Innehållsförteckning för September 2024 från Classic Ford

If we ever ask readers what their favourite part of the magazine is, then the Grafters feature right at the front where we poke our camera lenses into garages, lock-ups, workshops, sheds and quite often at driveways to see what other classic Ford junkies are building, is almost always at the top, of the list. We love looking at people’s projects, and we know you do too, which is why this Project Cars special is quite possibly a sensory overload for many. Just looking at the cover stars will send you potty. Finished or half-built, it can be inspiring looking at project cars. They provide ideas for our own builds, and more importantly, help bring the enthusiasm back when yours is flagging after drilling out one too many rusted screws.…

If, like us, you frequently finding yourself daydreaming about classic Fords and building your ultimate creation when you should be doing the washing up, then the October edition is just for you, featuring a whole host of dream machines that the owners and builders took from an idea hatched in an idle moment and turned into reality – from a Turbo Technics Capri (right) through to a subline Mk2 Escort van. Plus a Consul buyer’s guide, and more tech and resto advice than you can shake an Escort Cosworth hockey stick trim at. The October 2024 issue of Classic Ford hits the newsstands on Friday, August 30 — why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it? See page 24 for the latest subscription offers. ON SALE August 30!…

1.BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD This is the oldest commandment but it still rings true. Buy the best you can — whether that’s a car or a component, it’s sound advice. That rotten shell may look like a bargain and you know you can rescue it, but in the long run it’ll work out far more expensive in bits than buying a car that’s already sound. Yes, a top car can cost a mint but spending years welding up a teabag can be soul destroying — unless of course you plan to spaceframe it. All you have to do is be sure you’re buying the mint car you think you’re buying and not a plopped-up shed. Buy with your wallet, not your heart – but remember to take your…

It was back in the late 1980s when Kev Pegg developed an interest in Fords, purchasing a relatively-new Mk3 Escort Ghia even before he passed his driving test. “I didn’t want my parents to know I’d even bought a car, so I had to keep it on my friend’s driveway,” Kev laughs, “it had a full XR3 bodykit with Cloverleaf alloys and I’d often be found upgrading parts or working on it with my friends.” Sadly, Kev never got the chance to drive that first Mk3 as the car was sold before he’d obtained his driving licence. “Once I had eventually entually passed my test, I discovered I couldn’t afford the insurance on an XR3 which was the model I really wanted anyway,” he smiles. A more insurance-friendly Nova SR…

With a fresh interior newly installed to my bargain, raffle-win Orion I thought I was as good as ready to put some proper miles on the clock, but not quite! An oil leak up top meant I had to replace the rocker gasket. Thankfully a cheap and easy fix on a CVH. While in there I noticed quite a bad leak from a core plug just behind the distributor too. With a trip the width of Scotland looming the next day I opted to bung some of B&Q’s finest plumber’s paste on for a temporary fix. My worries of this leaking were unfounded though. I even left it idling for half an hour on the sunny morning we were ready to set off to check all was well. No leaks,…

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 some great-value policies. Most class a vehicle eligible for classic insurance as being over 20 or 25 years old, but some allow exceptions for modern classics, so do your research before you dismiss a classic insurance policy out of…

With the supermini sector getting increasingly competitive and the Fiesta losing its edge, Ford upped its small car game and ushered in the Mk2 version in August 1983. Billed as ‘The little car that thinks big’, the new Fiesta was instantly recognisable with a more rounded design and, most notably, a much smoother front end. The revised styling fitted in nicely with the more grown-up, big car narrative that Ford was pushing, but the altered bonnet and wings had the bonus of allowing enough clearance for the Mk3 Escort’s 1297cc CVH engine. Although it was far from silky smooth, the CVH was a huge improvement over the big-bore 1.3-litre overhead-valve (OHV) found in the Mk1. Slotting in the more modern motor meant rejigging the chassis rails amongst other changes, but…

Simply Ford Where: Sunday, August 18 Where: National Motor Museum, Beaulieu What’s going on: Whether you love Anglias and Cortinas, lust after Capris and Pumas, or have a thing for Focuses and Mondeos, a show of more than 1500 vehicles is expected for Beaulieu’s Simply Ford. A runaway success since its launch in 2010, the rally is one of Beaulieu’s biggest Simply events and scores highly for sheer variety. Characterful classics, modern hatchbacks, standard, modified, pristine or well-worn Fords, you can expect to find them all at the event. New for 2024 is the Sound Off where a number of Fords will demonstrate the sound of their engines on the arena with the overall winner being awarded a trophy and prize. Find out more: www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-ford…

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH PIRELLI CINTURATO P7 TYRE £342 Longstone In 1974 Pirelli were one of the first to market with a new, ultra low-profile (for the time) tyre - the Cinturato P7. This new technique was complimented by the chassis design of the time enabling the cars of the day to keep a greater width of tyre footprint in contact with the road on cars like the Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 911 Turbo and Carrera. Fortunately for Ford, it was also standard fitment to some of the top-of-the-range Capris. The P7 is available in 205/50VR15 format once again thanks to Pirelli and Longstone Tyres and is just the job for that authentic look. Contact: 01302 711123, www.longstonetyres.co.uk MANIFOLD SPACER KITS From £96.31 Webcon Increasing intake length can have a…

Anyone that’s built a project before will tell you that it’s best to have a plan and stick to it. Ciran Carton is the owner of this Anglia and he knows that well because he’s been planning this build for a long time, as the car is a tribute to everything he loves about seeing these cars from his childhood. “When growing up, I remember seeing Anglias racing looking similar to this,” he recalls. “It really stuck in my mind and I always wanted my own version. I had a picture in my head of what I wanted and I didn’t deviate from that; I stuck to the plan.” It helps that Ciran has always had Fords around him having owned his first Anglia at age 14, as his dad…

January 1994; a gruelling weather-beaten Monte Carlo rally; a gratifying victory for Frenchman Francois Delecour. He’d surged ahead of the pack in L730 ONO, a freshly-built Group A Escort Cosworth blasting the Monaco mountains with rapid-fire anti-lag. It was a well-deserved win for Delecour and Ford, having been denied top spot on ’93’s event thanks to Toyota’s heavily-questioned tactics. What’s more, it was Ford’s very first victory in Monte Carlo since 1953, and a success that merited some serious celebration. And what a better way than with a limited-run production model of the almighty rally weapon. OK, we’re not talking about a hand-built homologation special such as the Sierra RS500 Cosworth, bred to crush motorsport competition by applying race rules to family saloons. We mean an enhanced version of…

F is… forced induction Forced induction is used to increase an engine’s power and efficiency. A forced-induction engine is essentially two compressors in series. The compression stroke of the engine is the main compression that every engine has, and an additional compressor feeding into the intake of the engine makes it a forced induction. This greatly increases the total compression ratio of the entire system, and this intake pressure is called boost. Two commonly-used forced-induction compressors are turbochargers (above) and superchargers. A turbocharger is a centrifugal compressor driven by the flow of exhaust gasses. Superchargers can be found as different types of compressors but are all powered directly by the rotation of the engine — usually through a drivebelt. SAFE TECH When working on cars and using tools of…

I used to always have an excuse why I wouldn’t book a track day. Whether the car’s in bits again, or its wasn’t properly set-up or simply short of time and cash — I am fully aware it would appear I seem to enjoy the build a lot more than actually driving in the car! However, since I’ve been hanging around with Lawrence Darcey with his bonkers, K20 turbo Escort things are starting to change… His get-up-and-go-for-it approach to owning a modified classic Ford is all about the seat time, and driving the wheels off of it wherever possible! So a bit of peer pressure from Loz and I was signed up for an MSV all-Fords evening track session at Brands Hatch. The car didn’t need much prep work to…

The twelfth edition of Spa Classic was expected to see a great number of spectators, and despite the weather being unpredictable, nearly 25,000 enthusiasts came to admire some 400 historic racing cars competing on the beautiful Spa circuit in Francorchamps. The show was not only on the track, but also in the village where more than 1300 club cars were on display. In a festive atmosphere, young and old alike were able to enjoy the many activities offered, even in these moist conditions. Created in 2011 on the drivers’ favourite circuit, Spa-Classic has gradually grown to become one of the major European historic racing events. In different categories, Escorts, Capris, Mustangs, Falcons and GT40s represented the blue oval in heavy battles more against the weather than against other cars. The…

Whether you want to improve the shine of your vehicle’s paintwork or remove a faded finish and some unsightly swirl marks, a polisher can cater for all these requirements and more. So, we’ve collected nine of them together and tested them on a variety of vehicles and surfaces where there’s everything from fresh paint that needs buffing to paint defects and sunlight damage. Having the right polisher is only half the battle in achieving a good finish. You also need to know what you are doing with it. From the professionals we spoke to, they were reluctant to recommend using a polishing bonnet (usually a lambswool type) to polish or wax, warning that if the fibres become wet and clogged, this can lead to swirl marks. The professionals also favoured…

Reading Festival takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of this month (August) prompting us to take a nostalgic trip back to the festival in August 1976 when it was known as Reading Rock. Perhaps incredibly, back then you could park your can, van or ’bike right next to your tent, and sitting on the grass we can see a number of Cortinas including a Mk1 Estate, two and four-door Mk3s and two-door Mk2, Anglia van, Mk1 Transit, plus a whole host of Mk1 Escorts including what looks like a four-door 1300E. Spotted anything we’ve missed? Let us know via classicford.ed@kelsey.co.uk.…

Ford Power Live Where: Saturday, September 15 Where: Brands Hatch, Kent UK What’s going on: Brands Hatch’s celebration of blue oval performance, Ford Power Live, returns on Sunday, September 15, and it’s shaping up to be a great day. The majority of the show’s key attractions are back for 2024, including the stellar racing line-up which includes everything from the Modified Ford Series to the popular EnduroKA races. The meeting’s signature car displays will return too, with a strong entry of Ford cars expected to attend. The best-presented cars in the venue could leave with silverware in the boot too, as part of the show and shine competition. Tickets are £23 for adults in advance. Find out more: www.fordpowerlive.co.uk…

FordFest is back! Now at a brand-new location – Mallory Park Race Circuit in Leicestershire — and taking place on Sunday, September 22, FordFest will provide the ultimate summer show season finale for Ford fans. Featuring high-speed circuit action, thousands of the UK’s best Fords on display, a huge retail area and loads more, FordFest brings together fans of both old and new Fords. Here are just some of the features you can expect to find at FordFest 2024. TAKE YOUR CLASSIC FORD ON TRACK Ford-only track sessions will be running all day so there is plenty of time to take to the track and test you and your Ford’s ability. If flying round the track isn’t for you there are viewing areas situated right around the track to soak…

We take so many things for granted and only when something dramatic happens do we realise how lucky we really were. You might be wondering where this introduction is going because, looking at Roger Sharp’s simply stunning YB-powered Mk1 Escort, you’d think he was a man who has it all. But there’s one thing that’s different about Roger, one thing we’re lucky enough to have that he has lost, and that’s his sight. “The plan was to do most of the work on this project myself using my knowledge from my early years as a mechanic and bodywork specialist until I lost my eyesight in November 2016, three months after I commenced the project,” says Roger. We can’t even begin to imagine what that was like to deal with, and…

1. MK4 ESCORT For: Still quite easy to find Against: Late 1980s grey interiors It may not have the cool factor of the older, rarer and pricier Mk3, but given the right treatment, the Mk4 Escort has loads of potential. The good thing is there’s plenty that’s already been done to these cars and a wealth of bolt-on stuff, just waiting for the spanners, is still available off-the-shelf - suspension and brake upgrades are laughably easy. Think hard on doing something different and you’ve got yourself a cost-effective winner. We love them. How much (condition B): £2500 2. MK5 CORTINA For: Very underrated Against: Getting harder to find The late Cortinas are hugely underrated. Apply the street machine treatment — smoothed out and whacked on the deck they rival a…

After the major success of their two previous annual Fiesta Of Fords gatherings, it’s of no surprise The Great British Car Journey Museum in Derbyshire went ahead and organised a similar event this year, too. After a miserable spring and questionable summer so far, their chosen date of early June was perfectly timed to coincide with beautiful weather. As predicted, the warm sunshine and dry roads brought out the classics in large numbers, many travelling a long distance to attend this increasingly popular event. As usual the variety of cars on offer was varied to say the least with Anglias, Capris, Escorts, Granadas, Fiestas, Sierras, and countless Cortinas soon filling the generously sized car parks. Museum chief, Executive Officer and the man behind this venture, Richard Usher also selected his…

Ted Hardy From: UK Car: Mk1 Capri “This is my 1973-registered Mk1 Capri 3-litre GXL which I ordered new from Dees Of Croydon in 1972,” reveals Ted, “paying extra for wax treatment to be carried out on trhe underside which has held it in good stead.” “All of my family have grown up with this car, which has been used for various occasions from weddings to taking my daughter to the prom and blessings at church. I used it for work in the early days but as my family got bigger I had to garage the car where it spent a few years covered up, but now it’s back out again being used regularly alongside my son’s Mk1 Escort.” Dave Maughan From: USA Car: Mk1 Capri Dave has owned no…

Despite a myriad of 16-valve engines being available for classic Ford fitment, eight valves are a touch more traditional. But the choice comes down to just two — the Crossflow and the Pinto. And being realistic the latter’s going to produce acres more power confirming it as a firm favourite. And thanks to plenty of Pinto stalwarts continually wringing massive power from the Pinto’s bores — and in excess of 200 bhp — it’s still as popular as ever. But if you want to ‘cheat’, there’s always the fabulous YB 16-valve head on offer too. Yep, even that comes under the Pinto banner, albeit requiring converting back to normally-aspirated power. Right now Cosworth are even remaking them too… But what’s the ‘cammy’ motor all about? What are its roots and…

There were two key performance indicators which confirmed that the Shannons Rally Retro Festival was a great success. First there was a large collection of desirable rally cars on show and then second was how quickly the main spectator carpark filled up. The organisers are the Historic Rally Association and their mission statement for this event is to ‘Get historically significant rally cars out of the shed and onto the track so we can re-live just a bit of the magic that these cars brought to the forest’. This year the cars present included elderly SAABs and Volvos, later-model Escorts, Datsuns and Holdens that provided the backbone of Australian rallying in the 1970s and 1980s plus an impressive number of exotic European machines. The venue was the METEC Driver Training…

Surrounded from an early age by friends and family who all happened to own Fords, it’s little wonder Gary Oxley ended up taking a similar path. “My father was a blue oval man, and we’d often end up looking at all the second-hand cars for sale at our local Ford dealerships on a weekend,” he smiles. “During my teens, it seemed all my friends were all driving around in Mk2 and Mk3 Escorts too.” Unsurprisingly, Gary was keen to join in and bought himself an early carb-fed XR3 in the now almost extinct shade of Prairie Yellow. “That XR3 was a noticeable upgrade from the Fiesta 1100L I’d had before,” Gary laughs, “even with a four-speed gearbox and 100,000 miles on the clock, it felt a quick car.” While Gary’s father…