Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Classic Ford

Drive It Day – the annual occasion when the nation showcases its passion for historic vehicles – is poised to reach an important fundraising milestone during what is a very special year for the event. Taking place in April, the 2025 occasion will mark the 125th anniversary of 1000 Mile Trial it was established to celebrate, plus 20 years since the Drive It Day itself. For the last four years, the event has raised money for the NSPCC’s Childline, and though no specific target has been set, the running total could well break £200,000 in 2025. The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) introduced Drive It Day in 2005 with the aim of getting the nation’s transport heritage seen by the public. It’s annual April date coincides with the…

Some of you may remember a time when you could lie in bed on a morning with the window open, and it was easy enough to name most cars cruising past just by the note from their exhausts. 25 years ago you’d never fail to pick out the beating heart of the popular drivers’ cars of that era such as the Subaru Impreza, Golf VR6 or Nissan Skyline as they drove past, but not any more. With the exception of a handful of modern, powerful petrol-powered vehicles and the constant push towards EVs, it’s a skill that can arguably no longer be put to the test. There was even a time when less exotic machinery could be determined, which included a certain once-commonplace car that boasted such a distinctive sound you could…

Ahealthy sibling rivalry is something to be celebrated, and it’s true to say that close brothers always have new things to teach each other. Look at the Knight brothers, Max and George — with their high-end Escort projects, they’re always pushing each other to excel and learning a few new tricks along the way. “It gets used properly — pure noise, smoke and smiles,” laughs Max, casting a fond eye over his crisp white Mk1. And that’s a pleasing state of affairs, given that this is one of the oldest Mk1 Escorts still registered on the road today; a February 1968 car, he’s actually only the second owner, the first having had it from new right up until Max made an offer. And even from the photos you can almost…

The A B C oftuning O is for… Oil Most people know pretty well an oil’s job. And while formulations have changed dramatically during the past 20 years, their role hasn’t in over a century. Oil still protects by providing a film of lubricant between an engine’s sliding surfaces. Without that slither of lube they would soon grind to an expensive halt. But the lube does more than just supply a safety buffer for those hard-working mechanicals. It’s also a secondary cooling agent for the motor and it cleans and protects the internals by holding by-products of the combustion cycle (acids, carbon and soot deposits as well as metal particles) in suspension until they can be removed by the oil filter. SAFE TECH When working on cars and using tools…

Mark McClelland can pinpoint the precise moment when his lifelong love of rallying as a sport took root and, by the same token, when he first started up the path to Escort Cosworth ownership. “It was back in 1993, and me and a good friend, Alec McDonald were spectating on the Scottish Rally, and I was standing in the service park when Malcolm Wilson pulled in in his Michelin Pilot Cosworth,” recalls Mark wistfully. “Co-driver Bryan Thomas leaped out to handle some paperwork, and so I plucked up the courage to ask Malcolm whether I could jump into his seat, just briefly, to see what it felt like.” Those were heady days, as any student of rallying will attest. The WRC had weathered the tragedies associated with Group B and…

Barry Stevenson-Wheeler and John Pickavance got their 2025 rallying season off to the perfect start with maximum points on the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters Rally Challenge. The Historic Rally Car Register’s mixed surface stage rally championship was part of the Malcolm Wilson Rally in the daunting Lake District forests in early March and it was Stevenson-Wheeler who tackled the famous stages for the first time to emerge victorious among the Stage Masters contenders. When Storm Darragh raged across Wales in early December, no-one fully realised the damage that was being done to the Welsh forests and it only became apparent in the following weeks that the homeland of forest rallying was in trouble. With countless trees down, land slips and water damage, it…

Working for the NHS as a Medical Engineering Technician repairing and maintaining complex hospital equipment such as ventilators, anaesthetic machines, incubators and the like, Paul is certainly no stranger to delicate and stressful work. That experience along with a highly useful methodical approach he’d gained would certainly come in handy when it came to tackling his latest automotive project, this 1973 Mk3 Cortina. “I’m no mechanic and don’t profess to be,” Paul smiles, “but I do have a lifelong passion for cars, and I’ve always spent time tinkering with them.” Thankfully, Paul just happens to have a great taste in cars too — 1970s and 1980s Fords being his preferred choice. “I’ve had Fiestas, Escorts and a relatively modern Mk1 Focus over the years,” he says, “I also built a…

On the launch of the Thames 307E in June 1961, Ford was hoping for commercial success in every sense. A huge advancement over its outgoing 300E predecessor, the van was based on the successful Anglia 105E and was designed to tap into the booming business market. The manufacturer’s desire for it to appeal to a whole array of businesses was particularly notable through the availability of two versions – the 5cwt and the 7cwt, which were able to carry 250 kg and 350 kg respectively. The rest of the 307E’s specification was pure business too, the vans being devoid of anything that wasn’t needed to literally get the job done. For the cheaper 5cwt version, that meant its headlamp peaks, bumpers, mirrors and radiator grille were finished in body colour,…

CLASSIC FORD SHOW TICKETS ON SALE NOW! WWW.CLASSICFORDSHOW.CO.UK Rare the best. As much as I enjoy the rare opportunity to spend some time in the lock-up tinkering away, there’s nothing like the excitement of setting out early and hitting the road in your classic Ford — especially if it’s going to a road you’ve not driven before, or a show or event you’re about to visit for the very first time. It’s one of the reasons I still really enjoy going on extended roadtrips after all these years. It’s the sense of adventure and the uncertainty about whether the car is going to make it home or not. I jest, well unless Ade’s Orion is involved. If you need some motivation to get your classic Ford out of the garage…

CONTACT Classic Car & Restoration Show www.necrestorationshow.com MORE BARN FINDS A big crowd around the Footman James Barn Finds display shows that we just can’t get enough of down-at-heel classics. Maybe it’s the need in us to want to save them, or perhaps it’s because we like to ponder just how they got into this state. Either way, this was by far the most popular display at the show. THE AUCTION Iconic were back at the NEC, running the two-day auction in Hall 3A, and while there were some big sale results (£50,625 for a 5000-mile Series 2 RS Turbo, anyone?) amongst the 178 lots, it was the classic Fords slightly lower down the pecking order we were more interested in! SEE MORE: The Classic Car & Restoration Show is…

The arrival of spring is an important time for classic Ford enthusiasts. As evenings get lighter and gritters retreat to their depots, it’s the typically the earliest opportunity for many to get out for a drive in their pride and joy. The UK’s varied calendar of classic car events gets underway around this time too, filling weekends from now until autumn with all manner of shows, tours and meets. What’s more, several motoring destinations open their doors to enthusiasts after a winter break, or expand their hours. Many of us will have stored our classic away for the winter to avoid the ravages of road salt and bad weather. However, leaving cars stationary for long periods can lead to problems – it’s not uncommon to be greeted by issues like…

Email hi-res images to classicford.ed@kelsey.co.uk or post them up on our Facebook page.…

We’re so used to toothed cambelt drives on 16-valve engines these days that it’s easy to forget that the traditional Crossflow uses a timing chain to drive its single camshaft. It might be thought of as an outdated system, but the more-recent Duratec engine also uses a chain drive, too. The Crossflow might be old but its technology is still completely sound! A chain drive lasts a lot longer than a cambelt — typically belts need changing at 60,000-miles, and failure to do so risks the belt snapping causing the valves to hit the pistons and subsequently bending them, or worse. In contrast, a timing chain rarely breaks before 100,000-miles although they are susceptible to stretch. This doesn’t mean that the chain becomes longer but refers to wear in the…

Race Retro returned on February 21-23 with its biggest and best show since the pandemic. After the disappointment of last year’s cancellation, 23,229 attendees were present at the Stoneleigh Park over the event’s three days — an increase on 2023’s figures.Hall 3 became the Hall of Fame and hosted many intriguing displays, covered all motorsport disciplines including hillclimbing, Formula Ford, circuit racing and even NASCAR. The Legends of Formula One display featured eight F1 cars from various eras and included a 2019 Racing Point, believed to be the youngest F1 car in private ownership. At the heart of Hall 3 was the Talk Motorsport stage, which saw visitors enjoy lively interviews with the likes of F1 driver turned pundit Anthony Davidson. BTCC stars, Jason Plato and Matt Neal shared stories…

Running repairs help preserve a car’s condition, enabling it to pass an MoT and reduce the likelihood of more expensive repairs if left unchecked. Major corrosion within 12 inches of mounting points for vital components such as suspension and brakes will fail an MoT. Although the entire panel can rust away, corrosion tends to strike at their extremities first. A cost-effective and high-quality localised fix can be carried out on your driveway. Performing patch repairs will not only strengthen your skills and sills but also build your confidence. In the short term, the exercise will make your classic Ford last longer without you needing to spend a fortune on specialist help. Smaller repairs are generally better than fitting new full panels to maintain shut lines and panel fit, so long…

Ask any petrolhead to regale you with tales of their automotive back catalogues and, between the list of lemons, staunch daily drivers and fire-breathing weekend warriors will likely be the forlorn story of a love lost. We’ve all got one. The car we owned and doted on, but eventually let slip after becoming distracted by the gleaming paintwork of a potential new acquisition. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but sooner or later you end up with a serious case of seller’s regret. Unfortunately, you can’t rewind the clock and undo your foolish deed, but sometimes, you get the opportunity to buy it back again. Whether this is actually a good idea or not, is another story altogether. Will those fond feelings come flooding back, or,…

Survivor is the term given to a vehicle that has, against the odds, survived to the present day in original condition without needing obvious restoration work. They are usually a low-mileage car with a tiny number of owners that, for whatever reason, wasn’t subject to the usual hardships of life. If survivor cars are unusual then a survivor van is that much more of a rarity. Vans are built to be worked hard, filled with goods and driven all day in busy traffic, so any that weren’t worked to death or crashed generally rusted away. But there are exceptions… Matt Kyle of AK Vehicle Rentals in Paisley was searching for a promotional vehicle when he spotted this 1983 Transit for sale. “I’ve always been into classic vehicles,” explains Matt, “and…

Everyone knows how to clean their car right? Bucket of water, dot of Fairy Liquid and everyone’s a winner! Erm, no — these days, you don’t even need to use water. In fact the process of not just washing your car but restoring the paintwork has moved up a few notches. And that’s mainly due to companies like our host, Meguiar’s — they have a process that blew our minds. What you need is a car with paintwork that you think is rubbish. And Meguiar’s specifically asked for a candidate as dark as possible. Luckily, Retro Ford’s Dave Colledge had a suitable car — an Ambassador Blue Mk1 Cortina that had sat for quite some time gathering dust. We have to admit it didn’t good. But we were knocked sideways…

OLIVER’S MOUNT Where: Scarborough, North Yorkshire Route: just off the A64 This twisty motorbike racing circuit which is formed of public roads near Scarborough also formed a special stage for the RAC Rally until the mid-1980s, and is now an occasional feature of the Roger Albert Clark historic rally. EPYNT Where: Llandeilo, mid Wales Route: Llywel to Llangammarch Wells The infamous military ranges with its challeging roads in mid-Wales was been used as a special stage for the RAC Rally and latterly Wales Rally GB for many years. So well-known, there’s even been a book written about it! MOLL’S GAP Where: Co Kerry, Ireland Route: N71, Kenmare to Killarney Possibly one of the world’s bestknown rally stages, Moll’s Gap has been a feature of the Circuit Of Ireland Rally and…

Ben Thompson is certainly no stranger to this publication, and it’s fair to say we’ve seen more than a few examples of his handiwork over the years. A true fan of the blue oval from an early age, Ben has lost count of how many old Fords he’s so far owned, but among them, he reckons to have had his hands on at least 30 Sierras. “I’ve always had a soft spot for them,” he says, “I sold my first Ford, a RS2000 replica to buy a Sapphire Cosworth when I was just 21.” Incredibly, Ben still owns that same car today, but he’s also made his way through almost every Sierra model produced from cooking version Ls and GLs right through to a trio of twin-turbo XR4X4s and the…

If Stuart Turner had not returned to Ford Motorsport in 1983, the Sierra RS500 Cosworth might never have been born. In which case, Ford would never have enjoyed so many glorious years in Touring Car racing in the 1980s. From 1987, when it was homologated, until the early 1990s, when championships all over the world were altered to ban this, the world’s most successful Touring Car, the RS500, set every standard and broke every lap record. At World, European and National level it was, quite literally, the best. One season wonder Although the World Touring Car Championship was set up to be a multi-season series, it was killed off after one season (and only revived in the mid-2000s). Ford had already hired the Swiss-based Eggenberger, whose large-turbo engines would soon…

Wiring can be a timeconsuming and frustrating task, especially when it comes to connecting wires and creating a professional-looking finish. Crimped terminals and quicksplicing connections certainly save time, but they often don’t seem to be as reliable as a soldered connection and certainly don’t look as professional. So, if you want to make a good job of your wiring, soldering the connections is still favoured by many people, whether it’s a case of permanently joining two wires together or fitting connectors such as bullets or spades. A good finish to your wiring is well worth the effort. There are several safety issues concerned with soldering wires together. The heat generated by the soldering iron can burn your skin and melt or set fire to objects it comes into contact…

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…