Ford Escort Group 4 'Yellow Peril'
We'll be following Jesse Crosse and his rally exploits in PH Fleet; first an in-depth introduction
The childhood dream comes true!
These days you've got a couple of options with the Escort. There's historic rallying where the spec must be original, then there's open class rallying where it doesn't. This is good as it allows a choice of engines, sequential gearboxes and power steering.
Enter the Yellow Peril
After looking at a lot of tat I found the Yellow Peril, a tarmac spec car which I drive in single venue 'sealed surface' rallies. It was built from scratch in around 2004 and improved by its then owner into a winning car. The engine is a beast, a dry sump, 2.0-litre Vauxhall C20XE 'Red Top' from the recently defunct but brilliant JRE Racing Engines.
JRE engine uses Jenvey throttle bodies...
As the engine needs a rebuild after every 1,500 stage miles, I gave Halfords a miss and use Millers Nanodrive racing engine oil in an effort to reduce wear to a minimum. Even so, oil and filter still get changed after every three events as the engine builder recommended. The gearbox takes extreme pressure limited-slip differential oil and I use Millers for that too. Drenth insists on an oil change every single event because although the oil would clearly last years, changing it flushes out tiny bits of steel debris coming off the gears and dog clutches during those fast shifts.
Serious stuff
The body shell is strengthened, seam welded and turreted at the rear to take coilover Bilstein Gp 4 shocks. Obviously, there's no trim inside, the doors are lightweight with no guts, just bins like an old Mini Mk1 and there's a welded and bolted roll cage. The bonnet and boot are carbon-Kevlar and although the Peril has been on the scales yet, I'll be surprised if it tops 900kg.
... currently makes 291bhp and revs to 9K!
A lot's been done to the Peril since I got it. The engine has been upgraded from 260hp to 291hp and the new ECU came with it supports flat shift. Upshifts used to be clutchless with a quick lift to let the ratios swap. Now, it's still clutchless but without the lift. Instead, the ignition cuts for between 100 milliseconds and 60 milliseconds (depending on the gear) as the gear lever is yanked hard. That's nothing, but it's enough.
'Killer stopping power' from AP brakes
I've rebuilt the gearbox and suspension, the axle has been rebuilt by specialists Fostek and the brakes overhauled by AP Racing. They're AP four-pot Monte Carlo calipers on the front and Gp 4 Escort calipers on the rear which give killer stopping power and just never fade.
For this year I had to fit new seats and harnesses as motorsport regulations 'life' both and mine were no longer 'in date'. The new Recaro Revenge seats are a big improvement on the old Sparcos but the biggest change is moving from 13-inch to 15-inch wheels.
In UK rallying, wheel and tyre assembly width is now restricted to nine inches so the larger circumference of the 15-inch wheels gives a bigger contact patch. A wider legal tyre size is available too so that all adds up to more grip. The trade-off is that each wheel and tyre weighs 3.4kg more than a 13-inch and the extra unsprung weight isn't ideal for handling.
Eight-inch Gp 4 Revolutions are clad with Kumho Motorsport CO3 moulded slicks in super soft, soft or medium compound. The final job I've done is to fit a data logger which I'm still trying to get working. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I have a feeling I may not like what it's telling me when I do.
By the time you read this the Yellow Peril will hopefully have finished the Corinium Stages at Down Ampney airfield near Cirencester. After that, there's the very fast Abingdon Stages on June 8 held at Dalton Barracks followed by the Brands Hatch Summer Stages on August 24. Come and say hello if you're at Abingdon or Brands, you can't miss the Peril, it really is very yellow. More on Down Ampney next time. Fingers crossed.
FACT SHEET
Car: 1978 Mk2 Ford Escort RS
Run by: Jesse Crosse
Bought: January 2010
Mileage: 1,000 stage miles since 2009
Purchase price: £36,000
Last month at a glance: Busy resetting ride heights for the 15-inch wheels, setting up suspension and general prep ready for action
Coming next:
Following this introduction we'll be running regular updates on Jesse's Escort exploits here as part of PH Fleet - stay tuned!
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[Lead image: Az Edwards]
One thing I was wondering is how a Honda S2000 engine compares as it seems to have a similar MO to a highly tuned XE, the XE is getting scarce theses days and I would imagine a build like that is very expensive, after all it is effectively doubling the original power near enough. The Honda unit offers 250 bhp out of the box and all the internals to cope with a high rev limit, surely with a bit of fettling, 250 bhp could become 300 more cost effectively than 150 becoming 300 ? or are they too heavy in comparison or does the Vtec delivery not suit a rally car ?
Just seems, to my limited knowledge like a no brainer and a really good swap for loads of older RWD stuff, like Mantas, most Fords, Sunbeams, E30 (Budget M3 ?), older Jap stuff, Dolomite Sprints and the like, a proper, reliable barking twin cam available for like £1500 ?
One thing I was wondering is how a Honda S2000 engine compares as it seems to have a similar MO to a highly tuned XE, the XE is getting scarce theses days and I would imagine a build like that is very expensive, after all it is effectively doubling the original power near enough. The Honda unit offers 250 bhp out of the box and all the internals to cope with a high rev limit, surely with a bit of fettling, 250 bhp could become 300 more cost effectively than 150 becoming 300 ? or are they too heavy in comparison or does the Vtec delivery not suit a rally car ?
Just seems, to my limited knowledge like a no brainer and a really good swap for loads of older RWD stuff, like Mantas, most Fords, Sunbeams, E30 (Budget M3 ?), older Jap stuff, Dolomite Sprints and the like, a proper, reliable barking twin cam available for like £1500 ?
P.S. If you're looking for additional wheels, I have 3 sets of Revolutions (8x15Fronts, 9x15 Rears)that I don't use if you are looking for additional wheels PM me
Reason I am selling is I have an 8" width restriction in Scotland One thing I was wondering is how a Honda S2000 engine compares as it seems to have a similar MO to a highly tuned XE, the XE is getting scarce theses days and I would imagine a build like that is very expensive, after all it is effectively doubling the original power near enough. The Honda unit offers 250 bhp out of the box and all the internals to cope with a high rev limit, surely with a bit of fettling, 250 bhp could become 300 more cost effectively than 150 becoming 300 ? or are they too heavy in comparison or does the Vtec delivery not suit a rally car ?
Just seems, to my limited knowledge like a no brainer and a really good swap for loads of older RWD stuff, like Mantas, most Fords, Sunbeams, E30 (Budget M3 ?), older Jap stuff, Dolomite Sprints and the like, a proper, reliable barking twin cam available for like £1500 ?
You need to bring car to Donegal or Ulster rally for some real competition! Great car though the purchase price must be what you told the wife it cost!
Look forward to the updates on your escapades Jesse...
Lovely car...!!
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