Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Classic Ford

FRONTEND YOUR EYE ON THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC FORD SCENE RAINBOW RALLY PLATES RAISE FUNDS FOR THE NHS The classic Ford community has been busy supporting the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic over the past weeks. And now several businesses and organisations are producing special rainbow rally plates to raise funds for the NHS Charities Together – Urgent Covid-19 Appeal. Scenic Car Tours, who has been organising our Classic Ford Tours for many years, has come up with its own ‘Support Our Heroes’ rally plate. It has priced them at £10 plus postage, with 100 per cent of the rally plate cost going to the appeal. In just 28 hours, it had already raised over £2300. “We know how much our customers like to collect the rally plates from the tours…

COMING UP Inside the August issue Can the Mk2 Escort really be 45 years’ old in 2020? Yes, it can and to celebrate in the August issue we’ll be marking the occasion with a monster guide to buying and upgrading one. Also in this issue expect feature cars from five decades of the classic Ford scene including this awesome Pro Street Corsair. The August 2020 issue of Classic Ford hits the newsstands on Thursday, July 10 — why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it? See page 20 for the latest subscription offers.…

Join the club Old Skool Ford From meets to shows, chat to tech advice, Old Skool Ford has it covered, reckons Scott Slavin. When was the club founded? Old Skool Ford was founded in 2004 by a group from the south east with a passion for old Fords who decided that they wanted to get out and drive their cars with other like-minded enthusiasts. The meets were local at first but the club soon grew. The forum was set up around the same time; its purpose was that the founders wanted somewhere that was unique in catering for a period of manufacture by the marque rather than the whole marque, or indeed a specific model from their range. Recognition must go to the early guys that ran the forum, chief…

HOMEBUILT HERO THE JUMP Serial classic Ford builder, Gavin Robertson’s hopped up to the next level with his latest project — this ST170-powered Escort van. Words and Photos Jon Cass Some of you may recall the Escort RS1800 tribute built by Gavin Robertson that we featured in the Summer 2018 issue. Its ultra-low stance, deep-dish RS four-spoke wheels and that period looking 1800 Zetec engine sat in the immaculately prepared engine bay certainly ensured it stood out from the pack. Gavin still owns that Mk2 and its set to see some major changes soon, but somehow he’s managed to find the time to build this equally-impressive Mk2 Escort van running ST170 power, no less! “I’ve always read Classic Ford and like with the RS1800 replica, the magazine has provided me…

HOMEBUILT a HERO Off the road for two decades, Nick had a job on his hands when it came to rebuilding the Mk2. With the long and arduous task of repainting the body complete, it was prepped for paint. Nick painted the engine bay, underside and interior while friend, Barrie did the exterior. Keeping the steering box set-up meant Nick had to reweld the sump to front-bowl form. This meant to Pinto engine was easier to fit, just needing the radiator mounts moving. No corners were cut when it came to the underside, with everything refreshed.…

THE TURBO CAPRIS REFINING THE STANDARD Turbo Technics opened in Lincolnshire in 1981 (later moving to Northampton and opening a Swindon branch to be more centrally located) starting with turbo conversions on the XR3 and XR3i. Soon you could also have an XR2, Sierra XR or Granada converted using a Garrett T3 turbocharger. The idea behind the Capri Turbo was to create a car that felt more or less standard until hard acceleration was required. Based on the Capri 2.8i, Turbo Technics offered three versions; the F16 had uprated suspension and offered 230 bhp, while the F26 and F9 conversions were 200 bhp and the rest of the car remained largely standard other than the exhaust — although suspension and brake options were available.…

MOTORSPORT CLASSIC FORDS FLAT›OUT ON THE STAGE, STRIP AND TRACK MARATHON RUNNER Three decades ago, this Anglia helped give the burgeoning historic rallying scene a big push, and now the 1988 Pirelli Classic Marathon finisher is back and ready for more Alpine stage action. Words Simon Woolley Photos Andy Saunders Historic motorsport was very different 35 years ago. In fact, on the rallying side it was very much in its infancy, with the recently-formed Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR) starting to organise dedicated events to showcase the ex-works rally cars owned by its members. With the launch of the first-ever international rally for classic cars — Pirelli Classic Marathon — in 1988 though, historic rallying got a huge dose of publicity. Designed to relive the golden age of rallying, the…

MOTORSPORT CLASSIC FORDS FLAT›OUT ON THE STAGE, STRIP AND TRACK FOUR PLAY Even Ford Motorsport liked to take on the role of Homebuilt Hero now and again — in 1989 they arranged for a three-door development car with a Sapphire nose and 4WD to be built. Words Graham Robson In 1989, Boreham was playing catch-up in the rallying stakes. Group A had been imposed by the FIA from 1987, and Ford’s works car, the Sierra RS Cosworth, lacked the four-wheel-drive to make it competitive. A new model – the Sierra Cosworth 4x4 – would be launched in 1990, but Boreham had to start testing. To save time, and well before prototype Cosworth 4x4s were made available, Motorsport developed its own one-off. To make this possible, Gordon Spooner’s Witham-based company was…

CF BUYING RESTORING WHITE KNIGHT Reader’s restoration: Pete Bowden is a champion for RS Turbos — he’s owned quite a few and loves restoring tired examples back to mint condition. This 1986 example is his latest. Words Mike Renaut Photos Andy Saunders Wet grass does metalwork no favours. It holds water causing rust, meaning few of us are willing to buy a Ford that’s been sat in a field for decades. But with his bodywork and painting skills, Pete Bowden doesn’t worry about things like that, just so long as he can source any missing parts. “I found this car for sale in late 2013,” explains Pete. “I’d been looking for an RS Turbo having owning several in the past and I specifically wanted a project. This one — a…

PARTING SHOT LOOKING TO THE PAST ONE CLASSIC IMAGE AT A TIME OPEN UP With the current Formula One season now taking place behind closed doors, here’s a look back to the days of easier access. It’s 1969 and Denny Hulme, seated in his be-winged, Ford-Cosworth DFV-powered Mclaren M7A, chats to a mechanic during qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The New Zealander won eight races during his Grand Prix career, and was World Drivers’ Champion in 1967, when he drove for Brabham. Photo: Getty Images…

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE FRIDAY, JULY 10 Welcome The backbone of the classic Ford scene has always been the enthusiast working away in the shed, adapting parts to improve their car. But it’s not just about tuning and improving Fords in 2020, of course — restoration has such as huge part to play in the build of any classic Ford now, unless you’re extremely lucky! And in these times of lockdown we’ve thrown open garage doors across the UK and beyond to bring you the finest Fords for this Homebuilt Heroes special. Of course, if for whatever reason you’re more of a leave-it-to-the-professionals type of enthusiast, there’s no reason to feel left out, and there’s plenty in this issue to inspire you. But if, after reading the mag you feel…

RUSTY CORNER Terminally-rotten old Fords We’ve had submissions sent in from all over the glove for Rusty Corner in the 15-or-so years it’s been running, but Serbia? This one’s a first. This 1985 2-litre Sierra GL comes courtesy of the Abandoned Fords Facebook Group and appears to have been left unloved in front of a closed-down shop. Going on the photos, it looks to be complete and in reasonable shape, so here’s hoping a Serbian Ford enthusiast is able to return it to the road. 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.…

DON’T MISS OUT! Struggling to find your copy of Classic Ford? If you’ve been missing your trip to the local shops, you can still buy single issues of Classic Ford (either print or digital versions) via Kelsey Publishing’s online shop — go to www.classicfordmag.co.uk and follow the links. Even better, they’re currently offering special a one-off deal of £9.99 for the next three issues — no ongoing commitment, just a great way of getting your fave magazine to your door without having to head out. Fancy something longer-term? You can subscribe and get six issues for a bargain £15. Again, follow the links from the Classic Ford website. If you’re still going out to do the weekly shop, then Classic Ford is still on sale in most of the big…

mk1 fiesta FUTURE PROOFED It may be his first classic Ford project, but Ben Stevens has created a stunner of a Mk1 Fiesta — and planned the build and spec to allow for future upgrades, too. You wouldn’t know it to look at this superbly-executed Fiesta, but this is not only Ben Stevens’ first proper solo project, it’s his first classic Ford, too — and one that’s been cleverly thought-through to allow for future upgrades. “I’ve been surrounded by old cars and kit cars since I was a kid, though, so I wasn’t exactly going into this build blind,” he reveals. “This is thanks to my Dad, and latterly my mates. I’ve been doing track days with Dad for years, mainly sharing his Zetecpowered Ginetta G20, but I always wanted…

LONG DISTANCE RUNNER UPGRADING THE FUEL SYSTEM We often see alloy fuel tanks in the boot of Mk2 saloons, but Gavin was keen to keep the load bay usable in his van. Instead of relocating the fuel tank in the cargo area, he opted to fit a long-distance custom fuel tank underneath with Nuke Performance internals, CNC internal swirl pot, a Harley Davidson lift pump and Deutschworks DW65 fuel pump. He also fabricated his own fuel lines and used AN fast-flow fittings. This impressive set up does the job and means he can still carry a handful of BMXs in the back without worry, too.…

classic ford’s project cars Project XR3i Introducing a new project car, and it’s a flashback to the ’80s hot hatch era. With a prize car well-established as a popular fixture of Lancaster Insurance’s show season, the hunt was on for a 2020 candidate, and the task fell to Lancaster’s Clubs Liaison Manager, Dave Youngs to source a suitable vehicle. With the growth in popularity of everything 1980s, a hot hatch presented — especially in its Mk3 form. Luckily, Lancaster already had a good relationship with the XR Owners’ Club which provided a useful shortcut. Long-term readers may remember the Escort XR3i Cabriolet which was restored in 2017 for Lancaster’s charity challenge pitting Mike Brewer against Ant Anstead and the mastermind of that project, Dave ‘Blokie’ Petrie had the contacts we…

CF BUYING RESTORING BUYING Respray your classic Ford You’ve done all the major bodywork restoration but your classic Ford still looks scruffy. Time for a respray, then. It’s always gratifying when you near the end of an extensive bodywork job. At last you can begin to appreciate that it’s almost ready to grace the roads for many more years. However, the chances are that the body shell still looks like a patchwork quilt and a full respray is the only answer. To find out how, we’re covering the prep and repaint of a Mk2 Escort. The car has just been fitted with a replacement bonnet, new door skin and rear wheelarch panels, so the shell was now sound but in a multitude of colours, and the paintwork left a great…

TOP 10 INSURANCE TIPS There are lots of ways you can cut insurance costs. Here are 10 tips on how you can do it effectively and still come away with the right policy for you and your classic Ford. 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…

FRONTEND TOP 10 LUXURY FORDS Big comfy seats? Check. Plenty of extra gauges? Check. Acres of wood veneer? Check. The 10 best-appointed classic Fords. Words Dan Williamson MK4 ZEPHYR-ZODIAC EXECUTIVE Engine capacity: 2994cc Years produced: 1966 to 1971 Price when new: £1672 (1966) The Flying Pig was the nickname of Ford’s forth-generation Zephyr-Zodiac – thanks not to its transatlantic styling but its wallowy independent rear suspension’s vomit-churning ride. Yet its slab sides and long bonnet (which housed the spare wheel) ooze retro-cool, especially in quad-headlamp V6 Zodiac form. October 1966’s flagship Ford Executive took the 136 bhp 3-litre Zodiac and included power steering, leather upholstery, automatic gearbox (overdrive manual was a reduced-cost option), sunroof, walnut fascia and door cappings, driving lights, extra chrome strips and star badge on the grille.…

WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH GET DETAILING The classic Ford scene is not overly obsessed with cleaning tyre treads with toothbrushes, but nonetheless there’s no time like the present to give your Blue Oval a damn good detailing session. Not only will this make it look better, but it will also give you the chance to spot any blemishes or rust on the bodywork that may be starting to appear. Need some tips on how to detail your classic Ford and carry out some paint correction, too? Head over to www.classicfordmag.co.uk/tech.…

classic ford PRODUCTS THE LATEST, GREATEST BITS FOR YOUR CLASSIC FORD WEBER 32/36 DGAV TOP COVER £113.20 Webcon Weber’s 32/36DGV carburettor has been around for decades and many of the originals are still going strong. However if your 32/36 is worn or has been damaged there is no need to buy a complete new carburettor, as Webcon can now supply a new replacement top cover. It comes already assembled and is supplied complete with the choke plates and shaft, powervalve, float, needle valve and gasket. Contact: 01932 787100, www.webcon.co.uk HEAVY-DUTY PRESSURE WASHERS From £526.80 Machine Mart These new, portable, heavy-duty petrol-driven Clarke pressure washers are built for daily use and feature a protective steel frame, folding handles for compact storage and big pneumatic tyres for easy mobility on uneven ground.…

HOMEBUILT HERO Going the distance Some projects can take years to see fruition, but if they’re anything like Nick Manson’s Cortina, they’re well worth the journey. Words Simon Woolley Photos Adrian Brannan It’s no secret that the average classic Ford obsessive likes to play the long game. Strike up a conversation with one at a show and you’ll most likely find that they’ve been mucking about with old Fords for years, quite often leaving the scene for a while then coming back a few years later, and in the meantime holding onto whatever cars and parts they’ve amassed along the way. Nick Manson is no exception. He started messing around with Fords before he could even drive (well, legally...), buying up cars and parts when they were cheap and tucking…

CAPRI 280 TT Original classic Fords: When Allan Brown bought this Turbo Technics Mk3, he knew it needed work, but that was just the start.... Words Mike Renaut Photos Adrian Brannan The Capri 2.8i was always regarded as a quick car straight off the showroom floor, but only a few lucky drivers got to experience even more power with a Garrett T3 turbo bolted to their Capri’s Cologne V6. Turbo Technics offered that conversion in their workshops or sold the parts as a complete kit. There aren’t many Turbo Technics Capris around today, although if you think one wouldn’t necessarily make an ideal first classic car, you clearly haven’t spoken to Allan Brown… Back in 2014 Allan decided to buy a classic Ford, “I was about to turn 50,” explains…

BAD SPORT In your otherwise-excellent Spring 2020 edition, my attention was naturally drawn to the Sunset Red Escort Sport on page 104. It’s a shame your Expert Clinic’s advisor isn’t familiar with Mk1s, because the reply was way off the mark. The reader’s Sport has a chassis number beginning BBATMT, which means it was built at Halewood in December 1972. The spec was unequivocally the later type (revised in August 1972), which featured a six-dial dash, 5x13 inch sculptured sports steel wheels and two-speed wipers. If your reader’s car has a two-clock instrument panel, it isn’t a Sport. To correct some more errors, the Sport’s battery was always in the engine bay (not the boot), and the trim was based on the Escort Standard, as opposed to the XL –…

EXPERT CLINIC QUERY OF THE MONTH ID MY ESCORT Q Can you help me identify what ATH and AFH stands for on a Mk1 Escort? Looking at the VIN plate on mine, I have a ATH in the Type box. Those letters appear everywhere and yet the reason for them eludes me! Greg Emmott UK A “It’s a good question,” says Classic Ford contributor, Dan Williamson. “The Type box is pretty inconsistent, and also confusing. It doesn’t always have the same amount of characters, or even make complete sen se. Most two-door Halewood-built Mk1s say ATH where A = Escort, T = two-door and H = the year of the model’s introduction. In the case of H, it refers to 1968, which simply means it’s normal Escort two-door. A four-door…

BUYER’S GUIDE ESCORT MK6 Ignored for too long, the last of the Escort line is rapidly rising up the ranks of desirable classics. This is what you need to know. Words ChristianTilbury Photos Gerard Hughes Introduced in January 1995, the Mk6 Escort was the car that the Mk5 version should have been. Granted, it might have been a long time coming, but it was actually far from a case of ‘too little, too late’. A hastily executed facelift in 1993 sought to counteract some of the Mk5’s failings, but with the motoring press’s scathing criticism leaving a bitter taste, Ford’s engineers went all in to make the Mk6 a worthy market leader. Visually, the new Escort was distinguished by a smoother front end, body-coloured bumpers, different door mirrors and handles,…