And it doesn’t stop there. The gearbox,
which is an MTX75 unit, has been modified with a set of what Dennis calls
‘optimised ratios’ and a secret final drive that he found in the States, while
the clutch is another custom 7.25” item that’s combined with a single mass
flywheel.
“The original clutch and flywheel are
really heavy,” he said. “The kit we had made weighs just 5.5kg, so it’s made a
massive difference. The only problem is that now it won’t idle below 1,600rpm,
although on the flip side it revs like a bike to 7,200rpm!”
I’ve
had to get so much stuff custom made as there just aren’t the parts available
for the Mondeo
With regards to the suspension, you’ll find
BC coilovers at each corner, combined with, yes you guessed it, custom
adjustable top mounts, a choice of three or four spring rates depending on
weather condition and circuit and a modified rear subframe designed to give
adjustability for camber/castor and toe.
“I’ve had to get so much stuff custom made
as there just aren’t the parts available for the Mondeo,” said Dennis. “The
plus side of this is that I’m actually planning on marketing the stuff I’ve had
made once it’s been thoroughly tested.”
So, if you’ve got a Mondeo ST track car and
have always wanted an adjustable rear sub-frame, adjustable top mounts, custom
engine or gearbox mounts or indeed any of the other engine and chassis mods
that you see on Dennis’ car, then you could be in luck.
But does it all work, we hear you say.
Well, put it like this, on his debut at Snetterton earlier this year, Dennis
and his team would have won on their first outing had it not been for a
driveshaft failing on the last corner of the last lap. On their last outing at
Cadwell, a first lap incident demoted them to last place from fifth on the
grid, although they eventually recovered to fourth place and were lapping some
three seconds quicker than the competition at one point. So yes, it’s fair to
say that the Mondeo is a pretty effective racer!
This
engine is currently making 220bhp at the hubs, but the next incarnation will be
a lot more naughty than that.
“Around Brands Indy I’m actually three
seconds quicker in the Mondeo than I ever was in the Escort Cossie, although
this just goes to show how precious I was about crashing it, rather than its
performance,” admits Dennis. “There is more to come from the ST though, we’re
currently running at 155bhp/tonne so we’ve got an extra 20bhp or so to play
with from the engine before we hit the limit, although to be honest we might
actually move up a class and go for a new engine entirely rather than continue
in the Trophy series.
” Part of this decision is due to the fact
that the series is designed for novices, as we’ve already said, so after a few
more races, Dennis and his team-mates will no longer be eligible. Moving up a
class will of course mean battling with much more serious cars, but as he’s
developing an engine that can supposedly rev to over 9,000rpm, we reckon the
Dennis Racing Mondeo ST will be on the pace pretty much straight away…
Ford Facts
Engine: 3-litre
V6, custom intake and exhaust, Syvecs S6 ECU, standard fuel tank with uprated
pump, custom mounts, 220bhp @ hubs.
Transmission: MTX75 with optimised ratios, custom final drive, custom plate style
Gripper diff, custom 7.25” race clutch, single mass flywheel, custom gearbox
mounts.
Suspension: BC
coilovers, choice of spring rates, custom adjustable top mounts, modified rear
subframe to give camber/castor and toe adjustment, Powerflex Black series
bushes.
Brakes: Mk2
Focus ST brakes, standard rear brakes, braided lines, custom brake cooling.
Wheels & Tyres: 8x18-inch Pro Race 1.2s (dry) 8x18-inch Mk2 Focus RS alloys (wet)
choice of tyres.
Interior: Cobra
seat, multi-point harness, Race Technology Dash2 Pro data logger, OMP wheel
with custom button operated system for wipers, pit limiter, rain light, pit to
car radio, plumbed-in fire extinguisher.
Ford
Mondeo ST220 3.0 V6 Hatchback / Saloon only (2002 to 2007) performance exhaust
systems
Exterior: plexiglass
side windows, glass screen front and rear, custom rear wing, front and rear
diffuser.
Chassis:2002
model year ST, standard interior and sound deadening removed, custom
multi-point cage built by Quest Motorsport, dry weight: 1250kg – 1350kg with
driver.
