If you consider the Ford Escort RS Cosworth, two issues in all probability come to thoughts: the legendary Ford Cossie lineage, which after all included the the long-lasting Sierra RS Cosworth, and Ford’s presence within the WRC through the Nineties, with drivers like François Delecour, Carlos Sainz, and others behind the wheel of all-wheel-drive Group A and World Rally Automobile-spec machines. What doubtless doesn’t come to thoughts, nevertheless, is a V8 twin-turbocharged and rear-wheel-drive-converted Escort RS Cosworth constructed for the drag strip.
But, 10 years in the past, that’s precisely what we featured. Loopy? Completely! Epic? Indubitably! For this week’s throwback put up, we’re revisiting Bryn Musselwhite’s 2014 story on an 8-second Escort that defied all expectations.
2014 Function
I’m not fairly certain how you can take into account a twin-turbo V8-engined Escort RS Cosworth “the protected choice”, however that’s precisely what this quick Ford is to Matt Smith. In a narrative that twists and turns, there have been superbikes, 500hp Cosworth engines, race circuits and mind-opening discoveries, however whichever approach the trail travelled, the top sport has all the time been about going quick. Like a sub-10-second quarter mile on the drag strip quick…
Studying the feedback on among the tales we publish, I usually decide up on little pockets of curiosity and envy. One specifically is the American admiration for the European-built quick Fords. The RS (Rallye Sport) heritage goes again to the early ’70s, but it surely’s the title Cosworth that will get the gas pumping. Perhaps that’s why I discover it amusing – and greater than slightly ironic – that we Europeans will lust over the available V8s of America while many People yearn for our four-cylinder, turbocharged homologation specials. So Matt and his Escort should have one of the best of each worlds, proper?
What he has now’s a complete world away from what Ford meant the Escort Cosworth to be when it was launched in 1992. However as a result of Matt’s a petrolhead – a pure, power-driven pursuer of pace – the usual was by no means going to be adequate, particularly with a historical past like his.
However he’s managed to steadiness out a radical record of modifications with the unique spirit of the Cosworth badge. After all, Matt by no means imagined it could come this far, however his enthusiasm for what he began with by no means faltered. The full rebuild initially aimed for concours trophies earlier than a pointy flip was taken, and the goal shifted to the deep finish of a quarter-mile drag strip.
So how does all of it change? Velocity has performed a giant half within the Smith household historical past, initially equipped by motorbikes. Matt was impressed by his older brother Martin, after which, with their shut group of buddies, they went via motocross and superbikes on observe earlier than ultimately turning their collective pursuits to fast observe automobiles and fast highway bikes. However some close to misses and a few injured buddies proved to be a wake-up name for the brothers. As Matt properly states, “It doesn’t matter what you say, you’re going to exit and go quicker, and also you don’t realise how briskly you’re going till you must cease or you’ve gotten a crash.”
Matt remembers an previous good friend, Jamie, having an Escort Cosworth after they had been youthful. The massive-winged three-door is an iconic determine within the European tuning scene (therefore the envy from over the Atlantic), and it’s a mannequin that left its mark on many of us. It’s a type of ‘sooner or later’ automobiles. The unique 220hp was only the start for a lot of homeowners, and this specific automobile had been owned by one other good friend who hadn’t used it for a couple of years. When the alternative for Matt to buy offered itself in 2008, he grabbed it.
After a failed gearbox on the best way again from Ford Truthful, the subsequent 12 months, a plan was made to construct a fast, streetable Escort Cosworth – one thing there are many on the market. With a 500hp motor from famend engine builder Harvey Gibbs ordered, the shell was stripped down for a full nut and bolt rebuild.
Then got here the turning level, when good good friend Phil Peck (who drag races a late-model Mustang) advised the brothers that they need to come to the strip one weekend. Matt recollects saying: “Why would we wish to do this? It’s a straight line, boring; we had been into circuit racing. However then I used to be strolling down the pits, and on the left of me I had the observe, and on the appropriate of me I had the present and shine – it was then that I knew what I needed to do.” The explosive burst of energy on the road and the condensed sensations you must take care of when a lot is squeezed into a couple of seconds sealed the deal.
Now, there are two turbos, twice the variety of cylinders and greater than 5 instances the unique energy of the Escort to entertain Matt. So, did he make the appropriate determination?
That weekend on the observe, Matt obtained launched to Jon Webster (he’s stood within the background right here within the plain black sweatshirt). There are only a few folks with the form of expertise Jon has, and as Matt defined, he performed a pivotal function within the challenge. “It’s about belief while you need someone to do this type of work. What’s important for me is that we don’t should revisit issues – I don’t wish to be constructing an engine each different week or redoing issues after each race.”
Speaking to Jon additionally revealed the best way to scratch the itch proper the primary time: twin turbos and a V8. Coming residence from the drag strip that weekend, Matt went straight on-line and located an Escort on the market that had already been transformed to V8 twin-turbo. It was an indication – and promptly bought. So, together with his present Cosworth already stripped right down to a shell within the storage, the engine setup from the brand new automobile was put behind a van, and the pair was delivered to Webster Race Engineering. The Harvey Gibbs engine and anything not wanted was offered on, and the work started.
The plan from the beginning was to enter into the Avenue Eliminator Championship. That meant the Escort wanted to stay street-legal, which suited Matt’s plans positive as he nonetheless needed to take pleasure in it on the highway. However a YB-based engine simply wasn’t going to chop it. Sure, they’ll make large energy, however with that, reliability points would even be there to take care of. The opposite factor that needed to go was the beam rear finish. It’s now changed with a constructed Ford 9-inch again axle, however that required chopping into the freshly detailed shell to suit. “I went as much as John’s, and he took me to at least one facet and stated he had one thing for me, and there was my rear floorpan. I’d spent nights and nights engaged on it – getting it higher than a showroom – however there it was all reduce out. To be truthful, although, I’ve by no means seemed again and by no means regretted it.”
Together with the cage and suspension, the opposite main fabrication was on the entrance finish, the place there’s now a small block Chevrolet V8. And sure, I did say Chevrolet. There’s not a definitive energy determine, however with a Garrett GT4094 turbo mounted on both facet of the engine good for as much as 750hp apiece, and making an allowance for the ETs and lure speeds it runs (extra on that shortly), it certainly have to be someplace between 1,000 to 1,200hp.
Once more, Matt’s ardour for the Escort form that he’s recognized and liked for thus a few years exhibits via within the execution. The Morette twin headlamp conversion is well-liked in the Ford scene and comes from the Sierra rally automobiles, which predate the Escort. When a bonnet-mounted lamp pod was fitted, the nook of the usual headlamp was obscured, so these had been developed, permitting the producer to run a single spherical lamp on the skin. Legend has it that the inside opening was used as an extra air consumption that opened at pace till the authorities caught on. So it’s form of apt that there’s a turbo eyeing you again via that gap now! The mesh grille decrease down is from the legendary Sierra RS500, so it’s greater than a nod to heritage.
The unique engine that the challenge started with has been modified – this one having been constructed, ported and stream matched by Mark Moseley with tech assist from Richard Coles at Coltec Racing Engines and elements sourced from Rob Loring at Ice Engineering. That may sound like a sophisticated record, but it surely’s all in regards to the staff work with these guys – each Matt and brother Martin telling me the way it made the bounce from the circuit to the strip really easy and gratifying. They now all race beneath the title Crew Excessive, with a really spectacular line up of automobiles starting from a Supra to an R32 Skyline and extra.
After all, with the bonnet open the sport is up. As you’ll be able to see it’s all been cleverly packaged too, and that exhaust manifold seems to be prefer it may survive a bomb blast. But it surely’s not showy beneath right here – all the things serves a function with out being excessive.
The bonnet needed to be modified to clear the engine, but it surely’s the one non-standard physique panel on the entire automobile now. Additions just like the carbon decrease lip are aftermarket, but it surely stays true to the strains of the unique Ford moulding.
The commonplace Cosworth vents could also be hidden from one another by the inside track in the course of the bonnet, however the manufacturing unit contemporary purple paint job simply provides to the phantasm for me. Not like many drag automobiles, the Escort is bare and free from any graphics or names too, which I actually like.
Simply how fast are you able to go and nonetheless be highway authorized although?…
Inside it’s an identical story to the skin: delicate however modified for function. Bear in mind this needed to stay a pleasant place to be and due to that all of it feels vaguely conversant in the manufacturing unit strains being stored. However the place there was once a gearstick which related Matt to the four-wheel drive system. Now there’s a B&M shifter for the two-speed automated transmission, which was constructed up by Andy Frost, the person answerable for the quickest road automobile on the planet up till the 2014 Scorching Rod Drag Week. Fast road automobiles are within the UK blood stream…
And the place the unique dials and gauges was once, now a SPA digital sprint sits neatly within the carbon fibre cluster.
As regards to carbon fibre, that’s one other of Matt’s weaknesses – one which I personally can’t fault him for! The carbon bucket seats, Eclipse 280mm steering wheel and different elements all got here from UK agency Reverie. I’ve drooled over their worth record for a few years, so I’m very envious of what you see right here! Be aware the usual centre console too…
Little touches, like that and the usual rear parcel shelf make me smile. Often you’d wish to shout in regards to the potential this Escort has, however not right here. The speaker grilles disguise empty house, however these are real pop-out glass rear home windows, similar to the heated rear display – no polycarbonate right here.
Perhaps the Escort is a little bit of a sleeper even? I do know that will sound loopy, however in case you noticed it on the road would you suppose it’s a 9-second quarter mile succesful automobile? Perhaps you’ll, but when so that you’d be fallacious, as a result of Matt and the Cosworth turned in ETs as little as 8.4 seconds in 2014. With the goal within the final couple of years for the automobile to ‘run its tag’ of 8 seconds, that’s now nicely inside attain, which implies 7s can’t be discounted both…
After all, it’s not been with out drama, nor some critical head scratching from all concerned alongside the best way. However that’s what it’s about, proper? If it was simple everyone could be doing it. Issues not often go to plan in this sport, and in case you want the right instance of that simply do not forget that this was meant to be a concours present automobile construct!
But it surely’s not – though it’s immaculately offered. I took this image as we left the drag strip for a 25-mile night time cruise to show that it’s a correct highway automobile. All of the Avenue Eliminator opponents have to finish this cruise, which features a gas cease, then one other sizzling begin additional alongside the best way – all slap bang in the course of the weekend’s racing. Our annual car assessments are additionally loads stricter than within the US, so this in itself is not any imply feat.
It makes for a reasonably superior sight when tens of 1000’s of horsepower rolls right into a sleepy countryside gas station. Winding our approach via darkish roads the snake of brake lights and headlamps make me smile, as different highway customers cross by blissfully unaware of the automotive potential they only encountered.
So contemplating that is the protected choice over spanking superbikes round on the highway and observe, simply how far is Matt going to go along with the Escort, taking into consideration that it’s nearly a full-bodied automobile with sunroof, glass and steel panels in place. To that Matt says, “I got down to construct an 8.50 road automobile, so if I begin going any additional it’s going to get out of hand. Proper now it’s nonetheless an Escort Cosworth with a engine swap and rear axle. The following transfer is a full tube automobile, which might be a waste of this automobile. The fervour is all the time to go quicker, however the essential factor is to recollect to have enjoyable when you are.”
Enjoyable? Appears like a plan to me! The Smith brothers know a factor or 10 about the best way to do issues proper, so no matter occurs it’ll be good.
Going again to the beginning and the purpose I made about how one can by no means predict what lies forward – typically it’s finest to simply benefit from the experience, as a result of the journey is usually simply as essential because the vacation spot. So do you continue to wish to know the place you’re going along with your challenge? Or are you content material to see what occurs?…
The Speedhunters
Instagram: thespeedhunters
Bryn Musselwhite
Instagram: shoottheproducer
