Innehållsförteckning för July 2025 från Classic Ford

Sunday, August 10 sees Ford Fair returning once again to Silverstone Circuit. If you haven’t been recently, you may be surprised just how many classic Fords attend — with many taking part in the popular track sessions around Silverstone’s National Circuit. Elsewhere, you’ll find one of the most hotly-contested Ford concours events in the UK, the Street Elite competition, some of Europe’s finest feature stars courtesy of Classic Ford and Fast Ford and some soon-to-be-announced special events. Trust us, it’s going to be impressive. Stunning features aside, there are literally 100s of clubs attending bringing 1000s of Fords, and if you’re bringing your kids, you’ll be pleased to know that under-14s get in free! Get on track As ever, we’re hosting Classic Ford-only track session to show the moderns how…

It couldn’t be easier to sign up for a whole year of classic Fords with a subscription to Classic Ford — the magazine which loves our special cars just as much as you do. Join the Classic Ford family and you’ll be part of the ever-growing community who love everything to do with our wonderful Ford cars. Guarantee your copy every month with a subscription to Classic Ford and have each issue delivered directly – sent out in plastic-free, recyclable, biodegradable, carbon-balanced paper envelopes – while saving 38% on the yearly cover price with this great offer. REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE one whole year of Classic Ford SAVE 38% SUBSCRIBE TODAY EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE 1. Go to shop.kelsey.co.uk/CFD2025P 2. Call us 01959 543747 *quote CFD2025P 3. Use this QR code…

The term OEM+ has been banded around for some time now on the classic and modified car scene, the idea being to add in-house manufacturer spec upgrades, either from superior versions of the model in question or from other models in the line-up. People have been doing this for decades, of course, fitting Granada 2.8i front spoilers to Cortinas and RS Turbo alloys to XR3is and what-have-you. But the Orion you see here… well, this isn’t exactly that. It’s OEM+ in approach, but really this is a product of speculation and ‘What if…?’ imagineering. You see, the question Michael Gates sought to answer here was: what if Ford’s SVE division had raided the parts bin to create a performance version of the Orion? A riposte, say, to the Cavalier SRi?…

JUNE Players Classic June 7-8 Goodwood Circuit, West Sussex, UK www.players-show.com/players-classic Cosworth Drivers’ Club Day June 8 Hever Castle, Kent UK www.facebook.com Cortina Day June 8 Symonds Yat West, Monmouthshire UK www.mk45cortinaclub@gmail.com Normous Newark Autojumbles Classic Ford Day June 8 Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk Le Mans 24 Hours June 11-15 Le Mans, France www.lemans.org/en/24-hours-of-le-mans Duchy Ford Show Weekend June 21-22 Watergate Bay Touring Park, Cornwall UK www.duchyfordclub.co.uk Simply Ford June 22 National Motor Museum, Hampshire UK www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-ford Classic Fordmeet June 22 Squires Cafe, near Leeds UK www.facebook.com/SquiresFordmeet Cortina Mk3 Club National Weekend June 27-28 Smeatons Lakes Campsite, Nottinghamshire UK www.cortinamk3club.com Wonderland Classic & Sports Car Festival June 28-29 Hoveringham, Nottinghamshire UK www.capriclub2000.co.uk/wonderland Jim Clark 1965 Celebration Weekend June 28-29 Duns Castle, Scottish Borders UK info@jimclarktrust.com Ford Nationals June 29…

PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! SEE PAGE 24 ON SALE July 4! Meanwhile, get your classic Ford fix at https://linktr.ee/classicford Ask for it in your friendly local newsagents, or call us now on 01959 543747 NEWSAGENT ORDER FORM Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Newsagent, I want a copy of Classic Ford magazine! Please reserve/deliver* a copy of Classic Ford on a regular basis, commencing with the next issue. *delete as appropriate IF YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS AN ISSUE: One of the best ways to ensure you receive every issue of Classic Ford is to place an order with your local newsagent. Once set up, your copy of Classic Ford will be held for you to collect, saving you the hassle of having to scour the newsagents’ shelves for it. So…

What’s been done this month: Not broken down, replaced the minging back seat, swapped the tired front dampers for coil-overs Next on the to-do list: Hit the road. Again Thanks to: eBay www.ebay.co.uk Thankfully there have been no breakdowns this month! That may not seem a big achievement, but using a 37-year-old, real-world budget Orion daily can bring up all sorts of issues. The first this month is purely pointed at a previous owner —-the back seat was a state! I can only guess a dog lived on it as it smelled and was full of rips. Basic model interior trim is notoriously hard to find, but I got lucky when fellow Orion owner, Daniel Renshaw donated this replacement! After a quick jet wash and scrub it looks as good…

The local experts were to the fore in the second round of the West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters Rally Challenge as the schedule took the series to the daunting Epynt military ranges in the Brecon Beacons. Maximum points went to experienced Epynt campaigners Toby Adam and Ian Meakin in their BDG-powered Mk1 Escort as they finished the day 21 seconds up on John Morgan and Llinos Jones-Edwards in their similarly powered Mk2 Escort. After a two-month break since the opening gravel event, the Malcolm Wilson Rally in March, Epynt offered a very different challenge to the forests of the Lake District. Although the Dixies Challenge only uses the western end of the daunting ranges, it is still a big test with fast corners, deceptive crests and jumps to…

While the latest Transit may be selling well, it’s hard to imagine many will still be around to turn heads in 30 years’ time. Perhaps that’s down to the whole wetbelt fiasco and the fact the Transit is essentially an identical van to VW’s Transporter, which has diluted some of the passion, but its reassuring to know the earlier models are fondly remembered. One such variant that’s often overlooked is the 4x4 County model aimed specifically at the local authorities and utility company market who would require the use of a robust off-road vehicle with a large carrying capacity. Never a particularly common sight even when they were new, the chances of finding one now are very slim indeed. “They were only produced in limited numbers by County Tractors, based…

With the Fiesta ST going great guns, Ford decided to capitalise on the interest in its Sports Technology performance division with the introduction of the larger Focus ST in late 2005. Granted, it wasn’t the RS Focus that Rallye Sport enthusiasts were praying for, but the ST was a proper fast Ford in every sense, boasting a 150 mph top speed and capable of 0-60 mph in only 6.5 seconds. Quicker than the original, much-loved Focus RS, the ST was powered by a 2522cc, all-alloy engine that was a result of Ford’s Global Shared Technologies Initiative, the five-cylinder unit originating from Volvo. Breathed on by Ford’s technical masterminds, the 20-valve engine was literally boosted to 222 bhp thanks to such features as a KKK-Warner turbocharger, revised twin independent variable cam…

There are lots of things to smile about in this issue, but the one that is bringing the biggest grin to my face is seeing Dave Simms’ Escort Mexico back in the magazine. This is a landmark car for us — it featured on the front cover of the very first issue (June/July 1997 if you want to track a copy down on eBay), looking very different, but importantly, Dave kept hold of the car all these years, through ups and downs, and even more importantly, we kept in contact with Dave all this time — incredibly, 28 years — knowing that one day he would have the Mk1 rebuilt and ready for us to photograph again. It’s a great story, so turn to page 36 to enjoy Mike’s words…

Terminally-rotten old Fords This is, or was, a Mk2 Cortina Estate, and as you can see, it’s clearly spent a lot time sat in a farmer’s field, slowly returning back to nature. “I came across what’s left of the Ford while I was travelling in Ireland,” says Stephen Middleton. “While there I ended up buying a Mk1 Fiesta from the guy who owned it, but what a shame the Cortina is in that state.” Spotted an unloved Ford on your travels? Email photos and details to classicford.ed@kelsey.co.uk.…

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH THE PROFESSIONALS CAPRIS SLOT CARS £109.99 Scalextric Relive Bodie and Doyle’s sideways antics in 1:32-scale thanks to this new twin-car set from Scalextric, featuring replicas of the 3.0S Capris, VHK 11W and VHK 12W from the late 1970s/early 1980 hit TV series. The set is available to pre-order now. Contact: https://uk.scalextric.com FUEL LINE PRESSURE RELIEF KIT £32.28 Webcon Bad hot starting can be the result of a build-up of pressure in the fuel feed line of a carburettor equipped car which causes flooding of the carburettor either during hot soak or whilst cranking. Webcon’s Fuel Line Pressure Relief Kit consists of extra fuel hose, clips and two tee pieces, (one with a valve and one without) to provide a by-pass loop in the feed pipe which…

It’s 7.30 on a Sunday morning, the sun is beating down already, and there’s a line of classic Fords patiently waiting for the gates to open — it’s going to be a good day. Great weather can really lift a show, but what really makes one special are the cars and the people, and the Classic Ford Show brings out the best of both, no question. For the fourth year running, the South Of England Event Centre — the Classic Ford Show’s home since 2022 — has been blessed with great weather, but there’s no denying the show has got better and better each year, and that’s down to you and the fine Fords you bring to the show. For that, we truly thank you. This year we had more…

Lots of classic cars are bought for reasons of nostalgia and David Holgate is the first to admit the same applies when it comes to his stunning Mk1 XR2. “I guess it was my dad who got me into cars initially,” he remembers. “He was highly passionate about his own cars and always told me to buy a Ford!” Taking his dad’s advice David went ahead and did just that, purchasing a Mk2 Escort 1100L when he was 17, back in 1986. “This would become my first car and a marginally more powerful Mk2 Escort 1300L followed shortly after,” he adds. As is typical for any teenager, David was always striving for his next car to be more powerful and faster than the one he currently had, by the time…

The ABC oftuning R is for… rolling road A rolling road is not a means of proving to your mate how powerful your motor is. It’s a proper opportunity to set your car up under load for everyday driving conditions. If you’ve spent thousands on your engine, a session on the rollers is just as important as getting the right parts in the build in the first place. A dyno tune highlights any problems throughout the rev range such as underfuelling, overfuelling or a sticking wastegate on your turbo. Those will all result in expensive repairs, an oily mess and a con-rod shaped hole in the side of your block. A tune-up will also show which parts are stretched to their limit and if the components you’ve chosen are working…

What’s been done this this month? Escort’s bodywork tidied up, 3D scanned and sent for mapping Next on the to-do list: Send the Sierra off to paint Thanks to: Alan and the guys at AIRTEC Motorsport As anyone who went to the Classic Ford Show might the Escort or Sierra didn’t make it. That’s because the Sierra has finally been sent to the painters to sort the last bits and the paintwork, which is why I switched wheels back to a set of 8x17s, so the centre locks don’t get damaged or marked, although I do like the look of the white five-spokes. The Escort wasn’t looking too good either, as it was under the knife (quite literally) having the old, damaged sideskirts cut off, as they had been bonded…

We last featured this hero Capri when it was in the hands of Kiwi, Gary Wilkinson, who had sympathetically restored it. Gary had come across the famous Group 1 racer when carrying out some work for Barry Forth. Barry had imported the car to Macau and then subsequently New Zealand, but life had got in the way, and it had languished, thankfully, in a watertight container, since 1988. Ex-Touring Cars were often sold on when they became obsolete and often heavily modified for Thunder Saloon racing, which was at the peak of its powers in the late 1980s. Gary bought the car in 2017 and found that it retained most of its regulation period hardware and that it had almost miraculously been left in Group 1 specification. Preparing the shell…

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…

This is Union Street in Aberdeen, circa-1972, which looks somewhat like today’s city centres with so few cars compared to pedestrians. Originally nicknamed the Granite Mile, Union Street became known as the Golden Mile in the early 1970s after North Sea oil brought prosperity to the city. A Mk3 Cortina (probably an L model) resplendent in Roman Bronze is waiting at the pedestrian crossing next to an early Allegro, amusingly wearing an L-plate despite not having a learner driving. We think we can glimpse a Mk2 Cortina Estate behind the Allegro, but what else can you spot?…

Revisiting a car from your past doesn’t always work out well, but sometimes the itch to build something never goes away. Alex Darcy found that, as this is a car he’s been wanting to build for the past 30 years. “It’s a carbon copy of the Escort my brother owned back in the 1990s,” he reveals. “I was supposed to have it as my first car and we agreed on a price, but I was still into ’bikes at the time and used the money on ’bike parts. He then sold the car, so I missed out on it.” Alex’s first car was instead a VW Golf and then he got into Vauxhalls, which explains his love of the XE engine. That eventually led to Alex building a 1977 Opel Kadett…

The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show returns to Birmingham’s NEC from November 7-9, promising another unmissable celebration of motoring heritage. Following its 40th anniversary last year, this year’s event is set to be even bigger, showcasing more than 3000 classic vehicles. A total of 338 motoring clubs will be in attendance, each displaying rare and cherished models. Over 600 classic cars will be available to purchase through specialist dealers and the Iconic Auctioneers sales of cars and motorcycles taking places over two days. In addition, more than 450 exhibitors will offer a vast array of parts, tools, and restoration services to suit every enthusiast’s needs in the vast autojumble. The Meguiar’s Club Showcase will present an array of immaculately-finished show cars vying to be voted the winner, while the Pride…

As part of an exclusive licence arrangement with Ford, Boreham Automotive Group) is on a mission to recreate some of the most iconic Blue Ovals ever released in the UK and Europe. While we await the introduction of their first road car, the Mk1 Escort RS, Boreham Motorworks have just completed the first of 24 Alan Mann Edition Escorts, built to the exact specification of the race cars that won the British Saloon Car Championship in 1968. One of the six original Escorts supplied to Alan Mann Racing back in 1968, X00 349F was sent to Boreham Motorworks’ facility in Coventry, where it was meticulously disassembled, scanned and analysed to enable the team there to create an exact CAD model. From there, the reproduction of the body panels, interior trim…

Customised classic cars can be a real topic of debate amongst enthusiasts. Subtle modifications to improve handling and braking are often admired, while radical engine swaps or bodywork changes, especially on rare cars, can bring real animosity. It wasn’t such an issue back in the 1990s when Dave Simms and his dad, John took this 1971 Escort Mexico, dropped in a 1725 Crossflow with Cosworth pistons, lowered it to the ground and painted it bright Alfa Romeo yellow. In fact the seven-year build was so impressive it featured on the cover of the very first issue of Classic Ford in June 1997. But now it’s the rarest of things; a well-modified car that’s since been returned to completely stock. “I’ve had nine Mk1 Escorts,” explains Dave, “I swapped this for…

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 up the action. As well as the public track sessions there will also be sponsor and club sessions, classic Ford sessions, and even some of the UK’s fastest Fords on track! We have packed the track timetable full of public and club track sessions to take part in throughout the day. We have Novice and Mixed sessions to suit all abilities, so anyone can get out on the Tarmac. THE AWARDS The club displays are the heart and soul…

Back in 1991 Dan was a newly-qualified driver at the age of 17 and made the sensible decision to find himself a Capri as his first car. “I bought a 1980 1.3L from an elderly lady who lived locally,” he recalls, “I managed to obtain the car for a keen price as she’d mistakenly filled it with diesel.” Needless to say, the 1.3L smoked like a chimney, but Dan was happy to overlook that and did the decent thing by swapping in a 2-litre Pinto. “I changed the steel wheels for Ghia alloys, stuck some go-faster stripes on the sides and upgraded the stereo,” he smiles, “this was all standard procedure back then.” That first Capri also happened to be the car Dan drove when he picked up Theresa, his…

Cameron Cook From: UK Car: Mk2 Sierra “After building a Sapphire to a similar spec, I knew how to go about this Sierra straight away,” says Cameron, “oh, and make some improvements this time!” “It’s a 1990 LX which I bought standard last year, and I have since swapped it to a Black Top Zetec on Jenvey throttle bodies, and using a Retro Ford sump, water manifold and alternator relocation kit. The Type-9 five-speed has been rebuilt by First Motion Transmissions with the long first gear kit, and there’s a 3J Driveline LSD out back. The car sits on RS2000 alloys with Fiesta ST150 brakes, and inside I’ve fitted Cosworth Recaros. Hope you like it.” We love it, Cameron! Reggie Packham From: UK Car: Mk2 Fiesta “I’ve had my 1986…

Back in 1970 the world of Ford motoring was changed forever and turned completely upside down by the introduction of Pinto power! It was amazing, we now had a thoroughly modern overhead cam engine that was capable of producing big power figures. The only downside was that it needed a nice beefy gearbox to go with it that could take the extra power and torque being produced. The trouble was that, for an absolute age, the main gearbox backing up Ford’s range of engines was the three-rail unit, which later developed into a single-rail version with the introduction of the Mk2 Cortina. Essentially though, the evolution singlerail unit was just the same gearbox, and for these new 1600 and 2-litre engines it just wasn’t going to be strong enough. To…

Six-speed Fiesta? Q I’m currently in the process of converting my Mk1 Fiesta to a ZVH turbo. I’m having no problems fitting the engine, however I am going to use the Getrag six-speed gearbox out of the Focus ST170. Has actually done this before? I’ve figured out what I’m doing about the clutch and flywheel, I just need a little info about what driveshafts to use and what hubs I’ll be needing. Appreciate any help, thanks! Mark Newsome UK A The gearbox is smaller than the original Fiesta four-speed unit so it requires no modification to the inner wing for clearance, which is good. It’s a lot deeper though, which creates problems with clearance for the original brake servo/master-cylinder set up, so normally you have to go for a bias…

The phone call came late one evening in January 1983. It was Stuart Turner. His first remark, “This conversation is not taking place…”. For Turner it was the start of a fascinating period, when the RS200 was born, and when Ford’s only competitive four-wheel-drive Group B car began to evolve. A new car, he suggested, would have to have four-wheel-drive — would anyone argue with that? Certainly not, and a mid/rear-engine position was essential. “Like the Stratos, but with four-wheel-drive.” Before long, Turner challenged four engineers, including Ford’s John Wheeler and Tony Southgate, to provide such a new car. Keep it simple Turner’s brief was simple — 200 Group B cars would have to be built, and they could use any Ford-derived engine which was then in existence. All-in-all, there…

Car doors are not complicated structures. However, because most types consist of an outer skin of metal sheet that’s crimped to a frame, water traps are inbuilt. This makes internal rusting inevitable, especially if the car’s stood outside for a long period of time. Any deterioration is almost certain to be more extensive beyond what’s visible. Even though door skins can easily be either repaired or replaced, fixing rusty door frames is a more challenging proposition. Many owners solve the problem by simply changing the complete panel, but with a few basic tools, some time and patience, a suitable repair section can be incorporated into a rusty door frame. The door used throughout this feature was certainly not beyond salvaging. The outer skin was in rust-free condition but many years…