'70s rally cars

Grolschevik · 14-07-2016 1:58am #1

Quick question: flicking through TV channels tonight, and I saw loads of 1970s Escorts in the Donegal Rally, and doing well, too.

Why is this?

Thought initially it must be a 'classic class', but when I turned on the sound to listen to the report, there were Escorts in loads of classes. I stopped listening when they got to class 20.

Or are there different 'classic classes' based on engine spec?

Anyway, nice to see them still running!

Henry Ford III · 14-07-2016 7:08am

They are still competitive. They are small, light and rwd. They are also relatively inexpensive with parts readily available.

ianobrien · 14-07-2016 7:29am

OP, the classes are (lifted from Motorsport Ireland's website)

Class 1
Group N up to1600cc (Previously N1 & N2),
R1 (atmo up to 1600cc - VR1A/VR1B and turbo
up to 1067cc – VR1A/VR1B).
Class 2.
Group A up to 1600cc (Previously A5 & A6),
R2 (atmo over 1390cc to 1600cc - VR2B and
turbo over 927cc and up to 1067cc – VR2B),
Kit cars up to 1600cc,
Group N 1601cc to 2000cc (Previously N3.
Class 3.
Group A 1601cc to 2000cc (Previously A7),
R2 (atmo over 1600cc and up to 2000cc – VR2C
and turbo over 1067cc and up to1333cc – VR2C),
R3 (atmo over 1600cc and up to 2000 cc –VR3C
and turbo over 1067cc and up to 1333cc – VR3C),
R3 (Turbo up to 1620cc / nominal VR3T),
R3 (Diesel up to 2000cc / nominal – VR3D),
Super 1600 cars.
Class 4.
Group N over 2000 cc (N4 FIA Appendix J 254).
Class 5.
Group R4 (Appendix J 260),
Group R5 (S2000 - Rally - 2.0 Atmospheric).
Class 6.
All cars homologated in FIA R-GT.
Class 7.
Group A over 2000cc (Previously A8),
WRC (1.6T),
WRC (2.0T),
S2000 Rally 1.6T 28mm Restrictor (also known a
Regional Rally Car - RRC).
Class 8.
TBN.
Class 9.
Modified cars up to 1450cc - 2 wheel drive.
Class 10.
Modified cars 1451cc to 1650cc not more than 2
valves per cylinder, 2 wheel drive.
Class 11F.
Modified FWD cars 1451cc to 1650cc more than 2
valves per cylinder.
Class 11R.
Modified RWD cars 1451cc to 1650cc more than 2
valves per cylinder.
Class 12.
Modified cars 1651cc to 2100cc not more than 2
valves per cylinder, 2 wheel drive.
Class 13.
Modified cars 1651cc to 2100cc more than 2 valves
per cylinder, 2 wheel drive.
Class 14.
Modified cars 2101cc to 3500cc, 2 wheel drive.
(Max 2 valves per cylinder over 3000cc) .
Class 15.
Four-wheel drive cars whose homologation has
expired. See notes 3 & 5.
Class 16. Juniors.
See Appendix 29.1, Article 21.
Class 17.
Historics up to 1600cc. See Appendix 29.1,
Article 18.2.
Class 18.
Historics over 1600cc. See Appendix 29.1,
Article 18.2.
Class 19. Historics.
FIA Appendix K.
Class 20.
Modified 4 Wheel Drive Cars (4WD). See note 16
on classes.
For further details on requirements for cars in
classes 1 – 7 refer to fia.com Appendix J articles 252
to 261. (Article 260 refers to cars in Group R).

As you can see there are plenty the of classes to even things out.

As for the Escort still being popular, it's so popular that they have started to remake shells/body tubs. There really isn't one part for an Escort you can't get.

dr.fuzzenstein · 14-07-2016 12:20pm

LIGHTNING wrote: »

There are a number of classes, the MK2 can be in a few of them! There is a dedicated classic class but there is also 1600cc and 2000cc which the Mk2 can also fit into. Some of them also may look old but have had so much work under them that they are pretty modern under the skin

I can imagine. Different engine, gearbox, suspension, brakes, etc...
The may look like an Escort, but apart from a body shell that has the same shape, there is absolutely nothing the same.

Drummerboy08 · 14-07-2016 12:29pm

Wouldn't call them relatively inexpensive either - there's a fair few €100k Mk2 Escort Rally cars knocoking about this island!

TrailerBob · 14-07-2016 12:37pm

Some serious money in them. I was looking at one a couple of weeks ago with a 2 litre Calibra engine, and full group A rally build.. sequential gearbox, roll cage, harnesses, hydraulic handbrake the works. It had a full nut and bolt rebuild, and I'd say it's worth every penny of 40 grand minimum