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The Mk2 Escort; mere point out of the identify conjures up photographs of rally vehicles being steered by the throttle, sideways by corners.
There’s good cause for the fame – the Mk2 Escort (and its Mk1 predecessor) dominated in rallying in the course of the mannequin’s manufacturing period, and continues to take action in each historic and trendy occasions. Together with this got here fans, who’ve usually adopted sure styling and efficiency cues with their Escorts. Whereas this isn’t essentially a nasty factor, a little bit of updating by no means hurts.
Enter Wayne Arrowsmith, the proprietor of this Mk2 Escort Mexico. I met Wayne and his automotive a few months again at Citadel Combe Circuit throughout Rallyday 2022 (extra on this quickly).
Just like the Mk1 Escort Mexico, the Mk2 Mexico was a particular version mannequin that provided quite a few efficiency upgrades over the common Escort. On the coronary heart of the Mk2 Mexico was a 1,600cc Ford Pinto engine outputting 95hp.
As a aspect word, the ‘Mexico’ identify comes from the Escort’s success on the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally – an epic 16,000-mile-long (25,700km) trek by Europe and South America. The occasion began at Wembley Stadium, the place England received its first soccer world championship on the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and led to Mexico Metropolis just a few days earlier than the beginning of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. The rally’s winners? Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm, in an Escort in fact.
Wayne’s Escort Mexico is one among round 2,500 vehicles produced, and – to the unsuspecting eye at the least – seems comparatively inventory. It’s solely once you look nearer that every one the particular particulars start to disclose themselves.
The automotive itself has an fascinating backstory. Wayne grew up in a rallying household, spending most weekends in rural Wales watching his dad compete in his personal Mk2 Escort. This meant that from an early age, the seed was planted, and Wayne’s aspiration to personal an Escort by no means wavered. The possession dream lastly got here to fruition in 2006, when the Mk2 Mexico was purchased not removed from the place it was initially offered in Bournemouth.
In Wayne’s possession, the automotive noticed restricted highway miles earlier than it got here off the highway for a radical rebuild – one which ended up spanning 13 years. Wayne’s dedication is spectacular, with uncommon new-old-stock elements and model new elements collected and fitted over this time.
The outside stays largely inventory wanting; authentic Group 4 Revolution 4-spoke wheels (Group 4 variants had a squared-off rim edge, making them stronger for competitors) and Toyo Proxes R888R semi-slick tyres preserve the contact patch to the highway, with AP Racing Tarmac callipers entrance and rear, together with a secondary pair of Wilwood callipers for the handbrake out again.
The suspension contains of Gartrac-machined uprights with Bilstein inserts up entrance, and a 4-link association hung off turret-mounted Bilsteins with a Watt’s linkage changing the unique leaf spring setup on the rear.
The inside is pretty sparse by way of facilities, however once more the eye to element is excellent. Recaro Profi SPG seats with Sabelt harnesses and a historic rally specification Security Units 6-point roll cage are the obvious modifications. These together with a plumbed-in fireplace suppression system have made the automotive eligible for historic rallies, and Wayne’s Escort presently holds a RAC logbook for competitors.
Whereas the Mexico retains its inventory steering wheel and sprint association, a Gartrac adjustable pedal field has been fitted. All important switches sit on a small panel within the centre of the sprint and feed into a brand new motorsport-grade wiring loom.
The solar strip from Zenith Motor Sport is a nod to Wayne’s dad’s automotive and the corporate that the majority of its elements had been sourced from. Zenith Motor Sport are nonetheless in enterprise at present, and when Wayne visited just lately to investigate a couple of solar strip, they dug round and located an previous one in storage for him. It’s the one now proudly displayed on the automotive, and one other neat contact.
Beneath the bonnet sits a completely reworked and dry-sumped 2.1-litre Ford Pinto engine that options aftermarket pistons, rods and crankshaft, and a custom-specification camshaft. The high-performance four-pot breathes in by twin 48mm Dellorto carburettors and out by a Tony Regulation 2.5-inch exhaust system with {custom} flat oval pipework for additional under-car clearance.
The dry sump tank and alloy gasoline tank reside within the boot, with AN fittings and braided strains all through. All of this quantities to round 202hp and 167lb-ft of torque.
Wayne has managed to rigorously stroll the road between updating the automotive to trendy requirements the place wanted, whereas sustaining the Mexico’s authentic ethos. When your intention is to personal a automotive for all times, immediately the stress to hurry completion and danger making a mistake is lifted; a few of us additionally benefit from the course of as a lot as the top outcome. And when a automotive like that is the top outcome, it’s onerous to argue with.
Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore
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