1970 Ford Escort Twin Cam Broadspeed

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 • An original Escort Mark 1 Twin Cam of which there are very few of the 800 or so remaining • Converted in period with long competition history • Freshly prepared for historic rallying under current regulations • Beautiful condition inside and out • Ready to rally 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 When Jermaine Stewart sang “we don’t have to take our clothes off to have a good time”, in our view he was probably talking about the joy of sliding a Mark 1 Escort around a rally stage, as we’d certainly rank it highly amongst the list of fun things to do while still fully attired. If you’ve always dreamed of doing just that but can’t quite stretch to the price of a brand new MST creation then fear not! Other alternatives are available and some, like this one, come with quite a history attached. Built to compete in Group 2 international rallying, the Escort Twin Cam was launched in 1968 with a 1.6 litre engine that sported a twin cam head built by Lotus, freshly liberated from the Lotus Cortina. This example was built in 1969 and registered in Feb 1970, and is thought to be one of only 25 cars to be sent to renowned specialist Broadspeed for full rally preparation in period. It was reportedly campaigned successfully by Keith Edwards throughout the 1970s, entering events all over Europe such as the Tour of Switzerland, RAC Rally of Great Britain, Circuit of Ireland, Rally of Spain and the Scottish Rally, as well as many BTRDA Rally series rounds. It's now been newly prepared for 2024 with a current HTP passport, with the rebuild cost reportedly totalling in excess of £70,000 to full FIA Appendix K Group 2 specification. Appendix K, if you’re not familiar, is “a set of rules that preserve the specifications of their period and prevent the modifications of performance and behaviour which could arise through the application of modern technology.” So it has to be proper old school, basically. The equipment list is extensive and we’d recommend reviewing the detail below but suffice to say this is a top-notch example with period history and is ready to go rallying. To be honest, we’d understand if you wanted to own it just to look at it but given its history and the painstaking effort that will have gone into building it to the regulations, we’d love to see it out in its natural habitat, on gravel tracks, marshals’ whistles sounding and the noise of the fabulous twin cam engine echoing off the forest. Glorious. 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • Registered 1 Feb 1970 • Reportedly one of 25 cars prepared in period for rallying by Broadspeed so it’s been a competition car from new • The seller tells us that the most recent work was a full engine rebuild in Nov 2023 by Ric Wood Motorsport • Other recent work reported includes new suspension being installed, all new brakes, a full rewire, new seats and harnesses which are in date until 2026, a new roll cage fitted, new highly polished slightly tinted glass fitted with all new rubber seals, and the gearbox being rebuilt • Current MOT with no advisories expires 19 Sep 2024 • HPI clear 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 • If the evocative exterior isn’t enough of a delight, then the cabin continues the authentic period rallying feel with a rare twin-binnacle dash housing period-style dials, stopwatches and switches and a Broadspeed deep-dish steering wheel • Obviously, it’s fully stripped out and equipped with all the necessary safety equipment: a Safety Devices bolt-in roll cage, an OMP plumbed-in fire extinguisher system, an OMP hand-held fire extinguisher and OMP six-point harnesses and Sabelt seats, both in date to 2026 • Other ‘refinements’ include a Custom centre console with toggle switches, aluminium passenger foot rest, Stilo WRC 03 intercom system, and AP Racing brake bias adjustment valve • In the boot is a 10-gallon foam-filled fuel tank, twin Facet fuel pumps, a spare wheel post and mounting points for straps to secure the spare • Overall, while it’s great just to drink in the details, this is a fully-functional, properly installed interior for a period rally car that, crucially, meets the current safety regulations 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 • Many would say that the way this car looks is reason enough to buy it, finished in Ermine White with a contrasting gloss-blue roof, and a satin-black bonnet, used in-period to reduce reflections off a white-painted bonnet • The bodyshell is seam-welded with steel bubble arches and appears not to have experienced any competitive miles since last being painted as it doesn’t exhibit a usual level of rally patina • It’s not just the bodywork that shows great attention to detail as there are all the right bits everywhere you look: quad Cibie front spotlights, external kill switches, perspex headlight covers, quick-release bonnet pins, a rear spotlight, and front and rear tow straps and an aluminium sump guard • Even the chrome bumpers present beautifully • It comes with a set of 13-inch 8J front and 9J rear Revolution Minilite alloy wheels, shod in Hankook Ventus T72 tarmac tyres • Underneath is notable for being particularly clean • In all, it’s as good to look at as it promises to be to drive 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 • The 1.6-litre twin-cam engine has recently been rebuilt by Ric Wood motorsport and features forged JE short competition height pistons, valve pockets machined to suit the camshafts, Sainz steel con-rods, a fully balanced 84mm stroke steel narrow journal with 9mm bolt BDG crankshaft, all new Vernier pulleys, steel crank and jackshaft gears, an alloy dry sump, the cylinder head machined and fitted with bucket liners and new bronze guides, 1.625 and 1.4-inch exhaust valves, unleaded valve seats, race springs and valve caps, steel buckets, phase 5 camshafts, the head welded and modified as BDG head and fully ported and gas flowed, an ARP cylinder head stud conversion, and twin 45 DCOE Weber carburettors • Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a close-ratio full alloy synchro five-speed Type 9 gearbox which has heavy-duty bearings and is mated to a steel F/W 8.5-inch AP Racing clutch, fully lightened and balanced • At the rear there’s a baby atlas axle with 4:6 ZF limited-slip differential • Braking is taken care of by new four-piston AP Racing period front callipers with vented discs and new pads, while at the rear there are 3.0-litre Capri rear brake drums with new pads and a fly-off handbrake • The steering has a quick rack and electric power assistance • Although we’d love to see it in the forests, currently the suspension is running a tarmac set up (which may be a better place to get some practice in before threading it through the trees) and has tarmac springs all round, Bilstein inserts on the front MacPherson struts and Bilstein shocks at the rear with inboard turrets • The exhaust has a Tony Law Manifold and is a 2 inch system 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 Whether you’re looking to compete or just to have a rally car as part of a collection, this Escort has a huge amount to recommend it. We think it would be fantastic to see it out on the stages but equally understand the appeal of just owning and enjoying a classic competition car of this quality. To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Wilmslow, Cheshire.