Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Classic Ford

FROM THE BLOCK Celebrated drift and rally driver Ken Block reveals the latest version of his Mk2 – packing a 333 bhp Millington and Rocket Bunny arches! Proof that there’s no end to what you can do to a classic Ford if you have the vision — and the means — Ken Block has revealed his latest weapon, and it’s a Mk2 monster. The newly-revamped Escort was Block’s first Ford rally car when he bought it in 2008, and it has now been upgraded for Gymkhana events with a naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre Millington that produces 333 bhp and redlines at an eye-watering 9000 rpm — transmitted through a six-speed sequential gearbox.The majority of the work was done here in the UK by Quick Motorsport in-conjunction with Block’s own Hoonigan Racing Division.The…

COMING UP What’s inside the January 2016 issue? Here are three reasons not to miss the next issue: 1. Included with all print editions will be a cracking 2016 poster calendar to keep you entertained all year. 2. We’ll be announcing the Classic Ford Of The Year along with a whole host of trophies in our special Classic Ford Awards feature. 3. We’re having a Powered Up issue, so expect many fine Fords built to win the traffic light grand prix. The January 2016 issue of Classic Ford hits the newsagents’ shelves and is available to download from Friday, December 4. Why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it, and get free goodies in the process? Check out our latest offers on page 102.…

made you look You might think everything’s been done to a 100E until you’ve seen Jake Holmyard’s – even then it’ll take ages for you to clock the massive amount of subtlety. Just sit, stare and take it all in. Words and Photos Jon Hill There’s a saying in the custom and hot rod world that goes, the more you look the more you see. This very much applies to Jake Holmyard’s 100E because it is crammed full of trick stuff you wouldn’t notice unless you either know 100Es inside out, or you stand and stare at the thing for ever. And even then, it’ll take someone else to point out all the things that Jake’s done to the car. Stuff like one-piece windows in the doors – garnished with…

EVENT REPORT BRITISH FORD DAY We may be heading into winter, but the Down Under they’re just gearing up for the Summer! Words and Photos Stephen Roser The British Ford Day in Sydney brings together an interesting mix of classic Fords each year. The show is organised by the CAP Club who have recently adopted an acronym for their club name — the old, full title of Cortina Anglia Prefect Club clearly spelt out their sphere of interest. The venue for the show is the Ettamogah Hotel and the crazy architecture of the building is based on an Aussie cartoon in Australasian Post magazine, which had its heyday through the ’60s and ’70s. With a majority of the cars on show coming from that period this pub provides quite an…

Last chance to VOTE! 2015 VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE classicford CAR OF THE YEAR We’ve seen some great feature cars in 2015, now it’s up to you to select your favourite! A. Mk1 Fiesta Van Owner: Lee Dobbie Featured: January 2015 The perfect sleeper?We think so. ‘Just’ a clean van on Supersport rims, Lee’s Mk1 actually runs a CosworthYB, powering the rear, naturally. B. Mk1 Zephyr Owner: Paul Godden Featured: February 2015 Period race replicas don’t come much cooler than this. Built on a strict budget but oozing with details, Paul’s homebuilt Zeph is a lesson in getting it right. C. Thames 300E Owner: David Carden Featured: June 2015 With bodywork beautifully restored by Longmynd Service Station, David then put the van together with immense care, adding some superb period…

YOUR CARS THE BEST OF WHAT'S DROPPED IN OUR INBOX THIS MONTH CAR OF THE MONTH Kurt Tann From: UK Car: Mk2 Sierra Estate Kurt’s Sierra longroof has the makings to be a cracking sleeper, as he explains: “I don’t know if this is old enough to qualify forYour Cars, or even if it’s worthy, but this is my fully homebuilt, 2-litre Zetec-powered ‘State’ as it’s called. It was put together in just three weeks to take to this year’s Classic Ford Show. I hope you like it.” We love it, Kurt, and very much looking forward to seeing what you do to it in the future. Paul Bartlett From:Australia Car: Mk1 Escort This issue may be all about readers’ projects, but here’s one previously-profiled reader’s project that’s made it…

On test: PAINT STRIPPERS Removing paint should be as painless and cost-effective as possible. The old formulations are banned, so how do the new ones perform? Photos Gerard Hughes Methylene chloride (dichloromethane, DCM) was banned in paint stripper for retail consumers back in June 2012. Its toxicity in uncontrolled use is well-known and flushing it into the nation’s water table was rightly no longer acceptable.That meant many of the more well-known brands had to reformulate their products to comply and watch as forum trolls rubbished them in ignorance. The new formulations have largely one thing in common — they work in a less aggressive manner, requiring patience and planning on the part of the user. That’s not to say they’re ineffective, far from it. In fact, with a little planning,…

RALLY DAY Castle Combe’s been celebrating the world of rallying for 15 years, and this year’s Rally Day was by far the best yet. Words Jamie Arkle, SimonWoolleyPhotos Davy Lewis, Parwel Borowski Europe’s premier rally show more than lived up to its reputation, when Rally Day celebrated its 15th anniversary at Castle Combe in September. More than 10,000 spectators flocked through the gates to see the cars and stars from the sport of rallying, making the 2015 event the most successful ever. With perfect weather, an exceptionally high caliber of cars on display and a line-up of star drivers from past and present signing autographs and answering questions, all the ingredients were there for a fitting celebration for the last decade and-a-half of Rally Day. Special guest for this year’s…

Project Hunter CLASSIC FORD PROJECTS YOU SHOULD BUY — AND MODIFY! Illustrations: Simon Coulson Of all the classic Fords, it’s the Thames 400E we wish there more more surviving examples of over any other. But the sad fact is, there aren’t many left, which makes bringing this example back from Hungary and treating the body to a full restoration more than viable – assuming we can find the damn panels, that is. That no easy task taken care of, we’ll them ship it over to Ray Ramsey at Rayvern for a full body-drop and a set of his awesome hydraulics – how else are we going to get it that low? — followed by a respray in ’50s aqua and white by the talented guys at The Paintbox, with a…

Welcome We never envisaged it becoming so, but our first Readers’ Projects Special went down so well, that it’s now an annual event, and it’s become one of my put together, . For some, the most satisfying aspect of classic Ford ownership is the build, and this Readers’ Projects Special celebrates just that. We’ve scoured the globe to bring you photos and details of what other old Ford nuts are up to in their garages, workshops and shared spaces — and suffice to say, there’s a whole lot going on! If you prefer to see your cars in a finished state then we’ve also brought you a cluster of completed projects including Jake Holmyard’s incredible 100E (above) and Tim Ellerker’s frankly bonkers, re-engineered Mk1 Fiesta. If any of the projects…

SHOW US THE MONEY! North Wales tourists raise £10K for charity It’s regarded as one of the best — if not the best — classic Ford tour in the UK, but there’s also a more serious side to the NorthWales Classic Ford (aka Snowdonia)Tour — raising money for charity. Organised by the NorthWales Classic Fords group, all proceeds from the tour, which takes in some of the most-stunning scenery the UK has to offer, go to Hope House Hospice andTy Gobaith, which provide care and support to terminally-ill and life-limited children and young people.Thanks to some hardcore fund-raising efforts by the organisers, this year’s tour, which took place in September, raised an incredible £10,012 — proof that you can have fun with your classic Ford and use it for a…

Where to go this month Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show When: Friday to Sunday, November 13-16 Where: NEC, Birmingham B40 1QA, UK What’s going on: The last place you want to be is an outdoor car show in the UK in November, which is why the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, held firmly indoors at the NEC is the perfect place to be this month.Tens of thousands of classic car enthusiasts converge on the halls for a long weekend of old-school celebration. Blue Ovals always play a big part thanks to the efforts of the classic Ford clubs, with top displays spanning the entire old Ford spectrum, plus the Meguiar’s Club Showcase Finalists always features a stunning Ford or two in its line-up. Check out the cars, buy spares and…

10 Commandments Of Project Cars Starting a new project? Follow these rules and you’ll see it through. 10 Buy the best you can afford This is the oldest commandment but it still rings true. Buy the best you can — whether that’s a car or a component, it’s sound advice.That rotten shell may look like a bargain and you know you can rescue it, but in the long run it’ll work out far more expensive in bits than buying a car that’s already sound.Yes, a top car can cost a mint but spending years welding up a teabag can be soul destroying — unless of course you plan to spaceframe it. All you have to do is be sure you’re buying the mint car you think you’re buying and not…

Cortina 1600E Classic Fords restored: Alec Ross had his work cut out when he decided to restore this late Series 2 Cortina to concours standard. The result is one of the best-looking 1600Es in the UK. Words Marc Stretton Photos ChrisWallbank Alec Ross, a panel beater from Sheffield, had owned a Mk2 Cortina 1600E for more than 30 years. Through those three decades he had restored or refurbished the car four times. But when refresh number five was due he was put in a bit of a dilemma. “A friend who had bought another 1600E and started a stripdown and restoration, but got the chance to buy a rare two-door export model,” Alec begins. “So he asked if I was interested in his project car. I looked at my patched-up…

Empire Estate A humble estate isn’t the first choice when it comes to building a competition Mk1, but for Chris Bailey, there was no better starting point. Words and Photos Jon Cass I t’s fair to say we come across modified Escorts at Classic Ford more than any other Blue Oval. As you’d expect, the majority of these are based on two-door saloons, but now and again the occasional Escort that breaks that mould in a major way comes along, and in the case of Chris Bailey’s stunning Mk1 Estate, how could we not explore further? You may be wondering why go to such lengths to base a major project such as this around an estate rather than a saloon, and Chris has the answer. “The inspiration behind the idea…

How To Fit Mk1 Fiesta Adjustable TCAs If you want to fit a five-speed to your Mk1 Fiesta, you need to make room for the wider box – here’s how with adjustable front suspension. Words and Photos Jon Hill Info Contacts: Orbital Motorsport www.orbital  motorsport.co.uk Northampton Motorsport 01604 766624 www.northampton  motorsport.com Fiestas with Zetecs are rapidly becoming one of the staple classic Ford projects and it’s easy to see why — the car’s light and dropping in said twin-cam turns them into a rocketship. But there’s a fair amount of preparation you need to do first – for starters, the car only came equipped with the four-speed version of the BC gearbox and if you want a five-stirrer, like the Mk2, then you need to do…

QUERY OF THE MONTH CORTINA’S HANDLING Q I’ve recently bought a Mk1 Cortina and I’m planning to modify it. Nothing too mad but I want it to be quick and handle properly. Most importantly, I don’t want to waste money on stuff which has to be replaced at a later stage, so even though I don’t have an unlimited budget, I want to do each job properly. With this in mind, I want to sort out the handling and steering first — the steering box has to go. Where do I start? David Sharp, Dudley A Mick at Old Ford Autos: “We can supply you with a kit to carry out the conversion and we can tell you how to do it. “If you want to get rid…

historic rallying RAC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP The final round saw the Escorts take to the Yorkshire forests over some classic night stages. Words Paul Lawrence Photos MarkWrittle Photographic Round 8: Trackrod Historic Cup, September 25-26 CATEGORY WINNERS: Round 8 Category 2: Tim Mason and GrahamWild Category 3: James Potter and Bob Duck (Mk2 Escort) Category O: Phil Burton and Mal Capstick (Mk2 Escort) WHERE TO WATCH The RAC calendar Now in its third year, the RAC Rally Championship attracts top cars and drivers to the forest and gravel-based series, with classic Fords in abundance.The core of the championship are the historic Categories One (pre-1968 cars),Two (pre-1975) andThree (pre-1982), plus the Open Category for pre-1987 two-wheel-drive cars. You catch up after the rallies with full coverage on MotorsTV and via the iRally…

GOING THE DISTANCE Your projects: Trying to finish a classic Ford project while working overseas is no mean feat. Fortunately, Ricky Stapleton’s got friends indeed... Words and Photos Jon Hill Car: 1979 1.3 Escort Popular Automatic Start condition: Rolling Shell Condition now: Tail end of dummy build Time taken so far: 11 years on and off Estimated date of completion: Fingers’ crossed the Summer of 2016… Name: Ricky Stapleton Age: 35 Job: Contract Support Engineer Location: Corby, UK and Luanda, Angola Keeping the faith on a long-haul build is a difficult task unless you’ve got a vision and you’re completely dedicated. In Ricky Stapleton’s case, his Escort’s taken ages; mostly because he’s one of the Corby Massive and they tend to spend a lot of time helping each other —…

Run to the hills What do you do when you decide it’s time your Mk1 Cortina GT took a well-earned break from rallying? Take it hillclimbing and sprinting, of course. For the 2015 motorsport season, Callum Barney switched his ex-Players Autocross, barn-find Cortina GT from the stages to the sprint track - with great success, taking both the Bugatti Owners’ Club Historic Saloon title but coming second in the BHRC Sprint & Hillclimb Championship, too. Expect to see Callum and the Cortina back out on the hills and sprint tracks at some classic venues in 2016. Photos Syd Wall…

LAST CHANCE TO VOTE Not voted for your Classic Ford Of TheYear yet?Then hurry, as voting closes on November 14! There are 12 stunning classic Fords to choose from — all featured in the magazine over the previous 13 issues — and you can vote for your favourite either by text or on our website at www.classicfordmag.co.uk. Turn to page 68 to see all of the 12 nominations, and to find the full details of how you can place your vote. We’ll reveal the winner in the January 2015 edition, on sale December 4, 2016. IT’S A DATE! Looking for our events listings? For November and December shows see page 66, for all events in 2015 and 2016, go to www.classicfordmag.co.uk.…

Meet the neighbours Struggling to keep the noise down at home, Stuart Smith and his mates rented an industrial unit to work on their projects, and they’ve never looked back. Words Marc Stretton Photos Michael Whitestone As the words of the theme song to a long-running Australian soap go: “Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours, with a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend…” So why isn’t this the case if you’re a classic Ford fan trying to work on your latest project from home? In many cases, these ‘good’ people next door then seem to turn into council-threatening lunatics who shout out of windows at 1 am, just because there’s a bit of grinding going on. This situation was the case for Ford collector, restorer and tuner Stuart Smith…

low and slow low expectations There are low classic Fords and there’s this — a Mk1 Fiesta that’s been totally rebuilt in order to get as low to the floor as physically possible. Words Jamie ArklePhotos Michael Whitestone As a rule, manufacturers design and build cars with set compromises in mind. No mass-market car can be ludicrously powerful without upsetting the range-topping model, while suspension set-ups must be designed to be both supple and comfortable, often at the expense of out-and-out focus and handling prowess. It’s a similar story with emissions and long has been — car manufacturers sacrifice peak power for more government-pleasing MPG figures, something VW know more than a little about... All this means that there’s huge scope for improvement and specialisation in pretty much any car…

WHAT'S ON Photo Jon Hill NOVEMBER 2015 Drift WhatYer Brung November 4 Santa Pod Raceway NN29 7XA, UK www.dwyb.co.uk Footman James Classic Vehicle Restoration Show November 7-8 FEBRUARY Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet BA4 6QN, UK www.carsandevents.com Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show November 14-15 NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT, UK www.necclassicmotorshow.com Newark Autojumble November 15 Newark & Notts Showground NG24 2NY, UK www.newarkautojumble.co.uk DECEMBER Classic Ford on sale December 4 COMING UP Autosport International January 14-17 NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT, UK www.autosportinternational.com Race Retro February 26-28 Stoneleigh Park, Coventry CV8 2LZ, UK www.raceretro.com The International Ford Show April 30-May 1 Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher KT10 9AJ, UK www.theinternationalfordshow.com Classic FordTour April 30-May 3 Isle Of Man, UK www.sceniccartours.com Cortinas AtThe Ace Cafe May 7 Ace Cafe London, NW10 7UD, UK…

Mike’s Sierra drift project In, out, in, out, try not to shake it all about. The engine’s been hanging off the end of the crane again, but finally it looks like it’s staying put. What’s been done this month: New IKE water rail, engine mounted (again), moved the throttle body, made all the hard boost pipes, shortened the front dampers, fitted new Vibra-Technics mounts Next on the to-do list: Wire up the ECU, put fuel in, try and start it Thanks: IK Engineering, 01403 753373, www. ikengineering.co.uk  Vibra-Technics, 01536 202789, www.vibra-technics.co.uk GAZ Shocks, 01268 724585, www.gazshocks.com I’ll be honest, the Sierra hasn’t had much of a look in this year with the Fiesta taking all the lime light at the shows.This has been OK for me as…

How To Install Electronic Ignition Say goodbye to faulty condensers and closed points with an easy to fit electronic ignition conversion kit. Here’s how. Words and Photos Rob Hawkins Info Toolbox: Screwdrivers, magnetic pick-up tool, crimp tool with connectors, timing strobe (if engine timing has to be adjusted) How much: Electronic ignition module from £60 including post and packaging to the UK (conversion kits for positive and negative earth vehicles available). Contact: H&H Ignition Solutions 01384 261500 www.h-h-ignition solutions.co.uk There’s never any need to question why you would want to change a distributor’s points and condenser for an electronic gadget, until things go wrong or you spend a couple of hours swearing with a set of feeler gauges. When a condenser fails, or the gap for…

Old Skool Ford Drag Challenge The brand-new FordFest event was the perfect location for the OSFDC to finish the race season off in style. Here’s what went down. Photos Kieran Jenkins Round 7: FordFest, Santa Pod Raceway, September 13 TOP FOUR FROM ROUND 7 FordFest is the newest event on the Santa Pod calendar and the OSFDC racers were there in force for the final round of OSFDC 2015, side-by-side with the static show cars on the Old Skool Ford club stand. With a mixture of old and new at the show, it was sure to be a day to spank some modern plastic and the entrants did not disappoint. Standing out in orange was Tony Howard’s Zetec-driven Prefect 107E which was running smoothly until the clutch cable snapped. One…

CAPRI 3.0S The mighty 3-litre has now overtaken the 2.8i version as the Mk3 Capri to have. Here’s what to look for. Words ChristianTilbury Photos Michael Whitestone Announced on March 2, 1978, the Mk3 Capri was billed as a major improvement over the Mk2, but while it had a raft of changes that enhanced its looks, comfort and driveability, the latest coupé was thankfully unaltered when it came to offering a 3.0S model. Home-grown interest kept the V6 model firmly in the new Mk3 line-up and when power-hungry customers did slip behind the wheel, they weren’t disappointed. For starters, anyone fortunate enough to own the 3.0S looked pretty sharp. More aerodynamic than the Mk2 thanks to revised bumpers and a smoother front end with a slatted grille and quad lights,…