to: Classic Car Restorations 01227 719800 Progress was rapid getting the Capri stripped down to assess the state of the car. It was obvious the bonnet, which bore the brunt of the flames, would need to be changed so that was whipped off and the engine removed to be checked over. The wings, which were singed but didn’t look warped, could perhaps have been left in place, but as the…

Project XR3i With the colder weather approaching, it’s time Paul sorted the Escort’s cold-start system. What’s been done this month: Replaced the termo-time switch, along with most of the ignition system... Next on the to-do list: Sort the rattling trim which is driving us crazy Thanks to: Lancaster Insurance 01480 484860 www.lancaster insurance.co.uk We’re getting there with the Escort but as ever with a car which has been restored and has fundamentally very little wrong with it, the tasks which end up at the bottom of the to-do list are the small but tedious ones – usually the finishing touches which require obsolete parts or a lot of time spent in diagnosis. One such issue with the XR3i is the cold-start system, which has been disconnected ever since we’ve had…

TOP 10 INSURANCE TIPS

1. Don’t just renew It’s all too easy to let the direct debit continue and sign up for another year with your existing insurer. Before you do though, have a look at quotes from other insurers. If they come in cheaper and you don’t want to switch, call your existing insurer, quote the cheaper prices and quite often they will be able to bring your renewal quote down to a similar level. 2. Look at classic insurance They’re often tied into Agreed Value, limited-mileage polices but classic insurance specialists can offer some great-value policies. Most class a vehicle eligible for classic insurance as being over 20 or 25 years old, but some allow exceptions for modern classics, so do your research before you dismiss a classic insurance policy out of hand if you…

TOP 10 INSURANCE TIPS

QUERY OF THE MONTH EXPERT CLINIC UNLEADED HEAD? Q I’m about to fit an unleaded head from a Sierra 2-litre to my Mk2 RS2000. I bought the head on the understanding that it’s compatible with my standard carb and manifold, but I’ve noticed that the entrance to the inlet ports have a slight cutaway to clear the injectors — about 3 mm. Is this head OK to use? My main concerns are that it runs normally and is reliable. I’m also interested in what differential ratio Ford would have fitted, had it introduced the Type-9 box into the RS2000. Would it have gone for the 3.77 or a 3.9? Dave Newman UK A First things first. The injection head will fit on your RS’s bottom end with no problems at…

“THE RS1600i WAS ARGUABLY SUPERIOR TO THE OUTGOING RS2000 IN MANY WAYS” Two years after the demise of the RS2000, Escort RS fans got the news they’d longed for when Ford unveiled the RS1600i in October 1982. But while many were overjoyed at the return of both a Rallye Sport Escort and Ford’s famed performance division, there were those that were aghast that the latest fast Ford put its power down via the front wheels rather than the rear. Of course, that was due to the new RS being based on the Mk3 Escort, but while it drove in a different way to its spiritual predecessor, the RS1600i was arguably superior in many ways. Instantly differentiating the new-fangled RS from its cooking brethren were exclusive spoilers, bold striping, 6x15 inch seven-spoke alloy wheels…

TOTALLY WIRED It’s January 1981, and at Ford’s cold and bleak Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium, a Mk3 Escort is undergoing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing on the Belgian pave closely followed by a Mk2 Granada Estate radio car loaded with equipment. In the decades before wireless connectivity, the test signals had to be transmitted between the Escort and recording equipment inside the Granada via cables attached the fragile-looking rig. Let’s hope one of the cars didn’t have to brake suddenly.…

MOTORSPORT FIGHTER PILOT This Pilot-liveried Escort Cosworth is an era-correct snapshot of rally perfection; an aggressive Group A fighter with stellar capabilities and a show-winning finish. Words Daniel Bevis Photos Adrian Brannan Rose-tinted glasses are one of the most dangerous concepts in the human sphere of consciousness. We love to reminisce about the good old days, to eulogise about how everything used to be brilliant, and we’re so often proved wrong when we delve anywhere deeper than merely mentioning it in passing in pub conversations. ‘Things were so much better in the 1990s,’ someone might say without apparent irony, as their thumb dances across the screen of their smartphone, ordering themselves a cab home and a takeaway to await their arrival, all while checking their likes and shares. ‘I preferred…

Tech Spec Body Group A-spec, Michelin Pilot livery to replicate Malcolm Wilson’s 1994 BRCwinning car Engine Group A-spec 2-litre Cosworth YB, anti-lag, carbon fibre air box, fuel cell in boot, battery in footwell. Power: 300 bhp Transmission FFD seven-speed gearbox, 7.5 inch front diff, 9 inch rear diff Suspension Proflex ‘jumbo’ remote-reservoir set-up all round Brakes Front: AP Racing six-pots with 350 mm discs. Rear: AP Racing four-pots with 315 mm discs Wheels and tyres 8x18 inch OZ Racing wheels, 215/45R18 Michelin Pilot tyres Interior Full rollcage, Sparco seats, Sabelt harnesses, Momo steering wheel, flocked dashtop, digi-dash, hydraulic handbrake, carbon-fibre doorcards…

THE STUBBORN MULE

THE STUBBORN MULE WE TRACE THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS OF THE LEGENDARY ESCORT COSWORTH. By 1988 Ford’s rally programme was in disarray. The RS200, on which so much had been invested, had been outlawed, Group B was dead, and the Group A Sierra RS Cosworth, though fast, lacked four-wheel drive. Lancia was suddenly top of the heap. At one of their regular after-hours meetings at Boreham, Stuart Turner, Peter Ashcroft, John Wheeler and Mike Moreton discussed a long-term solution. A new-type front-wheel drive Escort was on the way. “Why don’t we …?”Turner started, then astonished everyone by suggesting that a shortened Sierra Cosworth 4x4 platform under a re-styled Escort Mk4 might do the trick. Turner remembers the silence, then the embarrassed laughs which followed – but he got his way. It…

THE STUBBORN MULE

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