Interesting YouTube videos by Retro Power on Gordon Murray's mk1 escort with IRS.
Interesting YouTube videos by Retro Power on Gordon Murray's mk1 escort with IRS.
Now I would never normally knock anybody's restoration, after all, variety is the spice of life and all that, and if they were all the same etc etc... and I love Retro Modded cars... But...
I watched the videos, and saw that Gordon Murray obviously wanted to keep the essence of a Mk1 Escort, to which Retro Power seem to be doing their upmost to beat out of the car.
I mean, the modular front suspension for starters from RIX, certainly parts of it to give the McPherson strut are excellent, but the ARB is designed for rally, not road, compression struts etc, and then changing the rosejoints to polybushes, so why bother? Then what really stuck in my gut was persuading the customer to move away from what he wanted to keep, ie the live rear axle to use some cobbled up independent rear suspension made up from Land Rover Freelander parts using an argument that the live axle doesn't suit modern roads...
Just my thoughts, but my view is that he should just have asked Gary Martin to build him a Mk1 and have it done properly...
I must admit my thoughts on it are the customer is always right and the customer gets what the customer wants. I mean it's not like the money is an issue is it....
Kinda agree with the above about customers being right. most of the suspensions seems geared for race/rallying but, would say Mr M is very experienced ala McLean F1 and could have said no and if we dont take on new ways to develop and improve for modern times such as using modern engines, steering and suspensions etc we kind of end up only having concourse as per OE only.
Live rear axles are suitable for lorries and horse and carts, and of course originality only.
There are plenty of gp4 escorts that put modern machinery to shame. So they can’t be so bad. Like anything it has to be well setup live or irs. Not just bolting on an old sierra rear.
I think you are missing the point.. Customer wanted to keep the essence of the Mk1..Originally Posted by e321
No I'm not, I watched it last week, he could have insisted he wanted to keep it , He received good advice in what is only my opinion.
Is it a restoration or an evolution - I think the latter. GM 'likes how the cortina feels' but isn't afraid to use modern suspension - IRS can be stiff as you want across the axle to replicate a Live axle but why would you want to? No different to Colin McRae's Mk2 Escort 'plaything' IMO
I disagree, there are plenty of MK2 escorts in irish rallying that regularly beat WRC cars, if IRS was better, more lads rallying MK2's would use it.
Having driven both live axle and IRS cars on the road and in competition, i will say that for a road car IRS is more comfortable/complaint (for road car use), but without doubt for competition use id have a live axle every day of the week.
I'm enjoying the retropower videos i wish there were more builds like it on youtube, and im really interested in seeing the IRS come together, not my cup of tea as i mentioned but its good to see the envelope being pushed.
Well I'm only talking road cars which I believe this particular car is for. A live axle must be cheaper to produce but do any manufactures sell live axle cars these days?
Totally agree with enjoying the video, and also agree not my cup of tea either, there are some good ideas, ie for example the aluminium door skins, I'm looking into this for my Mk2 purely based upon the video (they need replaced anyway).
yes, the Mustang moved to a IRS, but then changed back to a live rear axle last year I believe as either standard or an optionI would also quantify that a well set up live rear axle is not what I would call cheap!
I believe the live axle on the Mustang is offered in their 'track pack' so invariably that probably means 'straightline racing' - would anyone use a 'stang on a circuit? From a M8's experience 500hp and IRS still don't work on his Mustang - too little traction / grip.
Thanks for this. I'm always looking for good builds to watch, but there's so little of it. Project Binky is still my favourite on You Tube. Stuff on the TV is just a joke.
News flash - new xmas out-takes video is up - those two are nuts but damn good fabricators.
Thanks for the info on project binky
Great to see and read the excellent varied comments and opinions on the GM mk1 escort.
Humble Mechanic work on golf vr6 also good.
Be nice to see a back to back comparison of the two set ups on cars that were otherwise identical.
I agree,
There must be an ( easy )way to convert to IRS on a mk2 and Mk1 using most of the existing chassis points, like Hoyle Suspension conversion on the MGB .
As far as the 'Customer always being right' .... this is totally incorrect. The customer is not always right.
But is is true to say; "The Customer is always, the customer"
If he GM didn't like the idea put to him he didn't have to agree to it...
It's only his opinion that counts that's all that matters good on them for not being sheep I say and best of luck on what looks to be a great build
On No4 now worth watching
Had missed this, will be giving it a look!
Watching number 5 now. Not much on the car as such, but a nice tour of the Cosworth factory...
Last edited by rallyrob; 21-03-2018 at 09:25.
I did like the dash set up
Big Wing sold and gone to be a film star
Yea I suppose I did too, though I didnt appreciate mateys comment about the standard 6 clock dash being rubbish....
Yes ,, I thought that was rather rude
Big Wing sold and gone to be a film star
Come on - this is probably a £70 -80k build, would you want 50 odd year old gauges in a 'newly built' car - I sure as hell wouldn't - in that context, if it isn't new & top notch then of course its rubbish!
I think he was specifically talking about the layout rather than the fact that they'd be 50yr old gauges...
And his centre gauge design just reminded me of a 1600E..
Last edited by rallyrob; 21-03-2018 at 20:12.
Has anyone got a link to the first episode or a specific good episode? I like seeing restos and agree tv is not good for that.
Thanks
Kris
Episode 1...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSiG7oNXC6w
the more i watch it, i really think he's going to regret going IRS, does anyone else think so?
either way its going to be a cracker, and as one can only imagine very well set up and balanced - looking forward to finally seeing it done.
my only fear is that they put 15's on it, 15" wheels should not be anywhere near an escort, be it mk1 or mk2, ever, but especially classically styled mk1's.
Try telling that to Simon Mauger, quickest 2wd tarmac rally car in the UK.....with an Atlas axle.
Yeah, watched him a few times on the tele, not recently though, shows how good he is having a disadvantage like that.
Joint effort, good car and driver.
Well, 3 episodes in (1hr) and basically all they have shown is drawings and talked about it lol. I am hoping the next few episodes are less chat and more fabrication/work on the car.....
Thats exactly what i thought last night when i watched it all. so far they have restored the metal work on a mk1 and put a duratec in it.
The big shot americans do a full custom car in that time
Last edited by wildo105e; 25-03-2018 at 10:45.
Jeez- you lot are a tough crowd! Ever considered the 'big 'merican shows are doing it for TV where everything gets condensed into 2 or 3 hrs? How do Fast & Furious strip and blast a car and have it back next day - most of us take a week to strip (if lucky), a day to find somewhere to blast it, they are booked up for a month, a day to trailer it there, a week to blast it and another day to get it back! RetroPower are obviously doing other cars as well at the same time as the escort - if they are all to the same standards then cut them some slack - they don't have to video this - no one would likely know about it if they didn't! At least they are involving their customer - F&F just build to a brief spec and budget and what you see is what you get - like it or not!Thats exactly what i thought last night when i watched it all. so far they have restored the metal work on a mk1 and put a duratec in it.
The big shot americans do a full custom car in that time
They dont in reality, only when a TV channel is throwing big money at the builders, ive visited a couple of resto places in Oregon, they take as long as we do on their builds, the only advantage they have is a huge amount of old shells to choose from and a far bigger supply chain for parts.
It was a bit tongue in cheek, I do appreciate that the likes of Kindig probably take 2 years and $400,000.
I think the point that i was commenting on was people may want to see some of the graft and how the pro's do it.
I know they don't need to make the videos but i am sure there is also a little bit of self promotion behind it as well.
Last edited by wildo105e; 25-03-2018 at 16:47.
lol I think my comment was also taken out of context? Or wrong end of the stick...? Any who We all know the American programs etc. Are sped up, I just thought I would have seen some work on the car apart from it being stripped. I will continue to watch it for sure :-)
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