Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Classic Ford

FRONTEND YOUR EYE ON THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC FORD SCENE OUT OF THE ASHES GS Escorts suffer devastating fire at their premises, but they will be back! One of the longest-running and most-respected classic Ford specialists suffered a serious fire at their premises last month, destroying almost all their stock. The restoration and parts specialist run by Graeme Worthington, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2019, had its two units almost completely destroyed after it’s believed faulty equipment at a wheel specialist next door caught fire — badly damaging six units on the Widnes industrial estate where GS Escorts has been based since 2004. “We’ve lost 90 per cent of our stock of new and used parts, and unfortunately, a couple of our customer’s cars were badly damaged too, though one…

THE BIG PICTURE IT’S BACK! No, not The Sweeney (they tried that...), but Jack Regan’s Consul GT used in the first and second series of the cult 1970s TV show. Appearing in the opening title sequences of the first three series, the Consul was on-screen with the show’s lead actors John Thaw, who played Regan, and Dennis Waterman as Carter. After a lengthy restoration, the Consul made its first reappearance for almost 30 years at the Classic Motor Show this month, and greeted showgoers as they entered one of the main halls. www.necclassicmotorshow.com…

FRONTEND What’s On All the must-attend classic Ford shows and events for December and January, and a taster of what’s coming up, too. DECEMBER Newark Autojumble December 8 Newark and Notts Showground, Newark, UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk Huddersfield Autojumble December 29 Old Market Building, Huddersfield, UK https://phoenixfairs.jimdo.com Classic Ford February on sale December 27 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk JANUARY Autosport International & The Performance & Tuning Car Show January 9-12 NEC, Birmingham, UK www.autosportinternational.com Sunday Scramble January 5 Bicester Heritage, Bicester UK http://bicesterheritage.co.uk Classic Ford March on sale January 24 https://shop.kelsey.co.uk Newark Autojumble January 26 Newark and Notts Showground, Newark, UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk COMING UP Great Western Classic Car Show February 8-9 Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, UK www.bristolclassiccarshows.com Race Retro February 21-23 Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, UK www.raceretro.com Classic Car & Restoration Show March…

PRODUCTS THE LATEST, GREATEST BITS FOR YOUR CLASSIC FORD MK2 FIESTA FRONT STRUTS £133.24 each GAZ Shocks GAZ Shocks is now manufacturing brand-new fixed-platfrom struts for the Mk2 Fiesta, but featuring uprated, adjustable damping from a single control on top of the unit. These struts will take the standard ride height springs, though other spring lengths can be produced by GAZ to your requirements if the car is to be lowered (or even raised) for competition use. Contact: 01268 724585, www.gazshocks.com MESH AIR FILTERS £49.38 pair Webcon To complement the existing range of 56, 63 and 70 mm diameter mesh air filters, Webcon has introduced a fourth version to suit air horns/trumpets with an 80 mm outside diameter. The filters have been specifically manufactured to fit the new 125 mm…

CLASSIC FORD AWARDS PHOTOS OF THE YEAR View all these images in their full-size glory and download them as desktop wallpapers from: www.classicfordmag.co.uk Neil McCarty’s Anglia 1700 Featured: June 2019 Photographer: Jon Hill Dan Dutch’s Escort Estate Featured: October 2019 Photographer: Rob Schaverien Chris Cibali’s Mk2 Fiesta Featured: May 2019 Photographer: Jordan Butters Ben Wilde’s Mk2 Granada Featured: November 2018 Photographer: Chris Wallbank Jürgen Schumann Osterrallye 2019 Featured: July 2919 Photographer: Jeannot Boesen Callum Hynd’s 24-valve Sierra Estate Featured: April 2019 Photographer: Adrian Brannan Chris Taylor’s Capri 2000GT Featured: March 2019 Photographer: Andy Saunders Colin Dowling, Old Skool Ford Drag Challenge Featured: November 2019 Photographer: Kieran Jenkins Geoff Hall’s Corsair Deluxe Featured: August 2019 Photographer: Matt Richardson Adrian Bell’s Cortina TC Featured: February 2019 Photographer: Andrey Moisseyev Dave Hill’s Escort…

POP 100E Pop Rocks The 100E was a humble and sensible thing when it launched back in the 1950s. But Rich Lakey’s radically-reworked 1959 example catapults the Pop into the 21st century — its 380 bhp turbo power ensuring that it rocks on every measurable scale… Words Daniel Bevis Photos Steve Fry The ethereal concept of creative tension is something that drives so many project builds. This is essentially the growing awareness of the gulf between what you want to happen in your life versus what is actually happening. Take the case of Rich Lakey, for example: his bread-and-butter comes from the successful business he runs down in Plymouth — RL Motor Services — an independent BMW and MINI specialist. What Rich doesn’t know about BMWs isn’t worth knowing, and…

MK2 ESCORT THE JUMP It’s been 12 years in the making, but now Ashley Farazmand’s incredible Mk2 Harrier has raised the Escort showcar game a level — or three. Words Simon Woolley Photos Adrian Brannan There’s a saying that does the rounds every few years which really gets our goat, and it’s this: Don’t sweat the small stuff — in other words, don’t worry about the details. Not only does it sound immensely irritating, it is a load of utter cobblers. You should absolutely fuss over the details in almost all walks of life, particularly so when it comes to the all-important task of taking on a classic Ford project — just ask Ashley Farazmand. He finally finished the build of this outstanding Escort Harrier in the Summer of this…

ABOUT THOSE WHEELS DECISIONS, DECISIONS “These were the hardest part of the build to decide on. I always wanted 13s, but Dad said they would look too small. I didn’t want 15s, so we compromised with 14s. I then spent months buying different-width steels in that diameter to work out the best sizes... but we then had a panic finding decent 14 inch tyres — Toyo came to the rescue with their T1-Rs.As for the wheel choice, I’d always loved the design of Compomotive Turbos but wanted something slightly different so we went up to see Image and ended up with some of their three-piece Billet 60s, only I made their life slightly more difficult by wanting the studs to mount from the rear...”…

Ben’s Mk1 Cortina With the body turning out to be pleasingly pretty solid, Ben takes the plunge and gets a roll cage made up in readiness for the power hike. What’s been done this month: Cut out the front floors, bought a new MIG welder, had a weld-in cage made Next on the to-do list: Offer up the new powerplant, start making up the new floors and outriggers Thanks to: Arc Autosport, 07411 553252 Rtech, 01452 733933, www.r-tech welding.co.uk Gary at Gary Martin Motorsport, 07444 230842 Dave Colledge at Retro Ford, 01536 204823 And good mate Jake for always letting me use the truck Argh! Its been a funny old month in my workshop this month. After getting all excited stripping the car to a rolling shell, it was time…

MOTORSPORT CLASSIC FORDS FLAT›OUT ON THE STAGE, STRIP AND TRACK BRITISH HISTORIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP The final 2019 round, the Trackrod Stages, wasn’t without its dramas. Simon Webster and Jez Rogers were confirmed as BHRC champions after the final round of the Fuchs Lubricants Motorsport UK British Historic Rally Championship. While Matthew Robinson and Sam Collis took back-to-back victories on the Trackrod Historic Cup, Webster and Rogers saw off the challenge of Stanley Orr and Grahame Henderson to emerge as popular overall champions after a tremendously sporting contest. “Simon’s a gentleman and he’s a very worthy champion” said Orr. The action opened in the darkness of Friday night with 11 miles in Dalby. On a one-off outing, so not BHRC registered, Matt Edwards and Hamish Campbell were quickest by 1.9 seconds…

CF BUYING RESTORING IT TAKES TWO Reader’s restoration: How do you make a once-rotten Cortina GXL even better? Give it to two Ford fans to restore then refine, that’s how. Words and Photos Jon Cass “CYLINDER HEADS ON THE KITCHEN TABLE, SWAPPING CLUTCHES AND STILL GETTING TO THE PUB BEFORE CLOSING TIME PLAYED A BIG PART OF MICHAEL’S ROUTINE BACK IN THE DAY” As the years roll by, some car fanatics like to see themselves as progressing to a different era of car ownership. For long time ford fan, Michael Orton, the last 25 years he’s describes as being his fourth era. “Where I grew up, few people had cars at all and I was only the second person in my whole extended family to buy a car,” Michael laughs.…

Welcome This issue we celebrate all that’s great and good about the classic Ford scene with our annual Classic Ford Awards special. From the products to the shows, the clubs to the people involved, owning and enjoying classic Fords makes this scene one that we’re proud to be a part of. Most importantly of all, of course, are the cars themselves, and on page 30 we reveal your Classic Ford Of The Year. As ever, it was down to you to vote for your favourite from the 12 nominated (see them all on page 29), and the response was immense, with votes coming in from all over the globe. Here’s to what’s been a cracking year for the classic Ford scene, and what should be an even better 2020. We…

COMING UP Inside the February 2020 issue! If you need a welcome distraction over the holiday period, then may we recommend popping down the shops on December 27 and picking up a copy of the February edition of Classic Ford to transport you away into a world of Blue Oval goodness? Featuring a whole host of restored and rebuilt Fords, full coverage of Old Skool Ford’s Tour Of The Moor (right), in-depth Escort RS Turbo buyer’s guide, and a whole lot more. The February 2020 issue hits the newsstands and is available to download from Friday, December 27.Why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss out? Check out our latest offers on page 78 or go online: http://shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CFD.…

WHERE TO GO IN JANUARY Autosport International & The Performance & Tuning Car Show When: Thursday to Sunday, January 9-12 Where: NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT, UK Avoid the January blues and head to the Racing Car Show next month, 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. www.autosportinternational.com…

1945-2019 Russell Brookes Double British Rally champion Russell Brookes, famous for driving his Andrews Heat For Hire Escorts, has passed away at the age of 74. We are sorry to have to report that Russell Brookes, one of the most successful British rally drivers of the 1970s and 1980s, died suddenly at the end of October. In a long and successful career, he won many events in Escorts and Sierra RS Cosworths, also finding time to be prominent in Vauxhalls and Opels along the way, often with the flamboyant and generous sponsorship of Andrews Heat for Hire on the flanks of the machines. For Russell, who worked for Land Rover and later Triumph before becoming a full-time rally driver, he set up his links with Ford in 1972 by using…

CLASSIC FORD OF THE YEAR THE NOMINATIONS The best feature cars from the last 12 months Callum Hynd’s Sierra Estate Featured: April 2019 Elliot Wilkinson’s Fiesta 1300S Featured: Spring 2019 Chris Taylor’s Capri 2000GT Featured: March 2019 Connor McNally’s Anglia 105E Featured: August 2019 Steve Brown’s Pop 100E Featured: January 2019 Dave Smith’s Capri 3-litre Ghia Featured: September 2019 Chris Moss’ Mk1 Mexico Featured: February 2019 Davie Matthews’ Granada 2.8 Ghia X Featured: August 2019 R&M Classics’ RS Turbo Featured: May 2019 Ash Lambert’s Mk1 Cortina Featured: March 2019 Dan Dutch’s Escort Estate Featured: October 2019 Andy Guile’s Cortina GT Featured: May 2019…

EVENT REPORT CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW 2019 The Ford-packed NEC sees 2019 out on a high. Here’s our highlights. Words and Photos Simon Woolley CONTACT Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show www.necclassicmotorshow.com…

Know this AFTERMARKET ECUs We speak to three of the UK’s leading aftermarket ECU specialist to bring you all the info on how performance engine management systems work, and why you might need one on your classic Ford. Words Jamie King The world of aftermarket engine management is a complex one, and with so many different systems to choose from it gets very confusing to understand exactly how they work and what benefits they offer. To get the best understanding possible of how aftermarket engine management systems take these signals from various sensors, interpret the information, and then instruct different engine components what to do, we spoke to three ECU manufacturers; Omex and Extra Efi (for MegaSquirt), as well as someone who maps all manor of aftermarket ECUs — Northampton…

EXPERT CLINIC TROUBLE WITH YOUR FORD ? SEND IN YOUR QUERY AND WE'LL SORT IT OUT ROUGH-RUNNING FIESTA XR2 Q I’m having a load of trouble with my Mk1 Fiesta XR2. The problem occurs when I start the car from cold. It sounds really rough, almost as if it’s running on three cylinders, until after a while it just cuts out, which it continues to do when the car’s stopped and is just idling. It’s not too bad once it’s warmed up but it doesn’t feel as if it has the same amount of power it had before the problem started. The one thing I’ve noticed is a slight hissing sound coming from underbonnet once the engine’s stalled, and the same noise when I kill the engine. Any ideas what…

MOTORSPORT CLASSIC FORDS FLAT›OUT ON THE STAGE, STRIP AND TRACK OUT OF THIS WORLD With outlandish wings and 460 bhp, 1.4-litre engines, the amazing Zakspeed Capris looked, sounded and drove like nothing else on earth. It was almost as if Zakspeed’s body designers had been sampling mind-expanding chemicals or fiercely potent booze. In their sober moments they must have studied a Capri or two, but none of them could ever have been like this. Wider, lower, faster and more powerful, you’ve never seen this sort of Capri before. And neither, when it appeared in 1978, had anyone else. Where do you start to describe Zakspeed’s near-unique cars of the late ’70s. Capris or not? Saloons or racing sports cars? Modified production cars or race cars with familiar styling? One thing…

WHERE TO WATCH THE BHRC The natural home of the classic Ford is on the gravel and asphalt of the nation’s forests, moorlands and closed-off roads. But if you think this championship is all about the Escorts, you’d be wrong, and of course the Blue Ovals face some stiff competition from other marques. The Championship attracts the usual hardcore rally fans battling against the changeable elements, but there is plenty spectator space for anyone with an interest in wailing BDAs and sideways action.And who isn’t a fan of that? You can watch the action at the following rounds, or catch up after the rallies with full coverage on Special Stage Weekly on TV, or via Special Stage’s Facebook page. More details about the British Historic Rally Championship can be found…

BUYER’S GUIDE MONDEO ST24 Once commonplace, the first ST-badged Blue Oval is now a relative rarity — so grab this current bargain while you still can. Words ChristianTilbury Photos Matt Richardson “THE 24-VALVE V6 GAVE THE ST24 ENOUGH PACE TO PUSH THE SALOON FROM 0-60 MPH IN 7.9 SECONDS” A performance-focused version was never on the cards when Ford introduced the Mondeo in 1992, but with an existing V6 engine option and proven customer demand for a go-faster variant, it was an obvious addition when the facelifted Mk2 range broke cover in late 1996. Christened the ST24, the new model was based on the Si V6 saloon. It featured the same 168 bhp Duratec 2.5-litre engine but with the addition of tweaked suspension and more equipment, such as air-conditioning, half-leather…

your projects: sierra xr4ti RE:CREATION Your projects: Pushed aside in the BTCC history books by the Cosworth and RS500, the 1985 championship-winning Merkur XR4Ti started the ball rolling for the Sierra’s success, and Alan Strachen is building a tribute to remind everyone why. Words Simon Woolley Photos Ade Brannan Name: Alan Strachen Age: 52 Job: boss of AWS Location:Warwickshire, UK Car: 1984 ‘Merkur XR4Ti’ Start condition: bare 909 shell Condition now: final fit up and engine build stage Estimated date of completion: February 2020 Think Ford-badged British and European Touring Cars of the mid-to-late 1980s and it’s the all-conquering RS500s that spring to mind. But wind the clock back just a year or two, and any internet search will fire you down a new wormhole — one based around the…

2020 TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Hot news! Early Bird public entry tickets are available now from the official Classic Ford Show website at www.classicfordshow.co.uk — £18 per person in advance plus £10 camping on the Saturday night. The Classic Ford Show — Europe’s largest classic Ford event — will take place on Sunday, June 7 at Mallory Park Circuit in Leicestershire. If you love your classic Fords you will love what this show has to offer. There will be all-day track action, breathtaking stunts from the best in the business, 1000s of club cars on display, and we haven’t even touched on all the feature areas at the show! So start working on those project cars now and put this date on the 2020 calendar! Don’t miss out on all…

RUSTRY CORNER Terminally-rotten old Fords Garden-finds are the new barn-find, at least according to Harry Beazer, who’s unearthed, literally, this gem: “This 1983 Escort XR3 has been sat outdoors since the late 1990s, and has spent the last 20 years with no wheels on. The weather has taken its toll, as you can see, but the car is complete bar the Mk4 wheels we had to fit in order to get it rolling — oh, and the sunroof, which ejected itself as we were towing it home! We have connected a battery to the car and the electronics and lights still work.” 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…

WHERE TO GO IN DECEMBER Newark Autojumble When: Sunday, December 8 Where: Newark Showground, Nottingham, UK The next ’Normous Newark Autojumble takes place at Newark Showground on Sunday from 10 am-4 pm, with thousands of car and motorcycle parts for sale. It is one of the largest autojumbles in Europe. There will be a multitude of accessories, tools, motoring literature, brochures, mascots, automobilia, workshop manuals, and a display of classic vehicles - interesting cars, bikes, commercials, kits and customs are welcome at the event and can park in the display area on the showground. Standard admission is from 10 am and is just £7 per person (15 years and under free), or get in early from 8 am for £10 per person. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk…

CLASSIC FO FORD AWA AWARDS CLASSIC FORD OF THE YEAR Connor McNally’s Anglia 105E With 12 incredible classic Fords nominated for this award, voting for your favourite 2019 Classic Ford Of The Year must have been a hard decision, but now the votes have been counted, and there’s one clear winner — Connor’s stunning Anglia. Starting from the best base he could find, Connor set out to build the car he had in his head, and he’s achieved that and then some, drafting in the help of Kevin Wray of Kejja Motorsport to help turn this vision into reality. Connor and Kevin agreed on a classic spec, but one that not only had to be usable, but a real crowd-pleaser at the shows, too. So the freshly-painted two-tone Pompadour and…

DEEP THINKER PROJECT PLANNING GONE MAD Although Ashley restarted the Harrier’s rebuild in 2016, he’s actually been thinking about, and planning it, for much longer — since he was 13! “I remember using some image software on my Dad’s computer to rework an image of a Mk2 Escort into how I wanted it to look, and some of those elements made it into the final build. I’ve spent years talking the project over with Dad, working on what and how I wanted to do this car — we used to watch a lot of the American hot rod programmes on TV, and these have influenced the build too, with so many of the details, like moving the cut-outs in the front panel up an inch so that they’re hidden behind…

HOMEBUILT HERO FIESTA FINESSED Aiden Powell always knew what his first car was going to be, and now this Mk1 Finesse is just the way he wants it. Words and Photos Jon Cass When your Dad is well into his classic Fords and also has his own workshop, that’s always bound to be a perfect starting point for taking on any potential project. Jez Powell has worked as a painter and panel beater for decades and having owned a Mk2 Lotus Cortina and Mk1 Mexico along with a plethora of other cool cars, it’s fair to say he knows his way around a classic pretty well. Jez also still shows his Mk2 Cortina with a Rover V8, which also happens to be his first car from way back in 1985!…

HERITAGE ESCORT 1300L Original classic Fords: We all dream of finding an untouched, one-owner classic Ford, but for Allan Binns it’s a regular reality, with this Mk1 being his finest find yet— and now he’s made it even better. Words and Photos Jon Cass At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking this 1300L has been treated to a full-on meticulous restoration. Wherever you care to look, this car is spotless and we mean totally spotless — it would be a credit to any professional restorer for sure. Yet, when you take a look inside, that unmistakable new-car scent and the ultra-low odometer reading of 12,305 miles provide a clue that this Mk1 hasn’t actually undergone a major restoration at all. Despite this, lucky owner, Allan Binns has poured hours…

classic ford letters MAILBOX YOUR LETTERS, EMAILS & SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS BILL GWYNNE’S RS2000 Thanks for running the feature on Ian Caddy’s ex-Bill Gwynne RS2000 in the November 2019 issue. I worked at Hartford Motors (Banbury) in the department that looked after preparing the new and used car sales stock. This enabled me to learn mechanical skills and body repairs and spraying. We’d service and do body repairs right through to final valeting prior to displaying on the sales pitch. When Hartfords provided this car for Bill, he was also an employee as he was running our motorcycle department. Bill was also a top biker too. If there was a decent trials bike in sales he’d often be seen screaming through the yard on the back wheel! He’d had a…

IGNITION As we’ve mentioned the ECU controls everything an engine does and when it does it. In terms of ignition this means it tells the spark plug exactly when to fire. It takes a certain amount of time for the air/fuel mixture to burn, meaning the spark needs to fire slightly before the piston reaches TDC to ensure the ignition occurs at the correct time. However when you start to increase the engine load, the time it takes the mixture to burn differs, so the ignition timing needs to be changed to compensate. Ignition tables Therefore ignition tables stored within the ECU are required. These tables contain values for the amount of ignition advance needed for a given engine load and engine speed, and there is also a separate table…

MOTORSPORT CLASSIC FORDS FLAT›OUT ON THE STAGE, STRIP AND TRACK Old Skool Ford Drag Challenge Seeing out the race season in style, Round 6 saw some impressive Fords hit the strip. But who was crowned overall 2019 champion? Words Jo Peters Photos Kieran Jenkins As we entered the twilight of the 2019 race season, three top players were in contention for the championship crown of the 2019 Old Skool Ford Drag Challenge. Round 6 was generously sponsored by Pro-S-Fittings UK (www.pro-s-fittings.co.uk),and with a night of racing ahead of them, some 21 racers tried to gain some more points and jump a few places on the overall leader table. Back after a short break was Chris Todd in his 750 bhp, Scooby-powered Mk1 Fiesta Supersport. With a few costly mods and…

How to Survive winter Is your classic Ford ready to cope with unexpected snow, condensation and freezing temperatures? Follow our preparation guide. Words and Photos Rob Hawkins If you intend to use your Ford over the winter months, then it may not always be so easy to avoid the cold and damp weather, so preparation for the worst is essential. Frozen door locks may mean you can’t even get into your car. And when you do, you may discover the wipers are stuck to the windscreen and the windows can’t be wound down (more so for electric windows where frozen glass can burn out a window regulator motor). “THESE ARE ESSENTIAL CHECKS TO ENSURE YOU CAN START THE ENGINE AND SEE WHERE YOU’RE GOING” The number of pre-winter checks can…

PARTING SHOT LOOKING TO THE PAST ONE CLASSIC IMAGE AT A TIME PUSHING AHEAD Probably best-known for his antics behind the wheel of a works Escort RS1800 or Manta 400, Russell Brookes, who passed away last month (see obituary on page 20), ran his own Group One-spec RS2000 prior to getting a works drive — seen here in classic Andrews Heat For Hire livery on the 1975 Circuit of Ireland rally, and along with co-driver, John Brown, achieving an incredible feat to bring a very troublesome car to the finish in fifth place . One of a series of efforts which brought him to the attention of Ford, and competing in RS1800s as part of the works team from 1976.…