Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Fast Ford

ORGANISING A SHOW OR EVENT AND WANT IT LISTED HERE? Email us with the details – fastford.ed@kelsey. co.uk JULY 13-16 JULY Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood Motor Circuit, West Sussex www.goodwood.com/motorsport/ festival-of-speed 16 JULY The Ford Show Santa Pod Raceway, Northants santapod.co.uk/the-ford-show.php 21-23 JULY Modified Nationals Lincolnshire Showground www.modifiednationals.co.uk AUGUST 4-6 AUGUST Ultimate Street Car Santa Pod Raceway, Northants ultimatestreetcar.co.uk 13 AUGUST Ford Fair 2023 Silverstone Circuit, Northants events.fastcar.co.uk/ford-fair 19 AUGUST RSOC National Day Donington Park, Derby www.rsownersclub.co.uk/rsoc-nationalday 25-27 AUGUST The Classic Silverstone Circuit, Northants www.silverstone.co.uk/events/the-classic 25-27 AUGUST Car Fest Laverstoke Park Farm, Hants carfest.org 26-27 AUGUST Gravity NEC, Birmingham gravityshow.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2 SEPTEMBER Forge Action Day Castle Combe, Wiltshire castlecombecircuit.co.uk/shows/forgeaction-day 8-10 SEPTEMBER Goodwood Revival Goodwood Motor Circuit, West Sussex www.goodwood.com/motorsport/ goodwood-revival November 5 NOVEMBER Ultimate Stance Telford International Centre…

Popular culture, for better or worse, creates natural associations with cars for us, the viewers and spectators. Drivers of 105E Anglias, for example, must have collectively felt their hearts sink with a resounding thud when a flying Ford featured in a Harry Potter movie, in one fell swoop condemning them to a lifetime of ‘ooh, you’ve got a Harry Potter car’ comments. Conversely, such associations are often embraced and celebrated; the number of Dodge Chargers in the world that wear General Lee livery must surely be approaching the eye-watering quantity of Chargers that were destroyed in filming the show in the first place. In some cases, these fusing synapses focus more on the overt association than the specific car itself – how many Reliant Robins have you seen presented in…

The last time we visited Knockhill for Ford Live, it was at the end of last year’s show season and the weather was turning cold. This year the event has been moved back to May, but still there was no sun in the sky, and only the bravest opted for shorts. Not to worry, a fine selection of Fords from Scotland plus a few border crossers from the North of England made the trip too. The Central & East branch of the RSOC have always been behind this event, which is the highlight of the Blue Oval calendar in Scotland and still have a strong presence on the show ground. As ever, paddock two was rammed with club cars. Special mentions must go to Ford Elite with their huge display…

It is three months now since I became the owner of MaxPower Project 2000, and to say I am proud of the progress we have made in that time is an understatement. While to the untrained eye there have not been huge physical changes to the car since last month, the readers of this magazine as car people will soon identify the details that have gone into the resurrection of this legend. A big part of the rebuild is the recreation of the uniquefront and rear bumpers that had been either lost or destroyed over the years; it was very important to me that we made it look not only in the image of the car back in 1997, but actually even better. This is where the care and attention…

Vehicle data supremos Carly will just about every vehicle produced since be joining us for Ford Fair 2023 the turn of the millennium is chock-full of as our brand-new Tech control modules; you might even say that Partner. And you’re going to modern cars are simply an assembly of want to meet these guys, as what they don’t electronic devices. What Carly do with their know about vehicle electronics simply isn’t patented OBD-II scanner is unlock all these worth knowing. Carly are a next-generation electronics and make the data available car technology company based in Munich, to everyone. By plugging their device into and their mission is to connect you with all your diagnostic port and connecting to their the information hidden in your car – because intuitive smartphone app,…

It’s been 40 years since the iconic Cosworth YB engine was born. From world-level competitions to grassroots racing, this engine has claimed victories and championships, leaving an indelible mark on the racing world. However, its huge impact extends way beyond the track, capturing the hearts of enthusiasts and becoming the go-to powerplant for fast Ford fans. The original production YBB engine, as found in the Sierra Cosworth and early Sapphire Cosworths, delivered a respectable quoted 204bhp (more like 220bhp in reality). But as a race engine, the YB had much more potential. Ford then allowed the subsequent YBG and YBT engines to offer slightly more power (227bhp) to compensate for losses through the 4x4 drivetrains in the later Sapphires and Escort Cosworths. However, even these increases were just a fraction…

For as long as he can remember, Ary Harrison has been a Ford man, through and through. “I passed my driving test in a Mk1 Orion, and my first car was an 1100cc Mk1 Escort Popular,” he remembers. “I soon made my way through a variety of Escorts and Orions.” The gradual progression towards more desirable RS-badged models ensued, beginning with a Series 2 Escort RS Turbo. “The 3-door Sierra Cosworth was my favourite,” he recalls, “and I only sold it as it was kept to concours standard, and I was struggling to clean it underneath properly.” Spending seven hours under the floorpan of a car armed with cleaning products, only to have to repeat the process all over again after driving two miles along a wet road will be…

ROTIFORM TSF Price depends on spec The latest wheel to roll off the production line at Rotiform is this, the TSF. With a serious motorsport vibe, plus perhaps a hint of JDM, the TSF features eight split spokes and a decent size lip that gives a really aggressive appearance. Better still, as it’s part of Rotiform’s CustomSpec range, there are a huge number of fits and finishes on offer, from single, two- and three-piece construction. Whatever size you can think of, the chances are these guys can build it for you. 100% made in the USA, these strong and stylish wheels are just downright cool. www.rotiform.com CLARKE JUMP STARTER/ INFLATOR £116.39 If you’re worried about being caught out by a flat battery or a flat tyre, allow Machine Mart to…

It was particularly noticeable this year just how massive the Retro Rides Weekender has become. Ever since the first running of the show in 2018 it’s been a diverse and exciting gathering of like-minded souls, but this year the number of cars in attendance was simply mind-boggling. So what’s this all about? Well, the Retro Rides forum is a global behemoth, pulling together enthusiasts of modified classics and modern-classics from across the planet to share their stories, build threads and inspirational photos, and generally revel in the mutual enthusiasm of, let’s face it, pretty much the coolest hobby a retro kid can have. The all-encompassing nature of the forum has led to a blossoming real-world scene too, as evidenced by their other annual show – The Gathering – as well…

Watching the Ford scene from the inside out, it’s interesting to observe the manner in which moneyed collectors are falling over one another to get their paddles in the air whenever something with an RS Cosworth badge rolls across the auction block. These blue-collar Blue Ovals have been a linchpin of our world for decades, and yet they’ve recently become a prize trinket for the sort of cash-rich types who are trying to mitigate a potential currency crash by filling their air-conditioned garages with delivery-mileage 911 GT3s and non-cat/non-adjust F40s. For old-school gearheads like Nick Dray, this is all very amusing, particularly as he loves nothing more than loading the family into the Cossie and haring for the horizon as his hybrid turbo whistles like a swarm of angry canaries.…

DRIVER COLUMN Yes! Finally. That has been a long time coming but race three at Thruxton was my second British Touring Car Championship victory and it came in a weekend that encapsulated the highs and lows of the championship. I reckon that over the course of Sunday I pulled off 24 overtaking manoeuvres, some of which went unrewarded because of a tyre delamination in the opening race, but the whole NAPA Racing UK squad regrouped and we pushed forward. Actually, I need to start the story on Saturday because after qualifying I was a bit deflated. I had lost my best lap time to a track limit penalty, but don’t get me started on track limits… that’s a column for another time. Anyway, that was a kick in the whatnots,…

EVENT REPORT COLLINS PERFORMANCE OPEN DAY WHERE CONGLETON, CHESHIRE WHEN MAY 2023 Rain, wind, and more rain. It seemed like spring would never arrive – until mid-May, which fortunately happened to coincide with the annual open day at Collins Performance in Congleton, Cheshire. The sun shone and for once it was warm, creating some confusion when it came to suitable clobber, but in truth no-one was complaining. We received a warm welcome from Gary, Jessica, Ashley and the team and, as ever, there was a fantastic turnout for this annual event with a wide variety of cars soon filling the car park and surrounding streets. ST-badged Focuses and Fiestas along with an impressive line-up of Focus RSs provided the bulk of the cars on display, while old-skool fans were kept…

“I never went after big power figures with this car.” That’s what Antti Mustonen told our colleagues over at Banzai magazine back in 2016, as he talked them through the finer points of his brutal Nissan 300ZX. He’s a trustworthy guy and undoubtedly knows a thing or two about precision engineering, although there did seem something beyond fantastical about such a bold statement being casually tossed out when the ZX in question was packing a supercar-baiting 783bhp. For comparison, consider that this was near-enough an identical power figure to that of the LaFerrari’s V12 screamer, and it was all running safely through the stock Nissan drivetrain. Built ’em tough in the nineties, didn’t they? Speaking of which, the Radiant Red Cossie you see here is also chucking a whole bunch…

HOT WHEELS LEGENDS TOUR RETURNS FOR 2023 The chance to have your car perfectly recreated as a Hot Wheels die-cast toy is back, along with new opportunities for UK fans to be a part of the Legends Tour. For the first time, the Hot Wheels Legends UK final will be open to the public to watch, taking place at RADwood at Bicester Heritage on 2nd September. The difficult job of judging will be down to a panel of experts; guiding the panel will be a Hot Wheels designer, who will be aided by media partner Hagerty’s experts including Helen Stanley, Paul Cowland and Richard Porter. Also new for 2023 is the first-ever fan vote, with enthusiasts having the power to select one entry from a shortlist, to be fast-tracked traight…

Weall want our lives to be good, perfect even. However, as we all know, life isn’t always that way; it can throw significant curveballs at us when we least expect them, and it can all be a bit much. Happily though, there are ways of making the human condition so much better. Some people fish, some people collect stamps, Alan Williams built a rear-wheel drive Mk1 Ford Focus with a giggle-inducing 380bhp on tap. It’s a machine, but it’s also… medicine. A welcome, happy constant that has brought smiles, adventure, and more than its fair share of thrills. Just a few seconds into our chat with Alan, it becomes apparent how passionate he is about this car. There are fourteen years of happy, tyre-punishing history here. And that passion, that…

A perfectlate-May Bank Holiday weekend at East Midlands’ Donington Park circuit served up an exciting endurance race filled with action and drama across both the GT3 and GT4 classes. One of the important elements of the SRO Motorsports administered British GT Championship is a carefully calculated ‘Balance of Performance’ formula. Within each class, the cars are restricted to produce similar overall performance while retaining the individual ‘character’ of each car. That is why Mustangs, McLarens, Mercedes-AMGs, BMWs, Porsches, Aston Martins and Ginettas can all compete and be capable of comparable overall lap times, but delivered in different ways. Some cars have faster straight-line speed while others are more corner-capable. The BoP ‘levers’ typically used to level-up the cars are weight, power (air intake volume) and ride height. The Multimatic /…

Motor oil seems to be getting thinner and thinner, but why is this and can all engines use it? The trend is towards ever thinner motor oils in order to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, but the engine must also be designed for such an oil, otherwise there is a risk of expensive damage. However, motor oil cannot become arbitrarily thin – at least not if it is based on oil. So, what kind of oils are there for car engines? Motor oils can be roughly divided into two categories: mineral-based and synthetic oils. Mineral oils are becoming less and less important for cars because they do not offer such high performance. Modern engines demand much more from the oil than old engines. Only synthetic oils can meet these requirements.…

This power washer has really exceeded my expectations. Easy to move around with no cords holding you back and works wonders cleaning the car, kids’ bikes and patio furniture. My new favourite tool. ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Ryobi’s Cordless Power Washer blasts away dirt and grime with ease for a spotless finish every time! As the weather starts to warm up and we start spending more time outdoors, we’re reminded of all those cleaning tasks that need to be done. But don’t let the thought of tedious outdoor cleaning put a dampener on your spring plans — the Ryobi ONE+ 18v Cordless Power Washer is here to make outdoor cleaning quick and easy, without the hassle of traditional power washers. You want those cleaning tasks done quickly, yet dragging out a bulky,…

BANTAM “I t’s a name for any small variety of chicken – aJapanese bantam, for example, is half the size of an Orpington.” That was the response from the guys at our sister magazine Accessible Poultry when we asked them what a bantam was, which is essentially no help at all. You see, the Bantam we have for you here is an entirely different kettle of, er, chickens. We know what you’re thinking: ‘Surely that’s a Mk3 Escort which has been converted into a pickup?’ Well, yes, essentially; it is, in fact, a bakkie – that special breed of pickup trucks unique to the South African market. Car-based pickups have been popular in South Africa for generations, known as ‘bakkies’ as the Afrikaans word ‘bak’ means ‘container’. Ford’s involvement in…