White 1969 "SuperSpeed" Escort V-6 Reg No. 11-WY
Discussion
Not sure about the white one you mention, although I believe a white Superspeed recently featured in one of the classic Ford mags. My uncle has one of these in red with white stripes - it's a 1972 and he has owned it from about 1980 onwards.
A very rare and special car which was based on the Type-49 body shell and fitted with an Essex V6 and ZF 5-speed dog-leg gearbox. My uncle is currently carrying out a full restoration to bring his one back to as-new condition and should have it ready for spring time. I'll post pics up when it's done.
A very rare and special car which was based on the Type-49 body shell and fitted with an Essex V6 and ZF 5-speed dog-leg gearbox. My uncle is currently carrying out a full restoration to bring his one back to as-new condition and should have it ready for spring time. I'll post pics up when it's done.
I owned a mk 1 Superspeed Special V6 . It started life as a brand new white twin cam RS1600 and was converted at brand new into a red Special V6. It's number plate was NFV 100 G. It was first owned by Thomas Motors , Blackpool - then me. The front and back wings were tastefully flared, not large rally flares. Mod's were as follows; Stage 2 heads with chromed Superspeed rocker covers, free flowing manifold's but the exhaust was always a bit of a problem. Motorola steering wheel and two differing front seats. Front crossmember totally altered. Sound deadening hairy stuff under the mats. Rostyle wheels 2000e gearbox , english axle. This very car had a write up in Motor Magazine 1969 ( October I think )comparing it to a 911.
It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
I owned a mk 1 Superspeed Special V6 . It started life as a brand new white twin cam RS1600 and was converted at brand new into a red Special V6. It's number plate was NFV 100 G. It was first owned by Thomas Motors , Blackpool - then me. The front and back wings were tastefully flared, not large rally flares. Mod's were as follows; Stage 2 heads with chromed Superspeed rocker covers, free flowing manifold's but the exhaust was always a bit of a problem. Motorola steering wheel and two differing front seats. Front crossmember totally altered. Sound deadening hairy stuff under the mats. Rostyle wheels 2000e gearbox , english axle. This very car had a write up in Motor Magazine 1969 ( October I think )comparing it to a 911.
It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
I posted some info on my grandfather's old superspeed a few months back, hope you find it interesting!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Nice to hear of another couple of ex-Superspeed owners on PH. 
I thought I’d share a few photos of my uncle’s car taken from the photo shoot with Classic Ford Mag back in 2011 (featured in January’s 2012 edition). It’s also in the old photo above with the only other known to exist Superspeed Mk1 that has the 5-Speed ZF gearbox fitted (the white one with the same stripe design). Let’s hope there other surviving cars out there stored away somewhere...
I thought I’d share a few photos of my uncle’s car taken from the photo shoot with Classic Ford Mag back in 2011 (featured in January’s 2012 edition). It’s also in the old photo above with the only other known to exist Superspeed Mk1 that has the 5-Speed ZF gearbox fitted (the white one with the same stripe design). Let’s hope there other surviving cars out there stored away somewhere... 
Edited by Mutton on Sunday 15th September 22:44
Mutton said:
Nice to hear of another couple of ex-Superspeed owners on PH. I thought I’d share a few photos of my uncle’s car taken from the photo shoot with Classic Ford Mag back in 2011 (featured in January’s 2012 edition). It’s also in the old photo above with the only other known to exist Superspeed Mk1 that has the 5-Speed ZF gearbox fitted (the white one with the same stripe design). Let’s hope there other surviving cars out there stored away somewhere...
Lovely - very impressed by that. I had completly forgotten about Superspeeds - thanks I thought I’d share a few photos of my uncle’s car taken from the photo shoot with Classic Ford Mag back in 2011 (featured in January’s 2012 edition). It’s also in the old photo above with the only other known to exist Superspeed Mk1 that has the 5-Speed ZF gearbox fitted (the white one with the same stripe design). Let’s hope there other surviving cars out there stored away somewhere... Edited by Mutton on Sunday 15th September 22:44
FLC 681 J popped up at the Revival over the weekend.
More at Daniel Bevis' blog.
http://www.sucksqueezebangblow.co/2012/02/super-sp...
More at Daniel Bevis' blog.
http://www.sucksqueezebangblow.co/2012/02/super-sp...
As the original owner of FLC 681J, does anyone know how I can contact the present owner - Nik Davis, I think? I'm interested in how different the present version is from my original car. By the way, this was the third of three SuperSpeed cars that I bought from Mike Young (who was salesman when he wasn't racing).
The first, was a 1500GT Anglia - 1066 PU. I bought this in 1965 from Mike, after the car had been lowered, fitted with a modified 1500GT engine, complete with under-axle exhaust and minimum silencing. Although it had been used briefly for sprints and retained the original drum brakes, I had a number of very interesting years road use of this car.
The second, was an Escort 1600GTS - XGU 380G. Yes, the car used in the May 1969 AUTOCAR 'Hot Escorts' test (I still have one of the original magazines). I bought this car from Mike and he told me that XGU 380G had a number of 'extra' mods, both engine and suspension, in order achieve favourable comments in the AUTOCAR test. He was very successful with this. Many years later, I made contact with the retired, living in Australia, ex-SuperSpeed mechanic that had built XGU 380G. He confirmed that the car was defintely a test special.
The third car was the Escort V6 - FLC 681J. Again, I bought this new from Mike. What a car, until the inlet manifold gasket let go just under a year after I bought it. And that, together with the vehicle recovery by Mike, under warranty, is another story! Who has been towed through the Blackwall Tunnel at 60mph - on a 6ft tow rope - by Mike Young!
Happy days....
The first, was a 1500GT Anglia - 1066 PU. I bought this in 1965 from Mike, after the car had been lowered, fitted with a modified 1500GT engine, complete with under-axle exhaust and minimum silencing. Although it had been used briefly for sprints and retained the original drum brakes, I had a number of very interesting years road use of this car.
The second, was an Escort 1600GTS - XGU 380G. Yes, the car used in the May 1969 AUTOCAR 'Hot Escorts' test (I still have one of the original magazines). I bought this car from Mike and he told me that XGU 380G had a number of 'extra' mods, both engine and suspension, in order achieve favourable comments in the AUTOCAR test. He was very successful with this. Many years later, I made contact with the retired, living in Australia, ex-SuperSpeed mechanic that had built XGU 380G. He confirmed that the car was defintely a test special.
The third car was the Escort V6 - FLC 681J. Again, I bought this new from Mike. What a car, until the inlet manifold gasket let go just under a year after I bought it. And that, together with the vehicle recovery by Mike, under warranty, is another story! Who has been towed through the Blackwall Tunnel at 60mph - on a 6ft tow rope - by Mike Young!
Happy days....
superspeed3065 said:
I owned a mk 1 Superspeed Special V6 . It started life as a brand new white twin cam RS1600 and was converted at brand new into a red Special V6. It's number plate was NFV 100 G. It was first owned by Thomas Motors , Blackpool - then me. The front and back wings were tastefully flared, not large rally flares. Mod's were as follows; Stage 2 heads with chromed Superspeed rocker covers, free flowing manifold's but the exhaust was always a bit of a problem. Motorola steering wheel and two differing front seats. Front crossmember totally altered. Sound deadening hairy stuff under the mats. Rostyle wheels 2000e gearbox , english axle. This very car had a write up in Motor Magazine 1969 ( October I think )comparing it to a 911.
It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but it seems a backwards step to replace the RS1600 engine with an Essex. I suppose there is more torque and low down useable power to be had from the Essex, but so much extra weight ? It was absolutely brilliant , suspension set just right , balance just right. could blow away Gilberns, Scimitars and the like. It had two vices 1)useless square headlamps and 2) It had a propensity to disintegrate the fibre timing gears, about four sets in the 9 years I owned it. It passed away after I seam welded and caged it to rally and sold it to a pal who wrote it off on the first stage shortly after - such a shame, should never have been anywhere near a stage!!
Don't compare these rare cars with the crap conversions the others built, the Superspeed was far and away better thought out and built.
that said, I think I would prefer the sound of the v6
You are right that the converted V6 Escort was heavier than the TwinCam original. However, I can assure you that with the V6 I was able to blow away TwinCams. I well remember a time when I came across a TwinCam driver that wanted to 'play'. He was unable to match the V6 over some considerable distance. Eventually, we had to stop at some diversion traffic lights where he jumped out and came to me asking what I had under the bonnet. He was amazed that after he had just spent £350 modifying his TwinCam engine (a lot of money in the early 70s) he was unable to match me, let alone catch me!
By the way, the V6 exhausts were 6 pipes into short twin pipes finishing with a long single large bore pipe exiting on the nearside rear. The 6 manifold pipes looked great sprayed with white Sperex heat resistant paint (whatever happened to that). It sounded like no other Ford! In fact, when the revs rose it sounded like a Dino Ferrari.
Shame I had to give it up.....
By the way, the V6 exhausts were 6 pipes into short twin pipes finishing with a long single large bore pipe exiting on the nearside rear. The 6 manifold pipes looked great sprayed with white Sperex heat resistant paint (whatever happened to that). It sounded like no other Ford! In fact, when the revs rose it sounded like a Dino Ferrari.
Shame I had to give it up.....
Hello all
Having surpassed pensionable age thought it might be good to look back at some motoring memories.
Found "PistonHeads" on the internet.Browsed through and saw the name Superspeed, brought back
some great memories. 1973 Lay st. Ilford. A morning about april outside the garage taking delivery of my brand new Daytona yellow ZF150. Sticking it into gear, waving to John, Colin
and all, dropping the clutch and REVERSING back down the road, forgot about the dogleg!
Owned it for three years had lots of fun, one careless and one dangerous on license.
Great dragster only got beat when breaking halfshafts. Gave it up when I realised that I would
probably kill myself, bought a motor caravan and went fishing.
Wish I still had it though!
Derek
Having surpassed pensionable age thought it might be good to look back at some motoring memories.
Found "PistonHeads" on the internet.Browsed through and saw the name Superspeed, brought back
some great memories. 1973 Lay st. Ilford. A morning about april outside the garage taking delivery of my brand new Daytona yellow ZF150. Sticking it into gear, waving to John, Colin
and all, dropping the clutch and REVERSING back down the road, forgot about the dogleg!
Owned it for three years had lots of fun, one careless and one dangerous on license.
Great dragster only got beat when breaking halfshafts. Gave it up when I realised that I would
probably kill myself, bought a motor caravan and went fishing.
Wish I still had it though!
Derek
The Twin cam and RS1600 were very different - Twin Cams used the old Lotus engine based on the five bearing 1500 Cortina block and did 100 bhp, if that. The RS1600 used the 711M based 16 valve BDA, around 120 bhp and a proper screamer, if temperamental.
Ford V6's until 1972 were about 120 bhp on paper, so perhaps 110-115 bhp in reality. The 1972 onwards (Granada) units were much better with the bigger valves and 38DGAS carburettor. The V5 3000 Essex is a lovely old plodder. I once drove one that had been converted to run Bosch K Jetronic with a custom made inlet manifold and it was very good.
Ford V6's until 1972 were about 120 bhp on paper, so perhaps 110-115 bhp in reality. The 1972 onwards (Granada) units were much better with the bigger valves and 38DGAS carburettor. The V5 3000 Essex is a lovely old plodder. I once drove one that had been converted to run Bosch K Jetronic with a custom made inlet manifold and it was very good.
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