1970 Ford Escort RS1600 – Project Profile

Ah, fast Fords. Don’t you just love ’em? Much like the hot hatch the principle behind these perennially popular paragons of performance (oooh, that was a good one – Ed.) is a simple one – take an ostensibly boring family car and tune it. More than likely this means a bigger engine and brakes and tweaked suspension but obviously it varies depending on the car. With the RS1600 Ford went down the engine route, taking the Mk1 Escort and dropping in a newly developed Cosworth BDA motor. Essentially a crossflow cast iron Kent block with a state of the art 16-valve head, the BDA (Belt drive A-series) replaced Ford’s previous twin-cam unit as its motorsport lump of choice and would go on to be revered as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

The development of the RS1600 was assigned to Ford’s newly established Advanced Vehicle Operations department (or AVO for short) and having previously developed an F1 engine with backing from Ford, Cosworth was the natural choice for the car’s new motor. With 115bhp and a 785kg kerb weight the RS1600 would continue where the already hugely capable Twin Cam left off, going on to secure the Escort Mk1’s place as one of the most successful rally cars of all time.

Featuring a stiffened pressed steel body shell, uprated suspension and a four-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels, the Ford Escort RS1600 was a well-balanced and inherently hoonable machine, especially when pushed. A true homologation special the RS1600 was available as a rally weapon or as a fast road car.

What is it? 

This is a genuine and original AVO example; a Halewood-built car from the first year of production sporting build number BB49. Known to the RS owners club for many years it has been in the current owner’s possession since 2017 but is now looking for its next custodian. Successfully used for historic rallying and hill climbing the car was repatriated to the UK after spending time in Europe during the 1990s where it participated in various motorsport events having been converted to left-hand-drive.

Upon returning to the UK the car continued its competition career until the engine failed and it was earmarked for a restoration. Unfortunately the work was never completed and despite having a solid shell and being fitted with a brand new 2.0-litre Pinto engine rebuilt by Cameron Gilmour Engine Services, it has never been run. This then, is a proper phoenix from the flames opportunity.

Why is it a project? 

As we’ve just mentioned, this RS1600, although genuine, is in the middle of a stalled restoration. Yes it has the four-cylinder Pinto installed, along with a Tran-X gearbox and an English axle with limited slip diff but there is no interior to speak of aside from a steering wheel, dual cowl dash and roll cage. Basically the car needs putting back together and thoroughly testing but with the promise of a bona fide rally legend at the end of it all it’s an exciting proposition and far from the realms of possibility.

What should you look for? 

This is an auction listing and as such we’ve done all of the viewing work for you, compiling a detailed description as well as taking a whole bunch of photos of every aspect of the car so you can bid with confidence. Go and have a read of the listing and pore over the pictures before chucking in a bid. At the end of the day support and parts for these cars is excellent too so there’s no need to worry there either.

What should you do with it? 

It might be tempting (if you have the funds) to chuck a whole bunch of money at this and fully restore it to road car spec with an original BDA motor, embracing its heritage and authenticity. No doubt you’d see a healthy return on investment. Let’s be honest, when was the last time anyone reported on legit RS1600 prices going anywhere but skyward?

If it were our wedge though, we would remain true to this car’s rich history of motorsport mischief and lean into its competition credentials. With the non-standard, tweaked motor, roll cage and other racing accoutrements it would make sense to get it back on track where it belongs. After all, that’s exactly what the Escort RS1600 was built for.