Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Fast Ford

WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER ISSUE! - Jamie King - Editor It's show time! This month has been pretty hectic; six deadlines and four shows for me in the last six-weeks has meant I've been flat-out recently. It hasn't been too bad, though, as one of those shows just happened to be the biggest Blue Oval event of the year; yep, we were at Ford Fair! I've been attending Ford Fair for a number of years now (like many of you I imagine) and it's a show that always impresses me. The sheer scale is mind-boggling. There's no other car scene that is anywhere near as dedicated to their brand as Ford fans. As such, Ford Fair is by far the biggest single-marque show I've ever seen – it's bigger than…

FOCUS ST WAITING IN THE WINGS He may have been a slow starter when it comes to modifying Fords, but Adam Haynes has more than made up for lost time with his be-winged Focus ST beauty… Words and photos JON CASS For over a decade now, the Focus ST has been the backbone of the modified Ford scene. More than likely, you’re bound to come across a sizeable collection of them at most Blue Oval biased shows, and – as with most cars – some tend to stand out more than others. Adam Haynes was keen for his 2010 ST-3 model to create a real impact, and this is one car you’re unlikely to miss for sure. Despite being a fan of modified Fords since childhood, Adam began family life…

FF TECH ALL ABOUT DIFFERENTIALS ALL ABOUT DIFFERENTIALS Let’s take a closer look at the various types of diff available, how they work, and why you want one in a fast Ford... Every car has at one, but yet it’s one of the most misunderstood areas of a car’s performance. We are of course talking about diffs, or differentials to give their full name. There are a number of types of diff available, each one having its own unique characteristics. Some will be suited to road cars, some to race cars, and some to off-roaders. Also, diffs in front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and 4x4 cars will all need to behave differently to give optimum performance. And there’s also the ‘electronic’ diffs which utilise on-board computer systems to work in…

JASON MUSTANG V8 ROAD TEST! After the recent performance upgrades, Jason’s been out and about enjoying the Mustang, including a trip to the south of France…! QUICK SPEC 5.0-litre Mustang GT • Magnetic Grey • Ceramic leather • Steeda axle-back exhaust • Steeda induction kit • RTR diffuser • Steeda H-pipe• MAP remap • Steeda IRS bushes Ten cars, 2000 miles, some of the best driving roads in Europe and some fine dining along the way. Now that made for an epic road trip! Prior to the trip I visited Ben at Motorsport and Performance in Leeds, a remap, 4-wheel alignment, fitment of a Steeda H-pipe for even more V8 rumble, and the Steeda IRS pack to stiffen up the movement in the rear of the car made it feel…

FASTER FORDS FORDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN… Another fast Ford to fall foul of the Energy Crisis of the 1970s was the RS2800, a performance version of the Granada Coupe that would surely have been a hit... Words GRAHAM ROBSON It was only the other day that I stumbled across a picture of the mid-1970s Granada Coupe – a two-door fastback version of the original Granada four-door saloon which we came to know so well – and saw it described online as a ‘lovely Old Barge’. I agree with that – but I wonder how much more successful it would have been if it had been offered with enhanced performance and some real marketing panache? The fact is that Ford-UK put that car on the market in 1976 with only…

DID YOU KNOW? Cool fast Ford facts to impress your mates… The Capri may be best known for having a grunty V6 under the bonnet, but did you know the very first cars shown to press actually had BDA engines fitted? The CVH engine powered many a fast Ford during the ’80s, but did you know those letters stand for ‘Compound Valve-angle Hemispherical’, which describes the design of the cylinder head? The Tickford Capri, Sierra Cosworth, and Granada Scorpio were all on sale at Ford dealers in 1986, but did you know that the Granada was the most expensive of them all?…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT MARK BARBET MK4 MONDEO TITANIUM X ESTATE You know how dogs sometimes look like their owners? Well, Mark’s Mondeo has started to look like him… or rather, his alter-ego, Wolverine. Having endured a number of horrible spinal operations in recent years that left him with a back full of metal, Mark was inspired to take on the blue-and-yellow theme of the famous Marvel Comics character and apply it to this Mk4 Mondeo estate. It’s a rare spec to begin with, being a Titanium X with the 2.0 EcoBoost, and now it’s packing 19in Fox wheels, Powerflow exhaust tips, and a plethora of colourful themed accents. Exhaust, induction and mapping are next on the list; “No-one says autos have to be serious,” he says, and we couldn’t agree…

ESCORT COSWORTH FEARLESS Buying a slightly sorry-for-itself Cosworth isn’t anything to be afraid of. Scott Rogers had always wanted a Cossie, and when an Escort came up for Sapphire money, he rolled up his sleeves and knocked it into shape… Words DEN BEVIS Photos ADE BRANNAN There’s a dark and troubling notion that sometimes creeps into the ownership of classic and modern-classic RS models: quite simply, it’s The Fear. As hardened Ford enthusiasts, we all know that these special top-of-the-tree performance models are Blue Oval royalty, built to be used and used hard… but every now and then, that little nagging voice can start whispering gently but insistently somewhere around the base of your brain. ‘Should you be doing that? These cars are getting rare, you know. And the values…

NEWS See what’s going down in the world of fast Fords... SPECIAL EDITION MUSTANGS FOR THE EUROPEAN MARKET The idea of making the current-generation Mustang more Europe-centric, as well as offering it in right-hand-drive, was a masterstroke which has ensured enthusiastic sales on this side of the Atlantic. And to celebrate the long-running model’s 55th anniversary, we’re set to receive a desirable special edition: the Mustang55 takes the top-of-the-line 5.0-litre V8 model as its base and imbues it with unique exterior styling, including a distinctive bonnet and side-stripes, badging, and optional rear spoiler, along with a fully-loaded interior spec. The Mustang55 can be ordered as a fastback or convertible, either of which will feature numerous blacked-out details… unless you opt for the Shadow Black paint, in which case the details…

SPONSORED PRODUCT AN ANGEL ON YOUR SHOULDER For anyone that drives, getting a speeding ticket or being hit by an uninsured driver is a very real fear. Thankfully, Road Angel has the answer to worry-free motoring, speed awareness and increased safety Who wants a speeding ticket? No one, obviously, but the stats from the Department for Transport suggest that Britain’s drivers are pretty careless about notching one up. Last year the DfT monitored 446.6million journeys and discovered that over half of those exceeded the speed limit. Perhaps strangely, it’s the lower speed of 20mph that is most often ignored, with over 86% of journeys through 20mph zones – generally urban and close to schools, being clocked over the limit. A whopping 48% of people on motorways also exceeded the 70mph…

EVENT REPORT FORD FAIR 2019 FORDFAIR2019 WHERE SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT WHEN AUGUST 2019 It’s time for the biggest Blue Oval event of the year, it’s time for Ford Fair. Here’s the best bits from 2019… Words JAMIE Photos CHRIS FROSIN & JASON DODD Ford Fair has to be our favourite show of the year. The sheer size and scale of the event means you simply can’t ignore it – it is the biggest Blue Oval show in Europe, after all. That means that fast Fords of all shapes and sizes, all ages, and all tastes flock to Silverstone for the annual pilgrimage to celebrate all things Ford. This year was another belter. Blessed with glorious sunshine the thousands of cars on show looked simply stunning; the hundreds of dedicated enthusiasts’…

FAST FLEET Check out what’s been going on with our projects this month… MOTORBASE FOCUS BTCC CARS It's been a weekend of ups and downs for the Motorbase Focuses recently as the BTCC gets underway again. PAUL RS500 RACE CAR It's nearly finished, but Paul's been so busy looking after customers' race cars, his Caltex car has had to take a back seat for a few weeks. DAN FOCUS ST250 The Focus is performing daily duties admirably, which means it's probably filthy again already despite a full valet last month. ADE SAPPHIRE COSWORTH It's coming together, just slowly. The head has been at MJ Performance getting ported, and the YB rebuild is imminent. JAMIE FOCUS RS Time for a new set of tyres for the RS. Jamie's ordered four new…

MOTORBASE FOCUS BTCC THE BTCC IS BACK… After a mid-season break, the Motorbase crew head to Snetterton followed by Thruxton, with mixed results as the second half of the season gets underway… After having such a successful tyre test at Snetterton during the mid-season break, where both drivers topped the time sheets over the two days, we were cautiously optimistic as we returned to the Norfolk circuit for the second half of the 2019 season to get underway. What started well, quickly showed what a cruel mistress racing can be; Tom Chilton stormed off the line in Race 1, pulling off a great move to slot into P3 only for a puncture to pitch him into the barriers and end his race, and ultimately upset his entire weekend. Meanwhile, Tom’s…

#PRINTMYFORD See your very own fast Ford in full printed glory! 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 month too! In order for us to print your Ford please 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…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT MARTIN MACE MK2 FOCUS RS It’s not easy being green. Kermit the Frog told us that, and who are we to argue? But while it may not be easy, the rewards are certainly there – as evidence, take Martin’s astonishingly green Mk2 RS. Hidden beneath that lurid exterior beats a dark heart, amped up by the revered Collins Performance CP420HT upgrade. He’s owned four RSs over the past few years, and it’s obvious that this is the one that’s really captured his heart – the attention to detail is outstanding throughout the car, particularly under the bonnet. Looks like Kermit’s gone a bit bonkers. QUICK SPEC Collins Performance CP420HT, Mongoose exhaust, Airtec intercooler…

NEWS IN BRIEF FORD STARS OF SILVER SCREEN Research by the website trackdays.co.uk has polled the top ten movie cars of all time – and Fords have a decent showing in the rankings. The number 1 spot was taken by the ‘Eleanor’ Mustang from Gone in 60 Seconds, closely followed by the Mk1 Escort from Fast & Furious 6. Special mention also goes to the Transformers Mustang in the no.8 slot! FORZA TRANSIT Videogames are escapist devices to drive your dream cars. But what if your dream is to drive a Mk1 Transit? Fear not, Forza has you covered… Ford’s Dagenham-based heritage fleet loaned a Transit to the makers of Forza Horizon 4 for digital mapping – so yes, you can play out your 1960s bank job fantasies from the…

MK6 FIESTA ST THE RIGHT STUFF This Mk6 Fiesta ST has the pristine appearance of a show-and-shine winner – but make no mistake, this super-light, super-powerful race car is incredibly serious. A fact proven by the way it just can’t stop winning races… Words DAN BEVIS Photos MATT WOODS Power, it’s often said, is a matter of perspective. Across the generations, different manufacturers have approached the question of power from alternative angles; tweed-clad chaps in draughty hangars in Norfolk would espouse the virtues of ‘simplifying, and adding lightness’ by paring back mass to optimise the power-to-weight ratio, while sweaty men with hammers over in Detroit were shoving as much horsepower as they physically could into bulky two-tonne barges. But what if you were to combine these two approaches to create…

CLUB MEET TYNE AND WEAR RSOC MEET We head to the North East to join a bunch of passionate Blue Oval owners as they enjoy their fast Fords at a local club meet… Words and photos ADE BRANNAN WHERE THE ANGEL VIEW, GATESHEAD WHEN JULY 2019 Being part of an owner’s club or enthusiast group is great; it’s a fantastic way to really enjoy our passion for all things fast Ford with a bunch of like-minded mates. But, it is easy to fall in to the trap of repetition; repeating the same that went before just because that’s what you did last time. Yes, the old saying of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ does have some relevance, but likewise things can quickly turn stale and fizzle out unless…

JAMIE FOCUS RS NEW BOOTS It’s time for some new rubber for the RS, so Jamie’s ordered a set of Goodyear’s new Eagle F1 Supersports… QUICK SPEC mountune m400R • Velgen Classic5 alloys • Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres • H&R lowering springs • 3M wrap by VWC in Leeds• mountune axle-back and sports cat • Maxton splitters • H&R anti-roll bars • TAROX brakes • Mishimoto intercooler, intake kit, and oil cooler kits • Quaife ATB It’s been a busy few weeks with shows and deadlines and stuff lately, so upgrades have been pushed to the back of my mind recently. That’s not to say the RS hasn’t been keeping me busy – failing its MoT and the insurance expiring last month, and then trying to raise funds to pay…

SIERRA COSWORTH THRASH METAL The perfect antithesis to the concours collector scene, James Pepper’s been giving his Cossie grief for years – and now that it’s been beautifully restored, he’s determined to thrash it even harder… Words DAN BEVIS Photos ADE BRANNAN Watching the Ford scene from the inside out, it’s amusing to observe how moneyed collectors are falling over one another to get their paddles in the air whenever a three-door Sierra RS Cosworth rolls across the auction block. These blue-collar Blue Ovals have been a linchpin of our world for decades, and yet they’ve become a prize trinket for the sort of cash-rich types who are trying to mitigate a potential currency crash by filling their air-conditioned garages with delivery-mileage 911 GT3s and non-cat/non-adjust F40s. For old-school gearheads…

MOTORSPORT MEMORIES WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN – THE RS1700T Denied its moment of glory by the launch of Audi’s Quattro, the RS1700T has nevertheless passed into Ford Motorsport history as a rallying’s ‘what might’ve been’… Words JAMIE ARKLE One of the most interesting aspects of the car-based internet, is its ability to make household names of even the most overlooked of race and rally cars. Case in point, the star of today’s Motorsport Memory feature, the RS1700T. Built as the ultimate rear-wheel drive Escort rally car and the result of Ford of Europe’s steadily expanding understanding of forced induction, the RS1700T was intended to be the Blue Oval’s means of anchoring itself at the top of the World Rally Championship order as the ‘70s gave way to the ‘80s. As…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT JENNY ETHERINGTON MK8 FIESTA ST-LINE Jenny had a clear vision with this box-fresh Mk8: to create a fast-road version of the EcoBoostpowered ST-Line, while still keeping it practical and reliable for everyday commuting. This car’s predecessor in a past life was a Puma-powered Mk5 Fiesta Zetec-S, and she was keen to capture the essence of that car and rekindle it in this one; she’s now enjoying the benefits of a Superchips Stage 1 Bluefin upgrade, Pipercross panel filter and Airtec hard pipe, the upshot of which is a thoroughly entertaining 160bhp and 176lb.ft, along with mid-50s MPG! Carbon bonnet vents and acid green lamp covers from That Fog Light Guy tweak the aesthetics a little, and it all adds up to a very entertaining package. Impressive work.…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT PAUL RAYMOND MK1 FOCUS ST170 The Focus ST170 is rapidly passing into modern-classic territory – they’re still affordable enough that they can be picked up relatively cheaply, but they’re such good cars that the values won’t stay low for long. Particularly as so many have been pillaged for their engines by the rear-drive Escort boys! Paul’s been busy building up his ST170 as a tribute to his late father, and we have to say he’s doing a great job. The spec so far boasts leather Recaros, a WRC spoiler, coilovers, 17in Rota Grids, K&N induction, decat, and a whole host of aesthetic tweaks. An excellent little project, and a superb family tribute. QUICK SPEC Rota Grids, WRC spoiler, leather Recaros…