Mk1 Fiesta - Classic Ford

mk1 fiesta24-valve cosworthLittle“i saw the car for sale inclassic ford, and thoughtit had the best of bothworlds. plus there wasnothing else like it!”Brute IRear-wheel-drive Fiestas are few and farbetween, especially ones converted over 25years ago — and then ones that have had avariety of V6s have to be unique!Words Simon Holmes Photos Gerard Hughes’m sure most people will agree that whenyou’ve got your heart set on a new car ittakes a lot to change your mind. But what ifyou happened to come across something reallyrare, very special and totally one of a kind?Something like a rear-wheel-drive Mk1 Fiestafor instance? Well then you might do what aptlynamed owner Charlie Ford did and ditch thoseoriginal plans for a dream classic.“It was 10 years ago and I was getting fed upwith the Mk1 Fiesta I had, I really fanciedgetting an Escort,” explains Charlie. “But thenI saw this rear-drive Fiesta for sale in the back ofClassic Ford and it seemed to offer the best ofboth worlds. And there was no other like it!”Safe to say the Mk1 Escort plan soon becamea distant memory, but getting hold of the Fiestawasn’t as simple as just seeing it and wanting itthough. “It was advertised with the wrongphone number printed so I got in contact withthe magazine to get the correct number. Then Irang the guy and said I’m having it,” he recalls.Charlie wasn’t lying either, he didn’t go for afirst viewing he just turned up with the cash anddrove it home.In The FamilyLuckily for him it did exactly as it said on the tinand had been converted properly very early in itslife, way back in 1983 when it was just six yearsold. Using a combination of Capri front end, aCortina tunnel and an Escort axle there waswhole lot of custom fabrication to link it all tothe Fiesta shell by extending the original chassisrails and using the existing rear suspensiontrailing arms as tramp bars.However, the previous owner had no ideawho had done the work, as he had only boughtit from a friend as a shell and finished it up. Itwas in good condition though, as somelong-term readers may even remember it was infact featured in Classic Ford shortly before itwent up for sale back in August 2000. “When Ifirst got it was rust free with bright redpaintwork, wide arches and running a Pintolump with a standard interior. It was perfectlydrivable and usable and I drove it like that for acouple of years,” says Charlie.Initially there were no plans to change the carand quite rightly when you consider the rarity ofthe car, especially a decade ago. “It was arear-wheel-drive Fiesta so I just had loads of funshowing it off. I blew up some Pinto enginesthough, then I decided to paint it when Iwas working for a bodyshop and felt like havinga change.”Too FarIt was that choice that led to the Toyota redpaintjob that’s still on the car now but it wasn’t66 July 2011 July 2011 67

mk1 fiestaNeat header tank fits nicely inside the cramped bay.Blended carbon roof is a subtle touch and looks the part.Under the suspension turret you can just make out thenotches put in place for the turbo from the last engine,long after that blowing Pinto engines becametiring and again Charlie decided on a change,with intentions to make it just a bit mental. “Ipulled it off the road for 12 months when I gothold of a Turbo Technics twin-turbo V6Granada with the idea to transplant the engine,”laughs Charlie.“I started it all and had it fitted up but thengot kicked out of the garage I was working inand became tired of not having it on theroad. So chucked in a 2.8 carb-fed V6 but thatblew up...”As you have probably noticed there’s apattern for blowing engines forming here,which Charlie puts down to having fun, whichwould explain the wise decision to move to anengine that could perform and would still beCosworth 24-valver is just one of many engines thatthis Fiesta has had, and probably won’t be the last!Custom alloy dash was given a tasty retrim and fits inwell with the hot rod feel of the car on the outside.reliable. “I fitted a BOA Cosworth V6 engineinto my mate’s Capri — I decided it made senseto fit into my car as they make good power and Iknew it would slot virtually straight in as I’dalready fitted the 2.8 Capri crossmember.”Well that was nearly true; the bulkheadneeded pushing back further still so it’s about 4inches in total now, and doing that moved thepedal box back, which moved the steering rackback, which moved the seat back! Still it wasshoehorned in there with relative ease otherwiseand along with some tasty headers has sat inthere ever since.Charlie’s SheenThe chance was taken at the same time to givethe car another styling makeover, and thanksObligatory bucket seats and harnesses are mountedmuch further back due to the extended steering rack.largely to the awesome steel wheels it’s gotmuch more of a hot rod theme going this timealbeit with some added modern features. Thecarbon fibre roof skin and American-spec grillewere some of the finishing touches before theinterior was treated to a retrim which includedthe custom dashboard.The car may have evolved through differentguises over the years but Charlie is still as muchin love with the car as ever, and plans for thenext evolution are in the pipeline.“I’d like some more power and although theType-9 ’boxes have been holding out well Iwant to fit a T5 or a six-speed Quaife item, and asupercharger.” explains Charlie.We’ve got a feeling this won’t be the last wesee of this car...Fuel cell is kept company with more carbon panelling.Note the inside of the carbon roof skin as well!Tech SpecBody1977 1.3 Ghia shell, chassis rails extended andfloorpans reinforced, modifed bulkheadmoved 4 inches back, Mk5 Cortina tunnel,modifed strut tops, metal rally arches, custombonnet with bad boy lip and BMWhinges opening the other way, Aerocatches,full carbon fibre roof, passenger door and bootsmoothed, chrome peep mirror, classicnumberplates, clear front indicators,American-style red rear lights, American grille.Paint: Toyota metallic red.Engine2.9 24-valve V6 Cosworth BOA, powdercoatedgrey rocker covers, polished plenum chamberand intake elbow, camo Samco intake pipe,K&N filter, wiring hidden under plenum,modifed alternater bracket, custom stainlesssteel manifolds and exhaust, alloy header tank,custom Cosworth radiator, twin electric fans.TransmissionXR4i Type-9, quickshift, Sierra DOHC speedsensor, shortened and balanced Escort prop,RS2000 rear axle, 3.54:1 cwp, Quaife ATB.SuspensionFront: 2.8i Capri crossmember and TCAs,Bilstein coil-overs, 2.8i Capri anti-roll bar.Rear: Fiesta adjustable trailing arms,Panhard rod and anti-tramp bars, Fiestalowered Spax springs, 2.8i Capri dampers.BrakesFront: AP Racing Group 4 four-pot callipers,Group 4 two-piece discs. Rear: 2.8i Capridrums and backplates. HEL braided brakehoses throughout, bias pedal box, linelock.Wheels And Tyres7Jx13 Appliance four-spokes, powdercoatedsilver, Pirelli 175/50R13 tyres.InteriorCobra Monaco bucket seats, Sabelt threepointharnesses, modifed six-point SafteyDevices roll cage with OMP door barspowder coated grey, carbon fibre door cardsand rear trim panels, Porsche speedo, largetacho with shiftlight, custom alloy dashtrimmed in black leather with red stitchingand rear false floor trimmed to match, snapoffsteering wheel, alloy fuel tank and swirlpot, Facet Red Top and high-pressureCosworth fuel pumps.ThanksTo my girlfriend Layla Rich for her patiencethroughout the build, my friends Ian Haleand Martyn Wilson for their hard work, andJames Gill for collecting my grille on hishoneymoon in Florida!68 July 2011July 2011 69