1974 Ford Escort mk1
I've always had an interest in rally cars, my favourites being the early MK1 and MK2 Ford Escorts along with the outrageous Metro 6R4! In 2002, several employees at the company I was working for arranged a Rally Demonstration day with the CSMA (Civil Service Motor Association). Needless to say, I wanted to go along - however, I was not about to trash my road car on a potentially rough track.
So for my first 'rally' car I bought a Ford Sierra XR4x4; 2.8i V6 engine, 4 wheel drive, dodgy central locking, crappy miles to the gallon and a bus driver steering wheel!
Although great fun, after the event I sold the XR4x4 (after repairing one fo the exhausts I had smashed to smithereens!) and decided to get something a bit lighter, nimbler and easier to work on...
Event Images
2005 - Elvington airfield - York
2004 - Barton Stacey army training range
2003 - Barton Stacey army training range
(car prior to modifications)
Current Specification
Engine: 2.0 16V Vauxhall 20XE 'Redtop'. Uprated ARP conrod bolts, new rings and bearings, twin Dellorto DHLA 45 sidedraught carburettors w/37mm chokes, Yukspeed tubular exhaust manifold, Facet fast-road solid state fuel pump, Ford MKV RS2000 alloy radiator.
Gearbox & Transmission: SBD Motorsport alloy Vauxhall to Ford Type-9 bellhousing, semi-organic Kevlar clutch, Ford centre splines, Vauxhall friction plate, Ford Sierra 2.0i Type-9 5 Speed gearbox, Ford RS2000 release arm, Burton Power heavy duty single-piece Type-9 to Atlas propshaft, Ford mk2 Capri 3.0 V6 Atlas axle, Ford 4.6:1 ratio differential.
Brakes: Master Cylinder: Rover 90/110 0.750" Girling with remote reservoir. Front: Austin Princess 4-pot calipers, vented Capri 2.8 discs. Rear: Capri V6 9" drum brakes and shoes. Rear: Non-hydraulic handbrake.
Front Suspension: Ford Capri 2.8 adjustable Bilstein struts, uprated Capri 2.8 springs, anti-dive kit, polybushed twin-cam or RS2000 anti roll bar(?), twin-cam style strut brace, bulkhead mounted strengthening brace.
Rear Suspension: Late MK1/MK2 Style rear suspension setup, Gaz 36-point adjustable gas damper units, 146lb single leaf springs and heavy duty bushes, polybushed RS radius arm/Anti tramp kit, 1" Lowering blocks.
Interior: Safety Devices rear cage with diagnal, 2 x handheld fire extinguishers, four point Sabelt Clubman buckle harnesses, original 1300 E/L two pod dashboard, Micro Dynamics rev limiter, Autoguage 0-10krpm rev counter with shift light, custom centre console and Smiths guages, master cut-off switch, secondary electric fuel pump cut-off switch, Astra GTE Recaro seats, stripped and repainted interior.
Body: Works 'Bubble' arches (GRP), seam welded chassis rails, double skinned strut top panels, gussetted engine bay, seam welded inner wing tops, bulkhead to wing unions and wing to front panel union. De-bumpered, cooling slats in front panel.
Wheels/Tyres: 8x15 Compomotive MO 5-spokes with 205/45x15 front and 215/45x15 rear.
This page updated: 4/Feb/2007