AWA Escort

[Chris Kitzen]

The picture below was taken by a friend of mine and it’s the only worthwhile photo I have to put on here from its NZ history.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/DickSellensHills.jpg

This is my very very long term project. I’ve owned it now for about 6 years but the shell is still the same as when I bought it. In that time I’ve done loads of research and accumulated most parts I need apart from an engine but haven’t found out very much about its NZ racing history at all.

This when the panel work was started before I bought it.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/P1010102.jpg

The History from the beginning.

SPU 254K (its English registration number) was built as a group 2 race car at Fords Boreham facility in 1972 with a Gomm built shell alongside two other identically spec’d cars. It was originally raced by Danish driver Erik Hoyer between 1972 and 1974 in Denmark and Europe in various touring car events and championships and powered with two different capacity engines depending on the year or series. In 1972 it raced with an 1800 BDE and 1973 with a 1300 BDH both with Lucas fuel injection.

!972
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Forums/72jyll-fin-05.jpg

1973
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Forums/73jyll-22-9-7.jpg

As well as competing in Denmark and other European events it ran in some English RAC championship races in 1973 as one of the unofficial RS1300 cars when the rules were changed for the year to allow manufacturers to run alternatively homologated heads. Of course with 190HP the 1300 Escorts decimated the opposition. Short lived though as the rules changed again for 74 and outlawed them.

The rear suspension is what sets this apart from most other Escorts of the day. It has Len Bailey designed torsion bar rear suspension using Morris Minor torsion bars and dummy plastic leaf springs for homologation purpose only. There were two or three other Escorts of the day apart from the two sister cars running torsion bars but all were different designs. Most notable of these being Frank Gardner’s XOO 349F. I've had a look at that car and it is quite different. The torsion bars are probably Morris Minor but that is where the similarity ends really.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/Rear_Susp_1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/Rear_Susp_4.jpg

[Chris Kitzen]

When the car was returned to Ford in 1975 it was prepared as a tarmac rally car for Roger Clark to drive in the 1975 Circuit of Ireland Rally with a 2 litre BDG engine still with Lucas fuel injection. I believe he was supposed to drive a new Mk2 RS1800 for the first time but the car wasn’t ready and his normal car OOO 96M was already committed to Billy Coleman so SPU was prepared. Unfortunately it had a DNF on the first day. That was its only foray into the world of rallying. I’m pretty sure it’s probably the only works Escort that was both a race and rally car. Ford was recorded as the entrant on any of the race results I've managed to find and it always remained owned by Ford until it was exported to New Zealand.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/Circuit75.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/Side_1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/SPU-254K-2Low.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/SPU-254K-3.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/Engine_2.jpg

In either late 1975 or early 1976 Dick Sellens who was a customs agent and cleared all the competition vehicles for MANZ, brought it for its circuit racing pedigree as the Danish championship winning car, organised the import and campaigned it in various events of which as I said I have little knowledge. It was dogged with reliability problems and after torquing the head and fitting the belt a tooth out resulting in bent valves, it was parked it up. Dick eventually sold the car to Warren Steel in Taupo but I have no history on Warrens ownership apart from I believe he sold it eventually in bits. It disappeared for round 10 years and was found by Rayden Smith while looking for the Carney Racing /Jim Richard Willment Twin Cam which of course he still owns. Unfortunately during the 10 years it had been used as a gravel rally car with the floor taking a bit of a beating but it had never been in any sort of serious off or roll so was in reasonable condition otherwise and virtually rust free. I think all the panels at that stage were original apart from the front panel. Most importantly it still had both factory Chassis Plates attached. The torsions bars were however gone with the brackets partially removed. It had standard running gear fitted and had been crudely converted to right hand drive.

[Chris Kitzen]

When I first saw SPU 254K in the late 90’s at Rayden Smiths a deal had already been struck to buy it so I missed out.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/1996NZSPU254KRaydenSmith14.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/1996NZSPU254KRaydenSmith11.jpg

A few years passed by and the guy who bought it offered it to me with the body restoration started but a long way from being completed. I initially said no when he told me the price but a month or so later it was in my garage. I now have it hanging from the rafters at my business out of harm’s way for the time being while I’m working on another project. I’ve been actively researching and obtaining most of the parts I need but haven’t gone any further with the bodywork. Unfortunately when you find something you need for an ex-works Escort on Ebay it has an extra couple of zeros on the price so it’s been an expensive exercise to date but I’m going to great lengths to make it period correct. My research on it has included a trip to Finland in Dec 2007 to have a look at the remaining sister car. The shots below show the rear suspension better.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/IMG_1217.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/IMG_1700.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/IMG_1643.jpg

A long long long way to go before it looks anything like the old photos again!!! If anyone has any photos or info they want to share about it, that would be great. I have always wondered if it ran the plastic leaf springs in NZ.

Photo credits

Brent Hills Tauranga for the AWA shot.

John Straer in Denmark for the circuit shots.

Martin Holmes UK for the static shots at Boreham

Ford Photographic Archive UK for the colour Circuit of Ireland shots in the snow.

Esler Crawford Ireland for the colour shot in the air.

[Chris Kitzen]

The magic of the internet.

I’ve had some very poor photos of the pages of a Danish magazine article about SPU in 1972 for quite a few years and a year or so ago managed to get hold of an actual copy. It had the name of the photographer on the first page who took the pictures in the article and a simple Google search had me in contact with him in Denmark within 24hours! He no longer had the negatives of the photos in the mag and the mag had long disappeared but to cut a long story short we negotiated a price and he sent me 121 scanned images of some original negatives he took during the 1972 & 73 seasons at a couple of Denmark circuits, all in high resolution B&W. Bonus score with them included some scans of race programs with the grids and some Castrol adverts of the time featuring the car! And again due to the magic of Google I’ve translated the original magazine article into quite intelligible English!

[Jac Mac]

Im sure the ex Fahey Escort also had the torsion bar/plastic leaf spring setup as well, can remember checking out the plastic leaf @ Teretonga when Fahey was at Teretonga first time then years later having a good long look at the torsion bar deal at Levels/Timaru when Grant Aitken was running it in OSCA. Main advantages of the torsion bar were lower unsprung weight & allowed attachment to axle at a much closer point to the wheel than coil overs would have..

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, Chris, I'm gobsmacked by the rich history this car has. I had no idea. Have you decided which era/guise/engine you'll restore it to? Did it have an engine when you bought it? I'm guessing that when Warren Steel owned it, he would have raced it in the ShellSport series, as he was quite prominent in that. When was it exported to NZ? I expect it would have competed in the 4.2 championship initially until Motorsport NZ ditched that NZ Saloon Car Championship at the end of the '77 season?

[kiwi285]

Chris, Thats a great looking car and we will all be looking out for it in the future. Are you going to restore it to its Danish colour scheme ?

I can remember Dick Sellens name but don't think I ever saw the car race.

[Chris Kitzen]

Im sure the ex Fahey Escort also had the torsion bar/plastic leaf spring setup as well, can remember checking out the plastic leaf @ Teretonga when Fahey was at Teretonga first time then years later having a good long look at the torsion bar deal at Levels/Timaru when Grant Aitken was running it in OSCA. Main advantages of the torsion bar were lower unsprung weight & allowed attachment to axle at a much closer point to the wheel than coil overs would have..

Yep the Fahay car was definitely torsion bar as it was the sister/spare car for XOO 347F. The torsion bars run inside the boot through the chassis rails whereas mine run under the boot floor. I had a good look at the Fahey car in Chch last year. I think 5 torsion bar cars remain and 2 are in NZ. Included in that count is a Willment RS1600 that is now in Holland that is a totally different design again.


Wow, Chris, I'm gobsmacked by the rich history this car has. I had no idea. Have you decided which era/guise/engine you'll restore it to? Did it have an engine when you bought it? I'm guessing that when Warren Steel owned it, he would have raced it in the ShellSport series, as he was quite prominent in that. When was it exported to NZ? I expect it would have competed in the 4.2 championship initially until Motorsport NZ ditched that NZ Saloon Car Championship at the end of the '77 season?

Yep it has a rich history for sure Steve. It probably appeared as just another Escort when it started racing here. I was told it had history when I bought it but no one had any real idea or proof as I think the full story was lost. A lot of research has uncovered all the evidence though. No engine with the car unfortunately but I do have an Atlantic engine I could use at a squeeze. Plans are for an injected BDG - I do have all the injection stuff now and it was always injected. I'm only assuming it came to NZ around the end of 75 beginning of 76. I've tracked down Dick Sellens but he lost all the info on the car when he moved house around 1980 and is a little sketchy on it after all these years. He lives in the states now and has done for around 20 years. I would love to get some info on the car in the ShellSport series if anyone has some. I'd be over the moon with a good picture or two :)


Chris, Thats a great looking car and we will all be looking out for it in the future. Are you going to restore it to its Danish colour scheme ?

I can remember Dick Sellens name but don't think I ever saw the car race.

I've been leaning to the Circuit of Ireland spec as that was as it appeared last as a works car but I'm really not sure now. Probably more fitting in the Danish colours but plenty of time to decide.

[Steve Holmes]

From what I can tell Chris, it looks to have arrived in NZ sometime in 1975. It raced at the NZIGP at Puke in early '76, and I've found details of it at other events during the 1975/76 season. Will go through and see if I can get you more details.

I did manage to find a scratchy picture of Warren Steel in a MkI ShellSport Escort in the early 80s in a Motoring News mag, but its a newsprint mag, so very hard to make out any detail, but the car he was driving is rhd. Do you know when your car was converted?

[Chris Kitzen]

Pretty sure it was converted to RHD after Warren owned it so unlikely to be the same car but I do stand to be corrected. Talk about a dodgy conversion. You would never get away with how it was done nowdays.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/airman1/Toys/P1010099SM.jpg

[Les Laidlaw]

Wow, Chris, I'm gobsmacked by the rich history this car has. I had no idea. Have you decided which era/guise/engine you'll restore it to? Did it have an engine when you bought it? I'm guessing that when Warren Steel owned it, he would have raced it in the ShellSport series, as he was quite prominent in that. When was it exported to NZ? I expect it would have competed in the 4.2 championship initially until Motorsport NZ ditched that NZ Saloon Car Championship at the end of the '77 season?

Hi Steve, I was working for Warren at the time, he never raced it but we stripped the car and he on sold alot of the parts. We kept the rack & front crossmember/suspension and I built the LH drive MK2 Escort for Warren at CMR under the guidance of Reg Cook.
Kris had tracked me down a while ago, but I couldnt help him much.
Barry Tyler & I also built the Chevette at the same time....... thats another story.

[Rod Grimwood]

Steve, it looks like it makes an appearance in a couple of the photos of the grids at Bay Park you posted for Mr Hanna part 2. Maybe dates on original photos that may give some info.

[Chris Kitzen]

Steve, it looks like it makes an appearance in a couple of the photos of the grids at Bay Park you posted for Mr Hanna part 2. Maybe dates on original photos that may give some info.

You're going to have to point them out to me Rod!

[Rod Grimwood]

Behind the red Mustang of Haig in one photo and between the Escort of Hart and the Fiat of Mcintyre in other. Colour scheme looks same as first photo in thread, so is when first arrived.

[Rod Grimwood]

Maybe totally different car, in first photo (Europe) left hook, in baypark right hook. But it was changed here.

[Rod Grimwood]

Ah also first photo round headlights, Bay Park oblong. Mind you only a grille change can do that. Wheels look similar. Some one may have a programme from this meeting which will answer.

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Steve, I was working for Warren at the time, he never raced it but we stripped the car and he on sold alot of the parts. We kept the rack & front crossmember/suspension and I built the LH drive MK2 Escort for Warren at CMR under the guidance of Reg Cook.
Kris had tracked me down a while ago, but I couldnt help him much.
Barry Tyler & I also built the Chevette at the same time....... thats another story.

Hi there Les, thanks for that great info. And welcome to the site.

Just out of interest Les, were you with Warren when he bought the Wayne Fuller Chevy V8 powered MkI Escort in approx 1974/75? He didn't race this car either, but on sold it to an Aucklander named John Scott.

[Steve Holmes]

Ah also first photo round headlights, Bay Park oblong. Mind you only a grille change can do that. Wheels look similar. Some one may have a programme from this meeting which will answer.

And the rollcage looks different too Rod. The pics at the start of this thread show a diagonal bar running down from the right side top to the left side bottom which the car in the Bay Park shots doesn't seem to have.

[Les Laidlaw]

Hey Steve,
Dont know about that one, it was before my time, I speak to Warren often so I will ask him. He wheeled & dealed alot of cars during the time I was working on his race cars.
Cheers Les

[coldrive]

Both Baypark pix are from the 30 Dec 1973 meeting. My guess about the Escort on the front row of the 0-4200cc race and also behind the Haig Mustang would be Jim Stone's fast 1300.

[Steve Holmes]

I'm pretty sure you're right there. I thought this car was always black when Jim Stone raced it, but obviously not.

[Steve Holmes]

Hey Steve,
Dont know about that one, it was before my time, I speak to Warren often so I will ask him. He wheeled & dealed alot of cars during the time I was working on his race cars.
Cheers Les

Thanks Les, I spoke to Warren about this car a year or two ago. He bought it off Fuller without an engine, and was planning to put a smaller Chevy into it and run the 4.2 litre class, but failed his eye sight test, and had to sell it. He said from memory it went to a truck driver or the owner of a trucking company called John Scott, who I assume was the same John Scott who raced at Waikaraka Park speedway.

[Rod Grimwood]

That is the same guy Steve, and he and his mech Ray Chatfield (also speedway,& clever) fitted tweaked 283 Chev for 4.2 I am trying to catch up with guys to resaerch more. (as mentioned in other thread)

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Rod.

[driftwood]

I am perturbed by references to "sister" car to XOO347F
that is Alan Mann escort and not a ford built car they were special and had outriggers welded into the roof
I was at Gomm metals before Frank died and he mentioned they built the Mann escort shells so I asked hm about the roof outriggers.
He was surprised i knew about them and he said they where how first job when he started wring for his father as an apprentice and they where a "bee atch" to install. he said he must have done 3 or 4 shells and they often wrinkled with the heat and he couldn't give them to Mann team to use like that

[Chris Kitzen]

I am perturbed by references to "sister" car to XOO347F
that is Alan Mann escort and not a ford built car they were special and had outriggers welded into the roof
I was at Gomm metals before Frank died and he mentioned they built the Mann escort shells so I asked hm about the roof outriggers.
He was surprised i knew about them and he said they where how first job when he started wring for his father as an apprentice and they where a "bee atch" to install. he said he must have done 3 or 4 shells and they often wrinkled with the heat and he couldn't give them to Mann team to use like that

I’m not sure what you’re perturbed about. To the best of my knowledge Paul Fahey wanted to buy XOO 347F from Alan Mann Racing or Ford whatever the case may be but they wouldn’t sell it to him. He was however, eventually sold the spare car from that year that hadn’t been used which was identical spec. Now this is all a bit before my time so if I’ve got it wrong I’m sure someone on here will correct me and probably add some detail. :)

I had a close look at the Fahey car as a bare shell mid 2010 and it is a very highly modified period shell. It's a car that really deserves its own thread on here.

[driftwood]

alan mann escorts been discussed in detail on Uk forum
I've seen many 72 73 74 autosport adverts escorts for sale ex alan mann
if the car you refer to has no roof outriggers welded in i will be sceptical about its true alan mann heritage
i think there are more claims to alan mann escorts than there are pukka red gold alan mann race cars

[driftwood]

http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122645

http://www.classiccar.co.nz/articles/paul-faheys-alan-mann-escort-180

[Rod Grimwood]

Mr Driftwood, come on over to the sunny isle and you will be very amazed what is actually here, End of this month for the BMW Festival and Classic meeting at Hampton Downs run over 2 weekends would be a great start. Could be a few cars there you will not see in pomland and most probably never have. And a couple of rijjy dij Escorts and Capris with very big history. We do have electricity over here and even traffic lights. Some import Escorts have been here along time before half the imported population.
The big meeting at end of January is worth the trip, and some of your fellow country people make the pilgrimage and have a ball.

[Steve Holmes]

Some shots of the AWA Escort, kindly supplied by Warwick Clayton.

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[Chris Kitzen]

Steve you're a star. Can you put me in touch with Warwick Clayton please?

[Steve Holmes]

Sure thing Chris, will send you his details.

[kiwi285]

That was a great looking car - really looking forward to seeing it back on track sometime in the future.

Yes Mr Driftwood do come on over and have a look at our racing.

[Jac Mac]

Just tell him to make sure he has some outriggers on his favourite piece of driftwood, there is enough pollution in the oceans now without someone drowning while paddleing their own canoe to NZ.............

[Steve Holmes]

I am perturbed by references to "sister" car to XOO347F
that is Alan Mann escort and not a ford built car they were special and had outriggers welded into the roof
I was at Gomm metals before Frank died and he mentioned they built the Mann escort shells so I asked hm about the roof outriggers.
He was surprised i knew about them and he said they where how first job when he started wring for his father as an apprentice and they where a "bee atch" to install. he said he must have done 3 or 4 shells and they often wrinkled with the heat and he couldn't give them to Mann team to use like that

Without wanting to hi-jack Chris' thread, I am sure Chris is right when describing the Fahey car. I have interviewed Fahey a couple of times about his old race cars and I'm sure the Escort was one of those I spoke with him about (although we're going back a few years now). Fahey was always extremely well connected in both England and the US, and had the funds to buy the best equipment. He bought one of the Shelby built Trans-Am Mustangs in 1966, and he later bought the entire remaining stock (parts) from the Shelby Trans-Am and sports car programs in 1970 when Shelby himself quit racing. He also bought one of the works 1973 ETCC Capri's. He had no need to build cars from scratch when he could buy the best.

Re the Escort, I'm sure he told me he went to a BTCC race in England in 1969, saw Gardner racing the Alan Mann Escort, and tried to buy that car. he was told it wasn't available, but that there was a spare car that he could purchase at the end of the season if nothing happened to the main cars. I don't think the spare was ever painted red and gold, I'm sure it was always white. And I don't know if AM even raced this car.

Someone on here will surely know more about this than me though.

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[driftwood]

Gentlemen
1 have you read my links in previous posts re alan mann escorts?
2 I would not want to pollute the Tasman sea in my row boat as i fear the seas colliding at Cape Reinga may destroy so i prefer to add my contribution to global warming by flying to NZ
3 I usually visit Aeotera in late Nov or end feb early march in my "off" season to get some sun tan top up plus the cost of a ticket is less than coming in January.
I did tour the south Island in 04 and i caught the Timaru race of the southern festival however "her indoors" has no desire to visit NZ when i have half a notion to visit race track or anyone with a race car
When you guys can see your way to shipping my cars down i will visit Hampton Downs - I tried to get away from Waheki in Nov 2010 to take a wander but i was thwarted !!
Rod
i am pleased to hear you still have electricity there the strong wind sin Scotland last 48 hours have left many up there without any!

[105angria]

this was the most awesome car at Wigram screaming hunting the bigger machinery

[Rod Grimwood]

Driftwood, I have a cunning plan. When you come over bring "her indoors" up to the Bay of Islands and we can take her fishing and sight seeing and pamper her on the boat. Then we can sneak off down to Hampton and you can see first hand the gear around.(Escorts,Capri's Etc.) Reckon we could talk her into a day or two shopping while we rough it at the track. Just an idea. Weather must be global same here, damn people flying everywere ruining the atmosphere.

[Steve Holmes]

Reckon we could talk her into a day or two shopping while we rough it at the track. Just an idea.

Careful driftwood, this could get expensive!

[driftwood]

I am fortunate that "her indoors" doesn't like shopping and i can leave her on Waiheke with friends
However to justify a trip to NZ for a holiday in the peak ticket cost season i would actually need to be
racing myself not coming down to watch which is why i normally holiday in Nov or later in Feb/ March
with cheaper flights.
I will be happy to accept offers to drive Formula or saloon cars or donations to my west pac account
to finance my chubby ass and suitcase on a plane:cool:

[Steve Holmes]

Chris, how is this restoration progressing?

[Chris Kitzen]

Very slow unfortunately Steve apart from sourcing the occasional part. Been putting a bit of effort in the last few months into reshelling my Mk2 that I rolled at a hillclimb when I completely ran out of talent. :( I know I have to get onto the Mk1 and it's never far from my mind!

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the update Chris, yeah I understand, life can get in the way sometimes! Have you managed to source any new photos?

[Chris Kitzen]

Yep a couple from Warwick Clayton thanks.

[Steve Holmes]

Chris, I just posted this on the Graeme Bennett Collection (http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1118-Photos-The-Graeme-Bennett-Collection-Part-1) thread, thought you might enjoy it.

18037

[Chris Kitzen]

Awesome thanks Steve. Interesting it appears yellow here when I thought it was orange. It may be the photo or it may be another colour scheme.

[Les Laidlaw]

Awesome thanks Steve. Interesting it appears yellow here when I thought it was orange. It may be the photo or it may be another colour scheme.

Hi Chris, from memory... and it was along time ago, it was yellow when I stripped the shell

Cheers,

[Chris Kitzen]

I expect you are right Les now I've seen this photo. It's probably the best quality colour one I've seen from its time in NZ. Amature photos from this era all seem to brown up somewhat as per the AWA photo on my first post on this thread. Really pleased Steve posted it.

[jamie]

Hi Les what was the Escort that I built the 1600 BDA for and ended up in Will ORE hands Jamie A

[Les Laidlaw]

Hi Les what was the Escort that I built the 1600 BDA for and ended up in Will ORE hands Jamie A

Not sure on that one Jamie, I might have already been OS when you did that one

[BMCBOY]

Awesome thanks Steve. Interesting it appears yellow here when I thought it was orange. It may be the photo or it may be another colour scheme.

Any idea what year the car raced in AWA guise - I should be able to find something, but the car doesn't ring a bell for some reason.
Ross Cammick

[Rod Grimwood]

It was white and yellow, remember it from back then.

[Powder]

Any idea what year the car raced in AWA guise - I should be able to find something, but the car doesn't ring a bell for some reason.
Ross Cammick

1975-77 in the Shell Sport 4.2 class.

[escorthvn]

Chris,I thought It was coming to Whangarei to sit with the woolmark Escort after our few beers on Saturday night??????
Hope the van went ok.

Pete

[TonyG]

Any progress on the resto of this car? Just curious.
Cheers
Tony

[BMCBOY]

Today while searching for something completely different, I came across these photos of the AWA Escort that Chris Kitzen was after information about.

The negatives are dated Pukekohe Grand Prix meeting 1976, Pukekohe 27-3-77 and Baypark 10-4-77.

Hope they are of some use to fill in some history.

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[Steve Holmes]

Wow! Awesome pics Ross.

[Chris Kitzen]

Yes definitely awesome. Thanks for posting them Ross. I've sent you a PM

[BMCBOY]

PM returned with my email address Chris

[Terry S]

I am perturbed by references to "sister" car to XOO347F
that is Alan Mann escort and not a ford built car they were special and had outriggers welded into the roof
I was at Gomm metals before Frank died and he mentioned they built the Mann escort shells so I asked hm about the roof outriggers.
He was surprised i knew about them and he said they where how first job when he started wring for his father as an apprentice and they where a "bee atch" to install. he said he must have done 3 or 4 shells and they often wrinkled with the heat and he couldn't give them to Mann team to use like that

As this thread just came back to top I was looking through the posts and intrigued by one.

Please excuse my ignorance but what are "roof outriggers" and how assist performance?

[Chris Kitzen]

To be honest I don't really know and I don't know if he knew what he was talking about either. I guess it had something to do with strengthening the shell as it was a time before roll cages of course. I've seen the Alan Mann car in the UK and had a good look at the Fahey car during restoration and didn't notice any outriggers on either whatever they may be, The Fahey car is very special and massively modified in the chassis department from a standard Escort of any kind. It actually makes a full spec rally car with four link suspension and turrets look very pedestrian. I have never seen anything even close to front suspension on another Escort. If anyone can shed any light on the outriggers I'd be interested in hearing about them.

[Bailey]

Wow! Awesome pics Ross.


The Frist Escort in behind the AWA Escort in the bottom picture, had the best sounding 4 cyl
engine I ever heard, probably until the M3 BMW group A cars in the 1980's It was driven
pretty hard too, from what I remember FVC powered ? Where is it now ?

[BMCBOY]

Another photo I found for Chris showing Bryan Blackberry in the Frist Escort with the AWA car. Looks as if there has been some "close" racing happening by the tyremarks on the door of the front car.

39561

[Steve Holmes]

How are you progressing on the restoration of this car Chris?

[escorthvn]

To be honest I don't really know and I don't know if he knew what he was talking about either. I guess it had something to do with strengthening the shell as it was a time before roll cages of course. I've seen the Alan Mann car in the UK and had a good look at the Fahey car during restoration and didn't notice any outriggers on either whatever they may be, The Fahey car is very special and massively modified in the chassis department from a standard Escort of any kind. It actually makes a full spec rally car with four link suspension and turrets look very pedestrian. I have never seen anything even close to front suspension on another Escort. If anyone can shed any light on the outriggers I'd be interested in hearing about them.

Chris, Those outriggers may have been the extra inner strengthening part of the 'B' pillar and under the roof skin done by Gomms pre roll cagers as the world cup cars and a Raydens car.???

The only outriggers I have had were on my game fishing boat,now you have the 2.0 ltr cosworth iron block you need to start the resto. Pete

[Steve Holmes]

Another photo I found for Chris showing Bryan Blackberry in the Frist Escort with the AWA car. Looks as if there has been some "close" racing happening by the tyremarks on the door of the front car.

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That Frist Escort is a cool looking car. What is the history on it? Does it still exist?

[Chris Kitzen]

How are you progressing on the restoration of this car Chris?

Well I haven't got much further actually Steve as I'm waiting to get a shed up at home so I have somewhere to do the work. Nearly there finally.

I did manage to get my hands on the original engine block about a month ago. Long story but until recently it was basically still in the same workshop where the car was maintained in the 70's. It ended up in an Escort rally car with pushrods and a pre-crossflow Cortina head on it. It's approx 89mm bore so nearly 2 litres.

It's a special casting with a boss added on the oil gallery for an external oil feed. Alloy blocks are the same because there isn't enough room for the oil gallery to run through the engine with the bigger bore. They were totally bored out and the liners were vacuum brazed in. This is how you got 2 litres out of a BDA engine before alloy blocks were thought of.

I need to get it crack tested to see if it's useable and it will need a bore if it is as it's scored in No3. A nice bit of work actually and really pleased to have it.
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[Steve Holmes]

Wow, that is a great find Chris! I love stories like this. Really great score.

[Terry S]

As to the question of "roof outriggers", RS2000 supplied this on TNF:

"The Mann biography refers to welding in a "top hat" shaped cross brace to the roof in a not obvious way and that this proved the provenance of some of the cars much later on. Without ploughing through the Appendix J "freedoms" I can't recall when body strengthening became free in Gp2 but this was perfectly permissible in Gp2 in the final years but probably not then. Roll cage mountings were very limited then with none of the massive constructions used today that attach everywhere. The weakest point of a Mk1 Escort shell was by the A pillars whereas on a Mk2 it was below the C pillars. Either way, it was presumably seen as important to shell rigidity and would have been concealed by the head lining. The permitted cage then was little more than the initial hoop behind the B pillar. Later the "14 point" cage was the norm right to the end of that Appendix J - the final Escorts in the 81 WRC still had no rear diagonal, not least because the passenger seat needed to be reclined.

My main concern in later years was that we had removed the standard production roof cross brace from a Mk2 International Rally car as weight saving rather than added anything, although I'm sure it was not standard production on all Mk2 models. I don't think Mk2 RS shells had it but mundane models did, suggesting that on standard cars it was more about "NVH" or whatever the term is."

[Chris Kitzen]

Awesome thanks.

My shell has some extra strengthening in a couple of areas. Across the top of the windscreen inner panels front and rear (the front has the interior light fitted in it) have both been spot welded to the roof whereas as a standard shell is only spot welded in the windscreen aperture with sealer between the other edge. Of course spot welding them to the roof panel means the spot welds all have to be filled with bog. You can see it now as the shell has been sand blasted but you would never know when painted. The rear seat cross member is also extended up to the top of the 4 link mounts, out through the inner quarter panels and brazed to the outer quarters. Not sure how extending it out to the rear quarters helps but they must have thought it did something.

[Chris Kitzen]

Found these a little while ago as well so my question some time ago about when it came to NZ has been answered :)

From Motoraction 22 Aug 1975

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... and from Motoraction 14 November 1975

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