Innehållsförteckning för November 2023 från Fast Ford

INTRO SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! "Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” So said Oscar Wilde, and he wasn’t a man to be argued with; bigger-better-fasterstronger has always been a motif of human advancement, and it makes sense to take one’s endeavours to their logical conclusion of excellence and then just keep on pushing for the hell of it because… well, why not? As various other wise folk have since reasoned, “If less is more, imagine how much more ‘more’ would be.” It’s this line of thinking that’s informed the constant evolution of ELE, the Sierra RS Cosworth you see on the cover. Well-known to many in the scene, this outrageous car has been headbutting boundaries for decades, and here we catch it in its latest guise sporting 825bhp…

SIERRA RS COSWORTH Gluttony is bad for your health. It’s greedy to go back for seconds. However, sometimes a dish is succulent enough to warrant a return and you realise the ingredients have been tweaked to create an even more irresistible treat. Whatever your tastes, there’s something in Mark Hudd’s legendary ELE to whet your appetite and so we return, with camera and pen in hand. Déjà vu strikes as we’re confronted by flawless Moonstone paint, Image split-rims and subtle RS500-inspired details; we’ve been here before, but all is not as it seems – the exhaust note and stance slightly altered, hinting at the major surgery that’s been carried out. Some readers will have grown up with Mark’s three-door, known as ELE, pushing 180mph top speed feats in the ’90s…

See what’s been going on with our projects this month… As you’ll know if you’ve been following the build, we’re aiming for a properly nineties aesthetic with this truck. There’s been so much blood, sweat and tears poured into the full custom chassis, the suspension and – of course – the twin-turbo engine build, and here we’re able to finally envisage what it’s all going to look like, wrapped up in its unique body with its offbeat old-school vibe. Work has now begun to start cutting, prepping and customising the Ranger’s bodywork for paint, and it’s all starting to look pretty rad. I have worked with Colin at Kustom Kolors in the past with my low-rider Mercedes, and it helps that he has had experience in the past with mini-truck builds…

FORDS IN MOTORSPORT One of the most well-known forms of motorsport is circuit racing - be that anywhere on the spectrum from the BTCC to clubman racing. Following in the footsteps of your motorsport idols is far more accessible than you may believe, allowing you to live out your racing fantasies and become a driving god! Typically, up to forty cars race wheelto-wheel on a race track, with the overall winner being the first competitor to reach the chequered flag. As well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd ‘on the road’ there are often class victories throughout the grid. Race series/ championships run multiple classes, based on anything from cubic capacity to tyre choice to power-to-weight ratio. This allows racers who may not necessarily have a car that could compete for…

FF TECH LIQUI MOLY Whether you use your car every day or once or twice a year, components will inevitably wear out, become seized or fail. Simple stuff, such as an electric window regulator can fail if the door glass becomes harder to move up and down. A bonnet locking mechanism can corrode and seize, meaning you can’t access the engine. The same issue applies to a mechanical handbrake. These problems can arise slowly over time, but often seem to be sprung upon you if a vehicle is stored away for a few months or years. And the issues can soon pile up when a car isn’t used for a long period of time. Damp can get into the electrics, for instance, resulting in corrosion, poor earths and equipment ranging from…

THE FORD VAULT KA SPORT In 2003, Ford showrooms across the UK were treated to the SportKa, a model that aimed the popular Ka at a fresh new audience. Of course, the car you’re looking at on this page is not a SportKa. Nope, this is a Ka Sport, a model built and sold in Brazil, and you’d be forgiven for not having heard of it. When the Mk2 Ka came in for 2008, the European version was entirely different from the Latin American one; their Mk2 was based on the Mk1 chassis, whereas the Euro Mk2 shared a lot with the Fiat 500. Designed and engineered in Brazil, the Latin Mk2 was markedly larger and more accommodating than the model it replaced, with room for five people plus luggage…

MK4 FOCUS ST Evolution has a lot to answer for. Lots of your body parts serve no useful function – body hair is pointless for modern human living, for example; wisdom teeth do little other than to misalign jaws, the auricular muscles around your ears are unnecessary as we don’t swivel our ears to hear like some creatures do, and your coccyx has no purpose because you don’t have a tail. Your appendix is rubbish too – when people largely ate unwashed plants it might have had some role in digestion, but nowadays the only thing it can do is get inflamed and explode, which really doesn’t help at all. If anything, that’s counter-productive. Nevertheless, evolution is super-clever. Just look at the quirky national characteristics of speech patterns – the…

A Mk2 Focus RS doesn’t usually come top of the list when choosing a base for a track car, but experienced Ford fanatic Steve Carr knew the potential was there to be exploited. Complete with a wealth of full-on, no-expense-spared track mods, his latest 400bhp creation doesn’t disappoint. Steve’s name should by now be familiar to our regular readers – just last year we featured his Imperial Blue 500bhp EsCos which unsurprisingly turns heads wherever it goes. “I’d always wanted one after witnessing a neighbour build a Cosworth replica on his driveway when I was a child,” he explains. “Finishing that project and finally owning my own example that I could be proud of was a dream come true.” Now, for most of us, an Escort Cosworth in your possession…

FAST FLEET GRANT BUTLER FORD COLLECTION As Britney Spears once said, ‘Oops, I did it again’ - and I have to say the same. For my addiction got the better of me again with me adding yet another Ford to the collection: a 2019 Fiesta ST3 in stunning Race Red! Although I do admit I actually bought this one for my wife, Suzanne, as she really liked it. It’s already got a few modifications, with a Stage 2 Airtec intercooler, induction kit and a map to suit, dropped on a set of lowering springs… for now. Plans are to change to a set of BC coilovers, a full Milltek exhaust system, plus an upgrade to a hybrid turbo. I’ll also be upgrading the intercooler for the bigger Stage 3 along with…

FORDS IN MOTORSPORT The newly renamed Silverstone Festival (formerly The Classic) lived up to its Bank Holiday billing with an amazing line-up of memorable retro races, associated parades, displays and family entertainment. For many, the unrivalled programme of 20 epic races was the biggest attraction covering many of the venue’s golden years in honour of its 75th anniversary. Although the scope of activities was widened with more family-oriented entertainment, the gathering of incredible road and racing cars remained at the core of the three-day event. The evolution of the festival proved to be a huge success attracting a record attendance, with a significant increase in both full weekend and Sunday ticket sales. Event organisers worked hard to provide an integration point for new F1 racing fans attracted to the sport…

FORDS IN MOTORSPORT MOTOR SPORT SPOTLIGHT HISTORY OF THE CAR It’s a genuine 1988 RS500, purchased from previous owner and builder Mark Wright in 2021. I’ve raced it for the past two seasons in the BOSS championship. FUTURE PLANS? Keep enjoying the racing, hopefully for another ten years! FAVOURITE RACE SERIES, AND WHY? CTCRC – it’s a friendly club, with great drivers to race with and very competitive. When the racing stops there’s great banter in the paddock. WHAT GOT YOU INTO RACING AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT IT? It started in 1977, when I began scramble bike racing for one year at age 15, then powerboat racing at Fairford and Carr Mill for a couple of years. Aged 19 I got hold of a Mk1 Escort and tried car…

FF TECH MODIFYING GUIDE MK1 FOCUS RS Back at the turn of the century, delay after delay meant it felt like the promised and muchhyped return of the legendary Rallye Sport badge to the Blue Oval stable may never actually happen. Besides, following in the footsteps of the last great RS, the Escort Cosworth, was never going to be easy. But when the Focus RS finally did arrive in 2002 it more than delivered. More than a cynical marketing exercise to keep Ford’s World Rally partners happy, the Focus RS combined unbelievable rally-bred styling with performance hardware from the same names found on Colin McRae’s WRC machine, plus a new turbocharged version of the 2.0-litre Zetec engine that produced a very respectable 212bhp. And the RS was more than the sum…

WHAT'S NEW ARMAGH CITY CAR & BIKE SHOW Held within the heart of the city itself, the Armagh City Car & Bike Show has grown with its second edition, where both the exhibitors and viewing public decide show winners with a vote each. Organised by WillPromotion, the event was open to all makes and models, and as such the variety ranged from modern day right back to vintage in both categories. And while the car in front was a Toyota, there was a Ford connection. The GT86 that took Car of the Show was owned by YouTubefamed rally driver Frank Kelly, known for his spectacular driving in a Mk2 Ford Escort. There was free face painting and balloons for children and each exhibitor received a token award. Among the Ford…

Sadly we don’t see many Ford Orions around these days, but thankfully the often-overlooked saloon still has its fans. Among them is Michael Deary, who just happens to own this stunning 1600i Ghia packing an ST170 turbo punch. Cast your mind back to the ’90s and seemingly there were Orions to be found everywhere you looked. Although it may be hard to believe now, such was the humdrum saloon’s tendency to blend into the background, few onlookers would give them a second glance. Then suddenly the Orion all but disappeared from our streets, but unlike its contemporary cousins such as the Escort and Sierra, did anyone really notice? Even now, at any given meet or show, the Orion name rarely gets a mention. Unlikely as it is, should someone happen…

Posterity has probably been a bit unkind to Vanilla Ice. After all, some of his lyrics bordered on the prophetic. “I’m here to tell you a little story about my five-point-oh, just a-letting you know I’m in total control.” See, there was a man who appreciated the potential handling prowess of a five-litre Mustang. He clearly fettled his Fox-body a bit (after all, there’s no way he’d be achieving “zero-to-sixty in four seconds” in a stock third-gen), and the concept of total control is one that many a Mustang owner can firmly get on board with. You see, to a certain automotive demographic, muscle cars can have a reputation for being good at nailing impressive numbers on the dragstrip and not a lot else. But the original pony car is…

NAPA Racing UK journeyed north to one of the calendar’s most breathtaking venues for rounds 19, 20, and 21 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Knockhill. The weekend marked a significant milestone for the team, with Race 2 on the Sunday commemorating their 50th BTCC race. It was also one year since Ash Sutton clinched the team’s inaugural victory at the same circuit, which now holds a special significance for the team. In honour of this event, NAPA Racing UK had many plans up their sleeves to help raise vital funds for Race Against Dementia, founded by three-time F1 World Champion and seven-time Grand Prix winner, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. All the NAPA cars at Knockhill underwent a charming Scottish transformation, adorned with a one-off tartan livery.…

EVENT REPORT FORDS AT THE CASTLE WHERE CALDICOT CASTLE WHEN JULY 30TH For most of us, British summer 2023 will be remembered for one thing: rain. The persistent precipitation and distinct lack of that ‘big round thing’ in the sky, has caused chaos. From abandoned test matches, to the first ever time that the Goodwood Festival of Speed has had one of its days cancelled, it’s been one hell of a summer! So as I made my way over the Prince of Wales bridge to join the Welsh Ford crew, it didn’t come as a huge surprise when the heavens opened. Again. Having sat in my car for ten minutes to see if it eased off, it quickly became clear that it was getting worse. There was nothing else for…

Dressing up road cars in race car liveries is a perennially popular trend that’s been enjoyed by enthusiasts for generations. And what we’re really loving right now is the individuality that’s shining through on the scene; there’s always a certain element of one-upmanship that happens when it comes to having the freshest wheels, the most aggressive stance, the shoutiest screamer pipe or what-have-you, and the penchant for offbeat paint colours these days is really emulating the 1990s passion for shockingly bright shades. There’s also a lot of brown around these days, and we’re all for that. But what’s particularly bubbled up to the surface recently is the offbeat design of some of the retro race wraps we’re seeing. It’s really cool to take inspiration from the stripes of an old-school…