RE: Ford RS200
Discussion
Escort2dr said:
PeteG said:
RS200 used the BDT, IIRC the Cosworth YB was based on the Pinto?
Ja. 16v rather than 8v head too.The YB is indeed a Pinto block based engine.
BDT's in rallycross trim are known to push 800bhp at original capacity.
YB's don't go there.
I remember when they were "giving them away" and my local Ford dealer had a RS200 in their showroom for £30K.
About the same time that BL were giving 6R4's away for similar money.
My Dad's responses to this thread, which he's now seen:
"a) The RS200 had a BDT engine, whereas the Sierra Cosworth (and Escort Cosworth) range used YBB and YBT types, which were utterly different in every way - different block, different head, different 'base' engine even.
b) When the BDT in the RS200 was in 'standard' form it produced 250bhp, and was expected to last throughout a normal on-the-road service interval.
c) I was indeed involved with Ford while Mark Lovell was around - in fact one of my jobs was to 'ghost' the column he write for various magazines.
d) I drove the red RS200 for about 40,000 miles (and, yes, totalled nearly 100,000 in all the RS200s I drove) - each and every one of them being designated as an 'endurance car' by Ford Motorsport - Bob Howe and I were those people running road cars to build up a mountain of experience so that Ford could react properly to experience with all the privately sold examples.
e) I used the RS200s as normal road cars, as those pictures make clear. Not to pop down to the shops, or the pub, but certainly for all normal journeys. One 'wrinkle' to remember was that the engine oil pressure in a cold engine was very high, so I could never exceed about 2,500rpm (when the turbo was still asleep) until normal temperatures were achieved.
f) If anyone still doubts the reality of using an RS200 on the road, let me point out that the red car had electric window lifts, comfortable Recaro seats, a heater, and a plumbed-in mobile phone (all extras, of course ) ...."
"a) The RS200 had a BDT engine, whereas the Sierra Cosworth (and Escort Cosworth) range used YBB and YBT types, which were utterly different in every way - different block, different head, different 'base' engine even.
b) When the BDT in the RS200 was in 'standard' form it produced 250bhp, and was expected to last throughout a normal on-the-road service interval.
c) I was indeed involved with Ford while Mark Lovell was around - in fact one of my jobs was to 'ghost' the column he write for various magazines.
d) I drove the red RS200 for about 40,000 miles (and, yes, totalled nearly 100,000 in all the RS200s I drove) - each and every one of them being designated as an 'endurance car' by Ford Motorsport - Bob Howe and I were those people running road cars to build up a mountain of experience so that Ford could react properly to experience with all the privately sold examples.
e) I used the RS200s as normal road cars, as those pictures make clear. Not to pop down to the shops, or the pub, but certainly for all normal journeys. One 'wrinkle' to remember was that the engine oil pressure in a cold engine was very high, so I could never exceed about 2,500rpm (when the turbo was still asleep) until normal temperatures were achieved.
f) If anyone still doubts the reality of using an RS200 on the road, let me point out that the red car had electric window lifts, comfortable Recaro seats, a heater, and a plumbed-in mobile phone (all extras, of course ) ...."
I believe the original engine was a 1.8 which was developed externally for an Escort RS programme which got canned before it went into production. Rather than let the engine go to waste, they decided to use it in the RS200.
I seem to remember the gearbox was developed so the car could be run in 2WD for tarmac rallies. However, it turned out that the extra traction overcame any weight penalty, so it always ran 4WD.
I seem to remember the gearbox was developed so the car could be run in 2WD for tarmac rallies. However, it turned out that the extra traction overcame any weight penalty, so it always ran 4WD.
dudleybloke said:
i can remember in 1988 my friends uncle took us to the ford dealership in walsall when he was buying a new 1.8 siera saphire there was a white rs200 for sale for 14k.
I remember that RS200 well.Tildesley ford was the dealership and although it was there before I was old enough to drive legally we used to pop in there regularly to drool over it.
Johnnytheboy said:
My Dad's responses to this thread, which he's now seen:
d) I drove the red RS200 for about 40,000 miles (and, yes, totalled nearly 100,000 in all the RS200s I drove) - each and every one of them being designated as an 'endurance car' by Ford Motorsport - Bob Howe and I were those people running road cars to build up a mountain of experience so that Ford could react properly to experience with all the privately sold examples.
I'll have to try and find the photos I've got of Bob Howe giving me a high speed ride around the Boreham test track in an RS200 back in around 1988. Got to meet Bob quite a number of times back in those, as I was at that time a committee member of the Ford AVO Owners Club and Bob had been one of the original senior personal at AVO when it was started in 1969, and he was very helpful to the club, turning up to a number of club events (always in a RS200 d) I drove the red RS200 for about 40,000 miles (and, yes, totalled nearly 100,000 in all the RS200s I drove) - each and every one of them being designated as an 'endurance car' by Ford Motorsport - Bob Howe and I were those people running road cars to build up a mountain of experience so that Ford could react properly to experience with all the privately sold examples.
)I went to Boreham a few times, so may have even met your Dad as well
naffa said:
dudleybloke said:
i can remember in 1988 my friends uncle took us to the ford dealership in walsall when he was buying a new 1.8 siera saphire there was a white rs200 for sale for 14k.
I remember that RS200 well.Tildesley ford was the dealership and although it was there before I was old enough to drive legally we used to pop in there regularly to drool over it.
dudleybloke said:
Viper said:
one of may mates dad worked for Scimitar he told me when the officials came around to view the completed cars at Tamworth for homologation they werent all complete, so they showed them half of what they needed to see then took the officials off for lunch.
The staff then moved same cars into a different building and showed them the 'other half' when they came back from lunch
i'v heard the same story for lancia!The staff then moved same cars into a different building and showed them the 'other half' when they came back from lunch
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