Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i Fast Ford

MK3 ESCORT A BITSA OF ALL RIGHT All the fun of an RS Turbo at a third of the price tag? Yes please! Words BEN BIRCH Photos JASON DODD For many Ford fans, their lifelong dream of owning an RS of some sort has steadily disappeared from view over recent years, mainly due to rising prices. The boom began with Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts, then it was Cosworths, and more recently RS Turbos and XRs have all experienced their own surges in value. Collectors are spending big bucks while the average working person is either moving onto more affordable classics, or coming up with more creative ways to get that RS buzz. Dan Rayner is one of the latter, and was determined to fulfil his fast Ford dream one way…

ESCORT RS COSWORTH BLUE’S CLUES At first glance, this appears to be a tidy and largely stock Escort RS Cosworth – which is exactly what Steven Wark wants you to think. But the more you look, the more clues you find that this is very far from factory-spec… Words DAN BEVIS Photos ADE BRANNAN RS-model Fords are like a virus. Once they’ve swum into your bloodstream, they’re chewing their way into your DNA for life. There’s no way your immune system can do anything about it, those white blood cells just have to waft on by and accept the fact that more and more cells are turning blue and oval-shaped. Just ask Steven Wark – he got infected at an early age, and this magnificently restored and upgraded Escort RS…

#PRINT MY FORD See your very own fast Ford in full printed glory! Ever wanted to see your car appear in all its glory in the printed pages of a Ford tuning magazine? Well, if so, all you need to do is ask! Simply email us, or post a picture of your car on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and add the hashtag ‘#printmyford’, and each month we’ll choose our favourites and print them in this aptly named feature. Alternatively, drop us an email with a couple of pics, a full spec list of any mods and upgrades, and a few details about your time with the car to fastford.ed@kelsey.co.uk with the subject heading ‘print my ford’ and we’ll pick our favourites for a slightly more detailed review each…

JASON MUSTANG V8 BYE, BYE 2020 Jason reflects on a strange year for car fans, and looks forward to seeing what 202 brings QUICK SPEC 5.0-litre Mustang GT • Steeda axle-back exhaust, induction kit, and H-pipe • RTR diffuser • MAP remap • Steeda IRS bushes, lowering springs, engine brace, K-brace, front and rear anti-roll bars • Carbon fibre deck lid • Velgen VF5 alloys• Steeda discs and Hawk pads Well, what a strange and challenging year 2020 proved to be. Looking back, despite the heavily reduced schedule, there were a few highlights; Santa Pod Mustang events, the triple-car cover shoot and car meet with the Cosworth Drivers’ Club, the three prestigious car shows I covered for Alpine at Salon Prive, and the two Concours D’Elegance events, plus the occasional…

FF TECH COMMON NITROUS QUESTIONS CAN I USE NITROUS WITH A TURBO? Nitrous is perfect for turbo applications, and not just because it massively cools intake temperatures before it even enters the engine. As nitrous allows more oxygen to be burnt in the cylinders more quickly, the quality and quantity of exhaust gases leaving the engine increases, which works wonders. For turbo cars, a single wet injector kit or a single dry injector kit is commonly used; many customers choose the direct port option, with an injector for each cylinder. With most turbo’d cars already having numerous upgrades, it’s unusual for them to need further upgrades when adding modest amounts of nitrous power. Power-wise you will see far better gains than on N/A engines, so start at 25bhp and work…

FF TECH BUYER’S GUIDE FOCUS S A bargain fast Ford you can while it increases in value, Focus ST170 offers sublime ultra-practical warm-hatch Words DAN WILLIAMSON Photos PAUL WAGER “ST170s have exactly the right driver’s-car image and fast Ford cachet to be a rock-solid investment – if you buy at the right price” WHY YOU WANT ONE… • So much fun for not much cash. If you enjoy making maximum use of every single engine rev in every gear, you’ll find the ST170’s sublime handling incredibly addictive. • Few cars are more practical than a Focus, and the ST170’s sporting edge doesn’t detract from that usability, being offered as three/five-door hatchback or spacious estate. • ST170s have exactly the right driver’s-car image and fast Ford cachet to be a rock-solid…

WHAT'S NEW FORD PARTS The latest gear on the Blue Oval scene STEEDA CP-E FOCUS RS INTAKE SYSTEM £469 Another CP-E product available from Steeda for the Mk3 Focus RS is the new Alpha intake kit. Offering a complete solution from turbo to filter, the kit features mandrel-bent 3in tubing, sealed airbox (with Plexiglass cover) and a 4in high-flow air filter. The fit and finish is solid, as you’d expect from Steeda stuff, and in testing on their own RS in the USA Steeda say they saw a five per cent gain in horsepower and a seven per cent increase in torque by fitting the intake. For full details, head to the website. www.steeda.co.uk GAZ MK4 FOCUS ST COILOVERS £1061.79 Gaz is now offering a coilover kit for the latest…

FIESTA ST MK8 SCHOOL OF LIFE For Dave Holding, modifying his Mk8 ST was a massive learning curve. But after studying hard and applying himself, the student has become the master Words DAN BEVIS Photos MITCH BROWN If there’s one phrase that characterises the modern age more than any other, it’s ‘that escalated quickly’. A comic quip coined by Anchorman, it serves perfectly in online debates and real-world interactions – and few people appreciate the sentiment more than Dave Holding. Dave is the owner of this remarkable Mk8 Fiesta ST and, surprisingly, he’d never really modified a car before this one. It’s a hell of an up-tick in a short period of time, isn’t it? Dave says, “This all started with a trip to have some tyres fitted to my…

FAST FLEET Check out what’s been going on with our projects this month… JAMIE FOCUS RS Not much to report on the RS this month, lockdowns, Christmas break and lack of use has meant it hasn’t turned a wheel in weeks. But Jamie vows to use the Focus is anger much more in 2021. PAUL COWLAND MUSTANG V8 Paul takes a trip to Wortec for a custom map to be applied to the Mustang using HP Tuner’s clever new software tools. DAN FOCUS ST250 New radiator upgrade is in development with Direnza, so Dan’s still driving their BMW M135i courtesy car for now. HANNAH FOCUS COSWORTH Hannah’s keeping her fingers crossed that shows and events open again in 2021, as she can’t wait to get on track in the FoCos.…

EBC BRAKES’ MK7 FIESTA ST FINE FETTLING The EBC Brakes team take their fast-evolving Fiesta ST to Northampton Motorsport for a full suspension and alignment setup QUICK SPEC EBC Brakes Racing Apollo Balanced Big Brake Kit • Eibach Pro-Spacer Kit • Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres • Pumaspeed Stage 4 tune with X58EVO turbo • Forge BOV • Cusco Type RS LSD • ST XTA coilovers • Eibach ARBs • Ultra Racing strut braces • Powerflex bushes • Yiannimize vinyl wrap • Rota Recce alloys Rewind a couple of issues and you might remember us fitting some choice suspension upgrades to our Ultimate Fiesta Build (some ST XTA coilovers, Eibach anti-roll bars, Powerflex poly bushes and Ultra Racing strut braces). With a visual makeover applied directly afterwards (see the last…

FF TECH ALL ABOUT NITROUS OXIDE SYSTEMS Surrounded by hype, nitrous oxide can be a beneficial tool for unlocking your engine’s power potential. Here’s what you need to know Words SIMON HOLMES, JAMIE, & TREVOR LANGFIELD Photos CHRIS WALLBANK & HOLLEY PRESS IMAGES “Giving your engine more oxygen to burn, which in turn allows more fuel to burn, creates more power” This month we’re tackling a big one: nitrous oxide. We’ve all heard the rumours, read the myths and seen the films that make us think nitrous is either spectacular, explosive or warp speed-inducing. But what is the truth? What does it actually do, and how does it work? To pick the facts from the fiction we spoke to the guys at Wizards Of NOS (WON), who are the people…

FF TECH KEEPING COOL Airtec Motorsport puts three of its performance intercoolers to the test on the dyno to see how each performs compared with standard Words JAMIE Photos AIRTEC MOTORSPORT Fitting a performance intercooler is one of the key upgrades we can make to a tuned turbo’d car, and as such there are plenty of options available when it comes to binning the OE part and fitting something better suited to a tweaked fast Ford. Many specialists, such as Airtec, even offer different levels of upgrade for the same car. But is there any difference between them? Don’t they all just do the same thing? And are they even needed in the first place? Well, to answer these questions – and back them up with some hard data –…

MK3 FOCUS RS AN EYE FOR DETAIL This immaculately-presented Focus RS is much more than it first appears. Lurking beneath the stealthy styling is a 400bhp thrill machine Words and photos JON CASS When your business is professional detailing, it makes sense to be seen driving around in a vehicle that turns heads and portrays an example of your handiwork. For 37-year-old Adi Longden, the perfect candidate to become his latest immaculate demo car proved to be none other than a Mk3 Focus RS. It also happens to be his daily driver and family bus. Adi’s connection with Fords stems way back to when his mum bought a white ’90 spec Escort XR3i brand new. Adi recalls, “I eventually inherited this car, but sadly wrote it off on the A1.…

WHAT'S NEW NEWS See what’s going down in the world of fast Fords... FORD FAIR DATE CONFIRMED Amidst a cocktail of January blues and lockdown despair, there is some good news to look forward to – Ford Fair is set to return on August 8! Kelsey Media has recently announced the 2021 date, and plans are underway to make sure the show is one to remember. If you had purchased tickets for the 2020 event your booking will automatically be carried forward to Ford Fair 2021 and you don’t need to do anything. However, you can opt for a refund if you prefer – simply head to www.fastcar.co.uk/ford-fair/ and follow the link to create a support ticket. The team at Kelsey would like to express their thanks for everyone’s understanding…

CLUB PROFILE XR OWNERS’ CLUB Allen Patch tells us more about one of the most established owners’ clubs in the UK, the XROC When was the club first founded? It was established in 1983 for a group of XR3 owners to get together and share their interest and passion for the model. As the XR brand grew within Ford, so did the club and at the height of XR popularity in the late 80s/ early 90s, we had 4500 members. How many active members does the club currently have? Currently we have just under 500 paid-up members but have an impressive 6300-plus on our Facebook page, with 1000 on our Instagram page. The Supersport Register has 200 Instagram followers and 1300 members on their Facebook page. Which models does the…

PAUL COWLAND MUSTANG GT PONY UP! It’s time to give the Mustang the brawn to match its recent mods – as Paul Cowland reaches for the HP Tuners sauce! As much as I love my Mustang (and believe me, I really do), there’s always one element of it that has slightly baffled me. Every other V8 I own makes its power and torque almost comically low down the rev range, whereas the 5.0-litre Coyote in the ’Stang seems to find its voice with the loud pedal much nearer to the carpet. It’s still a great drive, but I wondered if a remap might allow me to awaken the soul of this otherwise great engine, lowering the peak torque point, and effectively making the car feel quicker. I took a roadtrip…

WALLET-FRIENDLY MODS Want big gains for small change? Well, check out our 20 cool upgrades that won’t break the bank January is always a dreary time of the year; the fun and festivities of Christmas seem a distant memory, yet the next payday seem an eternity away too. Couple that with the continuous coronavirus lockdowns and the endless uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and it’s very tempting to lock your fast Ford up in the garage and just forget about it until things get back to normal. But don’t - that’s not really the point of owning one, is it? Collectors do that. But to us dedicated enthusiasts, our cars are much more than a simple means of transport; they’re our passion, our hobby, our way of life. And it’s precisely at…

THE DIFFERENT KITS DRY KITS These kits do not use an extra fuel solenoid to deliver the fuel, they instead rely on the WET KITS This type of kit used to be the most common setup, but now that most cars are fuel-injected, dry systems have become more commonly used. Wet kits work out cheaper and quicker to set up than dry kits (as dry kits require expert mapping) and are virtually plug-and-play, as they offer an additional fuel supply from a designated fuel solenoid as well as one for nitrous. They tap into the car’s fuel supply, therefore relying on the standard fuel pressure and pump. Greater control is on offer (along with a number of safety features) for wet or dry kits by adding a progressive controller, which…

FF TECH 10 MINUTE TECH PERFORMANCE EXHAUSTS All you need to know about sports exhausts in our quick-fix guide WHAT IS AN EXHAUST AND WHAT DOES IT DO? An exhaust system is specialist piping used to guide exhaust gases away from the engine. It is also ‘silenced’ to reduce the noise a car’s engine makes. Performance exhaust systems still guide the exhaust gases away from the engine, but do so in a less restrictive fashion, which results in increased power potential and throttle response. Plus, many performance exhausts are tuned to provide a more sporty soundtrack too. WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF? While some OEM exhaust systems are made from aluminiumised steel, aftermarket exhausts are usually made from stainless steel, which is a great material for providing durability, resistance to…

TRANSIT CONNECT COMMERCIAL SUCCESS The MS-RT Transit Connect is pretty cool in stock form, but pretty cool was not enough for Jo Lawrence. Behold, the world’s first Transit Connect RS… Words DAN BEVIS Photos ADE BRANNAN Vans. They’re sensible and functional things, aren’t they. People buy them because they need to haul stuff about –they’re rugged, dependable, practical and versatile. What they aren’t, though, is exciting. At least, not usually. “I didn’t buy this Transit Connect with the intention of doing what I’ve done to it,” says Jo Lawrence, gazing at his extraordinary van with the dazed expression of a man desperate to reconcile how he got from that point to this. He continues, “After all, it is still my daily-driver. I sleep in it, throw mountain bikes in the…

SECRET FORDS ACCESS ALL AREAS: PUMA CONVERTIBLE This issue, Steve lifts the lid (literally!) on what might have been a drop-top Puma Ford made good money from the convertible version of the front-wheel drive Escort and so it’s fair to ask why didn’t the company make a convertible Puma? Curiously enough the first inkling of the production-shape Puma was made using a convertible. Ford, through its Ghia studio, had already unveiled two show cars that hinted at the upcoming Puma’s shape, but the Lynx was far closer to the real thing. The non-running glassfibre model came about after global design chief Jack Telnack commissioned sketches from the Ford Design community. One rendering, by a young Detroit designer called Gary Braddock, was selected from the 50-or-so submitted. Braddock reworked the production…