Highlights
- Period-modified Cosworth with extensive upgrades
- Showing only 57,676 miles
- Featured in Max Power magazine in 1996
- Dry stored for 30 years before 2025 recommissioning
- Further renovation work by seller in 2026
- Professionally set up by MAS Tuning to a reported 326 bhp and 454 Nm
- MOT valid until 10 June 2027 with no advisories
The Appeal
What Ford and Cosworth started, many knowledgeable enthusiasts have completed. A process of tweaking and improving has defined the Fast Ford scene since virtually the dawn of time. This eye-catching banana yellow Cossie fits firmly into that tradition - so much so that it featured in Max Power at the height of the Fast Ford modding period in the mid 90s.
This 1989 car was extensively modified in the 90s, including a colour change to Zinc Yellow, smoothed bodywork and interior tweaks before appearing in the magazine. Since the article appeared it was dry stored for 30 years to 2025, when an extensive recommissioning process began. The vendor bought the car at the start of the year and completed the work, including a full service to engine, gearbox and differential, a new thermostat and starter motor, plus overhauling the cooling and fuel systems. The full list of work is provided below.
Professionally tuned by MAS Tuning to deliver a reported 326bhp, this is not a regular Cosworth. It comes to market with the added reassurance of a lengthy MOT valid to June 2027 with no advisories.
The vendor says:
"I bought the car after it returned to the road and have spent my ownership going through it mechanically and electrically, with the aim of making it a properly usable and reliable fast-road Cosworth while preserving the character and period features that make this particular car interesting. I've deliberately approached it as a sympathetic evolution of the original 1990s build rather than trying to erase its history and turn it back into a standard Cosworth.”
Key Information
- Mileage: 57,676 miles indicated (stated as correct by seller)
- Country of registration: United Kingdom
- Technical inspection status: MOT valid until 10 June 2027 with no advisories
- Technical specs: 326bhp 1,993cc inline-four, five-speed manual
- Paperwork: period history includes a 1996 Max Power magazine feature
- Registration: plate F73UVX included in sale
Recent maintenance by previous and current keepers:
- 11/24 - 56,230 miles - service
- 09/25 - 56,320 miles - service including cambelt
- 02/26 - 56,350 miles - spark plugs and four tyres
- 02/26 - 56,373 miles - differential service, new springs/shocks, top mounts
- 02/26 - 56,632 miles - service
- 02/26 - 56,640 miles - thermostat, fuel regulator, IAT sensor, fuel filter
- 04/26 - 56,930 miles - auxiliary belts
List of recent work notified by seller since purchase in January 2026:
- Engine oil service
- Gearbox oil change
- Differential oil change
- New starter motor
- Thermostat
- Auxiliary belts
- Spark plugs
- Battery
- New alternator
- New fuel tank
- Uprated Bosch Performance fuel pump
- Fuel filter
- New fuel feed and return lines
- Airtec alloy radiator
- RS500-style intercooler
- Intercooler hoses and clamps
- Oil separator
- Bilstein B6 Sport dampers
- Graham Goode uprated standard-height springs
- New front lower arms
- New front top mounts and bearings
- Powerflex front ARB bushes
- Ignition, wasted-spark ignition, engine management and wiring work
The Detail
- Spent close to 30 years in dry storage before returning to the road
- Finished in Ford Zinc Yellow with colour change recorded in 1995
- Smoothed doors and boot, a 4x4 bonnet and colour-coded exterior details
- Attention to bumpers, bonnet and boot alignment, trims, badges and side skirts
- Rear arches and underfloor areas protected with underseal and Lanoguard
- Ride height has been revised for road use
- Fitted with 17x8 Compomotive TH1781 wheels
- Fitted with new Michelin Pilot Sport 5 215/40 ZR17 tyres
- Black leather interior, electric tilt/slide sunroof and windows and heated screen
- Sierra 4x4 dashboard, RS steering wheel and alloy gear knob
- Custom front door speaker pods from 1990s build retained
- AEM wideband AFR and AEM fuel-pressure gauges fitted
- Pioneer SPH-20DAB head unit, Alpine and Denon amplification, JBL speakers and an Alpine Type-R subwoofer
- Clifford alarm system fitted
- Recent servicing work detailed above with few miles since completion
- List of recent maintenance detailed above
- YB engine based on a 4x4 block and features:
- Forged pistons
- Ported and polished cylinder head
- Group A head gasket
- Garrett T34.63 hybrid turbo
- 403 grey injectors
- MSD 3.5-bar fuel-pressure regulator
- 3-bar MAP sensor
- Engine management and ignition upgrades:
- L8 ECU
- MSD wasted-spark driver
- Twin-coil solid-state wasted-spark ignition system
- Suspension work includes detailed above
- Brake system:
- Cosworth two-pot front callipers
- Factory-size discs
- Mintex pads
- Transmission:
- Factory Borg-Warner T5 five-speed manual gearbox
- Group N clutch and short-shift kit
- Professionally set up by MAS Tuning
- Dyno print out indicates reported 326 bhp and 454 Nm at 4,892 rpm
- No advisories on current MOT
The vendor says:
“The exterior is in very good overall condition and presents extremely well. During my ownership I've worked through the cosmetic issues that were present and had the areas requiring attention rectified, while deliberately retaining the period features that form part of the car's history. My aim has been to get the car looking properly cared for without removing the character of the original build. It still has the right presence, but the changes I've made have also made it considerably more usable.
"The interior is in good overall condition for its age and retains much of the character of the car's original 1990s build. I've spent time going through it and correcting numerous age-related details while deliberately retaining features such as the original custom door speaker pods. Importantly to me, it still feels like the same car rather than a modern recreation of a 1990s build.
“Mechanically, the car is in very good overall condition and has benefited from extensive recent maintenance, replacement parts and development work. A considerable amount of time has been spent going through the car as a whole rather than simply concentrating on increasing engine power. The focus has been on creating a strong, usable fast-road setup and improving reliability. I've systematically worked through the engine, fuel system, cooling, ignition, transmission, suspension, brakes and electrical systems. The result is a much more sorted and usable fast-road Cosworth, while retaining the character that makes an old-school modified YB car so enjoyable.”
“Mechanically, the car is in very good overall condition and has benefited from extensive recent maintenance, replacement parts and development work. A considerable amount of time has been spent going through the car as a whole rather than simply concentrating on increasing engine power. The focus has been on creating a strong, usable fast-road setup and improving reliability. I've systematically worked through the engine, fuel system, cooling, ignition, transmission, suspension, brakes and electrical systems. The result is a much more sorted and usable fast-road Cosworth, while retaining the character that makes an old-school modified YB car so enjoyable.”
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Comments
JD••••
SellerThanks to everyone who's viewed and saved the auction so far — much appreciated. Just a couple of additional details that may be useful: the car was professionally ceramic coated last month using CARPRO CQUARTZ ceramic coating. Also, when the Lanoguard treatment was carried out, the chassis cavities were cavity-wax treated at the same time, giving additional protection to the areas you can't normally see.