Readly RF Feb 20

‘Written for the enthusiast, by Ford enthusiasts’

PULL

OUT

POSTER

INSIDE!

FIESTA XR2

WIDE ARCHED-TWIN 40

POWERED X FLOW XR2 GETS

OUR VOTE

SHOW REPORT: SEMA

ESCORT MK2

FAST ROAD MK2 ROCKS A

2100CC PINTO-TWIN 45S

AND 6-SPEED BOX

www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk

CAPRI

2900CC-TWIN TURBO’D

TARMAC RIPPING MONSTER

WRECKS

2RICHE$

A STUNNING PAIR OF HOME-BUILT SPECIALS

HITCHEN’S CAPRI,

FAMOUS FIVE AND

CAPRI WORLD

INTRODUCTION!

CORSAIR

THROBBING

3900 V8-SIERRA

RS RIMS-PLUS

MUCH MORE

SHOW: NEC CLASSIC

CAR SHOW. ANDY

BRINGS YOU THE SHOW

LOWDOWN

FEBRUARY 2020 / ISSUE 167 / £4.99

YOUR PROJECT:

TRANSFORMING

THE CORTINA FROM A

WRECK TO A BEAUTY

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FEATURES

UNSEEN CORSAIR!

With a Rover 3900cc V8

COSSIE CAPRI

Jordan saved this Capri from the scrapyard

SEMA SHOW REPORT

Mike brings you the show report

FEZ XR2

They must be one of the rarest seen cars

JPS MK2 CAPRI

Only cost Paul £356!

NEC CLASSIC SHOW

Andy rounds up the show action

FAST ROAD MK2

Swann finally got what he always wanted

CLASSIC HOT RODS

Latest from the world of Hot Rods

REGULARS

106 011 STUFF

052 SUBS

102 FAMOUS FIVE

114 NEXT MONTH

094

TECH INSIGHT

086 SOLDER IRON TEST

094 DURATEC GUIDE

096 READERS’ PROJECTS

See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 005

ISSUE

167

WELCOME

Welcome to 2020 and another month of your

favourite Ford magazine! We’ve had a busy

month at Retro Towers tieing up all the

loose ends ready for the big man coming

to see us. Last month’s magazine can be

ordered by merely going to the RetroFord website (www.

retrofordmagazine.co.uk).

When this lands through your door, everyone will be

back at work and the new year would have come and

gone. I hope everyone had an excellent start to 2020 and

you are all planning what shows to attend over the coming

months. Before you know it, it will be April and the

show season will have started. I will be

attending the yearly Autosport show so if you

see a guy in a RetroFord hoodie, do come

and say “hello”.

On to this month’s magazine, we

have some really lovely cars which

have been ‘home-built’ over the last

few years. We start with the Corsair

of Perry Murch. As you read this

feature, you will see that Perry

actually built this car from a near

rusty shell and not a lot else

with his own hands and some

borrowed ones too. We are hoping

to bring you more genuinely home-built cars

in our magazines, and cars I feel that everyone can relate to. If you have the right

skills, you can build these cars. David attended this shoot with Dom to get a real

picture of Perry and the Corsair. We try and bring you the background story to

every car we feature.

Next up is the yellow Capri that Jordan built on a very tight budget in his

grandparents chicken shed. I can genuinely relate to this as I knocked my

parents’ cow shed and greenhouse down to build my own workshop. Jordan had

a few problems with this car but in the end, is a project car ever finished?!

Niall is up next with his XR2. This is another true home-built classic car. He has

owned the car for nearly four years and it now looks a bit different to the one he

originally bought. Niall is turning himself into a bit of a pro in restoring terms as he

also restored a Mk3 XR3i. Like others, Niall always checked the forums for advice

and to see what others had done to their cars and what problems people had. It is

the coming together of people and the support that we have for one another that

makes the Ford scene a truly special one.

We have one more home-built car for you, and that comes in the shape of

Swann’s Mk2 Escort. I first saw this car over a year and a half ago when Nathan

brought it to my attention and I’ve kept my eye on it ever since. We sent David to

catch up with Kevin.

John rounds up our main car features with another Capri but I think you’ll

agree, there is something a little bit special about this one.

Finally, we have all the action and report from the recent Classic Car Show at

NEC. Mike returned from Las Vegas with his report on the recent SEMA show. A

feast of Retro goodness! We have the regular slots from the two Robs who bring

you the Tech feature, Famous Five (which I love, as I get to see another five retro

cars!) and Your Project, which this month is a Mk5 Cortina.

All the best and enjoy the issue!

DAN

EDITOR

Get in touch via email at: dan@retrofordmagazine.co.uk

DAVID MIKE JOHN ANDY

If you like your Capris, then check

out the outstanding 2.9 turbo on p26.

Fancy your small pocket rockets?

There’s a Fiesta XR2 on p42. More

into your rare Fords? Then Perry’s

modified Corsair on p14 is for you.

Until next time, enjoy the mag.

I hope you enjoy my SEMA Show ’19

story from Las Vegas where current

and classic, modern and retro sit

comfortably side-by-side. Inspired by

this trip, on my return I went in search

of America’s top-selling vehicles…

next month you can see more.

With 2019 now completed we are

busy filling the 2020 diary with

upcoming shows and events. We are

always on the lookout for new and

different feature cars and looking

forward to meeting all our readers

this year.

I had a busy time covering the

Classic Car Show at the NEC. I’ve

been busy working behind the

scenes on some great cars we are

going to feature in upcoming editions

Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk 007

001_Cover.indd 1 12/12/2019 23:23

FIESTA XR2

WIDE ARCHED-TWIN 40

POWERED X FLOW XR2 GETS

OUR VOTE

SHOW REPORT: SEMA

ESCORT MK2

FAST ROAD MK2 ROCKS A

2100CC PINTO-TWIN 45S

AND 6-SPEED BOX


PULL

OUT

POSTER

INSIDE!

CAPRI

2900CC-TWIN TURBO’D

TARMAC RIPPING MONSTER

WRECKS

2RICHE$

A S T U N N I N G P A I R O F H O M E - B U I L T S P E C I A L S

HITCHEN’S CAPRI,

FAMOUS FIVE AND

CAPRI WORLD

INTRODUCTION!

CORSAIR

THROBBING

3900 V8-SIERRA

RS RIMS-PLUS

MUCH MORE

FEBRUARY 2020 / ISSUE 167 / £4.99

SHOW: NEC CLASSIC

CAR SHOW. ANDY

BRINGS YOU THE SHOW

LOWDOWN

YOUR PROJECT:

TRANSFORMING

THE CORTINA FROM A

WRECK TO A BEAUTY

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Clair Martin

ads@retrofordmagazine.co.uk

07841 412199

PHOTOGRAPHERS / CONTRIBUTORS

David Ford, John Waide, Morgan Shipley,

Rob Cheesmur, Nathan Orbell, Ford Motor Company,

Mike Rysiecki, John Waide, Rob Hawkins, Aldridge

Trimming, Andy Hankin and Stan Libuda.

DESIGN

Hype Creative

PUBLISHER

Silverback Publishing Ltd

Publisher: Tom Saunders

Managing Director: Andrew Crispin

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Retro Ford, ISSN: 1364-2502, is published 12 times per

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INDEPENDENCE

Retro Ford is published by Silverback Publishing for

all owners, drivers and enthusiasts of Retro Fords.

It’s entirely independent of manufacturers, dealers

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contributors are their own.

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While every effort is made in compiling Retro Ford the

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ISSN: 1750-2942

© 2016 Silverback Publishing

Retro Ford magazine, est. April 2006,

is published by Silverback Publishing

008

Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk


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At Car Cave we always carry astock of around 25 Classic

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THE WORLD OF RETRO FORD

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MAKE OUR LITTLE WORLD

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Burton can also supply new brake pipe kits for

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Both early 3/4 UNF and later metric cars are

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The calipers are supplied in anodised black as

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The upgrade kit is suitable for:

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011

CORSAIR

KEEPING IT

OLD SKOOL

WORDS: DAVID FORD PICS: DOM GINN

WITH A PREVIOUSLY BUILT V6 100E POP TO HIS NAME,

PERRY MURCH GOT CREATIVE ONCE AGAIN...

014


FROM THE COVER

Let’s go… >>>>>


EVO CORSAIR MK3 FEZ

016 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk

FROM THE COVER

When was the last time you saw

a Corsair either at a show or

out on the road? Six months

ago, a year? Or possibly longer?

Often mistaken for the Mk1

Cortina compared to those the Corsair is quite

a rare thing. First launched in October 1963 the

mid-sized car replaced the Consul Classic range

and was basically a re-skinned Cortina with a

longer wheelbase. It still retained the same styling

of the era with its sharp V-shaped front end and

the pointed rear light units, and with a hint of fins,

the Corsair was and still is an attractive car and

remains very rare and a sought after classic. One

person who was drawn in by its rarity and styling is

Perry Murch, owner of the lovely grey example on

these very pages.

The Corsair is only Perry’s second retro Ford with

the first being a 100e Pop which was powered by

a V6 engine. “I’ve always been creative and have a

huge passion for powerful cars and motorbikes,” he

says. “I was 20 when I got my first car, a Vauxhall

Victor, which certainly wasn’t fast and had no scope

to be creative with,” he laughs. However, fast

forward a few years when the 100e came along,

this gave Perry something to get his teeth into,

at last! “The Pop was a fantastic car, especially

running the ‘Essex V6 power plant’, plus being a

lightweight car it assuredly didn’t hang around.”

After Perry waved a fond farewell to the Pop, it left a

big empty car-shaped hole in his heart and garage

which he just had to fill.

The search for a suitable candidate commenced.

It didn’t take long as Perry now explains, “The car

actually belonged to a friend of mine and had been

sat neglected in his barn for several years and was

in a very sorry looking state by the time I came

along to rescue it.” What Perry had taken on was

not going to be a few weekends worth of rebuilding,

far from it to be exact. “Years stored in the barn

had really taken its toll,” he sighs. “The shell was

just a mass of rust and had no doors, bonnet, boot

lid or windows, and all of the interior was missing.

Thinking back to that day when I viewed it, the

more I crept around the car poking and prodding

the sensible side of me kicked in telling me not to

take on such a mammoth task, but, as I’ve already

said I like to be creative and take on a challenge.”

With the sorry looking Corsair awoken from its

slumber and pulled carefully from its resting place,

it got snuggly tucked up into Perry’s garage in

readiness for what laid ahead. “I struggled like mad

to get a pair of decent doors,” he remembers. “The

only saving grace was while the search progressed

there was plenty of other jobs to be getting on

with.” Despite languishing in a barn for many

years, on closer inspection, the shell was found

to be in pretty good shape with no replacement

panels needed and requiring only minimal welding

to the floorpan to get the car in shape. “I also

fitted the full roll cage which is welded in place

so adds extra strength to the car, plus it looks

good!.” With the cage neatly in place, attention

See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine

017

CORSAIR

turned to some bodywork.

“I really wanted to add my own touches when

it came to the bodywork,” smiles Perry. “Both the

front and rear spoilers are my own unique design

and are a complete one-off.” We have to say they

suit the lines of the car, so well. The smooth curves

on the front leading from the wings to the lower

valance continue the lines of the wings ‘V’ shape.

Mixing this in with the de-bumpered smooth front

panel, the black light surrounds and slated grill

(complete with V8 badge) gives the front of this

Corsair a real mean look, without being too over the

top. The same can also be said to that of the rear.

Step out back, and here you will see that ‘Perry’s

fair hands’ and eye for detail are displayed with

the rear spoiler. Although, it has a straight flat end,

it flows elegantly between the pointed rear lamps

right down to the flawless rear valance where, if

you crouch down you’ll spy the rectangle tailpipe

which releases the roar of the V8.

Well, you all know going by that badge on the

front that resting under the gleaming grey bonnet

lurks a throbbing V8 and this one looks right at

home! It’s a widely used engine that goes back

decades, with Perry’s choice being a fully rebuilt

3900cc Rover unit fed by a 390 Holly carb (with a

secondary vacuum.) Spent gases exit through the

twin four-branch tubular manifold before escaping

down the 2.5” twin stainless system. Mated to

the Rover lump is an LT77 5-speed box borrowed

from a Rover SDI propelling the prop to the fullwidth

Atlas axle with ZX slipper and +3.09 gearing.

“The power it produces is my most favourite thing

about the car, well, that and the looks and how

well it drives and handles with all the mods” adds

Perry. Hidden inside, under the covers are a pair

of fast road cams ensuring the valves are timed

to perfection. ARP bottom studs ensure things are

kept tightly together while 8Ibs has been shaved off

the flywheel. Sitting proudly on top of the carb is a

shiny pancake air filter. Elsewhere, some finishing

touches come by way of blue silicone hoses and

an alloy radiator (with matching shrouding.) The

slam panel and the homemade strut brace, helping

to keep the car on the straight and narrow. Getting

the Corsair sitting better than someone having their

portrait painted, is looked after by a coilover set up

at the front with coilovers and leaf springs out at

the business end, putting the car a reasonable 2.5”

closer to the ground.

The brake set up is another area where Perry

used his head, seeing the fronts gain uprated discs

and calipers from the experts at Wilwood and the

standard rear drums being binned in favour of a

more robust rear disc conversion making sure this

motor stops quicker than a Nunn walking into a pub!

Wheel choice now, you can take your pick

from no end of styles, and sitting snug under the

Corsair’s arches are one of the best looking OEM

rims (taken from a three-door Sierra Cosworth)

which look just perfect. Liking all of this? Wait until

you sit inside, as this is definitely one place you’d

love to be! Perry has gone for a pure race car look


FROM THE COVER


CORSAIR


FROM THE COVER


021

CORSAIR

(and feel) to keep the weight down while making

it functional. Taking pride of place are the retrolooking

Recaro seats taken from a Vauxhall Astra

GTE, which is a nice change to the more common

Escort RS attire. Once you’re seated, reach over

each shoulder and strap yourself firmly in place

courtesy of the blue TRS 3-point harnesses.

If you ask Perry nicely enough and are handed

the keys to take this bad boy for a B-road blast,

then jump in quickly! Grab hold of the deep-dished

suede steering wheel and select first gear (with the

alloy gearstick) before gently releasing the clutch

and planting your right foot on the power pedal!

While you are in the hot seat, glance to the right

and you’ll see the neat fabricated bracket holding

the three reservoir bottles, housing the front and

rear brake and clutch fluids.

Mounted centrally and in good eyesight of

whoever is piloting this weapon of a car, there’s

an alloy panel housing a bank of RMD gauges

comprising of a speedo, oil pressure, fuel level

and water temp with rev counter mounted on the

dash top. So, here we have it, a rare Corsair (with

added grin factor) saved from ending its days stuck

in a cold, dark barn and built in a garage at home

by one extremely talented man. “I love to modify

Fords,” Perry says with a smile. “Especially the

two-door variety, they just look more sporty to me!”

When you take in how breathtaking this retro Ford

is, it’s hard to believe it took just eight months to

put together. “The car was built entirely by me with

help from my sons and brother,” Perry added.

Living proof that with a well thought and planned

out vision, you can turn any car into something

rather special! Special is something we love to see

at RetroFord towers. n

TECH SPEC

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION:

Fully rebuilt Rover 3900cc V8, 390 Holly

carb, fast road cams, lightened flywheel,

twin four branch tubular manifolds, 2.5”

stainless system, LT77 5-speed Rover SDI

gearbox, single-piece prop, full-width Atlas

axle with ZX slipper

CHASSIS:

15” Sierra RS Cosworth wheels, 195/55/15

Sunny tyres, Coilover front struts, Coilover

rear with leaf springs, Wilwood front discs

& calipers, rear disc conversion, adjustable

TCAs, front strut brace

INTERIOR:

Full-weld in roll cage, Astra GTE Recaro

seats, TRS 3 point harnesses, chequer

plate floors, passenger footrest, race-style

door panels, dash-mounted brake bias &

clutch fluid pots, RMD gauges, rev counter,

hydraulic handbrake, alloy gearstick, race

pedals, deep-dish steering wheel

EXTERIOR:

Grey paintwork, home fabricated front & rear

spoilers, de-bumpered, blacklight surrounds,

slatted grill.

THANKS:

“I would like to thank my brother for his

help with the steering, my sons for the initial

stripping down, my wife for me spending

so much time in the garage and Dean at

Pipecraft for the stainless exhaust.”

Q&A

MOST TALKING POINT OF THE CAR:

“About my choice of rims & how well they

fill the arches.”

ANY FUTURE PLANS:

“I hope to build another retro, maybe a

Cortina or a Pop.”

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY FORD WHAT

WOULD IT BE:

“A 1950s pick up truck.”

022

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Close to London’s M25 and M11

CAPRI

WORDS: DAVID FORD PICS: JORDAN JAMESON

SELF PROMISE

WITH A LOVE FOR FORD COUPES, JORDAN JAMESON SAVED THIS

CAPRI FROM HEADING TO THE SCRAPYARD...


FROM THE COVER

Let’s go… >>>>>


027

CAPRI


FROM THE COVER

The Capri 50th celebrations may be

over, but here at RetroFord we still

bring you the best out there and the

one featured here is an absolute peach!

Take your time to read and look at just

how amazing this Capri is. Even more so, is that

owner Jordan Jameson has done all of the work on

this build himself. The only assistance he received

was for tasks that required two pairs of hands. No

open blank cheque book with companies taking

the credit just a real deep passion from a young lad

for all thing cars. “I’ve spent most of my life being

brought up surrounded by cars,” says the 22-yearold

electrician from North Cornwall. “When I was

younger, my parents had a garage, so I spent my

weekends and summer holidays there playing with

whatever I could get my hands on.”

Although, still holding a flame for motors, Jordan

went in a different direction spending the remainder

of his teen years getting into electronics and

computers, and when he was old enough to drive,

cars came back on the scene.

“My first car was a 1994 VW Polo 1000cc

‘bread van’. Not the quickest set of wheels but a

half-decent start!.” The Capri is, in fact, Jordan’s

very first Ford, which he got not long after his

19th birthday. “I just love the shape of the Mk3,”

he tells us. “I remember my dad telling me about

the ones he had in his teenage years, and the fun

they gave him. Sadly, he passed away before he

had the chance to finish a 2.8i project he’d been

working on, so I felt even more inspired to build

myself a Capri.” Found on eBay almost four years

ago the car, a 1600 Laser was located in Somerset.

“Unfortunately, the car was in deplorable condition.

The shell was how I’d describe as being highly

caked in primer with signs of extremely poor

bodywork,” Jordan says with a look of horror. “It

had been de-bumpered, smoothed door handles,

a partially stripped interior (with household carpet)

and eBay special bucket seats. It had no usable

engine with tired suspension and drivetrain.”

As much as Jordan likes pristine original cars,

the Capri was already far from being that. Rather

than returning it to standard, he decided to revert

most of the modifications the previous owner had

done and put his own stamp on it. “The main

reason for taking this route was I knew having a

standard 1600 Laser would never be something I’d

want, so it ticked all the boxes,” he said.

Deal struck and money handed over, the sorry

looking old Ford was heading to its new home for

some well-deserved love and attention. Little did

it know just how much it would evolve over the

next few years. Starting with the basics of getting it

back on the road, Jordan rolled up his sleeves and

got stuck into restoring and modifying this once

stunning car.

“Luckily, I have amazing grandparents, who

slowly allowed me to take over more and more

of their old chicken shed, which I have turned in

to a fully-fledged workshop!” Having functional,

usable space is such a bonus when undertaking


029

CAPRI

a project, and in Jordan’s case, this helped no

end. It enabled him good access all around the car

without the hassle of having to keep moving it out

then in again.

The Capris first incarnation saw the undoing of

all the previous alterations done by the previous

owner. Jordan was ready to inject some life back

into this once great car. Jordan entrusted some

help from friends and family on the first journey in

reaching how the car is today. Family and friends

all rolled their sleeves up and helped with various

repairs and bits of fabrication. Welding and

fitting replacement panels came together nicely

before Jordan reached the stage of prepping and

painting. Looking spanking in its new hue, which

Jordan tells us is a custom mix of Ford Signal

Yellow and Amber.

Paint dry, in the went the freshly built 2000cc

Pinto along with some other choice mods, “I went

for easy mods to start with so I could use the car.

Suspension wise, I fitted a full poly bush kit, front

lowering springs, 2.8i single leaf springs. Custom

made front strut brace and gas bonnet lifting struts.

Inside was made more comfortable with Carla

interior trim taken from an early 2.8i Capri.”

Jordan told us he loved every minute building his

Capri but, alas as, like most of us retro Ford nuts

you get used to either the looks, power or handling

and are forever chasing after more, this is what our

Jordan succumbed to. “Don’t get me wrong I loved

the Pinto, they are great engines but being honest

I got bored of it,” he says. “Plus, to extract any

amount of reasonable power from it, you’d have to

spend a fair bit of cash and not gain much more

power.” As many of you might now be thinking,

there are a good few engine choices out there be it

a Ford or others, but none of these would suppress

Jordan’s appetite. Open the long bulged bonnet and

gasp at the sight which beholds you, as for here

rests a throbbing 2.9 24v Cosworth BOA with not

just one, but two! Yes, count them two whopping

big Audi A4 K03 turbos strapped to either side.

Not leaving out anything else, Jordan opted for

a trusty type-9 five-speed gearbox which involved

fitting a 2.8 cross member. Keeping this red hot

engine nice and cool comes by way of a 2.8

upgraded Coolex aluminium radiator with electric

fan. Elsewhere, neatly horned in the bay, feast your

eyes on the self-fabricated exhaust manifolds joined

to both turbos. If they don’t grab your attention,

check out all the boost pipes and the 2.5” stainless

downpipes, again all handcrafted by Jordan. The

high standard of work that has been ploughed into

this Capri is mind-blowing stuff, taking craftsmanship

to a whole new level and to think this has been done

by someone who is just 22 years of age. Is there

anything this lad can’t turn out?

“Well, funny, you should say that,” he laughs.

“When I’m not spending time on this I have a 1989

Mk2 VW Golf with a 1.8 20VT engine that I’ve fully

built myself from the engine and fabrication to

the bodywork and paint.” So, it’s not just the Ford

scene that needs to be watching, the VW crew need


FROM THE COVER


CAPRI

too as well!

A hell of a lot of graft so far with many manhours

spent trying different things until perfection

is reached; however, as Jordan explains, it’s

been a matter of trial and error. “A lot of the parts

used came down to what I’ve visualised in my

head, either by how practical they would be or

by recommendations. As with any big project,

you learn what works and what doesn’t. Take the

turbos, for example, many people have and do build

twin-turbo Cosworth Capris, but not using the parts

which I’ve selected. When I came across the ECU,

it was one I wanted to use ever since I discovered it

as it worked out cheaper than others on the market.

Being built out of electronics, I’d previously spent

years playing with, it was an easy choice to make.

My Capri, the first-ever Speeduino powered twinturbo

Cosworth engine.”

This Capri has come a hell of a long way so far,

but Jordan is the first to admit that there are still a

few miles to go with more improvement to come.

“The car is forever evolving,” he smiles. “Primarily,

the transmission needs upgrading now to take the

power that she’ll soon be producing. Plans are afoot

including an RX8 gearbox, LSD and single piece

prop. The brakes are in for more stopping power

and to improve resistance to heat soak, so the

wheels will go bigger to allow for bigger discs and

calipers along with new suspension all round.”

From day one, until now, the last three and a

half years have seen Jordan working endlessly in

building one of the finest Capris in the retro Ford

scene, and there’s no question about it, he has

achieved that, and there’s still more to come!

“I’d be lying if I said it’s been plain sailing,” he

winks. “I’d like to say it has, but being my first

ever project and a large one at that, it’s been a

learning curve. The more I learn, the more things

can become complicated, and I keep giving myself

headaches, by setting new challenges with the

turbo conversion and tuning being the hardest so

far. However, with groups like Capri World, there is

always plenty of people willing to help.” That’s what

the scene should be about, putting heads together

and helping other like-minded enthusiasts.

As many headaches that Jordan gave himself

mixed in with all the drama, blood sweat and tears

came a good few laughs along the way. “Well,

what I’m about to tell you, had a bit of drama

and tears although eventually, it was something

I could sort of laugh about. The first engine I put

in the car, which was the Pinto lived a short life

and didn’t even make it onto the road. Without

knowing anything about said engine all I’d done

was clean up what was an old engine which had

a high lift cam.” We can tell by the expression on

Jordan’s face that things may not have ended well.

He continues, “I replaced the gaskets and got it

running, all without checking the condition of the

bottom end! While doing a ‘heavy’ footed test drive


up my grandparent’s lane, I soon learnt a valuable

lesson about bearing wear as the bottom end selfdestructed

and swiftly exited through the side of the

block and sump.”

We imagine that let go with a bit of a bang!

“Most wouldn’t have found it funny but the way I

see it, there’s no point dwelling about it, you just

have to live and learn from such things.”

Safe to say the second time around Jordan

checked and double-checked every inch of the

current engine.

As already said, it’s still very much a work in

progress. “The few occasions when I’m not in the

workshop with the car in bits I’ll be at a show. I’m

part of the Duchy Capri and Classic Ford Club, and

we attend local shows with the Cornwall Ford RS

show and Wadebridge wheels being the main ones

and other than those we take part in car runs.”

We like the sound of car runs, a great way to

stretch the Capris legs. “It attracts a lot of attention

just like many Classic Fords do. It is the striking

colour that draws people in, well that and the fact

that it’s not the quietest may have a lot to do with it!

It can take me an hour just filling up with fuel due

to the number of people who want a chat or to take

pictures. I love everything about the car,” smiles

Jordan, “Whatever angle I look at it from, I love

it! From the retro interior to the long bonnet and

distinctive curves of the body. The best part is the

engine, perfectly matched to the car and me.”

There you have it, man and machine in perfect

harmony. We often hear the phrase ‘Homebuilt’,

and without a doubt, Jordan and his unique Capri

must surely be right up there with the best. With

more planned this already fantastic car will be even

more so this year. Embarking on a build of such a

scale at a mere 19 years of age is unprecedented,

by a self-taught true retro Ford fanatic! This Capri

being his very first to roll out of the Jameson

workshop we ask ourselves what’s next? n

TECH SPEC

FROM THE COVER


2900cc Cosworth 24v BOA, twin Audi

A4 K03 turbos, Bosch 440cc injectors,

homemade boost pipes, manifolds &

downpipes, 2.8 Sportex exhaust system,

2.8 cross member, power steering, EFI

fuel system, 2.8 Coolex rad and electronic

fan, homemade front strut brace, battery

relocated in boot, homemade engine &

ECU looms, Speeduino ECU & Spartan 2

wideband 02 sensor, recon type nine fivespeed

gearbox.

CHASSIS:

JBW 13” RS replica four-spoke wheels,

205/60/13 Maxxis tyres, 190Ib -2” front

springs, standard shocks, alloy roller bearing

top mounts +1”, 2.8 single rear leaf springs,

standard shocks, rebuilt standard front

brakes and calipers, rebuilt standard rear

drums, Landrover 110 master cylinder, pair

of 3:1 remote servos, full poly bush kit.

INTERIOR:

Early 2.8 Capri Carla seats & door panels,

LED instrument cluster upgrade, Kicker

4”x6” door speakers, JBL 6”x9” rear

speakers, JBL GTO 4000 amps.

EXTERIOR:

A custom mix of Ford signal yellow with a

dash of Ford signal amber, rear spoiler.

Q&A

DREAM FORD:

Mk1 Escort Mexico

FAVOURITE PART OF THE CAPRI:

The looks

ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE

DIFFERENTLY:

Most things probably but I’m well pleased

how it’s turned out.


033

SEMA SHOW ‘19

SEMA SHOW ’19

WORDS: MIKE RYSIECKI PICS: MIKE RYSIECKI, FORD PERFORMANCE, SEMA SHOW, BRAND NEW MUSCLE CAR

As a member of international

judging panel for new products at

SEMA Show ’19, Mike Rysiecki had

a close up and personal view of

the latest automotive aftermarket

offerings from over 2400 exhibitors.

The SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market

Association) Show held in Las Vegas every

November is a legendary event showcasing

everything that is louder, faster and shinier about

cars. The annual gathering is where 161,000 trade

and media attendees spend 4 days checking out

the latest products and ideas for modifying cars

and pickup trucks. It is one of the few events

where current and classic, modern and retro sit

comfortably together and complement each other to

stimulate this multibillion-dollar industry. In parallel,

the AAPEX Show, further down the boulevard at the

Sands Expo deals with the even larger, essential

repair and maintenance side of the business.

Products featured at SEMA Show include those

designed to enhance the performance, styling,

functionality, comfort, convenience and safety of

cars and light trucks.

For Ford fans the fare is fulsome as the

performance aftermarket division of FoMoCo take

this event very seriously, inviting independent

vendors to build one-off show specials, as well as

displaying their own proprietary Ford Performance

products. 2019’s show was an event of extremes

with retro and future-tech taking equal but opposite

billing, alongside current model offerings. For lovers

of classic and retro there were ‘Original Venice

Crew’ recreations of the pioneering Mustang GT350,

new Eleanor body shells build off period correct VIN

donors and the reappearance of the Ford Bronco in

anticipation of a 2020 relaunch. Ford Performance

had gathered together ‘Bronco Alley’ to highlight the

competition heritage of this tough off-roader before

entering a new-build Bronco R in the 2019 Baja

500. To top off the Bronco revival Ford Performance

unveiled a restomod build of Jay Leno’s 1968

Bronco wagon. Built on a Kincer Adventure Series

coil-over chassis with Fox 2.0 factory race series

coil-over shocks, its supercharged Mustang GT500

V8 5.2 litre engine is coupled to a Tremec TR-4050

5-speed Silver Sport transmission and heavy-duty

4WD drivetrain.

Current model sports, SUV and pickup models

were presented on the central Ford stand in

modified forms by California Pony Cars - Ford

Mustang GT Fastback, Goodguys Rod & Custom

Association - 2.3 Ecoboost Ford Mustang

Convertible and 3 F-150 fully accessorised offroaders.

Escape, Explorer and Expedition examples

were also displayed each with a full complement of

in-house and independent aftermarket treatments.

Ford Rangers made their way to the 2019 SEMA

show with a wide range of personalised guises.

No surprise that the 2019 Ford Performance Parts

Ford Ranger in the new overlanding section was

chock-full of goodies designed to get adventurers

deep into the great outdoors. Highlights included


WE WERE THERE


035

SEMA SHOW ‘19


WE WERE THERE

a ‘rest-of-world’ Ranger Raptor-style Fox off-road

suspension levelling kit providing 2-inch front

lift over special Raptor wheels. “The automotive

aftermarket space continues to grow at a

tremendous pace from powerful street machines to

the latest trends in overlanding and off-road,” said

Eric Cin, global director, Ford Vehicle Personalization

and Accessories. With more than 50 vehicles on

their show stand, Ford featured the largest original

equipment manufacturer display at SEMA. Then

the all-action interactive experience from Ford Out

Front, offered attendees high-speed rides in Ford

Performance vehicles on a closed course.

There were two very special concept vehicles

on the main Ford stand in the Central Hall, one

from Webasto and another from Shelby. Built in

collaboration between Ford and Webasto, the

‘’Lithium’ all-electric Mustang project vehicle

generates more than 1000 ft.-lbs. of instant torque

and more than 900 horsepower for new levels

of performance and technology with its 800-volt

Webasto battery system and EVDrive technology.

Uniquely, the Mustang Lithium accelerates the next

generation of performance by including a 6-speed

manual transmission to go with its track handling,

stunning quarter-mile acceleration, instant electric

torque, and zero emissions. “Ford has made

no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our

most popular nameplates,” said Hau Thai-Tang,

Ford’s Chief Product Development and Purchasing

Officer. “This one-off Mustang prototype is a great

opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to

showcase to our customers what a new electrified

powertrain can do for performance in a car they

already know and love.” It was only days later that

Ford revealed their new Mach-E Mustang inspired

(and badged) SUV at the LA Auto Show for late 2020

availability.

Show-goers with a more conventional outlook on

their power source were probably relieved to see

the 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 Dragon Snake which

is a modern take on a proven Shelby philosophy.

During the 1960s, Shelby American offered a

drag racing version of the Shelby Cobra called

the “Dragon Snake.” Given the new Ford Shelby

GT500’s dual clutch transmission and strong 5.2L

engine, Shelby American reimagined Ford’s new

Mustang supercar for that same mission. Designed

for pure acceleration Shelby set out to create the

ultimate ‘weapon of track destruction’ in the quarter

mile by adding more power to the car (800 HP+),

revising the suspension for maximum grip during

straight line acceleration, retuning the dual clutch

transmission and modifying the bodywork. The most

controversial aspect of the car was a its flat windcheating

long tail extension.

Elsewhere through the halls and stands,

Mustangs dominated the muscle car exhibits with

spectacular new restomodified creations from the

likes of Ring Brothers, with their UNKL 1969 Mach

1 and Timeless Kustoms’ ‘Devious’ 1965 Mustang

Fastback with 750 hp Edelbrock supercharged


037

SEMA SHOW ‘19


WE WERE THERE

Coyote V8. Roush unveiled their most powerful

Mustang to date, the 2020 Jack Roush Edition. This

car is a limited edition honouring the company’s

founder - only 70 examples will be built. Based on

the 2020 Ford Mustang GT 5.0-liter V-8 with a new

supercharger, output of 775 horsepower and 670

pound-feet of torque, it has 15 hp and 45 lb-ft of

torque more than that claimed for the Shelby GT500.

Ford Performance very kindly provided a ‘rotisseried’

underside view of the latter for close inspection of

the running gear.

DeBerti Design of Pismo Beach displayed their

new ’61 Ford Econoline van on a right-hand drive

tube raceframe chassis which rides on AccuAir bag

suspension and is powered by a Whipple-blown 5.0

litre Coyote V8. Originally intended to be a ‘shop-rod’

parts delivery vehicle the build went way beyond

its original brief and now sports an amazing ‘rogue

look’ air brush design by Jay Werner.

The New Products Showcase is where over

3,000 never-before-seen products compete for the

judges’ attention to secure a Global Media Award

trophy. In addition to the Mustang winning overall

‘car of the show’, Ford won Global Media product

awards for their new F-150 supercharger, GT500

aluminium oil pan w/ pump kit, and black ‘Cammer’

style 5.0 Coyote coil covers. That means that street

and hot rod builders electing to use Ford’s current

generation 32-valve, variable-timing, quad-cam,

crate engine can retain a period-correct ‘classic’

appearance for their modern power unit. Restorers

of 1st generation 65-70 Mustangs will be also

interested in the latest version of R3 Performance

Products complete bodyshell which was presented

at SEMA Show in Eleanor guise, officially licenced by

both Ford and Denice Haliicki, Owner and Producer

of “Gone in 60 Seconds”. Roush Performance also

won a GMA for their 750 hp 2018-20 Phase 2

Mustang Supercharger kit.

It’s the most original products from smaller

independent, often family-run, businesses that

sometimes catch the judges’ attention. This year’s

innovative standouts included The Bracketeer’s

cleverly designed universal car fire extinguisher

bracket which won awards from 6 different judges.

An update to the world-renowned California Car

Duster Company’s long-handled range includes

a new 360-degree Platinum edition and a “why

didn’t I think of that?” prong-style Wheel Duster

which is perfect for keeping those complex multispoke

alloys in pristine condition. Green Filter USA,

a supplier and sponsor of Ford’s recent World

Endurance Championship GT program also extended

their award-winning range to include high-flow

intake filters to the Ford Ranger diesel derivatives.

As SEMA Shows go, this was one of the best.

Loud and brash as ever, SEMA Show ’19 culminated

in the traditional Friday evening spectacle when

the general public get to see the SEMA Cruise and

experience the show cars in action at the trade

show’s SEMA Ignited afters-party. n


039

FIESTA XR2

WORDS: DAVID FORD PICS: GREG CRAWFORD

REBORN TO LIVE

ANOTHER DAY

SPOTTED ON A DRIVEWAY LOOKING SORRY FOR ITS SELF,

THIS MK1 XR2 WAS CRYING OUT TO BE SAVED...


HOME BUILD

Let’s go… >>>>>


043

FIESTA XR2


HOME BUILD

We are lucky enough to get to see

some top-class old Fords here

at Retro towers and also get

to meet their friendly owners.

Whether an untouched factory

standard car or an all-out modified monster, we live

and breath old Fords here at RetroFord and all of

you who we get to meet share that same passion.

One prime example of this is Niall Maclachlan,

the proud owner of this stunning beauty you see

here. We wait for ages to see a Mk1 Fiesta XR2,

and when one pops up, it just happens to be one

of outstanding quality. Out of all of Fords XR range,

the little XR2 must be one of the rarest seen today.

Niall has done a splendid job with his example, and

he’s no stranger when it comes to retro Fords. “I

was 17 when I got my first car,” he says. “That was

a Mk3 Escort 1.3GL, a great motor. I then moved

on to the older stuff seeing me own a couple of

Mk1 Escort Mexicos, a Mk1 1300 GT and a couple

of Mk2 Escort 1600 Sports.” A mighty fine line up

which also saw a Mk2 XR2 and a 1.8 Sierra until it

rusted away. An old Ford rust? Never! “I’m not one

to be put off being faced with a challenge,” smiles

Niall. “I’ve previously restored a Mk3 XR3i so I kind

of know what it entails which is just as well as this

one needed a lot of work!”

The XR2 has been in Niall’s caring hands for

three and a half years now and has come such a

long way from the sorry state it was once in. “The

Fiesta was local to me and I’d also known a couple

of its previous owners. I first spotted it sitting on a

lads driveway and would always give it a glance

whenever passing.” Sadly by the time, Niall called

in to enquire about the car it had already sold!

However, not one to give up Niall kept his ear to the

ground and his eyes wide open in the hope that one

day he’d find its whereabouts once more. “By sheer

luck, I knew the lad who’d beat me to it so, I went

to see him and ask if he was thinking of selling it.

A couple of months he came back to me as he had

decided not to restore it.”

Happy days, after just missing out (the first

time) Niall could finally get his hands on it. “I really

wanted it as it’s a local car plus I’ve never owned

a Mk1 Fiesta before, My biggest inspiration in

owning it, is how rare it is, being the XR2 model.”


045

FIESTA XR2

Make no bones about it, this little pocket rocket

had been very neglected over the last few years

and needed a total full-on restoration. “The car had

already been stripped down to a bare shell and was

mounted on a rollover jig,” he tells us. “I dare say

many people would have turned and run a mile, but

cars like these need saving don’t they!” Never such

a true word was spoken, Niall, and who better than

to take on such a massive task than you.

“What I had was basically boxes of parts and a

rotten shell. It had sat outside for many years and

had not faired well at all,” he remembers. “The roof

around the sunroof opening had rusted through,

both outer sills and rear arches were rotten also,

and that was just the start of things as with further

poking around both front wings had rotted from

the inside out, along with the usual holes in the

inner sills and floor pans.” A long job ahead but

visualising just how grand this XR2 would be once

complete, is what really excited and drove Niall.

“It’s like anything such as this, the same as people

who renovate a house. You can’t just look at it how

it is at that time, always picture it as how you want

it to be.” At first, the plan was to restore the Fiesta

to standard spec and in light of this Niall had started

gathering the parts to do this. It was going well, but

with a struggle in sourcing some essential parts,

Naill headed in a new direction, he explains, “I just

couldn’t locate a good set of the rear plastic arch

covers which are part of the body kit. I even tried

searching for those from the Supersport all to no

avail.” For those of you that don’t know, the Mk1

XR2 came with plastic arch extensions along with a

front lip spoiler. “I found myself looking at pictures

online, which brought me on to some of the Mk1

Fiesta forums. On seeing a few with wider arches,

and 7” wheels fitted my mind was made up, so I

ditched the search for the kit!”

With the direction decided, it was time to tackle

the shell and get it back in tip-top shape. Out

came the welder, with Niall spending many hours

painstakingly fettling the replacement panels on.

“New front wings went on along with inner and

outer sills, an excellent second-hand scuttle panel

was grafted on too. “I welded up and made good all

the holes in the floor.”

You’ll recall a moment ago on how bad the


HOME BUILD


FIESTA XR2


HOME BUILD

sunroof opening was, well Niall managed to find a

non-sunroof roof skin. A delicate task in unpicking

the original but still less work than patching up the

sunroof area none the less. “Fitting of that and the

painting was taken care of by Finlay Cameron at

a local paint shop I use,” he tells us. “Pretty much

everything else I tackled myself in the garage at

home with the scariest part being the fitting of the

MCR fibreglass arches.”

Now, we know what some of you may be

thinking here, why not leave the wings standard

minus the XR2 arches and save cutting up the new

wings! Well, let’s be honest the originals were far

beyond repair so, starting off with a rotten shell it

makes sense for Niall to put his own stamp on the

car, after all, he’s the only person who has to like it.

“I even tubbed the rear arches to allow the 7” rims

to fit nice and snug.” That’s dedication for you!

With the sleek body really taking shape

attention turned to the handling goodies, with Niall

approaching none other than Steve ‘Fodda’ Harris

of Outlaw Motorsport. Steve makes and supplies

some rather ‘tasty’ parts for Fiestas and is well

known in Fiesta circles. “Outlaw supplied a kit

comprising of new shocks and -50mm lowering

springs. It’s a great piece of kit, I also ordered a full

poly bush kit and rear adjustable Panhard rod too.

I can’t recommend Outlaw enough, the quality is

spot on and very reasonably priced.”

All other suspension components have either

been replaced with new or had the existing items

powder-coated making it all as good as new. The

tired braking system was next in line to be spoilt,

seeing brand new front discs and calipers and new

drums, shoes and cylinders out at the rear. With

the final piece of the braking jigsaw being a new

master cylinder and brake lines throughout, all

being done to standard spec. As each part slotted in

to place the end was getting closer.

“The more that got done, the more excited I

got,” Niall grins. “Each step brought it nearer to

being finished.”

This brings us to the real fun! The engine and

running gear. On inspection it was decided that

the trusty little 1600 X-Flo engine didn’t need a full

rebuild, however, to play safe it got a replacement


049

FIESTA XR2

oil pump, fuel pump, alternator and all necessary

pipework replaced. The car also and a complete

silicon hose kit fitted before getting a coat of paint

to brighten things up. The gearbox hadn’t fared too

well after being left outside as a garden ornament,

so that was whisked away for a full rebuild before

being treated to a fresh paint job. It’s a real joy to

look in the engine bay, everything fits perfectly from

the black and silver finned ‘Burton’ rocker cover

to the twin 40-Dellorto carbs, barking away on full

chat, to the shiny manifold and exhaust system

supplied by Emmit Flanagan. He runs a modified

Fiesta over in Southern Ireland, and it’s been done

the proper old Skool way! But even before you get

to take in the wonders of that, it’s the outside that

grabs your attention more than anything. For starters,

the fitment of the arches is second to none, and they

blend in so well with the front lip spoiler, and if you

look closely, the eagle-eyed among you may spot the

early Fiesta spec skinny bumpers. “I went for those

as I prefer the look over the originals,” smiles Niall.

“I made the quarter bumpers out of a second-hand

front bumper and added new indicators.” Again,

the quality of work is top class and a real credit to

Niall. “I’ve also fitted new lights with the rears being

aftermarket ones as originals were far too expensive

and the fronts are Mk1 Escort items as I just couldn’t

find the correct XR2 lamps. To look at you’d never

know. It’s all the little detailed bits like those which

make such a massive difference to the finishing

touches of any project, knowing you can improvise

gives great satisfaction.

“I’ve loved every minute of the three and a half

years that the project has so far taken,” says Niall

grinning from ear to ear. “It’s like building a big

Meccano set, slowly fixing it all together, finding

little tricks to getting jobs done and searching for

those hard to find parts. It all adds to the fun, I

think.” Talking about fun, there was some to be

had in between the hard toil of undertaking such

a build. “One thing springs to mind,” laughs Niall.

“My wife and I had talked through what colour to

get it painted, and we agreed it would have to be

Ford Performance Blue, the one that the modern

Mk7 ST comes in. We even had the paint delivered

to the paint shop. However, after speaking with

Finlay (before starting), I changed my mind and

went for black, but I didn’t tell my wife!”

“I was working away at the time, so she had to

drop off the doors and bonnet. On seeing the car,

it gave her a shock that he’d painted it the wrong

colour! We had a right giggle although she still says

to this day that it should be blue.”

Everyone needs some light-hearted moments

during a big build. “I’m glad to say the car didn’t

really throw up any major headaches, the welding

was my biggest challenge, but I learnt as I went

along. Any minor issues were solved with help

from members on the various Facebook Fiesta

group pages, so I thank all those people along with

everyone else who was involved. I would like to

thank my wife, Ann, for putting up with me! Finlay

Cameron Auto repairs, HBR fro the powder coating

and my brother in law Kenny.”

It just goes to show no matter what you’re faced

with, time and hard work can evolve a car (which was

near to being scraped) being reborn to live another

day. For now, all that remains is for Niall to get out and

enjoy the Fiesta he always wanted and planned. n


TECH SPEC

HOME BUILD


1600 X-Flo, twin 40 Dellorto carbs, uprated

cam, silicone hose kit, Standard 4 speed

manual, standard clutch

CHASSIS:

7x13” JBW RS 4 spoke replicas in RWD

offset, Nankang 175/50/13 tyres, Outlaw

Motorsport -50mm springs, new shocks,

full poly bush kit, adjustable Panhard rod,

Replacement standard front discs and

calipers, replacement standard rear drums

and shoes, all new pipes throughout.

INTERIOR:

Standard Mk1 XR2, replacement driver’s

seat, fully valeted inside, radio cassette

player just for show.

EXTERIOR:

Finished in black, MCR wide arches, front

lip spoiler, sunroof delete, early Mk1 skinny

bumpers with homemade front quarter

bumpers, replacement

front and rear lamps, spotlights.

OWNER

NAME:

Niall Maclachlan

LOCATION:

Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland

OCCUPATION:

Lorry Driver

AGE:

50

FIRST FORD:

Mk3 Escort

FANTASY FORD:

Mk1 Escort RS2000

Q&A

WHAT DO YOU BEST ENJOY ABOUT THE

CAR?

Being saved from the scrapyard, the fun

driving it and the looks it gets.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Engine out for a rebuild, may go to 1700cc

with a 5-speed box


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RESTORATION

WORDS & PICS: JOHN WAIDE

KEEPING A

LEGEND ALIVE

“I DIDN’T KNOW THEY MADE A WHITE JPS, IT MUST BE A FAKE!”

Let’s go… >>>>>


061

MK2 CAPRI


RESTORATION

Ford introduced the John Player Special

Limited edition, (known as the JPS) in

March 1975. Available only in Black

or White, the JPS featured yards of

Gold pinstriping to mimic the Formula

1 livery, Gold coloured wheels and a bespoke

upgraded interior of “Gold Rialto” cloth to the

seats and beige carpet trimmed with black.

Paul told us his story of how he came to own

the White JPS, “I retired last year at the age of 62,

taking early retirement after I worked for a local print

firm doing 12-hour shifts, days and nights for over

22 years. My first car was Ford Anglia 105 with a

997 engine at 17 in which I learned to drive, along

with my sister. Following this my Ford ownership

consisted of, an Anglia, one Capri Mk1 1600 GT,

three Cortina’s (Mk3,4 and 5), Cortina 1600E, Capri

2.8i injection Special, a Capri Mk2 2000 Ghia and

my current Capri Mk2 1600 GTS JPS. My everyday

car is also a Ford in the way of a Mondeo. I have

been a show co-coordinator for Leeds Capri club

since the early ‘90s.”

“My story starts around April 1993 while at one

of the local meetings of our club Leeds Capri club,

I let it be known that I was on the lookout for a new

project, but it had to be a Mk2. I was running a 2.0

Ghia Mk2 at the time. The middle of May came, and

the phone went, it was one of the members saying

in the local Wakefield paper a guy was selling a Mk2

JPS, but it was in white so I thought it must have

been repainted as they were all black”.

“I got the number of him and phoned straight

away only to be told someone was coming in the

morning at 9:30, but he would ring me after he had

been. I thought if I could get his address (which he

gave me) I could get up early the next day and could

get there before this guy did. I set off in the morning

rush hour - 45mins to do seven miles! I got there

bang on 08:30am, only to see the other chap driving

off, but I knew the person! I still knocked on the door

and was answered by a frail gentleman. I told him I

was here to see the Capri. He asked me did I know

the other person, so I said yes, I do. He said he was

only here five minutes made an offer and left.”

“I asked if the car could be moved away from

the side off the house to check it out, more than the

other guy did the owner said. After half an hour, I

needed some expert help on identifying what was

sat in front of me, so mobile out, I phoned Kevin

Hickling from the Mk2 register (of which I am a


063

MK2 CAPRI

member.) He asked me for the chassis number

which I gave him. He said, “you have a very rare

1.6 GT Special in white, we call it the JPS.” I kept

phoning Kevin for over the next hour for more

information, and he was telling me things it should

have, and I kept saying yes it’s got this and that. I

then knocked on the door to ask where the interior

was as it was not in the car at the time. That’s in

my conservatory come and look. It was all there,

threadbare, but all there. The car is a GT/Special as

on all the logbooks, and on the VIN tag under the

bonnet it says JP/Special.”

“It was all down to the price, the price in the

paper was £650 so with £600 in one back pocket

and £50 in my other we sat and talked awhile. He

gave me more information about it, letting me know;

he was only the second owner. I said hopefully I

would be third and final, but before I had the chance

to make an offer, he asked what I was going to do

with the car. It has to go back on the road no matter

what! In that case, the price is £350; he told me.

To say I was gobsmacked was an understatement.

He said the other guy made me that offer to take

the car away, but all he wanted was the wheels,

suspension and interior and scrap the rest. I agreed

on his price, and it became mine! My next job was

getting the car home, only seven miles up the M1. I

borrowed one of those two-wheeled dollies from a

friend, that was one hairy drive home! As of the 23rd

June 1999, I became the owner of ‘RGJ 603P’ a

Capri Mk2 1600 GTS in white.

I have since learned that the car was first

purchased by Pipin Productions in South London

and then in 1977 bought by the second owner who

had the car until 1991. Therefore I am only the third

owner of this delightful Capri.”

“To be honest, the car was in poor condition

when I got it back. The engine was seized although

the gearbox was ok, as was the back axle. The

seats were threadbare, but thankfully the wiring was

ok. I started collecting everything Mk2 related from

all over the country. A curveball came 18 months

later in the form of a brand new shell which had

been sat in Northampton bus depot for 23 years.

The owner was retiring so the shell was up for sale

in a Ford magazine. To cut a long story short, it was

purchased by someone I knew and was then offered

to me at a ridiculous sum of £600! It also included a

pair of front wings (Mk2, of course,) this came up for

sale on 18th December 2001. Excellent, I thought,

no welding to do! We could proceed to paint the

underside. The topside was covered in a sticky

black substance which I know now as diesel fumes

so two gallons of gunk later and it was cleaned.”

“From 1999 to 2008 it sat in my garage with bits

done here and there. The only way this was going

to get done was for me to sell my 2.8 Injection

special. The engine bay was top coated on the 1st

January 2008. On the 8th February 2009, she was

top coated in Diamond White cellulose and rolled out

of the garage. I had set a target of the Wonderland

show with Mansfield/Notts Capri club. Parts all over

the workshop, some of getting powder coated.

064


RESTORATION


065

MK2 CAPRI

TECH SPEC

ENGINE

Standard 1.6, Four-branch manifold

SUSPENSION

All standard

WHEELS

JPS Ronal Alloys 51/2 x 13, different from

the RS as the centre caps are 63mm, and

the RS is 70mm.

SEATS

JPS Standard re-covered in Gold Rialto and

Black vinyl outer.

AUDIO

Standard radio apart from an MP3 adapter

(Radio reception not that good)

MODIFICATIONS

Due to the rarity of this car, Paul felt he

couldn’t do any modifications.

066


RESTORATION

Reconditioned time was moving fast, on the 20th

May she went for her MOT and passed with flying

colours. Home and taxed, she was legal again. I had

nine days to get everything done to get her to the

show. Many times while getting close to finishing

the car, I would come home after a 12-hour shift

(7am–7pm.) I would go into the garage and start

work on the car, only for my wife to ring me and

tell me it was 1am! Unfortunately, I didn’t get time

to put the side stripes on or fit the original seats as

they were so threadbare, so I found a complete set

from a Capri S.

I was very impressed with the car as it towed

my caravan down to the show with ease, and we

stayed for the whole weekend and drove home with

no problems at all. We had a club stand with about

eight cars on the stand. The striping kit came for me

at Christmas that year, 85.5 meters of striping which

went on in March the following year in time for the

Lancaster bomber run. In February 2011, I had to

finally give in and get a brand new set made from a

company in Holland. Covers alone cost £1,500 but

worth it when I got them back (my wife didn’t think

so at the time). There are still more jobs I want to

do to the car but, she has been on the road since

May 2009, so everything is a ‘work in progress’ as

she travels the country. I have just got the correct

headlining in Black, which is going in later in the

year with a new screen rubber. We have been all

over the country doing all the shows that Duchy

Capri and Classic Ford Club have done, most of the

time collecting ‘Furthest Travelled’ prizes.

In 2016, we did the Duchy Show again. We had

to go to Landsend for the obligatory photo at the

signpost. In 2019 (being the anniversary of the

Capri) we went to Weston-Super-Mare with the Mk2

register, the Duchy Show in Newquay, CCI Nationals

at Evesham and Mk2 Nationals at Luton.

At shows, I often get comments about the colour

‘no way, they only came in Black, it must be a fake’,

but most people are impressed. When I was in

Cornwall people would ask where my trailer is, and

are greatly surprised when I tell them I drove all the

way in the Capri.”

“I would like to say a big thank you to my wife for

been understanding while I spent all those hours in

the garage. Kevin Hickling from the Mk2 Register.

Martin Pawson at Capri Gear for finding all those

silly pieces I needed and Trevor Harrison at Midas

Touch for all the powder coating. Bygone Decals

(NZ) for the stripe kit (the car is on their website ),

Richard Hoegee Auto Trimmers in Holland (who did

the seats) and my daughter Tracy who helped out

with all the lifting and pulling putting the car back

together. Last but not least Leeds Capri Club for all

the enthusiasm to keep me going when the going

got tough.”

Paul has taken on the task of “Keeping a Legend

Alive” as he found out that at the time there was

only one other on the road. The car is now 90%

finished, and he is hoping to complete it soon.

“It’s the silly little things that are the hardest to

find, and I just love getting in and driving it!” n


067

CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW

LANCASTER

INSURANCE

CLASSIC MOTOR

SHOW

WORDS & PICS: ANDY ELLUS

It is that time of year again when Classic

car enthusiasts descend on the NEC in

Birmingham for the 35th anniversary of the

Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show.

This year over 71,000 people attended over

the three-day event. This event is the worlds most

significant Classic vehicle club events featuring

3,000 vehicles and 300 clubs. As well as a vast

array of car clubs from all the different marques

and models there is restoration companies, dealers,

service providers, suppliers, auctions, celebrities,

live features and the biggest autojumble in the UK.

One of the stands belonged to guy called Russell

Lord who for the past 45 years has been a diamond

mounter. Russell has made a bejewelled model

of a Mk2 Escort crafted from platinum, silver and

gold! The headlights and spotlights are all made


WE WERE THERE


069

CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW


WE WERE THERE

from diamonds, mudflaps and arch protectors are

made from over 650 black Russian diamonds. The

wheels are made from 18-carat yellow gold. This

car is to be auctioned off for children’s charities in

December. Russell has now started work on his next

model which will be a Mk1 Escort

Ford marques were very well represented.

A couple of clubs who caught our eye were the

EscortRS2000.com (www.escortrs2000.com or

search for Ford Escort RS2000 on Facebook.)

The club was founded by RS2000 specialist Alan

Sherwood, and the club has over 6,500 followers

on Facebook, they had four stunning examples on

display. These belonged to admin Martin Piggin

who owns a Signal Amber example, Phill Warsop’s

is Signal Yellow, Jason Taylor’s is Diamond White,

and Kev Cannon’s is also Signal Yellow (but with

an authentic ‘80s black vinyl roof.) Next is the Ford

Cortina Mk1-5 Club. This stand was organised by

Adrian Bowler who had his own Mk5 Cortina 1.6GL

on show, over cars of note on this stand were Chris

Lewis’ Mk4 Cortina 2.0 Ghia, Lee Brown’s Mk5

Cortina 1.6LS, and last but certainly least was Les

Bates’ stunning Mk5 SA 3.0 Cortina.

Silverstone Auctions held an auction on both

Saturday and Sunday, there were some very

interesting Retro Fords up for grabs. A 1983

RS1600i in Sunburst Red with 33,984 miles which

sold for £30,375, a 1965 Ford Lotus Cortina which

sold for £51,750. There were a couple of Mk2

RS2000’s, the first was a 1980 Custom model

finished in Cordoba Beige with 30,405 miles on

the clock this sold for £37,125. The second being

another 1980 Custom but this time in Venetian Red


071

CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW


WE WERE THERE

and sold for £37,000. A 1972 Ford Escort Twin

Cam went for £49,500 and a 1972 Ford Escort

Mk1 RS1600 sold for £58, 500. Two series two

RS Turbos was in the auction both finished in Red.

The first one up was left-hand drive - this one,

however, didn’t sell but did have a buy it now price

of £16,000. The second one did sell. This was a

low mileage example with only 29,000 miles on the

clock, it went for £27,900. These were all stunning

cars, but the car that sold for the most was a Jaguar

XJ220 which sold for £362,812!

Another old Ford which took our eye here at

Retro Towers was a 1978 Mk1 Ford Transit V4

1.7Ltr Van Caravanette. It was fully restored this

year but turned into a pickup with an F100 rear end.

It now has a V4 2ltr power plant. It had over 300

man-hours of work that went into it, to get it to this

condition. On the Tickford owners stand, we saw

something we’d never seen before…. a Tickford

Capri. Not rare, you might say, but this one was a

one-off! It was finished in Green! Not British Racing

Green though, even the wheels were green. This

particular car was build number 27 of the planned

100 they planned to build, but 106 were built during

the time frame along with four prototypes models.

The list of stunning cars at this great event is

endless (as you can see from the pictures), and all

we can say is watch out for next year’s date, which

will be announced very soon. Make a note and

space in your diary for it as it will be another great

event. n


073

INTRODUCTION

CAPRI WORLD:

INTRODUCTION

WORDS: PAUL WILSHAW

Capri World is a Facebook group

founded in 2013 by Paul Wilshaw,

who is a long-standing Capri

enthusiast. “I wanted to create

an easily accessible social media

platform for owners, enthusiasts and fans of the

Capri which would supplement the then-existing

internet forums.”

MODELS COVERED?

We cover all the Capri models from 1969

through to the last of the Mk3, the 280, in 1987.

There is no exclusion. Standard, modified, projects

we have them all.

WHAT DOES CAPRI WORLD OFFER

TO MEMBERS?

We are a non-profit group run by a small group

of enthusiasts. The group aims to develop and

build a friendly network of like-minded members,

to share the experience of ownership, mechanical

support and knowledge. Parts sourcing and of

course, photos of members Capris’. The group

has been nominated twice in a National Classic Car

Club Awards.

We have added several automotive business

partners to our network which offer exclusive

member discounts including Insurance providers,

parts suppliers and restoration companies. We

have our own range of merchandise which includes

a clothing range, club decals and badges. Capri

World special Capri 50th anniversary decals have

been a real success with all proceeds going to the

St David’s Foundation Hospice. This was nominated

by one of the admin team, Ian Evans.

MEMBERSHIP:

The growth of the group has been phenomenal,

at the moment we have over 25,000 members in

the group, which is growing all the time. Members

are predominately UK based but, we have a

worldwide following. The group has members

in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South

America, USA and Europe all united by a passion

for the Capri.

Due to the success of Capri World, we have

also developed sister groups, including Classic

and Retro Ford World and Capri World Business

Services. We also have Capri World (North America)

covering the Federal Capris as well as a show and

event page.

SHOWS/EVENTS/MEETS:

We have hosted several charity meets and

get-togethers to raise funds for various causes,

including Birmingham Children’s Hospital, with

more in the pipeline. Planning is underway for

our fourth Capri World RAF Cosford Run in August

2020.

Our members are very active in various local

Capri clubs and attend events throughout the show

season. 2019 was extremely busy as we celebrated

the Capris’ 50th anniversary. n

CLUB ESSENTIALS:

Membership costs:

Free via Facebook

Club contact details:

To join the group go to facebook.com search ‘

Capri World’.


CAPRI WORLD


075

MK2 ESCORT


PINTO POWER

WORTH THE WAIT

WORDS: DAVID FORD PICS: NATHAN ORBELL

LONGING FOR A FAST ROAD MK2 SINCE HIS TEENS, KEVIN SWANN

FINALLY GOT, JUST WHAT HE ALWAYS WANTED!


077

MK2 ESCORT

We often ask the owners of

featured cars here at RetroFord

towers, what is the fascination

with them? What drives them to

hunt down these cars that can

sometimes need a full nut and bolt restoration or

mild makeovers. Travelling long distances to view

something described as mint, only to find that it’s

a wreck. The long hard search for obscure parts

enabling them to return ‘said car’ to its original

former glory or for modifying. Sometimes paying

a hefty price for parts. Why do they do it? There

are several reasons for this ‘display of passion and

dedication’. Some would say it’s because they

wanted to relive their youth. Others, to build the

car they always promised themselves. Or, to see

another piece of Ford motor history saved to fight

another day. Well, one of the thousands of old

Ford fanatics who fall under the above category is

Kevin Swann, the man with the keys to the sleek

Mk2 you see here.

Kevin’s passion for cars started at a young

age as he now tells us. “I have been into them

ever since I can remember,” he smiles. “A lot

of that is thanks to my Dad as they were a big

part of his life, so he held a real passion towards

them.” He says, and at a mere 12 years of age,

he had his first taste of what driving an old Ford

felt like. “I got my first car, an Anglia 105e which

I drove on private land and the fun I had in that

has stayed with me since and as well as building

the Escort I’m in the process of building an Anglia.

It’s heading at being a proper beast and is a lot

different to my first, but it will be great to be

behind the wheel of one again.”

If being responsible for these isn’t enough,

Kevin can also be found welding the spanners in

the Swann’s home workshop. He enjoys helping

his son Jake put together more retro Fords in the

shape of a Mk5 Cortina powered by a 2.1 Pinto.

Plus the recent completion of a very tasty Mk2

Escort build. There’s no messing around here,

the Swann boys certainly know how to turn out a

wicked motor or two.

Back to the Escort in question and Kevin’s

desire to build it. “I’ve had an array of models over

the years,” he tells us. “Escorts to Capris, Fiestas

to Sierras plus a few others in between but, as

great as each of those was, a fast road Escort was

always at the top of my wish list!”

Another reason for wanting a road-going car to

go like the clappers comes from Kevin spending

time behind the wheel of others that did go like

the preverbal off a shovel. “I used to race a Mk2

back in the day, but only off-road in oval and

stock car racing, and I wanted that same thrill and

excitement for the road.”

With the urge to find the perfect candidate

to fulfil his vision, the hunt began and six years

ago this car flagged up on eBay. “It’s a 1600

Sport imported over from South Africa and came

complete and in roadworthy condition,” he recalls,

“I was over the moon as it was the ideal blank


PINTO POWER


MK2 ESCORT


PINTO POWER

canvas for me to work from.” Loaded up and

securely strapped down on a trailer, the Escort

headed home to Cambridgeshire unaware of what

it was destined to become.

Wheels being one the most crucial aspects of

any car the ones it came with got binned rather

swiftly, and in their place, a set of tantalising

deep dished steel rims in none other than Mexico

flavour got bolted onto the hubs. “It’s funny how

new wheels are nearly always the very first thing

to be changed,” laughs Kevin. “And you can’t beat

Mexico steels!”

Next to come in for vast improvements was the

power, handling and stopping duties. Out came

the axle stands and engine crane, and before

you could wave a magic wand while shouting

“abracadabra” the standard 1600 Pinto and

four-speed gearbox were out and laying in the

corner of the workshop floor. “I got hold of a 2.1

Pinto which Jake and our good friend Kev Randell

stripped down before cleaning and rebuilding.”

Open the flawless white bonnet, and you’ll be

greeted by the spotlessly clean engine bay. Sitting

on the right and looking and sounding so damn

right are a gorgeous pair of Weber 45 carbs,

hear these barking at full chat and you’d think

a big dog is chasing after you. Taking pride of

place under the black and white chequered cam

cover is a Holbay cam spinning the valves in the

mildly ported head. Expelling the burnt gasses is

courtesy of the four branch manifold supplied by

Harris Performance Engines before finding their

way through the Ashley system to finally exert a

deep throaty burble out of the tailpipe.

Transferring the 185gee-gees, the Pinto

produces, to the rear wheels is through a 2.8i

Capri type 9-five-speed box spinning the prop to a

narrowed English axle complete with Quaife LDS

and 3J half shafts, ensuring Kevin can light up the

back wheels when he fancies a play. Keeping the

Escorts handling in check comes by front struts

converted to coilovers with adjustable shocks. The

rear benefiting from adjustable shocks and decambered

leaf springs both working to get the car

two and a half inches closer to the ground. “I’ve

run this set up for a few years, and it’s served me

well, but very soon I will have Gaz front legs going

on.”

Reining in the car quicker than a thoroughbred

racehorse is renowned Willwood discs with fourpot

calipers at the business end and outback you’ll

find the standard 9” drum set up now tucked

away behind the latest set of rims. These are none

other than a set of sumptuous 8x13” genuine

Compomotives. Elsewhere, lurking underneath

you’ll find adjustable TCAs and a full polybush kit

all round. With the engine, handling and anchoring

taken care of, the sexy lines and curves of the

Mk2 body came in for attention next, making

it look hotter than a catwalk supermodel. The

Mexico front bib and rear rubber boot spoilers,

both working in harmony with the cars Diamond

White paintwork.


MK2 ESCORT


PINTO POWER


MK2 ESCORT

TECH SPEC


2100cc Pinto, twin 45 Weber carbs, mildly

ported head, Holbay bay cam, Harris exhaust

manifold with Ashley system

Mazda six-speed manual gearbox, Quaife

LSD, narrowed English axle, 3J half shafts.

CHASSIS:

13” Compomotive alloy wheels, 185/60/13

Yokohama A48R tyres, coilover front struts,

adjustable rear shocks, de-cambered leaf

springs

INTERIOR:

Recaro front seats, full roll cage, 1600 Sport

dash, oil temp & pressure gauges.

EXTERIOR:

South African shell, Diamond white

paintwork, front & rear Mexico spoilers,

black front quarter bumpers, black rear

bumper, black rear panel.

THANKS:

Thanks to my son Jake and all our good

friends with help during the project.

Q&A

FANTASY FORD:

Escort Cosworth or a Lotus Cortina

TRACK DAY OR CLUB DAY:

Track day

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ESCORT:

Gaz suspension

Exterior looking good, the interior got spoilt

with Recaro front seats from a later Ford model

while lending a hand in keeping the shell rigid a

full cage was the order of the day. Other additions

see a bank of extra gauges for Kevin to keep

a watchful eye on the engines oil temp and

pressure. There you have it, a well put together

Escort perfect for that Sunday B-road blast to blow

the cobwebs away.

“I’m delighted with how it’s turned out,” beams

Kevin. “A good percentage of the build has been

done by myself, and with anything, I couldn’t

manage Jake and friends stepped in to lend a

helping hand along the way. It included plenty of

laughs when things were going right and some

late-night cursing when things didn’t go to plan,

but hey that’s all part and parcel of working on an

old Ford, so you just have to take a few breaths

and carry on.”

With the winter weather closing in and darker

evenings upon us the Escort has been taken into

the warmth of Kevin’s workshop for a gearbox

change, and one that’s quite popular and pretty

straightforward is the Mazda six-speed box. “It

sounds more difficult than it actually is,” he smiles,

“I cut the tunnel out with the old box still in and

then removed it before fitting the six-speed. I then

fitted an auto tunnel around the box and welded

it all in place, which included new rear mounts.

Then I removed the box to fill before painting the

new tunnel. Once it was all painted, I put it all back

together with and a new Bailey Morris prop. I used

one of Lee Butchers (BRE) adaptor plates and clutch

forks which work really well.”

How long this box stays in is going to be a good

guess as one thing Kevin’s planning on doing this

year will be racing the Escort.”Racing is something

I’ve wanted to do for a long time so when the time

comes, a four-speed box will go in just for that.”

Well, we all wish you good luck with the racing. n


Some sizes available in

Gold or Black

8 spoke road

13 x 6.0 to 13 x 9.0

15 x 5.0 to 15 x 10.0

Silver all over, some sizes in

gold or matt black

5 spoke road

13 x 6.0 to 13 x 9.0

15 x 5.0 to 15 x 10.0

Silver all over, some sizes

in gold or matt black

4 spoke road

13 x 5.5 / 6.0 / 7.0

Gloss black with diamond rim

cr10 flow-formed

(allu-lite)

15 x 6.5 to 15 x 8.5

16 x 7.0 to 16 x 8.0

17 x 7.5 to 17 x 9.5

18 x 8.0 to 18 x 10.0

19 x 8.5 to 19 x 10.5

Matt black or hyper silver

18 x 10.0 Weighs 10.3Kg

available in centre lock

millennium road

17 x 7.5 / 8.0

18 x 8.0

White only

world class wheels

BuilT uSinG lEadinG EdGE ManufacTurinG TEchniquES

the strength to last

OpTiMiSEd fOr liGhTnESS, duraBiliTy and rEliaBiliTy

OffSET MachinEd TO SuiT VEhiclE & WhEEl TOlErancES

www.revolutionwheels.com

E info@rwil.org.uk / T +44 (0) 1623 860000 / MOB +44 (0) 7702 845264

SOLDERING IRONS

TRIED & TESTED

WORDS & PICS: ROB HAWKINS

TRIED & TESTED

GET CONNECTED

Unless you’re making your own

wiring loom, a soldering iron or

soldering gun is usually one of

those tools that you buy once in

your lifetime and rarely use, but

it’s ideal for creating a professional finish

when fixing broken electrical connections or

joining wires together.

We’ve tested a wide range of soldering tools,

including the traditional mains-powered stickstyle

irons, butane-powered irons and guns, and

mobile and rechargeable equipment. There’s lots

to consider, such as warm-up times, portability

and heat cycles (and boost options).

Soldering can be dangerous. There’s not

only the risk of being burnt, but also the risk

of setting fire to your car. And soldering can

produce harmful gases. Solder wire used to

contain tin and lead, so the fumes emitted when

melting the wire are toxic and should not be

EVERYONE NEEDS A

SOLDERING IRON OR GUN,

RIGHT? WE’VE TESTED 14

OF THEM TO HELP YOU

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE.

inhaled. Lead-free solder wire is more commonly

used nowadays, but a breathing mask and

goggles should be worn to protect your lungs

and eyes from any gases that are produced.

Plus, it’s essential to work in a well-ventilated

area, especially when using a butane-powered

soldering iron that produces carbon monoxide

and dioxide.

SEALEY RECHARGEABLE 3.7-VOLT

SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: SDL6 PRICE: £44 SEALEY WWW.SEALEY.CO.UK 01284 757500

We’ve tested two battery-operated, rechargeable

soldering irons. This one is powered by a 3.7-volt

6-watt lithium-ion rechargeable battery, which

can be fully charged in 3-4 hours and should last

for around 75 minutes. The main body fits into a

protective casing with two locating pins, which form

part of the recharge unit. (there’s a separate threepin

plug and 1.8m-long lead).

There’s a safety switch on the body of the

soldering iron to switch it on, whereby it needs

to remain pressed to warm it up. A red LED light

glows to let you know it’s working, plus there’s a

white LED that helps to illuminate the end of the

tip, although this is mounted on the underside of

the body, so its illumination doesn’t reach around

to the top area of whatever is being soldered.

After a mere 15 seconds from switching on from

cold, the tip was warm enough to melt fresh solder.

The pointed tip that’s supplied with this

soldering iron is suited to fine soldering of circuit

boards, so it was quite awkward to solder two

wires together and create a neat finish. We

found it difficult to manipulate the melted solder

because it seemed to cool down and solidify once

it made contact with the wires. Also, we struggled

to warm up old solder.

The portability and lightness of this soldering

iron is appealing, but it’s difficult to create a neat

finish when soldering two wires together. For

portability, a gas-powered soldering iron is better.

Dl BATTERY-POWERE


LASER 12-WATT RECHARGEABLE

SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: 7336 PRICE: £61.42-£91.42 FROM: LASER TOOLS WWW.LASERTOOLS.CO.UK

MAINTAINING YOUR OLD FORD

SOLDERING IRONS

Dl BATTERY-POWERE

Whilst many rechargeable, battery-operated tools

are the most versatile, such as inspection lights,

drills and impact drivers, the same cannot be said of

soldering tools, for now.

This rechargeable soldering iron is powered by an

inbuilt lithium-ion battery, which is recharged via a

USB lead and takes up to 3.5 hours to fully charge,

after which it can be used for around 90 minutes.

There’s a removable tip, which is secured to the

body of the soldering iron with a bayonet-style fixing.

Dl BATTERY-POWERE

SOLDERING IRONS

There’s a safety switch on the body, which needs

to be switched to the on position, then an adjacent

smaller button has to be pressed down to generate

heat from the tip. A small LED light at the front helps

with visibility and also lets you know the soldering iron

is warming up.

After 30 seconds from switching on, the tip of the

soldering iron was sufficiently warm to be able to melt

the solder. The LED light helps to illuminate the area

you are soldering and the lightness of the iron means

it’s easy to manoeuvre, but the pointed tip is possibly

suited to fine soldering on circuit boards.

Although the heat generated by this soldering iron

was capable of melting fresh solder and manipulating

it, the solder soon solidified and was difficult to melt

again. On some occasions, small balls of solidified

solder fell away. We were really interested in testing

this rechargeable soldering iron and the one from

Sealey, but feel they’re not yet a match for the mainspowered

and butane-filled soldering tools.

SEALEY 12-VOLT 40-WATT SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: SD1240 PRICE: £11.72 SEALEY WWW.SEALEY.CO.UK 01284 757500

Powered by a 12-volt vehicle battery, this is a

compact and portable soldering iron. It’s supplied with

a 1.5-metre-long lead and a couple of small crocodile

clips to connect to a battery, so the lead is quite short

for jobs that are not close enough to the battery,

unless the battery can be moved. The crocodile clips

are very small and we found their jaws couldn’t open

beyond 10mm, so they may be difficult to attach to the

terminals of a vehicle battery.

There’s a small metal stand to support the soldering

iron and protect the tip from damaging work surfaces.

Three soldering tips are included, which are all 70mm

in length and 4mm in diameter, so a range of universal

tips can also be fitted.

After connecting it to a 12-volt battery, which had

been fully charged and measured 13.65 volts across

the terminals, this soldering iron took less than a

couple of minutes to warm up and melt the solder.

And its temperature remained warm enough to melt

more solder and manipulate it. After 15 minutes of

use, we disconnected it and checked the battery’s

voltage, which had dropped to 12.83 volts.

As a cheap and portable soldering iron, its power

lead and small crocodile clips may let it down in some

situations, but otherwise, it’s a versatile tool.

LASER 12-VOLT 40-WATT SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: 1316 PRICE: £12.88-£18.29 LASER TOOLS WWW.LASERTOOLS.CO.UK

Powered by a 12-volt vehicle battery, Laser’s

electric soldering iron includes a cigarette lighter

plug and has a two-metre-long lead, which

suggests it’s a little more versatile than the same

type of soldering iron from Sealey. However, if

you’re soldering wires inside or around a vehicle,

then surely the battery should be disconnected?

In which case, there would be no power to the

cigarette lighter. And what if your Ford doesn’t have

a cigarette lighter? Luckily, there is a solution in

the form of an adapter socket with crocodile clips

to connect directly to the vehicle’s battery, but this

can add an another £10 on to the cost.

With a 40-watt rating, this 12-volt-powered

soldering iron has a greater output than the mainspowered

soldering iron we’re testing from Laser.

From cold, it took three minutes to warm up and

melt fresh solder, but once warm, it could melt

fresh solder, manipulate it and melt existing solder.

Despite a generous two-metre-long power lead, it’s

not enough to stretch from the interior of a car to

the rear lights, for example.

Dl BATTERY-POWERE

SOLDERING IRONS


087

OLDERING

Sl GAS-POWERED

TRIED & TESTED

DRAPER 2-IN-1 SOLDERING IRON AND GAS TORCH

PART NUMBER: 78772 PRICE: £81 DRAPER TOOLS WWW.DRAPERTOOLS.COM TEL: 023 8049 4333

This pistol-style soldering iron and

gas torch has a

15ml reservoir for butane, which is filled via a valve

on the base and takes a few seconds to complete

(there’s a view of the reservoir on the side of the

body, so you can check the level). The controls for

switching on the gas and adjusting it are on

the body along with a piezo ignition switch

for lighting the gas. Operating time is around

50 minutes and the soldering iron managed

to melt fresh solder from cold in less than 30

seconds. Existing solder that had solidified

was also quickly warmed up and melted.

There’s a 10mm-wide flatblade-shaped

tip, which seems cumbersome when compared with

the finer tips of other soldering irons on test, but it’s

useful for spreading solder and sinking it between

the strands of wire. Of course, it’s not much use for

fine soldering on a circuit board and there doesn’t

appear to be any other smaller tips that can be fitted.

However, the standard soldering tip can also be used

as a hot knife, and a new one costs under £14 (stock

number 87380). And removal of the tip is one of the

easiest, consisting of a plastic collar to unscrew,

which in turn dismantles part of the soldering iron

including the exhaust port, so it can be cleaned.

IRONS

LASER 25-65-WATT GAS SOLDERING IRON


From the four gas-powered soldering irons we’re

testing, this is the most compact and seems to

be useful for intricate jobs, such as circuit board

repairs, connecting small gauge wires and stereo

installs. Instructions for refilling with a butane can

are displayed on the back of the packaging, and

there’s a filling valve on the base of the body with

a separate window to help check the level. With a

5ml reservoir for butane, it’s the smallest on test,

and Laser claim it’s enough to operate the soldering

iron for 20-25 minutes on the mid-setting. We

found that on the hottest setting, the gas lasted

for 10 minutes. The flame is adjusted via a plastic

wheel on the body of the soldering iron and there’s

also a safety on/off switch next to it. The butane is

ignited via a spark wheel attached to the side of the

soldering iron’s clear plastic top cover. It’s a simple

idea and works well because you can hear the gas

hissing out when the on/off switch is flicked and the

plastic control wheel is turned up.

A single tip is supplied with this soldering iron,

but more tips can be ordered (Laser part number

0582, available through stockists).

The mid-setting was warm enough to be able

to melt solder, work with it and connect two

wires together, but we often grew impatient and

resorted to increasing the output to maximum

to get on with the job. On the maximum heat

setting, it only took 40 seconds from cold to melt

fresh solder.

Laser has a massive range of butane-powered

soldering irons, including a similar one with piezo

ignition, kits with more accessories and soldering

irons with larger butane reservoirs. Being small and

compact, this soldering iron is very easy to hold and

use, so you can be more accurate when soldering.

Sl GAS-POWERED

IRONS

OLDERING


Sl GAS-POWERED


ROTHENBERGER 3-IN-1 GAS SOLDERING IRON SET

PART NUMBER: 36233 PRICE: £24.99 SCREWFIX WWW.SCREWFIX.COM 03330 112 112

A gas-powered combined soldering iron and

miniature blowtorch with lots of accessories.

Butane is added via a valve on the base of the

body of the soldering iron. There’s an on/off

slider switch for the gas, but it has to be ignited

as there’s no igniter included. The strength of the

gas flame is controlled via a small wheel on the

body, with numbers from 1 to 3. We found it took

under 30 seconds from cold to melt fresh solder

and was effective at melting and manipulating

existing solder.

There’s a useful sponge for wiping off excess

solder, a length of solder wire in a handy tube

and four soldering tips. A hot-air gun attachment

fits over the blowtorch and holds the solder

tip, which can be unscrewed from the end and

changed, or left off to turn into a hot-air gun.

Igniting the hot-air gun requires a naked

flame to be held close to the end of the tool. We

used a stove lighter and found it worked well.

Igniting the soldering iron attachment is a little

more complicated, requiring the soldering iron

attachment to be pushed forwards to expose the

end where the gas exits. This needs to be ignited

and the end released to automatically retract. It’s

quite straightforward to do if the soldering iron

is cold, but when it’s warm, you can easily burn

your fingers.

IRONS

OLDERING

Sl GAS-POWERED

SEALEY PROFESSIONAL SOLDERING/HEATING KIT

PART NUMBER: AK2962 PRICE: £40.45 SEALEY WWW.SEALEY.CO.UK 01284 757500

A very comprehensive gas-powered soldering

and heating kit, which includes a similar range of

accessories to the cheaper Rothenberger kit, so

is it worth the extra cash? Well, this soldering iron

is more substantial and similar in shape and size

to a traditional electric-powered soldering iron,

but it is noticeably lighter. It’s has piezo ignition, a

variable flame control and a small inbuilt stand. The

piezo igniter only works if a small locking button is

pressed down. Once ignited, that slider needs to

be held in position to keep the gas on. However,

there’s a small plastic slider on the opposite side,

which can be moved to lock that first slider and

keep the gas supply on.

Once ignited and set to the hottest setting, it took

30 seconds for fresh solder to melt. We could then

turn the heat down and control the application of

solder more easily and manipulate it.

Other positive aspects of this soldering iron

include a removable soldering head and hot-air

nozzle, so they can be removed and cleaned.

There’s a choice of four soldering tips and a useful

heatshield. Whilst the tips are screwed into the end of

the soldering iron, leaving them off turns the soldering

iron into a heat gun. Stored in a plastic box, this kit also

includes a length of solder wire inside a tube-shaped

dispenser and a sponge for collecting excess solder.

The soldering iron is filled with butane via a valve

on the base and promises to last for between 80 and

100 minutes. A large inspection window on the body

helps to keep a check of the level.

If you want portability and heat control from

a soldering iron along with an assortment of

accessories, then this one from Sealey is worth a

look. It may not be the cheapest, but you get a lot

for your money.

IRONS

OLDERING


089

l MAINS-POWERED SOLDERING IRONS

TRIED & TESTED

SEALEY PROFESSIONAL SOLDERING KIT

PART NUMBER: SD250K PRICE: £24.35 SEALEY WWW.SEALEY.CO.UK 01284 757500

Pistol grip soldering guns provide more

control over traditional soldering irons, but are

generally more bulky. However, this mainsoperated

230-volt soldering gun is not as bulky

as it may seem, because it’s easier to handle

and control than a soldering iron and has less

interference from the power lead. The power

lead is only 1.5 metres long, so an extension

will probably be needed, but it’s not too much

to prevent it being ravelled up and squeezed

into the compact carry case. Supplied with

a short coil of solder wire, a small stand for

holding wires or objects, a smaller stand

for keeping the hot end of the soldering iron

away from work surfaces and a useful solder

sucker, which removes excess solder. There’s

one 75mm-long, 4mm-diameter soldering tip

included, but any tips that are 4mm in diameter

can be fitted. It all just fits inside the carry case

and is a lot easier to store if the thin plastic

lining inside is removed.

When plugged in and switched on, the

soldering iron automatically operates at 30 watts

and the solder tip should warm up to 120°C.

Pressing the boost trigger means the gun will

consume 100 watts to raise the temperature to

250°C, but this should only be operated for a

maximum of 12 seconds per minute.

From cold and without using the boost

trigger, the soldering gun took 3.5 minutes to

warm up and melt fresh solder. Once warm, the

boost trigger certainly helped to quickly melt

fresh or existing solder and manipulate it.


SEALEY 40/80-WATT PROFESSIONAL SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: SD4080 PRICE: £22.95 SEALEY WWW.SEALEY.CO.UK 01284 757500

This mains-operated 230-volt soldering iron

has two settings for differing levels of heat (40

and 80 watts), and apart from Draper’s soldering

station, it is the only mains-powered soldering

iron with a means of switching off the power, but

leaving the soldering iron plugged in. There’s a

switch on the body to switch between the various

settings (off, 40 and 80 watts) and an LED light to

show when it’s switched on.

Supplied with a small stand to help keep

the end of the soldering iron’s tip away from

work surfaces, there’s only one 90mm-long,

7mm-diameter tip, but replacement tips can be

purchased. The power lead is a mere 1.3m long,

so an extension lead may be required in some

cases.

The 40-watt setting was adequate when we

tried to solder two wires together, but it took over

three minutes on this setting for the soldering iron

to warm up from cold and melt the solder. During

this time, the blue paint that was on the end of

the tip, which is for anti-oxidisation purposes to

prevent discolouration of the tip and to help with

tinning on first use, burnt off.

Once warm, it was sufficiently hot to not only

melt and manipulate fresh solder, but reheat and

melt solder that had already been applied. And the

pointed tip was very easy to use, despite being

one of the largest on test.

This is one of the few soldering irons we tested

that’s supplied with instructions to initially ‘tin’ the

tip by melting a thin layer of solder.

The variable heat settings are a popular feature,

and most soldering jobs of 5-17-amp wires on a

vehicle require the lower 40-watt setting. The 80-

watt setting is suited to bigger jobs.





ROTHENBERGER 40-WATT 230-VOLT SOLDERING IRON

PART NUMBER: 40326 PRICE: £8.99 SCREWFIX WWW.SCREWFIX.COM 03330 112 112

The cheapest soldering iron on test and if all

you need is a no-frills means of soldering wires

and connections, then this is a good starting

point. This one is supplied with a 70mm-long,

3mm-diameter tip, so universal replacements

are readily available from lots of stockists.

There’s a basic metal stand to secure the end

of the soldering iron and prevent it burning

work surfaces when hot. The power cable is

1.2 metres long, so an extension lead may be

necessary, but what can you expect for £8.99?

And the instructions even advise to tin the tip

when using the soldering iron for the first time.

There’s no means of knowing whether the

soldering iron is switched on when it’s plugged

into the mains electricity, and it took a little

over one-and-a-quarter minutes for it to get hot

enough to melt the solder, which is less than half

the time of some of the products we’ve tested.

The pointed tip that’s supplied is easy to use

when soldering two wires together, and there’s

sufficient heat to be able to melt existing solder

and manipulate it.

As an introduction to soldering, this nononsense

soldering iron is the cheapest on test

and seems to be perfectly capable of tackling the

jobs we’ve completed.

LASER 240-VOLT 25-WATT SOLDERING IRON


A basic, no-frills mains-powered soldering iron

at a cheap price (shop around for deals) that looks

almost identical to the Rothenberger soldering

iron from Screwfix. It’s supplied with a simple

metal stand to prevent burning work surfaces and

a 4mm-diameter tip, which can be removed by

undoing a crosshead screw. This is a universal size

tip, so spares are easy to source from a number of

suppliers and stockists. It’s ideal for joining wires

together and made short work of soldering our test

connection. The power cable is only 1.2 metres

long, so an extension lead may be required.

There’s nothing to indicate when the soldering

iron is switched on and the heat build-up is very

steady. It took roughly three minutes for it to warm

up sufficiently to be able to melt our solder. So for a

quick soldering job, it may take longer to warm up

the soldering iron than the time taken to finish the

job. For time-consuming jobs, this soldering iron is

reliable, keeps hot enough to melt fresh solder and

melt and reshape existing solder.


091

TRIED & TESTED

DRAPER 230-VOLT 100-WATT SOLDERING GUN KIT

PART NUMBER: 71420 PRICE: £45.60 DRAPER TOOLS WWW.DRAPERTOOLS.COM 023 8049 4333

Unlike Sealey’s soldering gun (see Sealey

Professional Soldering Kit), this one from Draper

doesn’t generate any heat unless its trigger is

operated. And that 100-watt trigger can only be

operated for 12 seconds every minute (i.e. leave a gap

of at least 48 seconds after a 12-second burst of heat).

This is a traditional design of soldering gun, with a

loop that can be warmed up faster than a soldering

iron, so a soldering job can get underway much

faster. We found that from cold, a 10-second burst

of heat was sufficient to melt fresh solder or remelt

existing solder. The only trouble is that after 12

seconds, you have to wait another 48 seconds before

another burst of heat.

With such rapid heat generation, Draper explains

this soldering gun is suited to vehicle electrical

work and the pistol grip design is easier to control

than a traditional soldering iron. One of their buyers

explained, “The duty cycle takes a little bit of getting

used to – but the near instant heat generated by

the soldering gun makes one-off jobs far quicker

as you don’t have to wait for the 3-4 minutes it can

take a standard soldering gun to heat up to working

temperature. This is why most workshops rely on

this type of gun for spot repair work, as it does not

cause a huge amount of downtime for the technician

while they’re waiting for the gun to heat up for what

can sometimes be a 5-second soldering job.”

This soldering gun is supplied in a robust carry

case with three tips, a tube of solder and flux. It’s a

comprehensive kit that’s a step up from a traditional

soldering iron and ideally suited to jobs that need to

be completed quickly.

DRAPER 5-40-WATT SOLDERING STATION

PART NUMBER: 61478 PRICE: £36 DRAPER TOOLS WWW.DRAPERTOOLS.COM 023 8049 4333

A professional-looking soldering station with

a stand, a variable heat setting and a sponge

for wiping off excess solder. The accompanying

instructions even recommend the tip to be tinned

using solder and a separate flux or cored solder.

Powered by mains electricity via a 1.2m lead,

there’s a separate lead between the station and

the soldering iron that’s a similar length. Ideal

for workbench soldering, the sturdy metal coil

holder clips into the station, which includes

controls for switching on and off and adjusting

the heat.

One soldering tip is included, and spares are

available from Draper (part number 78592) for

around £5 each. The soldering iron is very light

when compared with other ones we’re testing

because some of its main components are

contained inside the soldering station.

With a variable heat control, we initially

switched it on with the control set to the

halfway mark, then gradually increased the

heat to maximum to help preserve the soldering

iron. As a result, it took almost three minutes to

melt the solder.

Once warm, the soldering iron can easily melt

solder at any of the settings. The pointed tip that’s

supplied with this equipment worked well for

manipulating the solder and there was sufficient

heat to be able to remelt any solder that had

already solidified.

As a workbench accessory for wiring and

soldering jobs, this soldering station is good value

for money and practical to use. n



WORDS & PICS: ROB HAWKINS

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW…

FORD DURATEC

DISCOVER WHAT’S AVAILABLE FROM GREAT BRITISH SPORTS CARS

TO INSTALL ON A FOUR-CYLINDER 2.5-LITRE DURATEC ENGINE

Ford’s twin-cam replacement for the

ageing Zetec is the Duratec, which has

been manufactured in various sizes and

configurations since 2001. Developed

alongside Mazda, the range of

engines feature chain-driven camshafts and an

alloy engine block and cylinder head. 1.8- and

2.0-litre displacements are popular within the

Ford scene, but Great British Sports Cars also

favours the largest of them all, the 2.5 Duratec,

which actually displaces 2261cc, weighs in

at 116kg and produces 175bhp with 220Nm

of torque in standard tune. They sell these

as brand-new crated engines for £2,932.20

(the 2.0-litre Duratec costs a little less at

£2,220) and fit them to their Zero kit car and

the Mk2 Escort. The following pages outline

some of ancillaries that are needed for such a

transplant, which are available online through

their Kit Spares division.

THANKS

Great British Sports Cars

(Kit Spares)

01623 860990

www.kitspares.co.uk

Let’s go… >>>>>


ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW…

THROTTLE BODIES

GBS’s latest range of 45mm DCOE-style ATR

throttle bodies can be fitted to the 2.5 Duratec.

Manufactured from billet aluminium, with

precision-machined 6082 aluminium throttle

housings and linkage and flat machined stainlesssteel

throttle shafts to help reduce air turbulence.

There’s a dual wound throttle spring on each

DCOE housing, elliptical 120mm long bellmouth

trumpets with full return radii to improve airflow

and a one-piece billet fuel rail suitable for either

push-on hose fittings or AN hose fittings. The

throttle cable can be fitted to the left, right or in

the centre and can be operated in up or down

configurations. Kit prices start at £1,074. A billet

inlet manifold costs £195.

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR

GBS’s ATR throttle bodies use a Wabash RPS

971-0002 throttle position sensor (TPS), which

will also fit most other manufacturers’ throttle

bodies that are fitted with a D-shaped shaft

including Weber Alpha, AT Power, Jenvey, Kinsler

and Pro-Jay. This is also a direct replacement for

the widely used Covlern CP17 TPS.

Priced at £54.97 from GBS, they explain that,

“The Wabash 971 rotary position sensor uses

high-performance conductive polymer tracks

and contact design to achieve a two percent

independent linearity. Reliable and versatile, it is

ideal for motorsport applications.”

This TPS can be used with a wide range of

ECUs, including Weber Alpha, Omex, DTA, MBE,

Emerald, Specialist Components, Haltec, Motec,

Life Racing and Pectel.

AIR FILTRATION

The ATR throttle bodies from GBS require

some form of air filtration. A pre-cut backplate

is available from them for £10.08, which can be

equipped with a 65mm or 90mm deep foam air

filter from Pipercross for £73.99.

INJECTOR AND ENGINE WIRING

HARNESS

Priced at £414, GBS’s stand alone engine

wiring harness for the Duratec includes plug

connectors for the injectors, TPS, coil packs,

crankshaft and camshaft position sensors, the

VVT (variable valve timing), air temperature, MAP

(manifold absolute pressure), coolant temperature

and oil pressure. This loom can be used with

the Emerald K3 and Life Racing F88 ECUs. It’s a

CANbus (controller area network) system, so it can

be linked to a digital dashboard to display data

from the sensors.

FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR

GBS’s billet alloy fuel pressure regulator costs

£91.69 and provides 2.7, 3 or 3.5 bar of pressure.

Required if fitting their throttle bodies.

INJECTOR BLANKING PLUGS

The 2.5 Duratec features a direct injection

cylinder head (i.e. the injectors are fitted into the

cylinder head), so the holes for these standard

injectors need to be blanked off if an aftermarket

set of throttle bodies is being fitted instead. A set

of four blanking plugs with seals costs £32.64.

STARTER MOTOR

Whilst the standard starter motor can be fitted

to the 2.5 Duratec, Powerlite’s range of starter

motors are lightweight at 2.9/3.8kg and can be

fitted with a standard flywheel. Being an offset

gear-reduced starter motor, it promises to start

the engine faster, whilst drawing less current from

the battery (power rating is 1.4 kilowatts). Priced

at £166.20.

OIL FILTER

For a neater oil filter installation that’s easier

to access, GBS manufacture a new housing

that fits onto the side of the engine block with a

small amount of sealant. Ports are included to fit

the standard Duratec oil pressure light sensor,

along with connectors for oil pressure and oil

temperature sensors.

Machine manufactured from 6082 T6



aluminium, the new housing costs £96. Budget for

around £6 for an oil filter.

EXHAUST MANIFOLD

Developed to fit into their Zero kit car, and

incorporating the threads for a lambda sensor,

this 301 stainless-steel exhaust manifold costs

£199.20 and may be suitable for some engine

transplants. Check with GBS before ordering.

WATER PUMP PULLEY

A 20% larger water pump pulley is available

from GBS, which is machined from 6082 T6-

grade aluminium that’s not only lighter than a

standard steel pulley, it also promises to be better

balanced. GBS have identified that at high engine

revs, the water pump pulley is spun at such a

speed that it can cause fluid cavitation to occur

at the pump impeller, which results in a reduced

flow of coolant, excessive vibration (resulting in

premature seal/bearing failure), and damage to

the water pump’s impeller blades and its housing.

By fitting this larger pulley, it slows down the

rotation of the water pump and thus helps to

reduce the risk of the aforementioned problems.

Available in black, orange or silver and priced at

£65.48.

GEARBOX OPTIONS

Mazda’s M53F five-speed manual gearbox

can be fitted onto the 2.5 Duratec without any

adaptor plates or modifications. This was fitted to

the Mazda MX-5 (NC or Mk3 model). Budget for

around £300 for a second-hand gearbox, or GBS

sell new ones for £1,250.

ENGINE SUMP

The standard Duratec sump is deep and may

reduce ground clearance on an engine installation.

GBS manufacture a shallower sump, which is

manufactured from aluminium and includes

internal baffles to help reduce the risk of oil

starvation. They are also working on a range of

sumps to fit different applications including the

Mk1 and Mk2 Escort. Their current shallow sumps

require a shortened oil pickup pipe to be fitted, the

balance shafts removed and an oil blanking bung

to be fitted.

AUXILIARY DRIVEBELT IDLER

A better-looking five-groove aluminium idler

pulley for the auxiliary drivebelt helps to brighten

up the front of the engine. Priced at £47 and

available in silver, black or orange.

ALTERNATOR PULLEY

An aluminium five-groove pulley for the

alternator, which is available in silver, black or

orange and costs £36. Requires the alternator’s

old pulley to be removed with special tools

available from Halfords, Sealey, Laser and Euro

Car Parts for around £20 or more. n


095

MK1 ESCORT

YOUR PROJECTS

WORDS: ROB CHEESMUR

LES BATE

MK5 CORTINA

096


YOUR COOL PROJECTS

We all have our reasons for the old

Ford cars we own, for some, it’s the

looks, others it’s the power matched

to a nimble chassis! Then there is

the nostalgia… Jumping behind the

wheel of an old car that can invoke memories, the smell

(old Fords all seem to have the same scent). The driving

position can be like slipping on a pair of familiar old

comfy shoes. Whatever it is, if it makes you smile, and

manages to take you away from the drudgery of daily

life, then it’s a winner in our book!

Les, the owner of this Mk5 Cortina, bought the car to

re-live some old memories of a car that got away, in fact

it was the first car that Les managed to buy brand new!

“I was a young lad in the Army at the time, and I had

a second-hand Capri on finance. But I got the chance

to buy a brand-new car, and I really wanted a Cortina,

so I sold the Capri to a lad on the understanding that he

would take on the finance. This allowed me to buy a

1981 Mk5 Cortina 1.6L in Stratos silver! I was over the

moon with it, but unfortunately, it was short-lived….

as the guy that bought my Capri defaulted on the

payments! The loan was still in my name, so I was in

trouble! The result was that my beloved Cortina had to

go.” Says Les.

Sadly, for Les, this was the end of Cortina ownership

for the best part of 30 years, but then he found himself

in a position where maybe he could right the wrong that

had been forced upon him all those years ago!

“I came across a Cortina for sale, but it wasn’t just

any Cortina this time, it was a South African import 3.0L


GLS! A model never available in the UK and has a lot of

small differences that you wouldn’t notice straight away.

So, I snapped it up and tried to drive it home as it had an

MOT on it.

However, it didn’t go well, the steering was all over

the place, vague wasn’t the word for it!

So, Les had got himself an Essex V6 Cortina with

steering that was more disconnected than a teenager on

a mobile phone! At least the Cortina was rust free? Well,

err not exactly!

“I took the car to a well-reputed place to be repaired,

£5,000 and a few months later and the car had barely

been touched! I was not happy, so I gave up with these

Jokers and hunted around for somewhere better! This

time I struck gold with Upwood Auto Repair Centre, they

were superb from the get-go! They advised that we strip

the car down, to see what we were working with. Once

the engine was out of the engine bay, we discovered

that the front panel was rusty dented and full of filler!”

Les added.

Les sourced a new front panel and a new power

steering rack. However, the steering rack was meant for

a 2.3 Cortina Ghia with the Cologne V6. Unfortunately,

there was no way it was ever going to fit. The three Litre

Essex X-member it turns out is totally different!

“As the build commenced, I began to find more

and more unique small differences between the South

African and the European Cortina’s. Luckily, I managed

to get the original rack rebuilt, so I got around that issue.

About this point I decided to do away with the C3 Auto

transmission and instead fit a 5-speed type-9, but this

came with the issue that the type-9 won’t fit straight on

the Essex engine.

After some head-scratching, it was made to fit with

a spacer plate and a shortened prop shaft. Then a Mk4

Cortina manual peddle box was installed. “It ensured I

would have the correct amount of pedals.” Says Les

The build at this point was starting to take shape, and

Les was looking for a new interior as the original was

well past it, so a chance meeting with serial Ford builder

Wayne Champion to pick up a Mk4 Sport interior led the

build in a slightly different direction…

“Wayne had a superb Mk4 Cortina Sport, and it got

me thinking, Ford didn’t make a Mk5 Cortina Sport,

but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t! Now my car had

a manual gearbox, it was pretty much the same spec

as the Australian XR6 Cortina. So, with a bit of artistic

licence maybe I could build the car as a sort of mash-up

of the two, with a bit of American muscle car styling

thrown in?” Grins Les happily.

Back in the day, Les had worked on a few ‘Yank

tanks’ and liked the side marker lights that they had,

and he fancied incorporating some on his car. That’s

not all, he also liked the idea of some round LED rear

lights instead of the originals. It’s not one for the purists,

but Les built the car how he wanted it, and not for other

peoples benefit….

“One of the interesting differences with the South

African cars is that the bumpers don’t have plastic end

caps they are all steel, but the front one was badly

dented. Luckily the ends unbolt, so we used the centre

section from a standard bumper and then bolted the

metal ends back on, some powder coating later, and

098



100


the bumper was like new again! Then some modified

Capri front headlights were bolted up to help match the

round rears. I also managed to find a compelling copy

of the rare series-X Cortina front spoiler to help finish the

front of the car off. When it came to the point of painting

the car, I had no plans to paint it white, but Paul at Tiger

Racing at Wisbech who sprayed the car suggested it. I

don’t think I really had a choice. He was doing it white

no matter what! The thing was though as soon as I saw

the gleaming shell, I knew he was right!” Laughs Les

With the shell looking superb, there was no point

bolting manky worn-out components back on so Les

started with the 3.0L engine. It had a full rebuilt with a

steel timing gear fitted for peace of mind. The heads

were skimmed to up the compression ratio a tad. Then

they were ported and polished to speed the fuel and air

in and out, and this was also aided by a V61 camshaft.

The crowning glory though is the ‘super-rare’ Swaymar

inlet manifold allowing the fitment of a four-barrel Holley

390CFM carburettor!

An engine of this calibre was going to require some

severe underpinnings to get the power down, and this

is where the S.A Cortina shows its ace card! They rolled

out of the Ford factory with a 5-linked rear end and

vertical rear shocks instead of the usual sloping rear

dampers. Les then added uprated -1” springs, coupled

with Gaz Gold rear shocks and poly bushes to make a

far more capable rear end.

Upfront, Gaz golds take care of the front end coupled

up with shorter uprated springs. Unsure which way to

go with the all-important wheel choice, Les then came

across the perfect set of rims for his build… Lenso

7x15” cross-spokes and with the added bonus they

were wrapped up in Toyo Proxy tyres! They were the

right choice and suit the car down to the ground.

Les is suitably chuffed with his build, and it has

turned out even better than he imagined. It might not be

brand new, but we can bet it’s more fun to drive than

his old 1.6L. It might have been a very long wait for it,

but Les is in Cortina nirvana now as he cruises around

listening to the burble of the V6 tailpipes! n


FAMOUS FIVE

WORDS: ROB CHEESMUR

BEN WILDE

MK2 GRANADA

Ben has really built something special here! It is

not just a superbly clean Mk2 Granada on air-ride

suspension! It would be easy to just think that, but you

would be very wrong! Ben has carried out nearly all of

the work himself, with the exception of the paintwork

and a small amount of machine work. The machining

work was to facilitate a BMW M57 2.9 Diesel engine,

gearbox and differential! The cool thing is that the

Granada still manages to retain it’s original subframes

front and rear. This really is a game-changer, as

the Granada goes like stink and can still maintain

reasonable miles per gallon! With the Recaro interior

from a Granada Sport, Ben can waft along with the

smooth comfy air-ride, and then park up and slam

the 3-box Granada shell over the Rota RM200 alloys.

We were drooling over the pictures of this Granada at

Retro Towers. Ben really has knocked it out of the park

with this refreshingly different build!

NEIL FERRY

SIERRA COSWORTH

Looking cleaner than a Nuns undercrackers is

Neil’s three-door Cosworth! A first for the ‘Famous

Five’ to have a proper ‘Whale tail’ on these pages.

This Cosworth has led a very cossetted life having

a Major in the British Army as a first owner, who

not only kept the car for 30 years but also spent

thirty thousand pounds on upkeep of the car

during his ownership. The second owner had

the car for four years and only did 400 miles in

it. Amazingly he had it serviced every 100 miles!

Then lucky old Neil stumbled on it when it wasn’t

even really advertised for sale. He did have to

trade in his Mk2 Escort to get his hands on the

keys though! The time-warp original car has had

very little by way of mods in its lifetime! Just a

stainless steel exhaust, and a stage one 280BHP

chip. Rightly so, why mess with perfection we say!

102


ALMOST MADE IT

ROYSTER TOWNSEND

TAUNUS 20M RS

This one is mine! Yes, in-between working and writing,

I have been somehow shoehorning in time to work on this

Estate. Rescued from a barn where it had sat since 2013

when the previous elderly owner sadly passed away. The

ethos for the build was to prove Sierra Estates are cool,

and you can still build something different on a low budget.

Starting with a 79,000 mile from new 1.8i LX. The engine

ran like a swiss watch and is rare with its single-point

injection. Damn it’s slow though! It is now sitting much lower

on chopped springs over a set of re-drilled Landrover steel

wheels, 7” wide on the front and 8” wide on the blunt end.

DIY tints, wider front arches, and an OMP steering wheel are

the mods so-far. Then, there is the elephant in the room the

‘Woodie’ style vinyl wrap… love it or hate it, you can’t deny

it is not different. There are loads more wacky ideas going

through my head for this car, so watch this space, and I’ll

report back in a later issue!

COREY SHIPLEY

MK1 ESCORT

Lucky old Royster has got himself a super rare Taunus

here! A 20M RS built under licence from Ford Germany in

minimal numbers at the Port Elisabeth Factory in South

Africa. Its RS stripes and an Air Scoop on the bonnet give

clues to its sporting demeanour! Many years later the

SA car then made its way to Norway, where Royster got

his hands on the virtually rust free but tired example. A

full strip-down and rebuild commenced with a lot of red

dust removed, and a respray in the original red with new

stripes. Then it was onto the rough running 3.0L V6. The

car had only covered 52,000 miles, but the V6 turned out

to have an oval port head one side, and a ‘D’ shaped port

head on the other bank! After a full rebuild and correct

cylinder heads it’s back to rude 138 BHP heath, with

maximum torque coming in at 3000RPM! Royster tells us

that these cars are very sought after, and it’s easy to see

why when you see this example!

ROB CHEESMUR

FORD SIERRA ESTATE

Le Mans green has to be one of our favourite

colours here at Retro Towers! Especially when it’s

draped over the bugling arches of a Mk1 Escort.

Propulsion for Corey’s green mean machine comes

via an old skool 1740cc X-Flow with twin 40

Webber carbs for induction. On the other side is an

HPE 4 branch manifold, and In between all this is

a BF3 Cam twirled round by Duplex timing chains.

Corey reckons this combo plus well for a 40-yearold

Crossflow engine.

A quick-shift mated to 5-speed type-9 does the

cog swapping, with the English rear axle housing

a Blackline 3.89 LSD to help put the power down.

Corey has rose jointed the suspension where

possible, and the rear end is 5-linked. Bilstein coilovers

are on all corners, and Corey says the ride is

hard, to say the least! This Escort is quite a piece of

kit, and the fact that it has discs all round will come

as no surprise. Top workmanship Corey! n

Have you got a car worthy of a feature here? Then impress us by letting us know via our

Facebook or Instagram accounts. You can also email us at dan@retrofordmagazine.co.uk


MOTORSPORT

WORDS: ANDY HANKIN

CLASSIC HO


CLASSIC HOT RODS

T RODS

The Classic Hot Rod season always

ends with the Best in Britain at

Staffordshire’s Hednesford Hills

raceway as part of the Season Finale

for the track; joined by the national

Hot Rods for a world championship qualifier and

the bangers for Man of the midlands trophy. Also

there was a firework display from the promoters

to say thanks for the support of drivers and fans.

Before this Scotland bowed out with their ‘Cock

of the North’ meeting at Cowdenbeath and over

in Northern Ireland the Irish Open and Jim Purdie

memorial double meeting for the Classics.

We look back firstly at the Irish open for 2019;

defending champion 17 Kenny Purdie who seems

to be heading back to Classics now has his

National Hot Rod is up for sale, made the journey

across. Joining him were fellow Scots; 725 Marc

Spence, 871 Graeme Callendar and 26 Jock

Campbell

From the English series of Classic Hot Rods,

555 Gavin Taber, 116 Adrian Taber, 42 Dean

Kitchen, 168 Kevin Roberts and 209 Andy Lee.

On home turf 942 Davey McCall, 19 Anthony

Morgan, 195 Adrian Boyle, 964 Paul Magee and

175 Andy O’Donnell.

With the drivers, all set ready to go the heats

would be both drawn grids with the highest point’s

scorers to the forefront for the championship race.

Heat one 555 Gavin Taber made a good

start with the win from 17 of Purdie and Andy

O’Donnell taking third, but it’s not all about the top

three there is still the reverse of the grid for heat

two to come.

Former national Hot Rod world champion 942

McCall stretched the legs of the Mk2 for victory

while defending champion Purdie was back

in traffic behind 26 Jock Campbell. Campbell

defended race his position well for the several

closing laps of heat two.

The championship race was led away by 942

Davey McCall and the defending champion 17

Kenny Purdie, both were setting a hard pace to

follow until a collision put Purdie down the field.

871 Graeme Callendar who had driven hard to

come through benefitted from the action and

during the latter half of the race moved up to

second place. A great drive from the rear of the

pack where he started with fellow Scot 756 Marc

Spence.

Top three were confirmed 942 McCall taking

the Irish open with 871 Calendar second and

mister consistency 555 Gavin Taber in third.

The Sunday saw McCall take a popular win in

heat one from 19 Anthony Morgan, both setting

a good pace on a wet track. 26 Jock Campbell

managed to stay ahead of the pair on their home

track to win heat two.

Unfortunately for 871 Callendar Sunday was not

a great day when he locked up going into the turn,

rendering need for medical attention and major

repairs for the Mk1 Escort; a second time in the

season, the first early season at Hednesford when


107

MOTORSPORT

he hit the inner banking with the same car.

The final, the Jim Purdie memorial race went

to 942 Davey McCall making it a double victory

weekend for him at Tullyroan. 555 Taber drove

well for second and 26 Jock Campbell in third.

Trophies were presented by Kenny Purdie and

family in respect of the late Jim Purdie to the top

three in the race.

Next up meeting wise was the ‘Cock of the

North’ trophy, 45 Craig Boyd the defending

champion for this one and able to make the

journey despite a change of days for the race. This

made thirteen contenders for the 2019 title and in

the same format with a drawn grid reverse for the

heats, points scorers to the forefront...

Heat one the Doug Farrer memorial race as well

a drawn grid and they were off at a great pace

555 Taber trying to hold off Purdie only lasted a

few laps, once in front Purdie moved up a gear.

Further back 121 Schembri and Boyd Snr 445

were having a battle for third. It was though a

local victory when 17 Purdie crossed the line for

victory.

Heat two a reverse grid saw 45 Craig Boyd set

off on his campaign to retain the title of ‘Cock

of the North’, taking the flag would put him on

second row for the main race and a chance for

victory.

The main race started off with 17 Purdie and

555 Taber leading them away, both set the pace

with 45 Boyd feeding in behind waiting for the

right time. Craig moved up into the lead after

a battle with the pair along the way. 17 Purdie

taking second on the line with Taber in third, thus

retention of the title for 45 Boyd 2019 Cock of the

North.

The final meeting of the 2019 season up next

and one of the best meetings I have commentated

on during the season. The Best in Britain for the

Classic Hot Rods at the home of Hot Rod racing,

where it all started many years ago with the late

Bill Morris.

A good turnout of cars as per usual at

Hednesford but no defending champion 976 Clive

Richardson for the race this year. The Usual

championship format with two heats and final on

a typical autumn day was looking good for racing.

Heat one saw Davey McCall storm through for

an excellent victory. Newcomer 70 Ricky Lee, who

had been out the night before with the slick cars

at Birmingham, suffered further differential issues

and retired for the day.

Heat two placed 02 Richard Adams at the front

with Andy Steward 198, Adams got the drop on

Steward, and it was toe to toe all the way to the

flag with 17 Kenny Purdie coming home in third a

fair distance back.

It was 942 Davey McCall and 555 Gavin Taber

that led the field away for the final; the track

lighting had suffered power failure, and the race

had been in question. National Hot Rods had

cancelled their final due to the lighting failure, but

the Classic drivers had agreed to put a show on!

108


CLASSIC HOT RODS


MOTORSPORT

110


CLASSIC HOT RODS

Temporary lights were brought from the pit

areas and four John Deere tractors lit up the four

corners of the track from the infield. We even got

some of the spectators in cars along the top to put

their headlights on.

With little vision from my commentary box, I

took to the gantry with the starter by way of a

radio microphone.

“Gentlemen, start your engines!”

A couple of warm-up laps to get some warmth

into the tyres, reline of the grid and a great start

for 45 Craig Boyd who sHot up into the front

position very quickly from the second row. Further

back 198 Andy Steward was doing all he could

to prevent 17 Kenny Purdie from passing him,

the two were in full battle, and the atmosphere

was electric around the raceway. The closing

laps came, and Craig Boyd was still way out in

front, emerging from turn four with little light and

a struggling 169 Ben Hardy ahead; I closed my

eyes, but Craig was through and gone. Victory

lane came moments later.

Craig Boyd has had one of his best seasons in

Classic Hot Rods only missing out by not being

there to compete in a few championships and

obviously not accruing those points at stake.

Craig’s main rival for most of 2019 555 Gavin

Taber took his second points title in the English

series.Whilst 116 Adrian Taber picked up Neil

Edwin’s trophy for dedication throughout the year.

We look forward to season 2020 with the

promise already of two new cars emerging and

of course Classics will be on show at Motorsport

with Attitude at Peterborough Showground in

February. n


matt@coastracing.co.uk // 07577 424242

Coast Racing Services are pleased to now offer the latest

technology in Vapour Blasting from their base on Field Farm

Business centre in the heart of motorsport valley, based a

stones throw from Bicester Heritage centre in Oxfordshire.

MOTORSPORT DESIGN

@hypecreative

hypecreative.co.uk

63

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