Fast Ford December 2019

INTRO WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER ISSUE! - Jamie King - Editor There's been a lot of rose-tinted nostalgia floating around the Fast Ford office in recent weeks – we do love a retro icon from the 80s and 90s... but equally their modern counterparts are properly impressive machines too. So where does that leave us? Do we have to choose one or the other? Or can we enjoy and admire both simultaneously? Well, I think you can do both. I know I do. So we've put together this bumper 132-page issue that both reflects on the history and pedigree of fast Fords from days gone by, while simultaneously embracing the fantastic Blue Ovals of today too. There's loads of old-school content in this issue, and not just our regular 'Old…

FOCUS ST SWEET DREAMS When life threw Nathan Mercer some devastating curveballs, he knew just what he had to do: channel his energies into building the fast Ford he’d always dreamed of… Words DAN BEVIS Photos ADE BRANNAN If there’s one piece of advice we’d all do well to remember, it’s that you only live once, life is short, and you’ve got to roll the dice sometimes. Our fleeting time on this earth is all too brief for what-ifs, and when fate throws tragedy into your path, you’ve got to scoop it up with both arms and channel that negative energy into something positive. “I started looking for a project car after the family suffered a hard year,” recalls Nathan Mercer. “I lost my mum in December 2014, and really…

TECH SPEC FOCUS ST ENGINE 2.5-litre 5-cyl Duratec ST, ST-to-RS conversion, KMS RS Stage 3 software, RS internals, RS turbo, 650cc injectors, block mod, RS crossover, K&N Group A filter, RS oil cooler, Turbosmart recirc valve, AS plenum, Stage 3 big-pipe Airtec intercooler, KMS Section 18 exhaust system, Pro Hoses, Summit engine brace, engine bay painted in Paintmodz Purple Haze POWER c.400bhp (est.) TRANSMISSION Stock manual, RS clutch, Wavetrac LSD SUSPENSION Bilstein B16 fully adjustable coilovers, Hardrace arms and balljoints, fully polybushed throughout BRAKES PB 6-pot KMS front brakes, race/ road pads WHEELS & TYRES 18in Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels, Toyo Proxes T1-R tyres EXTERIOR Bodywork perfected and repainted by Paul Cross at St. Anne’s Bodywork, Rob Galloway-supplied splitters and skirt extensions, Autobeam Ambient foglight surrounds, XK Glow…

DRIVER SPEC NATHAN MERCER AGE 37 JOB Taxi driver FIRST FORD Orion 1.4 CL BEST MODIFICATION Interior FAVOURITE FORD SHOW OR EVENT? Ford Fair, and Blackpool Ford Day TRACK DAY OR SHOW & SHINE? Both – I have done open pit lanes and also sessions at Donington and Silverstone, with shows up and down the country LESSONS LEARNT FROM THIS PROJECT? Don’t jump into the first car I see, and do more research into what I’m letting myself in for WHAT’S NEXT Enjoy it and have fun – I’m looking forward to the 2020 show season, most of all the Isle of Wight Takeover; we’ll be staying for a week as a group, because it’s more than just a car scene, I’ve made friends for life. And future mods? Uprate…

WHAT'S NEW NEWS See what’s going down in the world of fast Fords... IS YOUR FAST FORD SHOW-WORTHY? The Performance & Tuning Car Show 2020 is searching for the UK’s top tuned car – and the winner will have the opportunity to showcase their customised vehicle at the on the ‘Revving Red Carpet’ at the four-day event. We reckon the mighty Ford needs to be represented in this line-up, so if you’ve got a cool Blue Oval and fancy being on display at the show, then put your car forward for consideration! The customisation competition will allow car enthusiasts to submit details about their top tuned car to a panel of tuning experts, who will select their coveted top 20 of 2020. It will then be up to the public…

NEWS IN BRIEF FIESTAS COME OUT SWINGING IN WALES The Wales Rally GB is always a thrilling spectacle, and emotions were running high for M-Sport fans. Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin had the speed to challenge for another home-soil victory, although an early puncture cost them dearly; however, they set seven fastest stage times, and were just 48.6 seconds adrift of the win by the end. WHEELER DEALERS START TRADING FORDS A new Wheeler Dealers spin-off series, entitled Wheeler Dealers: Dream Car, will see Marc Priestly and Mike Brewer trading up and up from base models to hero cars. We’re particularly looking forward to the episode where they start with a Focus ST170 and trade up to a Mk2 Escort… Catch it on the Discovery Channel – Monday nights from…