Winter Projects

[zefarelly]

I'd guess escort, like cortina come in 2 types . . .cooking ( thin flanges and narrow small drums) and GT etc . . . thick flanges for 9" drums

quaife make them new, which if you're doing anything other than pottering about, is probably a worthwhile consideration.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I'd guess escort, like cortina come in 2 types . . .cooking ( thin flanges and narrow small drums) and GT etc . . . thick flanges for 9" drums

quaife make them new, which if you're doing anything other than pottering about, is probably a worthwhile consideration.

Yes, I think you’re right about the flanges, but only Escort Quaife shafts I can see (apart from the Gp1 version) are designed for to fit their ‘fully floating’ axle kit. Shame!

[grantp]

My Ford AVO Rallye Sport Facts booklet (1974) only mentions special halfshafts for Atlas axles.

However the vehicle description and specification section has some very interesting parts to it.

Back then an Atlas Axle cost £181.93 plus VAT


A replacement half shaft, with bearing, £13.22 plus VAT


A Rallye Jacket was £12 - just for reference.


That must have been a tricky decision. You're cold and you have a broken half shaft. Do you buy a new half shaft or a Rallye Jacket?


For period correctness, an RS2000 should have a top speed of 110mph, 0-60 in 9 secs and achieve 33mpg.

[Mike Bell]

No contest- The Rallye Sport jacket of course, and retire to the bar.....

Your 1974 publication won’t mention Gp1 halfshafts as they were homologated later.....

[Peter Mallett]

It amazes me that Ford didn't homologate the RS2000 for Group 1 in period seeing as they are sooo rapid now.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

It amazes me that Ford didn't homologate the RS2000 for Group 1 in period seeing as they are sooo rapid now.

They did, homologation #5566, but more with rallying in mind. They had a lot of success in 1974, 75 & 76 in the Avon Tour of Britain..... Oh, and not that rapid round a racetrack if built to period spec!

[Peter Mallett]

They were very good in Group 2 but did nothing in Group1.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

They were very good in Group 2 but did nothing in Group1.

Correct as regards Gp1, except for the 3 Tour of Britain wins! Roger Clark, Tony Pond and Ari Vatanen, which suggests the format favoured rally drivers in those years.... As for Gp2, it was the RS1600 and RS1800 that Ford concentrated on. The RS2000 was virtually ignored, despite them homologating a (Holbay) 16 valve twin cam head for the Pinto. It was still a boat anchor compared with the BDA!

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Correct as regards Gp1, except for the 3 Tour of Britain wins! Roger Clark, Tony Pond and Ari Vatanen, which suggests the format favoured rally drivers in those years.... As for Gp2, it was the RS1600 and RS1800 that Ford concentrated on. The RS2000 was virtually ignored, despite them homologating a (Holbay) 16 valve twin cam head for the Pinto. It was still a boat anchor compared with the BDA!

The info for the road version of the RS1600 suggests 120bhp at 6,500 rpm rather than the 220bhp of the F2 engine.



Top speed 113 mph, 0-60 "around 8 seconds" and 25.5 mpg.


So about the same as a modern day shopping hatch although the hatch might get slightly better consumption. On a good day going out of town.

[Peter Mallett]

Ah yes but post 76 I recall the Ronnie Scott RS2000s doing quite well.

[delta]

I’m confused . I’ve got a set of homolgation papers for a MK1 RS 2000.I built my car to this spec . Have I waisted my time .

[Eric Falce]

Originally Posted by delta

I’m confused . I’ve got a set of homolgation papers for a MK1 RS 2000.I built my car to this spec . Have I waisted my time .

I hope not as well.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

I’m confused . I’ve got a set of homolgation papers for a MK1 RS 2000.I built my car to this spec . Have I waisted my time .

Not at all.



Look at all of the rosettes it won at the show!

[Peter Mallett]

Iain, no you haven't.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

I’m confused . I’ve got a set of homologation papers for a MK1 RS 2000. I built my car to this spec . Have I wasted my time .

No. The RS2000 and RS1600/1800 models had separate homologation papers. Ford concentrated their efforts for outright glory on the latter model, so loads of Gp2 stuff homologated. In comparison the RS2000 Mk1 was not of much interest to them for competition use, so very little effort spent until Gp1 started to take off. Even then, it was the Mk2 that got most of the benefit.

As I've said before, the Gp1 RS2000 Mk2 was very popular in Europe, especially when local regs allowed a bit of tuning. In particular, the restrictive iron exhaust manifold held the car back in standard form. In the UK most people favoured the Capri, which Ford put a lot more effort into.....

[zefarelly]

I spent some time on an iron Alfa exhaust manifold a few years back, for a 1300 giullieta, everyone slags them off, but getting a 50% flow gain wasn't difficult, just a little time consuming, and probably ended up as good as some of the tubular lash ups out there.

[delta]

Thanks Mike . 😀. As always .

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I spent some time on an iron Alfa exhaust manifold a few years back, for a 1300 giullieta, everyone slags them off, but getting a 50% flow gain wasn't difficult, just a little time consuming, and probably ended up as good as some of the tubular lash ups out there.

I’ve heard mention that Ford produced a few ‘improved’ iron manifolds for the Gp1 RS2000, but have I ever seen one or heard of one for sale....? No!

The standard item is much better than those fitted to Pintos on other Ford models. It’s 4 into 2, and joins onto a steel tubular double downpipe. Even has the ‘RS’ logo cast in! Main problem with them now are cracks and broken mounting lugs, but if you found a perfect one and spent some time gas flowing it and matching it to the ports, I’m sure it would yield results.

If someone like Iain (for instance) wanted to race his Escort with MRL using a tubular manifold instead of the correct cast version, they’d just put the car in their ‘Gp1.5’ class. Same if the car doesn’t have the huge ‘pancake’ air filter box. Pretty sure in period that both mods were allowed in some national Gp1 regulations- Gp1A, Gp1.5 or whatever.......

[Peter Mallett]

Actually no. The Blue book didn't pick up Group 1.5 until 1977. Before that it was group 1.

[delta]

I managed to get two RS 2000 exhaust manifolds . Both in good order . Hmmmm we just threw it on. Never thought about gas flowing . BTW what’s going to be a good time around Brands Indy circuit for my car . When I raced the Mexico cars back in the early 70,s Graham Hill was flat in3 rd .

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Actually no. The Blue book didn't pick up Group 1.5 until 1977. Before that it was group 1.

That may be, but I raced my car (before selling it) with them. The Tony Dron regulations don’t state a start year for the TD2 class, just ‘up to 1981’. I guess they use common sense when deciding if the car is acceptable or not.....

Ian, are you looking for a Indy lap time with you driving it..... ?

[Peter Mallett]

Yes but you can't run a post 1977 mod in a pre 1977 car. The rules state as run in period. Although that said there are cars running that didn't run certain things even if they were homologated in period

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Yes but you can't run a post 1977 mod in a pre 1977 car. The rules state as run in period. Although that said there are cars running that didn't run certain things even if they were homologated in period

Agreed, but doesn’t stop individual organisers making their own judgements....

[delta]

Just wondering . I guess high 50’s.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

Just wondering . I guess high 50’s.

If I beat my age I’ll be happy....

And talking of Escorts, Canary is now fitted with an in date extinguisher and new belts, ready for Brands. Oil and filter changed, engine run and checked over, and all working fine! Found a bad contact in the rain light wiring, that’s all so far....