Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

[formulaphoto]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Hi EricE,

Yeah, I've debated putting something else in - even a Ford 9" from the various domestic Fords. I'm going to run this English axle until it breaks (or doesn't) because it already has the Quiafe diff in it, and all the welding done for the 4-bar and panhard rod.

Hoping to do Mt. Hood Rally and Big White Rally at the end of the year - we'll see how things go! My goal is to have it ready for shakedown in August.

[formulaphoto]

The No-longer-turbo Canadian Mk1 Escort

Slow going, as I haven't been home to make much progress, but putting some hours in this week. Hoping to get the fab work done by the end of the month!

I spent some time in the UK last month, and snuck a day of driver training in at Higgins Rally School. Was great to get some right-hand-drive and RWD seat time! Good motivation to keep up the build progress too.


In the last update I was pulling the turbo motor, and I brought the 2L Pinto home recently. Built by a well-known race engine builder in Portland, and I drove the escort it came out of before I bought it...pulls hard and apparently rated at about 170hp, plus very driveable which is important for my first RWD car!


I kept finding things I wasn't happy with on the car, so I pulled EVERYTHING back to bare shell. This way I also get hands-on experience with every nut and bolt on the car.


Also cut out the rear fuel cell box. It will be replaced with a more traditional cell in the trunk (boot).


I love how light the shell is, even with the cage. Four of us were able to lift it off the stands and shuffle it around the garage (my friend's Audi project is finally running and moved out!).


And here's some fun bits that came in recently...I'm having a good time specc'ing out a minimalist/modern race interior! Summit Technologies Raptor and Talon units for the controls, and a Stack dash.



Hoping to have some more significant updates for this thread soon! I'm itching to get this done.

[MegatronUK]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Must be quite an unusual car to have over there. Can't believe you pulled the Cosworth out in favour of an asthmatic old Pinto though - 170bhp? The Cossie lump will do twice that easily will virtually no internal mods

Any idea if the car had actually been used much before you got it? The reason being that an English axle generally wouldn't last long with the YB lump.

BTW, that steering column routing and those interior fluid cylinders are horrendous Whoever did that should be shot! Glad you're re-doing it!

[formulaphoto]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Well, it's been a long year since I last posted! The car is now on the verge of completion, and will be running it's first rally event in June in Idaho! I'll write a longer build story a bit later, but I with the car making it's first public appearance yesterday at a rally car gathering in Vancouver, I thought I'd post some photos here too! Still many details to finish, and some engineering/fitment issues still to resolve (T5 bellhousing and starter isn't meshing with the pinto flywheel, etc.) but it looks and feels like a car again!

Fitting the glass, and then it was off to the meet-up...



My goal with the interior was "clean an simple" and I'm really happy with how it turned out.




More to come...

[formulaphoto]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort Rally Car - FINISHED!

Dragging this thread out from the depths... But the car has made it's "debut"! A long time coming, but it's ended up beyond what I ever thought it would be. So much fun to drive too! Mk1 Escort with Ivey Engines 2.0L Pinto, 5 link rear end, Quaife LSD in English axle and a few fun bells and whistles inside.


It just finished a 3-day, 1500km tarmac tour in British Columbia, and I've now got a lengthy list of things to fiddle and tweak, plus the full gravel protection needs installing. First gravel shakedown will be in June or July at Dirtfish Rally School.

[Dan_pita]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Excellent!! Congratulations!!

[wildo105e]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Looks great.

[Erikmex]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Very nice, and makes for a much more driveable rally car than a YB turbo, i visit Oregon alot, my sister lives there, cool to see your Pinto was built in Portland. For gravel, and probably tarmac too, i think a plate type LSD will work much better, Quaiffe diffs allow the inside wheel to spin if you unweight the inside, yopu'll find the car much more driveable on gravel with a LSD that locks.

[dazzle]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

I can't believe I've only just seen this!!
I'm a Brit in Calgary and I brought a MK1 Escort across with me.
I only use it for track days at the moment but I love every minute in it

Do you have any plans for Rally's this year? I have a few friends who will be doing the Kananaskis in October and talking about Big white which is over your way in December.

Would be good to see an Escort spanking newer cars

[EricE]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Wow your mk1 turned out great! Giving me motivation to get my poor volvo dusted off and running properly. Planning on running some events in the near future?

Dazzle who do you know running kananaskis?

[dazzle]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Wow your mk1 turned out great! Giving me motivation to get my poor volvo dusted off and running properly. Planning on running some events in the near future?

Dazzle who do you know running kananaskis?

Hi Eric, I see you're Calgary as well!

I have a couple of friends who Rally Subaru's who were talking about the Kananaskis rally

[Pikey15]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort Rally Car - FINISHED!

Dragging this thread out from the depths... But the car has made it's "debut"! A long time coming, but it's ended up beyond what I ever thought it would be. So much fun to drive too! Mk1 Escort with Ivey Engines 2.0L Pinto, 5 link rear end, Quaife LSD in English axle and a few fun bells and whistles inside.


It just finished a 3-day, 1500km tarmac tour in British Columbia, and I've now got a lengthy list of things to fiddle and tweak, plus the full gravel protection needs installing. First gravel shakedown will be in June or July at Dirtfish Rally School.

Lovely car, well done

[EricE]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Oh wanted to ask if the t5 in the car is standard or did you end up fitting a gear kit of some variety?

Hi Eric, I see you're Calgary as well!

I have a couple of friends who Rally Subaru's who were talking about the Kananaskis rally

Yes I am! Have you enjoyed our lovely october so far haha!? Perhaps a setup for snow is in order for your escort so it can come play on ghost lake this winter! Where in calgary are you and how long ya been on this side of the pond?

[turbospud]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

on front top mounts the circlip holding the bearing in should face downwards

[Erikmex]

Re: Canadian Mk1 Escort YB Turbo Rally

Well spotted, they’re on upside down, that circlip is under a lot of load, that’s got strut insert through the bonnet written all over it