Description
Body & Chassis
Mk2 Ford Escort bodyshell, fully seam-welded and gusseted, with extensive strengthening and fabrication throughout. Features include, inner tubs, forest arches, boot spoiler, transmission tunnel, radiator mount, strut towers, four-link boxes and Panhard rod tower. Rebuilt fuel and oil tank platforms, six-point Safety Devices roll cage, works-type sump guard and ZF gearbox tunnel tower.
Retains original bonnet and boot pins, works-type bonnet release and arch protectors, complemented by Cibie Super Oscar spotlights mounted on quick-release plugs.
Finished in a bare-metal 2K repaint in Ford Diamond White.
Engine
Ex-works Brian Hart-built 1, 987cc Ford BDG engine, rebuilt with an 11. 8:1 compression ratio, new pistons, rings, main and big-end bearings, rebushed connecting rods and honed cylinder bores.
Features a dry-sump lubrication system, Kent L1 and BD3 camshafts, retaining the original works specification. Induction is provided by twin Weber 48 DCO2/ SP carburettors mounted on a short manifold, with a Tony Law exhaust manifold and quick-release 2. 25-inch exhaust system.
Further specification includes works-type throttle linkage, original GOMM oil tank with period-style plumbing, new oil cooler, works AP Purolator filter, 95-amp alternator, high-torque starter motor, alloy radiator with large cooling fan and twin Facet Red Top fuel pumps.
Power output: approximately 235–245bhp.
Transmission & Drivetrain
An original direct-top, dog-leg ZF five-speed gearbox sourced from a works Escort, complete with original quick-release bellhousing, AP Racing twin-plate clutch, correct clutch lever arm and release bearing, and Girling clutch slave cylinder.
Further specification includes a one-piece propshaft, heavy-duty gearbox mount, sump guard and period-correct gear lever, tower and cover.
Power is delivered through a fully floating, five-linked Atlas rear axle, incorporating a 4. 9:1 ZF limited-slip differential.
Suspension
Front: MacPherson struts with adjustable platforms, Group 4 Bilstein damper inserts and forest-specification springs. World Cup crossmember with lowered steering rack mounts and matched engine mounts, double-width anti-roll bar, period-correct non-in-situ Rose-jointed adjustable track control arms and 2. 4 quick-ratio steering rack with gravel-specification steering arms.
Rear: Gravel-specification multi-leaf slipper springs, Group 4 Bilstein gravel dampers, four-link bars with Rose joints and Panhard rod.
Braking System
Front: AP Racing CP2361 four-pot calipers with AP vented and grooved discs, Ferodo pads, copper-nickel brake pipes and Goodridge flexible hoses.
Rear: AP Racing CP2577 calipers, hydraulic handbrake and solid gravel-specification discs, with Ferodo pads, copper-nickel brake pipes and Goodridge flexible hoses.
Completed by a pedal box incorporating period-correct Girling master cylinders and AP Lockheed reservoir.
Wheels
6x13-inch front and 7x13-inch rear Olympic Blue Minilite alloy wheels, with a spare wheel mounted in the boot.
Interior & Period Equipment
An exceptionally detailed, period-inspired competition interior, featuring reverse-engineered and retrimmed Scheel 302 racing seats, mounted on correct runners, Willans five-point harnesses and a works-specification Springalex steering wheel.
The attention to period detail continues throughout, with a rear bulkhead-mounted tool roll, original-style door pockets, original plastic Halda Twinmaster complete with correct T-pieces and cables, Smiths instrumentation, chronometric Stack rev counter, NOS Lucas 60/ 60 ammeter with correct shunt, works oil-pressure warning light and original map light.
The electrical system incorporates a complete wiring loom following the original pattern, with correct plugs, new fuse board and relay panel to works specification, alongside cut-off switches, intercom and CB radio with antenna.
Further equipment and memorabilia include handheld Lifeline fire extinguishers, original stadium helmets and helmet foam holders, original OS maps and road books from the 1979 RAC Rally route, original Ford rally clothing including jackets and cap, British Airways luggage, wheel brace and Bilstein jack mounted in the original works-car style, period-correct oil cans, stopwatch and a parcel-shelf-mounted spare ignition pack.
An extraordinary collection of period equipment and carefully recreated details completes an interior that captures the atmosphere of the original Boreham competition Escorts.
The car needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.
An exceptional opportunity to acquire an extraordinarily detailed Mk2 Ford Escort, built as a faithful homage to the legendary Boreham works rally cars of the late 1970s.
The result of five years of meticulous research, sourcing and construction, this is no ordinary rally replica. Every aspect of the car has been carefully considered to recreate the look, character and atmosphere of the original works Escorts, with an uncompromising commitment to period authenticity.
At its heart is an ex-works Brian Hart-built 1, 987cc Ford BDG engine, producing approximately 235–245bhp, paired with an original direct-top, dog-leg ZF five-speed gearbox sourced from a works Escort. The specification is further enhanced by a fully floating five-linked Atlas rear axle with ZF limited-slip differential and comprehensive Group 4 suspension and braking equipment, including Bilstein dampers and AP Racing brakes.
The exterior faithfully captures the unmistakable appearance of the Boreham Escorts, finished in Diamond White with period-correct gravel arches, Cibie Super Oscar spotlights and Olympic Blue Minilite wheels.
The interior is equally remarkable. Recreated Scheel racing seats, a works-specification Springalex steering wheel, Willans harnesses, Halda Twinmaster, period instrumentation, original-style wiring and an extraordinary collection of authentic rally equipment and memorabilia combine to create an incredibly immersive period experience.
Particular inspiration was drawn from Björn Waldegård's famous Castrol-liveried Escort, which achieved outright victory on the 1978 Rally Sweden.
This is a car built with genuine passion and an almost obsessive attention to detail. Rather than simply replicating the appearance of a works Escort, the objective was to capture the spirit, engineering and atmosphere of the original Boreham competition cars.
A truly special opportunity for the Ford rally enthusiast or collector, and a car that needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate the quality, specification and extraordinary detail of its construction.
The car was also the subject of a dedicated feature in the April 2021 issue of Classic Ford magazine, titled “All the Small Things”. The extensive article explores the inspiration behind the build, the painstaking five-year construction process and the extraordinary attention to detail that sets this Escort apart. It provides an excellent insight into the quality, engineering and authenticity of the car.
Adding a particularly special historical connection, the car carries the registration WTW 526S, just one digit removed from WTW 567S, the original works Ford Escort RS1800 driven by Björn Waldegård to victory on the 1977 RAC Rally. The registration and associated documentation were specifically acquired as part of the build, further strengthening the car's connection to one of the most celebrated periods in Ford's rallying history.
