Readly RF Feb 20
Retro Ford magazine Jam-packed with the best well-known show, street and track cars, in-depth technical features and product testing, company profiles and amazing show reports that really capture the atmosphere, as well as focusing on owners’ club meets and much, much more. If you like your old skool Fords then this is the publication for you! Order today: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
Retro Ford magazine Jam-packed with the best well-known show, street and track cars, in-depth technical features and product testing, company profiles and amazing show reports that really capture the atmosphere, as well as focusing on owners’ club meets and much, much more. If you like your old skool Fords then this is the publication for you! Order
today: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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‘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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014
FEBRUARY 2020
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106
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
www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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Retro Ford, ISSN: 1364-2502, is published 12 times per
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price UK £44.50, EUR £59, ROW £79.
INDEPENDENCE
Retro Ford is published by Silverback Publishing for
all owners, drivers and enthusiasts of Retro Fords.
It’s entirely independent of manufacturers, dealers
and associated clubs or affiliations. The views of our
contributors are their own.
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by Silverback publishing Ltd.
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 009
The Car Cave Scotland
Unit 6A Butlerfield Industrial Estate
Bonnyrigg, Midlothian
e. alan@carcavescotland.co.uk
t. 01875 820527
Car Cave (Scotland) Ltd
At Car Cave we always carry astock of around 25 Classic
Cars and have many more onthe way. We specialise in
Classic Fords. If we do not have what you want in stock we
may be able to source it so please feel free to ask.
We also have asmall selection of modern vehicles that have
been hand picked to ensure quality.
Looking to sell your Car
We specialise in selling Classic Cars, if you have aclassic car
you wish to sell -simply get in touch with us and we can see if
we can help you.
RF FORUM
THE WORLD OF RETRO FORD
PRODUCTS, EVENTS AND
THE STUFF THAT HELPS
MAKE OUR LITTLE WORLD
ROTATE EVERY MONTH…
BURTON’S REAR DISC BRAKE UPGRADE KIT
Burton Power can provide the complete solution
to upgrade the rear braking system for Capris
and early Escorts to rear disc brakes.
The kit contains:
Two Hi-Spec 2-pot Ultralite two SVA calipers
with integral handbrake mechanism, two
grooved 240x10mm discs, two steel weld-on
caliper brackets, handbrake cables and all the
required fitting hardware.
Burton can also supply new brake pipe kits for
specific applications to simplify the installation.
Both early 3/4 UNF and later metric cars are
catered for.
The calipers are supplied in anodised black as
standard, but anodised silver or powder coated
black, blue, yellow, silver or red are available as
options:
The upgrade kit is suitable for:
Ford Escort Mk1 1968-1974
Ford Escort Mk2 1975-1980
Ford Capri Mk1 1969-1974
Ford Capri Mk2 1974-1978
Ford Capri Mk3 1978-1986
It can be ordered as part number HISK131 and
retails at £580.00 inc VAT.
For further details contact Burton Power on
0208 554 2281 or www.burtonpower.com
BURTON’S ALLOY OIL FILLER CAP
Ford’s plastic oil filler cap was never its finest
achievement.
The cap would frequently come off leaving
the breather mesh exposed and oil mist would
exude.
Now, Burton Power has a smart alloy oil filler
cap with breather outlet to duct oil mist back
into the air cleaner or an oil catch can.
The Burton’s alloy filler cap will fit the following
engines:
Ford SOHC Pinto, X/Flow, pre-X/Flow OHV Kent,
Essex V6, Taunus/Cologne V6.
It can be ordered as part FP641 and retails at
£46.50 inc. VAT.
For further details contact Burton Power on
0208 554 2281 or www.burtonpower.com
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
Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
FROM THE COVER
Let’s go… >>>>>
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 015
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
018 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
FROM THE COVER
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 019
CORSAIR
020 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
FROM THE COVER
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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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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...
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FROM THE COVER
Let’s go… >>>>>
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
027
CAPRI
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
030 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
FROM THE COVER
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 031
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
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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
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION:
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.
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
034 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
WE WERE THERE
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
035
SEMA SHOW ‘19
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
037
SEMA SHOW ‘19
038 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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...
042 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
HOME BUILD
Let’s go… >>>>>
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
043
FIESTA XR2
044 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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.”
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
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HOME BUILD
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FIESTA XR2
048 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
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TECH SPEC
HOME BUILD
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION:
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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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… >>>>>
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
061
MK2 CAPRI
062 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
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RESTORATION
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
068 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
WE WERE THERE
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
069
CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW
070 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
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071
CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW
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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
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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’.
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CAPRI WORLD
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075
MK2 ESCORT
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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!
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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
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PINTO POWER
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MK2 ESCORT
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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.
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MK2 ESCORT
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PINTO POWER
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MK2 ESCORT
TECH SPEC
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION:
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
084 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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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
086 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
PART NUMBER: 3658 PRICE: £26.37-£43.73 LASER TOOLS WWW.LASERTOOLS.CO.UK
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
088 Support us and subscribe online at: www.retrofordmagazine.co.uk
Sl GAS-POWERED
MAINTAINING YOUR OLD FORD
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
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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.
l MAINS-POWERED SOLDERING IRONS
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.
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l MAINS-POWERED SOLDERING IRONS
l MAINS-POWERED SOLDERING IRONS
MAINTAINING YOUR OLD FORD
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
PART NUMBER: 5639 PRICE: £12.74-£16.37 LASER TOOLS WWW.LASERTOOLS.CO.UK
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.
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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
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MAINTAINING YOUR OLD FORD
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… >>>>>
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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
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MAINTAINING YOUR OLD FORD
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
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095
MK1 ESCORT
YOUR PROJECTS
WORDS: ROB CHEESMUR
LES BATE
MK5 CORTINA
096
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 097
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
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100
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 101
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
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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
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MOTORSPORT
WORDS: ANDY HANKIN
CLASSIC HO
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine
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
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CLASSIC HOT RODS
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MOTORSPORT
110
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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
See our behind the scenes footage on Instagram: @retrofordmagazine 111
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
THE LAST PAGE!?
NEXT DON’T
MONTH
MISS
ON SALE
FEBRUARY
6
BUMPER
ESCORT FEATURE!
PLUS…
TWO CAPRI’S & THE AUTOSPORT
SHOW REPORT!
INCLUDING…
FORD POWER LIVE REPORT, ESCORT MK1 PLUS HOT ROD ACTION, YOUR PROJECTS
AND THE FAMOUS FIVE!
(Contents correct as we go to press…)
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