Classic Ford September 2020

THIS ISSUE Out and about with our band of Blue Oval-loving writers, photographers and illustrators. JON HILL CONTRIBUTOR Normally a fan of V8s, Jon’s taken to the Zetec SE in a big way after photographing them for our tuning guide over on page 54. BEN SZANTO CONTRIBUTOR After a lockdowninduced break, Ben’s back on the Mk1 Cortina, sorting the rear firewall (and buying a big turbo). Page 60. MIKE RENAUT CONTRIBUTOR A Ford with a unique history is right up Mike’s street and this four-door Mexico, just out of a long rebuild has a tale or two to tell. Page 78.…

The first Ford I can remember being taken out in was a Mk3 Cortina — my Grandad’s four-door saloon (for the record, a 1600L in Cherry Red). It made quite an impression on me (though that may have been the black vinyl seats burning the backs of my legs in the summer heat of 1976...), and even now I’m struck by how daring the styling, both inside and out, was for a grey Britain in the 1970s. Five decades on, and for this issue we’ve set out to give the Mk3 the fitting tribute it deserves, and just in time for its 50th birthday next month. We’ll also be putting together a special display at Ford Fair on October 25. With fingers’ firmly crossed that it goes ahead, it’s shaping up…

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4! Welcome The first Ford I can remember being taken out in was a Mk3 Cortina — my Grandad’s four-door saloon (for the record, a 1600L in Cherry Red). It made quite an impression on me (though that may have been the black vinyl seats burning the backs of my legs in the summer heat of 1976...), and even now I’m struck by how daring the styling, both inside and out, was for a grey Britain in the 1970s. Five decades on, and for this issue we’ve set out to give the Mk3 the fitting tribute it deserves, and just in time for its 50th birthday next month. We’ll also be putting together a special display at Ford Fair on October 25. With fingers’…

Name: Chris Spooner Age: 49 Job: Engineer and company director Location: Essex, UK Car: 1974 Mk1 Escort Start condition: rolling shell Condition now: in the latter stages of final fit-up Time taken so far: 10 years Estimated date of completion: August 2020 Name: Gordon Spooner Age: 74 Job: retired motorsport engineer Location: Essex, UK Dads can be awesome can’t they? When Chris Spooner was a kid, his father, Gordon worked at Ford Motorsport in Boreham, building up the rally Escorts — including two iconic Mk1s: the 1970 World Cup Rally-winning car, and Hannu Mikkola’s 1972 East African Safari-winning RS1600. On weekends, when Gordon had to work, he would often bring Chris in with him and race him around the Mk1s and Mk2s in the workshop on a car creeper. It’s no wonder Chris has Escorts in his blood. Later, Gordon set up on his…

your projects: mk1 escort LAST ORDERS Your projects: Chris Spooner’s roped in his Dad, an ex-Boreham engineer to help finish his Mk1, but will it be his final Escort build? Words Simon Woolley Photos Matt Woods Name: Chris Spooner Age: 49 Job: Engineer and company director Location: Essex, UK Car: 1974 Mk1 Escort Start condition: rolling shell Condition now: in the latter stages of final fit-up Time taken so far: 10 years Estimated date of completion: August 2020 Name: Gordon Spooner Age: 74 Job: retired motorsport engineer Location: Essex, UK Dads can be awesome can’t they? When Chris Spooner was a kid, his father, Gordon worked at Ford Motorsport in Boreham, building up the rally Escorts — including two iconic Mk1s: the 1970 World Cup Rally-winning car, and Hannu Mikkola’s…

Recent weeks have seen countless reports in the wider press that E10 petrol will be the new standard grade for unleaded fuel in 2021, a situation that continues to occupy headlines due to the potential damage it can cause to older vehicles. At the time of writing, nothing had been confirmed by a UK Government understandably rather busy with other things, but it does look increasingly likely that E10 will finally arrive in the UK next year. Currently, unleaded petrol in the UK contains up to five per cent bioethanol, a grade known as E5 and labelled on the pumps as such since last year. E10 petrol contains up to 10 per cent bioethanol and is available in European countries, but not the UK as yet. The Government says that its introduction…