Is that the Escort mk1 I've seen parked up across the road from the Ellesmere Port recycling centre ?

Yes it is mate, Nixon Haulage. It belongs to the owner.

Yes it is mate, Nixon Haulage. It belongs to the owner.

Thought it looked very smart when I passed to go the tip

Is it just me or does that engine just look so simple compared to more recent stuff.

Nobody spotted the Fabia in that vid

From the Woodpecker rally that was on yesterday that I sadly missed due to the late return although it's only a 2 mile walk to one of the stages so I could hear them quite clearly and then to my surprise they had a photo station right outside the house with rally cars like the escorts coming straight down the hill! Must go next year!

Edited 31 August, 201411 yr by Toxicvrs

Was the BDA the best ever privateer competition engine?

Powerful. Reliable. Accessible.

BDA was actually a smaller capacity than the one we are fitting, by the time it became a 2.0 litre it was a BDG.  The works Escorts were fitted with the BD as it revs so hard, 10,250 rpm is not bad for a four potter.

Your Freind is very lucky!.....

Does he want a husband? I can do the washing, ironing and cooking

I can confirm he has entered Rally GB, following the WRC cars on the whole event. I think he may use the Track Rod as a shake down to iron out any bugs first.

 

 

 This weekend we will out with the MK 2 back at York drag strip for a single venue event, this will be the first outing after fitting the sequential six speed gearbox.

While we're having a BDA love-in...

Two or three years ago, I was holed up in a lovely gite down in the south of France. A tiny perching village called Mons (not to be confused with the more famous town of the same name up on the Belgian border). It is north of Forcalquier by 10 or so miles. A quick googlemaps will show how squiggly it is.

One of the rounds of the French national rally championship was taking place the middle weekend of our stay. Start was back down in Forcalquier. A steep climb, lots of narrow twisty roads with hairpins and a wide, very smooth sweeping section built by the military. Lots of roadside trees, or vertiginous drops and cliffs to intimately experience if not sufficiently careful or good.

It was an all tarmac event btw. Except for those who managed to overcook it.

The Mayor of Forcalquier flags the cars off, and they then proceed to race through the town - looks a bit like one of those group B videos, where you know someone is going to get hurt. Stupid kids, mums, toddlers and grandma's.

Mons was the start of the first timed stage. Mons is a few houses balanced on a rock, with a very narrow road passing round the medieval walls. A narrow turn off leads to an eight mile stage of single track road, joining the N85 as was - the famous Route Napoleon - now a motorway in comparison.

We had a brilliant observation post on the top of one of the old lookout towers. We could see the cars exiting the final curve and up the long climb, hearing them much earlier of course.

Watching the marshalls flagging them down to enter the assembly area directly under us was a joy of French arm waving and gesticulation.

Cars were put into the correct running order to move on up to the timing lights, which we could see over the way. There was an explosion of noise as each car set off up the long climb to the first hairpin, a no guard rail big drop off on to nothing.

The first 100 numbers were all historic cars. Quite a few with Brit plates on. A good handful of 911's, plenty of 205's with a smattering of Sunbeams. The odd quattro sounded nice, and I think there was a BMW too. Highlight was the bevvy of escorts, both mk 1's and 2's.

The modern cars were split into two groups, the obviously amateur, looking more like demolition derby entrants with rather bashed panels, and the professional looking teams and cars, Peugeots and mostly Citroens.

The course took them out of our sight, but not our hearing for most of the afternoon.

Starting about 8ish, the course was run backwards. We could see the lights streaking through the woods. This continued until they re entered the village after midnight.

The timed stage ended at the bottom of the long downhill section, and the braking area was about 100 metres before they got to an open hairpin. Not everyone made that.

The following day it all happened again, except the route after Mons was through some very nagery roads. When we went off to the restaurant in the next village the following day there was much evidence of overcooking, and not the food, which was excellent.

Big black skid marks swerving into the bushes every now and again and lots of fresh scouring and gouging of the road surface, and of course the odd section of ripped out armco.

A great time was no doubt had by all. It certainly was a bonus for us. Di was very taken with it all and was soon choosing who she wanted to win.

Although the historic section were all noticably slower, they all sounded lovely. The Fords, Quattro and the Porsche's in particular were much more aurally stimulating than the turboed moderns.

We went to York raceway for a single venue rally today, not with the  MK 1 but with the MK 2.

 

 This is the first outing after it having a thinner head gasket fitted, compression is almost 12-1 now and well over 200bhp, this in conjunction with the Quaiffe 6 speed sequential gearbox has made for an incredible piece of kit.

 

 Dave held 1st in class and 7th overall from stage one, only being beat by Subaru AWD cars, however on the last stage a track control arm snapped and that was the end of the day, from here to zero in no time at all. We fitted a new TCA at the side of the track with the help of a jack, ratchet strap and a big hammer. It is very rough around the rally tracks at York and the continuos pounding obviously took its toll.

 

 

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Today has been spent mostly spanner checking, oil changing and geometry setting on the Mk 1 and the MK 2 in preparation for the Malton stages on November 2nd LINKY.

 This is just a run out for the MK 2 but it is a full shake down for the MK 1 as it will be the first event since the BD engine was fitted, after Malton the MK 1 is entered into Rally GB.

 

 If anybody is going to the Malton stages, look out for car 4, this is the MK 1 and car 34, this is the MK 2, I will be either chase car for one of them or in the service area in Dalby forest, near Go Ape.

Seen the

?

Good luck!

Seen the

?

Good luck!

a bit extreme nick,  I am sure our cars will come home in one piece and unscathed.

I'm sure they will. As long as you remember - shiny side up.

but just saw all the escorts and somehow thought of you!

The MK 1 has to come home in one piece as it is entered in Rally GB in a few weeks time.