Early Ford RS200 Pics

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[aeropilot]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Probably Bob Howe, he was appointed as the RS200 sales manager, for want of a better word. He ran several RS200's as demonstrators etc, and probably racked up more RS200 road miles than anyone.

Bob had been the chief product planner for the Escort Twin Cam in the late 60's and then involved at a high level at FAVO Aveley in the production of the RS1600, Mex and RS2000.

[AAGR]

Nearly all correct. The 200th RS200 was completed at Shenstone (NOT at Reliant, please note) on 31 January 1986, Bob Howe effectively became 'Mr RS200' immediately afterwards, and the first sales/deliveries of road cars began in the spring of 1986.

I picked up the first of the four cars I ran on behalf of Ford Motorsport in the autumn of 1986. I completed 80,000 miles in the next four years.

[AAGR]

Yup - agree with almost all that, but the first deliveries (mainly of cars intended for use in motorsport ) were made in the spring of 1986.

[Dapster]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Almost certainly - you can just make out the plate on the Cosworth says "Sierra" with something, most likely "Cosworth" in smaller letter underneath. Probably driven up on normal plates with the show plates stuck on once on site.

[Plinth]

AAGR said:

Nearly all correct. The 200th RS200 was completed at Shenstone (NOT at Reliant, please note) on 31 January 1986, Bob Howe effectively became 'Mr RS200' immediately afterwards, and the first sales/deliveries of road cars began in the spring of 1986.

I picked up the first of the four cars I ran on behalf of Ford Motorsport in the autumn of 1986. I completed 80,000 miles in the next four years.

[Dinoboy]

Great photos, thanks for posting.

[AAGR]

Plinth said:

AAGR said:

Nearly all correct. The 200th RS200 was completed at Shenstone (NOT at Reliant, please note) on 31 January 1986, Bob Howe effectively became 'Mr RS200' immediately afterwards, and the first sales/deliveries of road cars began in the spring of 1986.

I picked up the first of the four cars I ran on behalf of Ford Motorsport in the autumn of 1986. I completed 80,000 miles in the next four years.

AAGR says : Aahhh - bless it, at the time it was the only Rosso Red RS200 in the world. Thirty years on, I still miss it.

[Dapster]

TVR Moneypit said:

:

I remember some of the 'works' RS200's being on 'B' reg's, (Mark Lovells BRC one for example). Were any roadcars registered on 'B' reg's?

Both Grundel and Blomqvist's '86 Lombard RAC rally cars were B reg.

https://www.ewrc-results.com/final.php?e=8674&...



Seems like a few of the very early ones were B reg.

http://www.rs200.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=251

[AAGR]

TVR Moneypit said:

AAGR said:

AAGR says : Aahhh - bless it, at the time it was the only Rosso Red RS200 in the world. Thirty years on, I still miss it.

May I enquire who you are and what it was that you used to do for Ford Motorsports / Boreham / SVO to have run four separate RS200's?

I remember some of the 'works' RS200's being on 'B' reg's, (Mark Lovells BRC one for example). Were any roadcars registered on 'B' reg's?

Modesty forbids

[crankedup]

I recall seeing the RS 200 fairly frequently blasting up and down a ‘B’ road in Maldon, Essex.
IIRC Grahme Hathaway had his car fettled in Maldon in an ex farm building. Brilliant cars which still look fairly fresh 30+ years later, amazing.

[robinessex]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

The final collection of RS200’s, and crates full of bits and pieces, complete body shells and chassis, were laid to rest in the west hanger on Boreham airfield. Slowly, complete cars were 'assembled', and sold off. Used to see them being shaken down on the airfield while doing tractor trials with Ford Tractors.

[Google [bot]]

"4WD simply pulls you out of trouble"

CAR Magazine c.1986.

[aeropilot]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Indeed, I visited Boreham in May 1988 and spent a morning with Bob H and a few others, including getting a blat around the Boreham test track in a RS200. Happy memories.

[LotusOmega375D]

Nothing to add from personal experience but a neighbour/friend of mine had his first job as an apprentice working on developing/assembling the RS200 prototypes at a 3rd Party subcontracted company in Wollaston, Northamptonshire.

One day they even had one up on jacks in the workshop running at full chat in 5th gear for testing purposes.

Ford used to send luminaries such as Jackie Stewart to test drive them. My friend never got to drive one, but did have the odd memorable passenger ride.

After the programme ended he was given the task of skipping any remaining RS200 tooling and spare parts.

[Pericoloso]

AAGR is a well known author on all things rally.

I've read a few of his titles.

[robinessex]

LotusOmega375D said:

Nothing to add from personal experience but a neighbour/friend of mine had his first job as an apprentice working on developing/assembling the RS200 prototypes at a 3rd Party subcontracted company in Wollaston, Northamptonshire.

One day they even had one up on jacks in the workshop running at full chat in 5th gear for testing purposes.

Ford used to send luminaries such as Jackie Stewart to test drive them. My friend never got to drive one, but did have the odd memorable passenger ride.

After the programme ended he was given the task of skipping any remaining RS200 tooling and spare parts.

These may have ended up at Boreham. Lots of stuff in wire crates, even patterns for casting

[jamiem555]

Pericoloso said:

AAGR is a well known author on all things rally.

I've read a few of his titles.

If I recall correctly, I remember a red RS200 on several british rallies around 1989. Somebody told me it was an authors car and gets driven everywhere. Had a full lamp pod fitted as well.

[PAUL500]

AAGR has written one of two books on these and many other RS models

That 3dr Cosworth will be one of the pre production prototypes as the production cars were not released until mid 86

[meridian]

PAUL500 said:

AAGR has written one of two books on these and many other RS models

The clue is in the initials, perhaps !