ESCORT RS1600i - Fast Ford
ESCORT RS1600i - Fast Ford
ESCORT RS1600i - Fast Ford
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HOW TO MODIFY:<br />
SOME<br />
cars just have motorsport in<br />
their blood. Way back in 1979<br />
<strong>Ford</strong> of Germany drew up plans for the sharp and<br />
aggressively-styled <strong>RS1600i</strong> as they needed a car that<br />
was able to compete in the new Group A and N<br />
motorsport categories. As luck would have it this<br />
coincided with the prototype stages of the third<br />
generation of Escorts, the fi rst of the fwd models.<br />
The first prototype was revealed to the<br />
public at the 1981 Frankfurt Motorshow,<br />
however, the UK didn’t get its viewing<br />
until the 1982 show where it was<br />
released alongside the Mklll XR3i.<br />
Thanks to homologation rules, the<br />
public had the chance to treat<br />
themselves to their very own <strong>RS1600i</strong><br />
when the car hit the showrooms in<br />
1982. Initially <strong>Ford</strong> produced the car<br />
in small numbers as just 5000 were<br />
needed to meet homologation<br />
regulations, but demand exceeded<br />
the supply; the final count for left<br />
and right-hand drive 1600is was<br />
8659. But as ever, all good things must<br />
come to an end and production ended<br />
in 1984.<br />
The <strong>RS1600i</strong> is now a highly sought-after<br />
collectors’ car so we would recommend<br />
that any modifi cations you make are done<br />
with the option to return to standard, so<br />
as not to destroy the car’s resale value. But<br />
hey, it’s your car.<br />
ENGINE<br />
As ever the 1600 CVH is a hardy little<br />
thing that produces 115 bhp from<br />
the factory. Although there are a few<br />
subtle differences with the <strong>RS1600i</strong>’s<br />
lump, apart from the fi nned alloy<br />
rocker cover and twin coils on the<br />
nearside front of the engine, inside<br />
you’ll fi nd mechanical valve lifters, as<br />
opposed to hydraulic.<br />
/ MODIFYING GUIDE / <strong>RS1600i</strong> /<br />
Photos: Gerard Hughes<br />
<strong>ESCORT</strong> <strong>RS1600i</strong> RS1600 <strong>RS1600i</strong><br />
However, before throwing money<br />
at it trying to wring more power<br />
from it, a good going over and a<br />
service would be a wise move. Then,<br />
assuming you have a nice base to<br />
start with, let the modifying begin.<br />
A Piper exhaust with a 3.5 inch<br />
rolled pipe will cost £288.03 from<br />
ESP Design and Rally Design can<br />
Words: Neil<br />
Photos: Gerard Hughes<br />
With a head start in motorsport over two decades ago, the<br />
<strong>RS1600i</strong> deserves quality upgrades and careful mods, so<br />
make the most of this sought-after RS.<br />
Original set-up’s pretty good,<br />
so go careful with the mods<br />
sort you out with a Ram Air direct<br />
replacement fi lter for £26.72.<br />
Once you’re getting the gases in<br />
and out, compliment it by throwing<br />
a <strong>Fast</strong> Road cam in such as a Kent or<br />
Piper item. It’s worth noting that the<br />
RSi has a cam profi le all of its own to<br />
make the most of the homologation<br />
rules, so don’t underestimate the<br />
existing set up. But, adding all of<br />
these things should have you<br />
knocking on the door of a genuine<br />
130-135 bhp, which is plenty to<br />
have fun with, helps your RSi rev<br />
better and gives a highly-desirable<br />
throaty roar.<br />
From here you could fi t a<br />
Porsche 924 fuel metering head<br />
from Bosch along with an XR4i<br />
throttle housing which has a larger<br />
diameter than the 1600i.<br />
Headwork is an option but<br />
because of the <strong>RS1600i</strong>’s rarity if<br />
you’re looking for something to<br />
modify heavily then don’t bother;<br />
you’ll be paying to get a good<br />
example and probably destroy<br />
what’s already in there, although<br />
you could always store the original<br />
engine and slot a turbo lump in<br />
there. This brings us nicely onto<br />
engine swaps...<br />
ENGINE SWAPS<br />
The most straightforward<br />
conversion to get more grunt from<br />
your RSi is the RS Turbo engine<br />
swap. As we all know the CVH<br />
Turbo is a great, tuneable engine.<br />
Either the Escort or Fiesta RS<br />
Turbo engine will fi t straight in the<br />
RSi’s bay with no problems. If<br />
you’re going for an Escort engine<br />
it will need an EFi converter plate<br />
and EFi inlet manifold to run the<br />
engine management of your choice<br />
or budget.<br />
Oddkidd Creations has carried<br />
out these types of conversions<br />
and recommends Cosworth<br />
management as being the best<br />
compromise between getting good<br />
results and a sensible budget. For a<br />
price guideline you’re looking at<br />
around £300 to drop an engine in and<br />
£1000 for Cossie management. The<br />
RSi gearbox is a good box for this<br />
conversion too.<br />
Naturally-aspirated power is up for<br />
grabs too; a Zetec 16-valve can be<br />
fi tted and will sit in a better holding<br />
position, giving a lower centre of<br />
gravity and leaving less strain on the<br />
drivetrain and driveshafts.<br />
The beauty of the<br />
Zetec is that it is a great solid modern<br />
engine that just loves being revved<br />
(making it perfect for track days).<br />
And by choosing to go down the<br />
16-valve route you can also fi t the<br />
MTX75 gearbox, something that is<br />
capable of doing a genuine 65 mph in<br />
second if you have the power to back<br />
it up.<br />
Where a N/A CVH goes, the<br />
Turbo and Zetec will go, too<br />
Tuning the Zetec<br />
gives you a wide range of options<br />
from cams and manifolds to release<br />
some naturally-aspirated horses or<br />
one of our favourites here at <strong>Fast</strong><br />
<strong>Ford</strong>, the 2.1 ZVH.<br />
Whichever engine you go for<br />
the quality <strong>RS1600i</strong> chassis will<br />
compliment it on the track or road.<br />
0 0 9 6 JANUARY 2006 FAST FORD FAST FORD JANUARY 2006<br />
0 0 9 7
INTERIOR<br />
Typically retro, the <strong>RS1600i</strong> Scheel<br />
seats are one of a kind. Some<br />
interiors are a little tried now so a<br />
good quality retrim is recommended<br />
to bring things back to life, although<br />
make sure it’s done tastefully or the<br />
purists will lynch you.<br />
If you don’t fancy that then the<br />
option of stripping it all out and<br />
adding some sporty bucket seats<br />
and a roll cage for that tough race<br />
feel works well, and pays tribute<br />
to the RSi’s motorsport roots. A<br />
Corbeau fi xed back seat will cost<br />
£98.64 from Demon Tweeks.<br />
But remember, the car is<br />
collectable as is the interior, so put<br />
any removed items in proper<br />
storage. Believe us when we say<br />
you won’t fi nd another interior<br />
down your local scrap yard.<br />
The <strong>RS1600i</strong> steering wheel is<br />
still a highly sought-after item with<br />
RS enthusiasts, but if you don’t<br />
fancy retrimming to freshen it up<br />
you can pick up an OMP steering<br />
wheel from as little as £43.67 from<br />
Demon Tweeks.<br />
If you’re looking for a more<br />
modern feel grab yourself some<br />
alloy pedals at £19.95 and a<br />
matching gearknob for £24.99<br />
from ESP Design or an alloy<br />
handbrake handle for £34.99.<br />
/ MODIFYING GUIDE / <strong>RS1600i</strong> /<br />
Stripped, cage and buckets go<br />
with 16i’s motorsport heritage<br />
Don’t skip the Scheel seats<br />
if you’re going aftermarket!<br />
Most modifi ed <strong>RS1600i</strong>s keep the side and bonnet stripes intact,<br />
otherwise they become just like any other tuned MkIII Escort<br />
EXTERIOR<br />
Keep it simple and clean, that’s the best way<br />
to get those admiring glances in the <strong>RS1600i</strong>.<br />
A spot of de-locking at the local bodyshop is a<br />
good starting point; it gives added security<br />
against thieves and helps massively when<br />
going for the more modern smooth look,<br />
especially as <strong>RS1600i</strong>s don’t have side<br />
repeaters either. While it’s in you could get any<br />
suspect rust spots checked out and treated.<br />
If you want to freshen the front up, ESP<br />
Design stocks clear indicators for £21.99. We<br />
found some <strong>Ford</strong> spotlamps available at GMS<br />
Capri spares for £55 a pair, if yours are looking<br />
a little past it.<br />
We would avoid any lairy bodykits, huge<br />
spoilers and bonnet scoops because you may<br />
damage any re-sale value (grab an RS Turbo if<br />
that’s your bag), but if you do want some<br />
more show to match the go and are adamant<br />
about changing the look of your <strong>RS1600i</strong> why<br />
not try the S1 bodykit, and a tasteful way of<br />
letting the heat out from under the bonnet<br />
would be to get some louvres pressed in.<br />
WHEELS & TYRES<br />
The standard wheels suit the car<br />
perfectly, and is one way of letting<br />
people know what you’re piloting. If<br />
yours are looking past their best<br />
you can get them refurbished by<br />
Lab-Tab on 0121 3281697. However<br />
if you need to go up in size to<br />
accommodate that monster brake<br />
conversion or just want a more<br />
modern look then help is at hand.<br />
The best all-round compromise<br />
would be 16s as these will fi t<br />
straight on and you could retain the<br />
good handling characteristics while<br />
upgrading to some quality brakes.<br />
We have seen <strong>RS1600i</strong>s on 17s<br />
and these won’t be a headache to<br />
fi t, just bear in mind you may get<br />
some rubbing on full lock or when<br />
carrying a heavy load, depending<br />
on how low it is to begin with.<br />
You could opt for 18s but they’re<br />
not recommended as they’ll<br />
require arch work, will severely<br />
compromise the handling and ruin<br />
the general drive of the car.<br />
0 0 9 8 JANUARY 2006 FAST FORD<br />
FAST FORD JANUARY 2006 0 0 9 9
BRAKES<br />
Like most fast <strong>Ford</strong>s the brakes on<br />
the <strong>RS1600i</strong> are its Achilles heel,<br />
partly due to the fact the RSi was<br />
designed as lhd so a cross linkage<br />
was needed to link the rhd pedal. But<br />
don’t despair you can soon get more<br />
bite from your brakes.<br />
Oddkidd Creations can supply<br />
you with a brake support bar for just<br />
£9 which runs along the bulkhead<br />
and will help eliminate the fl ex<br />
when braking.<br />
A lot of owners seem content to<br />
dump the 7 inch drums at the rear<br />
and upgrade to 8 inch items and<br />
adding Cosworth discs and some<br />
spaced out S2 Turbo callipers, or<br />
ideally some of the beefi er 4x4<br />
Cosworth front callipers. Bear in<br />
mind that 4x4 rear discs and callipers<br />
can be adapted to fi t too, and these<br />
Taped-over lights and competition<br />
mudfl aps add motorsport cred<br />
without mucking up the classic<br />
<strong>RS1600i</strong>’s looks<br />
/ MODIFYING GUIDE / <strong>RS1600i</strong> /<br />
can be sourced for reasonable prices;<br />
check out our classifi eds section.<br />
It doesn’t end there though Hi-<br />
Spec Motorsport offers a range of kits<br />
dependant on your wheel size and<br />
budget. The 285 mm x 24 mm Billet 4<br />
kit is priced at £480 plus VAT and can<br />
be squeezed under the standard<br />
wheels. Moving up in size to 300 mm<br />
x 28 mm you’re looking at spending<br />
£675 plus VAT, although remember<br />
16 inch wheels are needed. The<br />
daddy of them all will need 17s and is<br />
a monster 325 mm x 30 mm kit<br />
costing £730 plus VAT.<br />
Don’t forget that whichever option<br />
you choose, get yourself a set of<br />
braided brake hoses throughout and<br />
some aftermarket pads, Hi-Spec<br />
stocks them starting at £36, depending<br />
on brand and compound.<br />
Cossie callipers bolt on for<br />
better stopping power<br />
TRANSMISSION<br />
The RS comes with the B5 box similar slapping through the cogs. If you’re<br />
to the XR3i but with a lower fi fth gear keeping power to sensible levels then<br />
ratio. Although not a bad unit, high the gearbox should be more than up<br />
miles and abuse can take its toll. to the task.<br />
Beware using fi fth below 40-45 mph For the clutch a Sachs uprated or AP<br />
as the gearbox will suffer.<br />
paddle clutch for £249 are viable<br />
While new boxes can’t be found on options as these are more than up to<br />
the market any more, second-hand the job and give the bite most people<br />
boxes change hands for £100-150 are looking for. If you’re going on the<br />
and refurbishing kits are available. hunt for big power the sensible option<br />
We recommend using an uprated would be to fi t an RST box, the bonus<br />
clutch and perhaps a quickshift kit to with one of these is they come with<br />
give a more positive feel when LSD as standard.<br />
SUSPENSION<br />
Coil-overs drop the car down<br />
on the deck rather nicely<br />
RS Turbo box is a good upgrade<br />
as LSD comes with it<br />
Like the S1 RS Turbo, the 16i’s a real ’80s bad-boy<br />
in the looks stakes. Track mods add class<br />
A great chassis in its day and still<br />
great by modern standards, the 1600i<br />
chassis is different and far superior<br />
from the other MkIII kit as it came<br />
with two longitudinally mounted<br />
bottom arms, Koni shocks and a roll<br />
bar as standard. Unfortunately due to<br />
its age the 1600i suspension may be<br />
tired and could possess almost boatlike<br />
characteristics.<br />
To freshen things up a drop in<br />
the ride height is always welcome,<br />
Roadrunner Motorsport stocks<br />
Eibach 30 mm lowering springs<br />
for £147.<br />
For those more serious about the<br />
handling of their RSi, Rally Design<br />
stocks Gaz coil-over suspension kits<br />
for £437.89. With one of these in place<br />
you’ll be able to adjust the dampening<br />
rate and ride height depending on the<br />
conditions you expect to be driving in.<br />
Rally Design can also supply an<br />
OMP front strut brace at £27.59, one<br />
of these bolted in will stiffen things up<br />
nicely to prevent fl ex and help when<br />
attacking the corners on track or your<br />
favourite roundabout.<br />
To fi nish off, think about kitting out<br />
as much as you can with poly bushes.<br />
20 years of use and abuse will have<br />
taken their toll on the car, so these will<br />
give you a fi rmer and more precise<br />
handling <strong>RS1600i</strong>.<br />
0 1 0 0 JANUARY 2006 FAST FORD<br />
FAST FORD JANUARY 2006 0 1 0 1
MINE ALL MINE...<br />
Not many people have the nerve to go<br />
out and modify an <strong>RS1600i</strong>. Luckily for us<br />
Adam Allder did, and a damn fi ne job<br />
he’s done too. “It’s there to be done, isn’t<br />
it? If it’s your car you may as well have a<br />
laugh with it,” Adam says.<br />
We couldn’t agree more and this car<br />
looks tough as hell while remaining true<br />
to its motorsport roots. But how did he<br />
make such a mean car?<br />
“Well, I wasn’t always into <strong>Ford</strong>s to be<br />
honest, I’d always liked Cossies but then<br />
a mate had this up for sale going cheap<br />
and I was never going to get Cossie<br />
insurance being young, so I snapped his<br />
hand off,” he explains.<br />
Adam managed to get himself a gem.<br />
With the bulk of the engine work already<br />
done, it gave him the perfect starting<br />
point. The engine in this particular RSi is a<br />
1600 CVH Turbo. “I rebuilt the engine<br />
myself recently as I’ve been through<br />
about four engines and turbos since I’ve<br />
had it,” he laughs.<br />
Well, practice makes perfect and<br />
Adam gave himself plenty of opportunity<br />
for practice. As he explains: “It pulls well<br />
now, it’s still a 1600 CVH but I added a<br />
Piper T2 cam, uprated fuel ECU, Stage 2<br />
T3 Turbo, 4 inch Magnex exhaust and a<br />
Pace chargecooler.”<br />
The more eagle-eyed out there may<br />
already have spotted the cutaway in the<br />
Over 8000 of these<br />
were built: rare, but<br />
not so rare as you<br />
can’t modify one!<br />
/ MODIFYING GUIDE / <strong>RS1600i</strong> /<br />
front grille, this is to feed as much air as<br />
possible into the cooler.<br />
Moving inside, there’s not that much<br />
to talk about, but we like the stripped-out<br />
racer look which suits the car and its<br />
heritage perfectly. A Safety Devices cage<br />
and some red and black Corbeau fi xed<br />
back seats go along with the whole red<br />
and black theme of Adam’s RSi.<br />
This theme is carried on outside with<br />
the Azev As under the arches as Adam<br />
tells us: “They needed freshening up so I<br />
thought I’d give it a go.” Well, you can’t<br />
argue with the results.<br />
“People who helped and tolerated me<br />
along the way, Barry at Blue Oval has<br />
been great and my girlfriend Hannah has<br />
put up with a lot, oh and my mum and<br />
dad for letting me take over their house,”<br />
he jokes.<br />
Adam is a regular with the Blue Oval<br />
Club in his home town of Aylesbury and<br />
the car has seen some action at <strong>Ford</strong> Fair<br />
and on the drag strip. “It’s been on the<br />
strip where it did a 15.1-second time but<br />
that was with a knackered amal valve, I<br />
know it will beat that now I’ve fi xed it.<br />
The main problem I’ve got is traction<br />
though, it just spins up as soon as it<br />
come on boost, it can be a handful,”<br />
Adam reports.<br />
So what’s next for this little beauty?<br />
“I’m into car body repair for a living and<br />
reckon I’ve taken the RSi as far as I can<br />
go, so I’m thinking of selling up and<br />
getting a MkI,” Adam sighs.<br />
The lad has good taste in motors, so if<br />
you want to grab yourself a subtle and<br />
well-modded RSi, ring Adam with a<br />
sensible offer on 07725 743845.<br />
Adam couldn’t stretch to a<br />
Cossie; ’16i is next best thing<br />
SPECIALISTS<br />
Demon Tweeks<br />
0845 3306254<br />
www.demon-tweeks.co.uk<br />
ESP Design<br />
0870 7518000<br />
www.espdesign.co.uk<br />
GMS Capri Spares<br />
0191 3771718<br />
http://www.brittnett.net/gms<br />
Hi-Spec Motorsport<br />
01322 286850<br />
www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk<br />
Lab-Tab<br />
0121 3281697<br />
Oddkidd Creations<br />
07050 133596<br />
www.oddkiddcreations.co.uk<br />
Piper Cams<br />
01233 500200<br />
www.pipercams.co.uk<br />
Rally Design<br />
01795 531871<br />
www.rallydesign.co.uk<br />
Roadrunner Motorsport<br />
0115 9781173<br />
www.roadrunnermotorsport.co.uk<br />
TYPICAL PRICES<br />
Brake pads £36.00<br />
Exhaust system £288.03<br />
Grooved discs £77.50<br />
Braided brake hose £38.95<br />
CLUBS<br />
www.rsownersclub.co.uk<br />
www.feoc-uk.com<br />
www.blueoval-ownersclub.com