Few of us get to build our dream
Ford, but Frank Mitch managed just that with his no-limits, 215bhp Mk2 Escort.
Escort vans are probably one of the most
sought-after classic Fords at the moment. But back in the '80s, when a young
Frank "For the past 10 years, my hobby had been building and running
superbikes," says Frank, "but age was nagging at me to get back into
detailing and state-of-the-art electronics. This one is definitely a
bar-raiser. The starting point for the build came from Mitchell was pottering
around Maidstone in a load-luger, all he wanted (but could not afford) was one
of the many Tarmac-arched, Fast Road Mk2 saloons he saw ragging it on the
streets around Kent and Essex.
Few
of us get to build our dream Ford, but Frank Mitch managed just that with his
no-limits, 215bhp Mk2 Escort
Skip forward 20-plus years and, now settled
and with a successful fencing business built up, there was time and money to
fulfill teenage dreams... and since October 2011 Frank's been creating this
stunning Tarmac'd, stripped-but-spec'd, Harris-engine road, strip and track
car. "For the past 10 years, my hobby had been building and running
superbikes," says Frank, "but age was nagging at me to get back into
four wheels. I picked up a copy of Classic Ford and that was that - the hunt
was on for an Escort to build as an adrenalin-inducer. It had to be an Mk2,
Tarmac arches were a must and I wanted old-school but in modem packaging."
Modern classic
The result, as seen here, is just that a
wide stance, stripped-and-smoothed Tarmac hugger with classic Pinto power in an
ultra-modem shade of silver with plenty of carbon fiber detailing and
state-of-the-art electronics. This one is definitely a bar-raiser.
The starting point for the build came from
Suffolk, in the shape of a 1300L that had already been Forest-arched and
Pinto'd. "It wasn't the greatest build in the world," Frank says,
"but was a solid base, and that's all I wanted.” Within weeks of buying
the car in October 2011 it had been stripped bare, glass-bead blasted and was
back in the workshop... and things weren't too bad. The nearside rear quarter
panel and parts of the chassis rail near that were about the roughest sections
on the whole shell, then there were the usual front panel, wings, outer sills,
door bottoms and skin plus a rear panel needed. But the floors, boot, inner
sills and wings wouldn't even need patching, so major re-constructional
metalwork had been avoided.
"It
wasn't the greatest build in the world," Frank says, "but was a solid
base, and that's all I wanted.”
Although Frank had got to this stage alone,
and would be refitting the Escort himself, he knew he'd need help for the
bodywork and the all-important power plant. "Checking out the classic Ford
scene the Harris name was everywhere," he says, "and as HPE
Motorsport is Maidstone-based, getting in touch with them was a no-brainer.
From the first few meetings with Jeff and James I knew I'd made the correct
call. Without their help, advice and input, my Escort wouldn't be where or what
it is now."
The first bit of Harris-help was to point
Frank in the direction of Pete at Full Circle Bodyshop in Marden. "Full
Circle is a modern place that concentrates on insurance work," Frank says,
"but boss Pete is a classic enthusiast and usually has a few older cars on
the go at any time. He's one of those proud-of-what-he-does types and actually
seemed excited to take on my Escort's bodywork and re-spray. A timescale of 6
months, fitting it in between jobs, was given, which suited my plans as it gave
plenty of time to organize the rest of the build."
It only took five months in the end, with
Pete doing the panel work plus fitting the must-have Tarmac arches and front
spoiler. In addition this stage included adapting and welding-in an OMP roll
cage, grafting in a Group 4 gearbox tunnel and race seat mounts. Smoothing off
the dash panel by taking out the heater controls and vents; firewalling the
rear bulkhead, strengthening the suspension top plates; adding a Group 4 strut
brace, removing the fuel filler, cutting the front panel for a large radiator
to fit and building up a race-tank stand in the boot.
It
only took five months in the end, with Pete doing the panel work plus fitting
the must-have Tarmac arches and front spoiler
"Deciding on the paint shade took a
while," Frank admits. "My first thought was for Ford Stratos Silver,
but then I spotted a Renault Clio RS with a silver that seemed to change from
chrome to smoky grey depending on the light, and I knew what to go for."
By October 2012 Frank was ready to pick up
the spanners and get on with assembly. The suspension is based around GAZ
damping, with custom shortened coil-overs at the front. At the rear de-cambered
single leafs and lowering blocks bring the ride-height down. Adjustable
top-mounts, Rose-jointed TCAs, a Twin Cam anti-roll bar and anti-dive kit means
everything in precise and can be set for road and track. Brakes are top-level
Hi-Spec calipers all round, with bias adjustment and a hydro-mechanical
handbrake keeps everything MoT legal.
