RE: Zakspeed Ford Escort: You Know You Want To

RE: Zakspeed Ford Escort: You Know You Want To

Monday 12th August 2013

Zakspeed Ford Escort: You Know You Want To

This Group 2 Escort has been left unsold after an auction; anyone brave enough?



More often than not, a Time for Tea? has us coursing through the classifieds for a video-featured car. BMW's 'Star' short film caused some serious E39 M5 want, and Caterham's recent 'ring video made used Sevens look even more appealing. The same hasn't yet happened with Vauxhall Calibras yet though...

14-inch wide rear wheels need big arches!
14-inch wide rear wheels need big arches!
So after Thursday's classic touring car video, the hunt was on for an historic tin-top racer. And boy did we find one; a Zakspeed Group 2 Escort.

Well, it's a sort of Zakspeed. This Escort was built on an original shell with chassis number ZAK068 but is a replica rather than a genuine racer of the 1970s. This may put some off, but this car has been successful in various historic championships and when genuine rally Escorts are £50K without an engine, it's perhaps less of an issue.

But then all rational justification disappears on looking at this. It sits on split rim Compomotive wheels, the rears 14 inches in both diameter and width (!) lending it a properly mean stance. The fronts are a mere 10 inches but, combined with some negative camber, further bolster the aggression. The box arches are predictably huge to accommodate such ridiculous wheels. The centre-exit exhaust is very cool too, and how is it that old race liveries just look better?

Nothing but the necessary in here...
Nothing but the necessary in here...
This 1975 car has been prepared by Mark Wright Motorsport and comes with MSA and HTP papers. The dry-sumped 2.0-litre BDG makes 265hp with a whole host of race-spec components from the block to the exhaust. The Stack tacho reads to 10, so suffice to say it'll probably rev a bit...

So how much stands between you and being a classic touring car hero in this Group 2 Escort? It's difficult to say actually. This car went to Silverstone to be auctioned at the end of July with an estimate of between £75-£85,000 but didn't sell. We spoke to Silverstone Auctions, who have confirmed the car is now back with its owner, and are awaiting further details on its availability.

Until then, we can enjoy the pictures (there are more on the auction website) and hope it reappears on track imminently; it's not the real deal, but which grid wouldn't look better for its presence?


Ford Escort Zakspeed Group 2 replica
Why you should:
It's a proven historic touring car winner, and looks outrageous.
Why you shouldn't: It will always be a replica, and wouldn't you rather rally an Escort?

See the original advert here

Author
Discussion

hman

Original Poster:

7,487 posts

193 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
NICE!

darrenw

346 posts

282 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Saw that at Oulton Park a while back. Absolutely gorgeous - I've always preferred circuit Mk2 Escorts to rally ones.


Car 68 - Mark Wright - 1975 Ford Escort RS1800 Zakspeed by retromotoring, on Flickr

loudlashadjuster

5,083 posts

183 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Wibble.

DISASTRA 5 0

56 posts

139 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
You would need to be brave indeed!

DanielSan

18,748 posts

166 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
I'll give them £500

Adz The Rat

13,947 posts

208 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Stunning.

How much work would be needed to make it road legal?

Marto

603 posts

211 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
What a cracker, and very much on the lifetime 'bucket list' of cars I would love to have a crack at.

However, can I also tempt 'Sirs' with this lively run-a-round!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C327799

One may find it a bit of a handful in the wet!


J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Lovely, but strictly one for the Escort Beards/collectors, could build something that would give the same/similar feel/thrills a lot lot cheaper, someone on Retro rides has stuck an S2000 engine in a Talbot Sunbeam and done it very well, retro, rwd and a barking twin cam.

There are still loads of old RWD stuff out there that would suit, E30's, Merc 190's, 924's, Manta's etc, ok they arent wide arched Escorts but what I am saying is you dont need to spend all that much to have something fun like that.

Oddball RS

1,757 posts

217 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
I think there is a reason it went unsold at that price.

hwajones

775 posts

180 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
I'd rather split my £70k into a 1 year old M3 with a Caterham and Fireblade in the garage...

djt100

1,734 posts

184 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
hwajones said:
I'd rather split my £70k into a 1 year old M3 with a Caterham and Fireblade in the garage...
Maybe not an M3 for me, But i'll agree the prices for these old ford are ridiculous.

dave stew

1,502 posts

166 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
djt100 said:
hwajones said:
I'd rather split my £70k into a 1 year old M3 with a Caterham and Fireblade in the garage...
Maybe not an M3 for me, But i'll agree the prices for these old ford are ridiculous.
Yes, agreed. As a lifelong Mk2 Escort fan, I think they have gone stupid recently. However, unless it's a 'bubble' to use investment vernacular, they aren't likely to lose money, either. (Unlike an M3...)

tannedstamina

510 posts

128 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Lovely!! This is the type of car that was affordable in NZ when I just got my licence, so was very much a lusted after car. Normally painted primer grey, with 14" alloys and a koni exhaust. WANT.

mike parfitt

36 posts

259 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
[quote=Marto]What a cracker, and very much on the lifetime 'bucket list' of cars I would love to have a crack at.

However, can I also tempt 'Sirs' with this lively run-a-round!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C327799

One may find it a bit of a handful in the wet!

several previous owners.... all wearing brown trousers....

will261058

1,115 posts

191 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
Thats a beaut!

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
I can't even understand why people pay over £10k for any Escort.

DanielSan

18,748 posts

166 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
I can't even understand why people pay over £10k for any Escort.
A grand is too expensive. It's a shot old shopping trolley at the end of the day.

MichelV

133 posts

151 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
Lovely, but strictly one for the Escort Beards/collectors, could build something that would give the same/similar feel/thrills a lot lot cheaper, someone on Retro rides has stuck an S2000 engine in a Talbot Sunbeam and done it very well, retro, rwd and a barking twin cam.

There are still loads of old RWD stuff out there that would suit, E30's, Merc 190's, 924's, Manta's etc, ok they arent wide arched Escorts but what I am saying is you dont need to spend all that much to have something fun like that.
Not really because with this one you can show up at the track and compete in the historics.
You can also have it FIA approved K-reg.
You could build it for about 60-70K€ (the engine they claim is in there is about 20k€), the shell would be about 10K most of it labour, suspension plus setup 3K, the BBS about 2K€ if you can find them. Brakes about 2k€ all around. The rest is for all the simple stuff. Interior, gauges, fire-fighting system, paint/body, exhaust system,....

MichelV

133 posts

151 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
I prefer this one....osmile


Escorttom

45 posts

175 months

Monday 12th August 2013
quotequote all
DanielSan said:
LuS1fer said:
I can't even understand why people pay over £10k for any Escort.
A grand is too expensive. It's a shot old shopping trolley at the end of the day.
Haha a shot old shopping trolley that was voted the worlds best rally car by the british rally forum?