Innehållsförteckning för August 2025 från Classic Ford

The automotive world and wider community has come together in grief and support following the fatal fire at Bicester Motion on May 15-16, which saw two firefighters and a member of the public tragically killed in at the former RAF site in Oxfordshire. The blaze broke out at around 6.30 pm in Building 79, one of the historic hangars used for vehicle storage. Among the deceased was Dave Chester of Chester & Sons, a family-run groundworks and fencing business that had worked on the site for over a decade. Two firefighters, Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, also lost their lives in the line of duty. Sadler served with both Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service and the London Fire Brigade. At the time of writing, two further firefighters remain…

Mk1 Cortina National Rally When: August 2-3 Where: Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse, UK What’s going on: Although the Mk1 Cortina Owners’ Club host this event, it’s so much more than that as they’re also joined by the Cortina Mk2 Owners’ Club and Anglia 105E Owner’s Club for a full-on celebration of 1960s Fords (with other clubs often attending, too). While Sunday is the main show day, it’s very much a weekend event with a road run and interclub BBQ on the Saturday and you can camp on-site from the Friday. Find out more: www.mk1cortina.club…

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 1 Enjoy one whole year of Classic Ford 2 Get each issue delivered directly to your door in 100% plastic-free packaging 3 Save 38% and pay £35.04 every 6 months…

In the world of classic Fords, it’s easy to be dazzled by big-budget builds and concours-quality restorations. But every so often, a car comes along that perfectly captures the soul of the scene — not because of how much it cost, but because of the story it tells. Jay Shipp’s Mk3 Fiesta is one of those cars. It’s not just a tribute to a Blue Oval icon; it’s a reflection of a lifelong love affair with Ford, built piece by piece on a budget tighter than a Fiesta’s turning circle. At 39 years old, Jay is no stranger to hard graft. By day, he’s a farm worker in the rural sprawl of Essex — a place where flat fields and fast Fords are both part of the local landscape. He…

Ford Live at Knockhill is always a highlight in the event calendar for Blue Oval fans north of the border. This year may have had some patchy weather which scared off many of the older cars especially, but after a few blustery showers the people who braved it made the most of the show and track action. The concours may have been unusually small this year, but the more relaxed show and shine had went from strength to strength attracting a wide variety of Fords from the 1960s to the present day. On the famous rollercoaster-esque track there was as ever a Ford-only session. This year it was dominated by a Fiesta ST being pushed to their limits, but it was great to see also the likes of the Wait…

The A B C of tuning S is for… Supercharging A supercharger is similar to a turbocharger in that it’s essentially a pump that compresses air. Unlike a turbo there are few variations of design, but they all work in virtually the same way. They take their drive from a belt that’s connected to a crank pulley, so as the engine revs increase the supercharger works harder. It means their delivery is much more linear, and changing pulleys allows for the ratio to alter and more boost to be developed. However, their major downside is heat-soak issues from continuous use. SAFE TECH When working on cars and using tools of any kind — especially power tools — always use protective gear: goggles, gloves, ear defenders, masks and a decent set…

What’s been done this month: Fitted sounddeadening, rewired the rear Next on the to-do list: Finish the disc brake and Cortina strut conversion There is nothing more motivating than when you are working on a classic Ford that has been in a comatose state for decades, and suddenly shows you signs of life! Such is the case with my Anglia, which was last road-registered in 1997. Despite being a mess when I got it, I have been chipping away at it where and when I can. Recently, I have been sorting the diff, springs, rear brakes and all the little stuff that makes it all come together nicely. A spirited session inside the boot has seen sound deadener, battery box, cabling and the fuel tank installed. The main fuel and…

The evolution from Pre-Crossflow to Crossflow was a mighty transition for Ford’s trusty Kent engine, but where does the term ‘crossflow’ actually come from? Back in 1959 the Pre-Crossflow first appeared powering the Anglia 105E and found its way into the Mk1 Cortina among others, but it needed a serious kick up the backside come the end of the 1960s — hence the birth of the Crossflow. The term ‘crossflow’ refers to the set-up of the intake and exhaust ports, which now sat on opposite sides of the cylinder head, instead of the side-by-side free-for-all that was the Pre-Crossflow. The alteration in layout was all in the interest of efficiency, and therefore power and durability, and the Crossflow offered both as a massive improvement over the Pre-Crossflow. Having the intake…

Working as an English teacher, you’d expect David Kelsey to have little in the way of free time restoring cars. Yet, somehow he manages to do just that and we’re not talking small numbers here — David has successfully completed countless diverse restos on classics such as Triumph Stags, MGs, E-Type Jags and even Simca 1501 Specials! David also happens to be a huge fan of the Capri and he’s owned and restored at least 20 examples over the years, a Brooklands and an RS3100 amongst them. “I sold the RS in the mid 1990s for just £4500 and replaced it with a Stag to impress my girlfriend at the time,” he smiles, “but the Stag promptly blew up after just three weeks!” David’s passion for Capris stems back to…

Someone once described their classic Ford to me as a great big Meccano set (remember them?) – you can unbolt bits, add other bits, even take it apart completely and put it back together just as easily, all with a basic tool kit. The more I thought about it, the more I realised they were absolutely right. No other marque from the mid-to-late 20th Century features such simplicity and above all, parts interchangeability. Ford may have been tight with their parts-bin car building mantra, but ultimately they did us all a favour! Which is why they make such great project cars for the Homebuilt Heroes amongst us. We’ve selected four examples this issue, and while they may appear high-quality, and in some cases high-tech (well, for a classic Ford…), they…

One of the five original Escort RS1800 press cars, ONO 804P, is coming up for auction with Historics Auctioneers this month. First registered in May 1976, the car was on Ford’s fleet until it went into private ownership in March 1977. A decade later, a restoration was begun by RS1800 expert, Colin Beverly, with the BDG engine being sent off to Holbay for a rebuild. 35 years later, that restoration was finally finished, and the engine is still being run in. Having covered just 24,000 miles from new, and with only a handful of the 109 road cars produced known to have survived, interest in this car is expected to be strong at the sale on July 19 at the Summer Serenade, Windsorview Lakes in Berkshire — Historics have put…

Clear your diary for the day on Friday, August 1 as the September issue hits the shelves featuring a fine brace of outstanding feature cars photographed by the very best photographers including this special Mondeo ST200 Estate. All this plus a Mk2 Fiesta buyer’s guide, Mk2 Escort project, all the action from the most-recent Fiesta Of Fords event, the latest on the magazine’s project cars, and all you need to know about dampers. Find all of the above and more in the September 2025 issue, on sale and available to download from Friday, August 1. Why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it? See page 24 for the latest subscription offers. ON SALE August 1!…

Some people just seem to dive into modifying and never swim out, don’t they? When Tom Taylor got his first car (a Mk3 Fiesta 1.1) when he was 16, he just couldn’t leave it alone — much to his parents’ despair. He was modifying it on their driveway, fitting an Ashley cat-back, K&N filter, lowering springs, Recaros, XR2i alloys, all the right bits… and so it went on with the next car, a Mk2 Fiesta 1.4S, followed by a Mk5 Escort van with RS2000 running gear. It was this one which really cemented Tom’s love for rapid vans, a passion he’s pursued with gusto ever since. And as it turns out, he’s not the only Taylor to view life through this offbeat cargo-lugging filter. “I’d always wanted a modded van…

1. SPORT SEATS Better suspension and more power can see you slipping around all over the place on stock Ford seats. To keep your posterior in position, fixed-back buckets with hefty bolsters are just the job, while Fishnets or RS Turbo Recaros will do the trick if youy prefer the OEM look. www.badboyclassics.co.uk 2. STICKERS The ultimate budget accessories, stickers can really enhance a build for minimal cost, whether they’re period-correct or reflect the current scene. www.isaydingdong.co.uk 3. GET LOWERED A good slam makes even the roughest of classic Fords look the part! Blocks on the back and shorter springs on your MacPherson struts (see page 86) will bring your Ford closer to the tarmac.  www.rallydesign.co.uk 4. DEEP-DISH STEERING WHEEL There’s nothing like gripping both hands round a proper deep-dish…

It seems a shame Ford gave up on the XR badge after only a decade or so, especially following such a successful run during the 1980s. We’re sure some of you will recall that premature demise all stemmed from the hype surrounding thefts and joyriding which became rife in the early 1990s, perfectly portrayed by footage of a certain MG Maestro conducting handbrake turns and burnouts which seemed to appear on the news every day! Yet, strangely, no-one ever saw a stolen MG Maestro ever again, the thieves preferring easier to find offerings usually by Vauxhall or Ford. Consequently, the cost of insuring any remotely-desirable or sporty hot hatch shot up and the manufacturers had to act by cooling them down, a process that spelled the end for the much-loved…

Rhys Cox From: UK Car: Sierra XR4x4 “This is the Pink Peril, Christened by my mate, William Unsworth as when I got it it was definitely pink rather than red!” says Rhys, of his original XR4x4. “This picture was taken on the way back from the Great British Car Journey’s Drive It Day back in April, in the Tramway museum’s overflow car park — I thought it was a good place for a photo opportunity!” Neill Mckenzie From: New Zealand Car: Anglia 105E Neill’s 1967 Anglia has been on the road since 2003 in his hands. “Originally it had a 997cc, then I fitted a Mk2 Escort Sport engine and’box, but recently I got hold of a heavily worked 711M 1600, which goes really hard now,” Neill tells us. Running…

You’ve just canned the nuts off your motor and the car’s rocketed up to warp speed. It’s now happily cruising in top gear, only you can’t hear a damn thing. The reason? Well, nine times out of 10 it’s because most of us have a good old four-speed transmission backing up our screaming motors. And there’s nothing wrong with that… except the noise. At motorway speeds it’s nigh-on deafening, and add a good few hours of this treatment and anything the Gestapo dished out during the war seems like a quiet afternoon in the garden eating cream cakes. All those high revs of course, can have a detrimental effect on engine longevity, promoting rapid wear and early engine demise. So, what can you do about it? Turn the stereo up?…

HISTORY OF THE CAR I bought the Capri as a standard 3.0S in 1986 and set about modifying it to race in the 1987 Slick 50 Road Saloons. I won my first race at Oulton Park in 1990, and the championship in 1991 with multiple wins and lap records. I moved to the Toyo Tires Super Road Saloons from 1992 to 1994 and the Falken Modified Production Saloons for 1995-1997 taking the fight to many more superior entries. After a long break from racing while the kids grew up, we got back on track in 2018 and began the continued development to the spec it is now. All work has been done by myself and friend, John Hutson. WHAT GOT YOU INTO RACING? Watching sport on the TV on a…

HOW TO BUY USED BRAKE PARTS Buying used brake parts is tricky, and generally only worth doing if you’re having them reconditioned. It’s not worth it financially, either — you can usually buy reconditioned callipers for less than the cost of buying them and paying to have them rebuilt. However, if you are buying callipers to have them reconditioned, check that the mounting lugs aren’t broken off or the casings are cracked, if they are, they’re scrap. Second-hand drums and backplates are usually a safe bet, and they’re pretty easy to check for cracks and missing components, though expect to have to replace the cylinders. THANKS TO: Dave Fisher, D&D Developments, 07772 740817 JARGON BUSTER 2WD Two-wheel-drive 88k 88,000 miles BVH Big-valve head BVR Black vinyl roof C/L Central locking…

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…

The idea of retiring means different things to people. While some may be planning to spend their new-found free time relaxing in the sun abroad or perhaps sailing round the world, John Beattie has picked the tools straight back up and is tackling a Mk1 Escort with a very clear plan to make it better in every way. Thankfully, he’s got plenty of experience in restoring cars as well building and preparing rally cars, all of which came in handy with this Escort, as the shell was rotten and the upgrades are plentiful. John tells us he started in the 1970s doing restoration and spray painting, together with welding and spannering. “I did my time at main dealers but at the age of 28 I became disillusioned and went selfemployed in 1989…

The Goodwood Revival will once again boast an exceptional line-up for 2025 on September 12-14, with 13 races featuring top-tier talent from across the motorsport spectrum. British Touring Car Champions Gordon Shedden, Jake Hill, Matt Neal and Tom Ingram, who collectively hold 197 BTCC wins, will compete alongside World Touring Car Champions Andy Priaulx and Rob Huff. Further to this, 10 Le Mans veterans, with an astonishing 33 wins among them, are also set to appear. They include ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen (nine-time winner), Derek Bell and Emanuele Pirro (both five-time winners), three-time victors André Lotterer, Darren Turner, Dindo Capello, Marcel Fässler and Romain Dumas, plus champions David Brabham and Neel Jani. The Revival also features a race schedule fuelled entirely by sustainable fuel, as well as a tribute…

Old Ford Rally When: Sunday, July 20 Where: British Motor Museum, UK What’s going on: The long-running Old Ford Rally always attracts a strong gathering of classic and period-modified examples from the classic era and now that the organisers have expanded the age-range to 1995, a good turnout of slightly more modern classic Fords, too. There’s always a good autojumble, and over 400 cars are usually on show in the grounds of Gaydon. Find out more: www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk…

in partnership with UK’S FASTEST FORDS The Fastest Fords Display — sponsored by Liqui Moly — is where power meets performance at Ford Fair 2025. This handpicked lineup by Fast Ford features some of the quickest, most extreme Fords in the UK. Expect everything from 500 bhp-plus street beasts to full-on race machines. See them up close in the display area, then witness their raw speed as they hit the track for an unmissable high-speed demo session. If you like Fords that are fast, this is where you need to be! CLUB DISPLAYS Car clubs have been at the heart of Ford Fair, and 2025 will be no different. With more than 5000 cars on display at the show last year, this is undoubtedly the biggest gathering of fast Fords…

Big and ambitious projects, such as a full-blown restoration or several engine, suspension and brake upgrades, can start off with all guns blazing and bags of enthusiasm. However, it’s when you are several months down the line with numerous problems to solve and no end in sight that you may wish you’d never even dreamt of the idea of such a bold undertaking. So how do you get to the end of a project that requires so much involvement and doesn’t become one of those abandoned 95% complete cases in the classifieds? There’s no magic answer, but we think the following words of wisdom will help, which we’ve divided into ten top tips to keep you on track. 1. FIND THE PERFECT PROJECT A challenge can easily turn into a…

We’re sure many of you first drove a car before the age of 17, but finding somewhere suitable to create such an important occasion can often be an issue. Danny Perkin was lucky enough to be brought up on a farm which meant he had access to acres of lanes and private land, and consequently he’d learned to drive by the time he was eight. “I mainly just drove around fields where I could keep out of trouble,” Danny laughs. “My dad was a mechanic and car trader so there was no shortage of vehicles lying around!” Among them were various Mk2 Escorts which were 10-a-penny back in the mid 1990s, “I was given a black two-door when I was 11,” Danny recalls, “and by the time I was 13 I’d…

JULY European Ford Capri Revival July 4-6 Weiswampach am See, Luxembourg www.caprilux.eu RS Combe 30th Anniversary July 5 Castle Combe, UK www.rscombe.com Kent’s All-Ford Show July 6 Aylesford Priory, UK www.kentsallfordshow Goodwood Festival of Speed July 10-13 Goodwood House, Chichester, UK www.goodwood.co.uk/events Classic Nostalgia July 19-20 Shelsey Walsh Hillclimb, UK www.classicnostalgia.co.uk Ford AVO Owners’ Club National Day July 13 Hatton Country World, Warwickshire UK www.avoclub.com Old Ford Rally July 20 British Motor Museum, Warwickshire, UK www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk Back To The Past: Pre-2000 Car Show July 26-27 Breighton Airfield, North Yorkshire UK pre2000carshow@yahoo.com Bromley Pageant Of Motoring July 27 South Of England Event Centre, West Sussex UK www.bromleypageant.co.uk Scottish Ford Day July 27 Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, UK sfdpre67ford@hotmail.com Festival Of The Unexceptional July 26 Grimsthorpe Castle, UK www.hagerty.co.uk AUGUST Classic…

PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! SEE PAGE 24 ON SALE August 1! Meanwhile, get your classic Ford fix at 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: Bought it, replaced a fuel pipe, driven 1000 miles Next on the to-do list: Refit Premium Sound 2000 headunit and graphic equalizer for full period kicks, finish install of electric reclining rear seats, tweak stainless exhaust, replace rocker cover gasket Thanks to: Sam Green for putting so much work into breathing life into the Granada I’d been driving an old British brown saloon car as a longterm project for almost seven years when, a couple of months ago, I decided that a saloon wasn’t really practical anymore and that it was time for a change. Welcome to my new brown saloon car. I am an absolute deviant when it comes to period colours and it was love at first sight when I spotted this 1990…

Spray gun Your spray gun must be suitable for the job and the paint being used. Nozzle sizes – 1.8 mm, for example – give some indication as to the types of paint and achievable finish. A 2 mm nozzle is suitable for high-build primers, whereas a 1.4 mm nozzle is suited to top coats and lacquers. Specifications vary so it’s important to understand the link between nozzle size, paint type and quality of finish. Hose Hoses come in a variety of bore sizes, typically 8 mm (0.25 inch) for suction and gravity-feed guns and larger bore for HVLP guns. Check the spray gun specification and compressor output for the optimum size. If your compressor’s housed outside the spray booth, you need to allow for air pressure drop, which increases…

Unveiled in October 1970, the Mk3 Cortina certainly had its work cut out, its Mk2 predecessor going out in style with a whopping 11.5 per cent market share in its last month on sale. Surpassing the Mk2 would be no small undertaking, but the sleeker Mk3 was up for the challenge, benefitting from the expertise of Ford’s UK and German teams under the joint umbrella of Ford of Europe. The collaboration resulted in was the Mk3 being far removed from the Mk2. It complemented its new Coke-bottle styling with a wheelbase that was longer than any previous Cortina, boasted superior coil springs in place of the rear leaf items, and even went as far as replacing the traditional MacPherson strut front end with an independent double wishbone set-up. There were…