In this video we follow Joao Pina Cardoso in an escort RS1600 that starts off the back of the grid and progressively carves through the pack. Awesome in car footage with really good pure engine audio, it's like you're in the car too. Lot's of expensive tin gets left in the dust as Joao catches and passes porsche after porsche - epic.
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Source : https://youtu.be/catZDDtJLKY
This is a great video showing a variety of Mk1 Escorts being driven on the limit. The audio is amazing and so is the action.
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It's now September 2019 - The car is coming together, the Escort has gone through an IVA test to get it registered.
The paint gets a 40 hour buff and ceramic coat and then the Mk1 Escort gets a blast on the rolling road at Northhampton Motorsport and we see the process used to tune and map the engine for the best power and emissions. The sound when the durotech gets opened up is pretty impressive, but it's no twin webbered BDA!
5 hours later, the car is putting out 245Hp - nice.
Here's Episode 16:
It's now June 2019 - we get to see the Car's first public appearance at Goodwood Retro Rides weekender along with a bunch of other customer project cars, including a Chevette HSR, Audi Quattro and a millington powered Alfa. There's also a nice green Mk2 Cortina with toyota engine - travesty!
On the escort, the dash gets some attention, the wiring loom is finished and we get a look at the software used to control the wiring loom inputs and outputs.
Cosworth engineers turn up at the workshop and they attempt to start the engine for the first time. At first it doesn't go well. The ECU map gets changed to match the actual ECU fitted to the car and the coil loom was refitted the right way around this time and up she fired.
Here's Episode 15:
In this episode we get a catch up on progress with the Mk1 Escort in April 2019. We get a walk through BTB exhausts, who manufactured the exhaust system for the Mk1. Then the Retropower guys run through how the new dry sump tank was designed and manufactured from scratch and we see the tank being manufactured and welded. The interior also gets some attention, with the head lining, dash upholstery, some cool demist vents and door cards which are a plastic base that will get a leather finish. The guys 3d print custom surrounds for accessing the rear strut tops for adjustment and have fitted all new glass all round.
Here's Episode 14:
In this episode we get a catch up on progress with the Mk1 Escort prior to it going in for exhaust fabrication.
Here's Episode 13:
In this episode of the restomod of Gordon Murray's Mk1 Ford Escort by Lancs based Retropower,we get a look at the rolling shell complete with engine and gearbox in place.
Here's Episode 12:
In this episode we get a look at the painted shell and the Retropower guys visit the Nitron factory to see how the custom struts are progressing. Some serious work has gone into the paint process, from a 2 pack acrylic base they progressively knocked back the finish with 1500 grit wet & dry, through to 3000 grit & mop cut and polish down to 3000 grit paste. Rumour has it, it will be followed up with a ceramic coating in a later episode.
Here's Episode 11:
In this episode we get a look at some detailed paint prep on the newly modified Mk1 Escort shell.
Here's Episode 10:
In this episode the Retropower guys complete the metalwork, strip the car back down to a shell, zinc spray ahead of the paint prep. We get a good look at the Escort on a rotisserie getting the seams sealed.
The inner wing has been modified to make space for a dry sump tank. Typically these go in the boot. Retropower have designed the cooler tank from scratch, we get to see the CAD drawings & some serious design skills.
The engine bay and bulkhead has been modified for custom loom with plug in connectors so the engine wiring loom can be unplugged from the bulkhead - no rubber grommets.
Here's Episode 9: