Spec-R BARN FIND!Rare Geoff Woods Mk1 Hart Escort Special Saloon

[GWOOD1170]

All the car info is on thread page 3, ZF 5 speed box ,bmw diff,chevron magnesium uprights etc.GW

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GWOOD1170

All the car info is on thread page 3, ZF 5 speed box ,bmw diff,chevron magnesium uprights etc.GW

Thanks, missed that- or the old memories fading.....

[celes1]

Originally Posted by GWOOD1170

All the car info is on thread page 3, ZF 5 speed box ,bmw diff,chevron magnesium uprights etc.GW

A nice and serious set-up. I wonder what gearing Geoff Wood was running on the circuits.

I did speak to Spec-R last week about a new Turbo Intercooler and it may have been indicated then by office staff that the Escort's Hart engine was to be refurbished by a Hart engineer, who it is I have no idea.

[MGDavid]

more accurately, an ex-Hart engineer

[celes1]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

more accurately, an ex-Hart engineer

You may be correct, unless Brian Hart had a son and he has a company rebuilding Hart engines, or as you correctly say an ex-Hart engineer.

The premier Hart engine rebuild service that I know of is Tim White Racing Engines Ltd in the Oxfordshire area, they rebuild all the Hart and BD series engines.

[Mike Bell]

Moving on..... Please

Assuming the gearbox was/is the normal period ZF S5-18 five speeder that Ford re-engineered for their rally and race cars, with the engine that far back in the chassis, the remote gearlever mounting would have been similarly way back! I can't see from the pics whether the normal remote tower is fitted, unfortunately.

From the looks of the steering wheel position, that is also much further back than normal, so guess the seating position was similarly moved rearwards. It must have been an odd feeling, driving while sitting so far back in the passenger compartment....... I wonder if the B post obscured vision as well!

[morninggents]

The picture in post no.32 shows how far back the driver sat. Also the engine bay photo in the opening post shows the gear lever which is not too far back from the rear of the engine.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by morninggents

The picture in post no.32 shows how far back the driver sat. Also the engine bay photo in the opening post shows the gear lever which is not too far back from the rear of the engine.

Yes indeed, the driver was along way back! Looks like the gear lever remote tower is shorter than normal. That would make sense.

[GWOOD1170]

A good line up of cars at this Silverstone meeting in 74

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by GWOOD1170

A good line up of cars at this Silverstone meeting in 74

A fabulous entry of 28 Supersaloons but unfortunately only 18 practiced and 15 started the race including Geoff in his Escort but he retired after 10 of the 12 laps on the old GP circuit.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by morninggents

A fabulous entry of 28 Supersaloons but unfortunately only 18 practiced and 15 started the race including Geoff in his Escort but he retired after 10 of the 12 laps on the old GP circuit.

Peter, on both this programme and the '75 one, both you and Chris are down on the listing. Did you just toss a coin on the day to decide who was piloting? Or was taken more seriously, so something like an arm wrestle?

[morninggents]

We took it in turns mostly and usually entered the correct driver though on occasion entered both if we weren't sure if one or the other of us couldn't make it. Sometimes we would change driver on the day if one or other of us was doing better in a particular championship. These were the days before instant communication or internet bank payments so entries were usually sent in weeks before a particular race with the cheque for the entry fee.

[Mike Bell]

Was Gerry M racing Firenza 'Old Nail' at that meeting?

[morninggents]

He was, Mike. I think he had just written off Big Bertha and Baby Bertha hadn't been christened yet - maybe not even conceived but merely a twinkle in DTV's eyes. He didn't even practice and neither did the sister car of Bill Dryden.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by morninggents

He was, Mike. I think he had just written off Big Bertha and Baby Bertha hadn't been christened yet - maybe not even conceived but merely a twinkle in DTV's eyes. He didn't even practice and neither did the sister car of Bill Dryden.

Ah, entered but not in the race then. And we complain about 'no shows' nowadays- well on soshul meedya, at least!

[celes1]

It would be of interest to get a list of what the Special Saloons weighed in at from 1974 to 1979. I would hazard a guess that Gerry Marshall's car weighed around the ton mark, as did many of the big V8's.

We tried to get Rod Birley's Honda down below a ton some years ago and didn't succeed until the use of Kevlar and carbon fibre was used. Which makes this space framed Escort and the Skoda's super light.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by celes1

It would be of interest to get a list of what the Special Saloons weighed in at from 1974 to 1979.

A little project for you then!

[andy97]

Originally Posted by celes1

We tried to get Rod Birley's Honda down below a ton some years ago and didn't succeed until the use of Kevlar and carbon fibre was used. Which makes this space framed Escort and the Skoda's super light.

A ton or a tonne?

[celes1]

Originally Posted by andy97

A ton or a tonne?

For the 1970's I still use the British Ton measurement of approx 2240Ibs which is approx. 1016.047kg, not the North American short ton or long ton or the Tonne metric measure.

So sod that, just say a Ton and what Geoff Wood's Escort weighed was approx half a ton.

[SPECR]

Cyril Malem authenticating his handy work from 45years ago

[celes1]

There seems to be chrome plated components in rear set-up, was this original as it was quite expensive to do aesthetically, unless Geoff Wood wanted to achieve a more slippery surface.

If it was original, then I would keep it that way during restoration.

[Everilda]

Looks more like fabricated aluminum lower rear wishbones to me rather than chrome.

[celes1]

Originally Posted by Everilda

Looks more like fabricated aluminum lower rear wishbones to me rather than chrome.

I did think that as well, but a lot of the other alloy components look quite dull and not this bright and I am sure their are chrome suspension components at the front.

Can you confirm Pete at Spec-R with a pic.

[Neil Duke]

As the dry sump tank is aluminium,you can clearly see the difference.I would suggest they are nickel plated components.

[celes1]

There is talk on the GT40 forum that indicates some sanctioning bodies do not approve of chrome plating on suspension components as the plating tends to hide cracks and in some cases during the chroming helps to promote cracks in the metal component.

I am quite a fan of powder coating and this Escort would look great with components powder coated for the restoration, especially as it a race car with a high degree of stress during racing, so needs to be safe.